A Tale of Two Counties

[Randimus Maximus]

I always enjoy your rider reports, JM. Thanks for sharing. 

+ a lot

and your pics - + 11tyB!

[Curmudgeon]

Don't compare all of the BRP to the part in VA. There are far more curves in the NC portion and the speed limit is 45 mph for most of it. When you include the Pisgah Natl. Forest that connects to the BRP, what other road can you ride continuously for over 100 miles with little LEO presence and very few side roads ( for people to pull out from)?

Oh and the BRP is not the only road in Asheville. Just sayin.

Hmmm... Think you must have missread something I wrote above? As a veteran of many end-to-end rides of the BRP, possibly before you were born... (?), I'll give you that my favorite scenery is from Mt. Mitchell to Mt. Pisgah. There are vastly more rangers on the BRP than there were 20 - 30 years ago when you could cook along with impunity. My 796 prefers 75 MPH to 45 MPH in general as did my old BMW RS's. VA has few cops mid-week in the area I mentioned, or even cars,  except in obvious built-up stretches. No biggie really.

Here's a sample of smooth road near a favorite lunch stop and tons more where this came from. Unbroken pavement too compared to the BRP in the last 4 - 5 years. http://binged.it/YtTByO

[Dry Martini]

Hmmm... Think you must have missread something I wrote above? As a veteran of many end-to-end rides of the BRP, possibly before you were born... (?), I'll give you that my favorite scenery is from Mt. Mitchell to Mt. Pisgah. There are vastly more rangers on the BRP than there were 20 - 30 years ago when you could cook along with impunity. My 796 prefers 75 MPH to 45 MPH in general as did my old BMW RS's. VA has few cops mid-week in the area I mentioned, or even cars,  except in obvious built-up stretches. No biggie really.

Here's a sample of smooth road near a favorite lunch stop and tons more where this came from. Unbroken pavement too compared to the BRP in the last 4 - 5 years. http://binged.it/YtTByO

I don't know about "before I was born", I am 50. As for broken pavement on the BRP, I did not notice much. Nor do I even worry about a few cracks I the road surface.

The park rangers are few and spread thin covering the NC portion, and they are usually concentrated in high foot traffic areas, not in the more remote and more fun parts of the BRP.
I see very few on weekends and even less during the week days, which is the time I prefer to ride.

Oh and in said the speed limit was 45. You are free to go faster...

[seevtsaab]

Very nice little report JM. Nice looking Monster too.
My riding group is doing a trip down this summer staying in Boone.
Looking forward to exploring your beautiful roads.

[Curmudgeon]

I don't know about "before I was born", I am 50. As for broken pavement on the BRP, I did not notice much. Nor do I even worry about a few cracks I the road surface.

The park rangers are few and spread thin covering the NC portion, and they are usually concentrated in high foot traffic areas, not in the more remote and more fun parts of the BRP.
I see very few on weekends and even less during the week days, which is the time I prefer to ride.

Oh and in said the speed limit was 45. You are free to go faster...

Guys over 50 say, "just sayin"?! Agreed, while I might have ridden that stretch on my R26 when I was 17, I've got Halfheimers and can't remember! Official residence was GA though until I was ~ 19, so not unlikely as that was always a favorite long ride.

Good to hear that there are still few rangers in NC. They've gotten fairly thick from Mile 0 to Mile 70 for no good reason I can think of..., and that's a fairly unpopulated region too. I've got some credentials in my pocket which have proven to work well with state and local, and even some European cops, but might not want to test them vs a Federal ticket! 

Wasn't talking about cracks on the BRP. More like wash-outs and deep pot holes. They've started to resurface a few short stretches in the first 30 miles recently. Nothing like the glass it was in years prior. I guess windmills take priority these days.

Initially I mentioned my area only because the I-64 corridor from Williamsburg to Charlottesville offers a retiree just about anything you could find in NY/NJ/CT Metro, all within an hour drive, but MUCH friendlier natives!  Asheville for me remains a nice place to spend a week, but somewhat limited as a year round environment. VA is super MC-friendly too, BTW, although HAWGS predominate. At least they're friendly!

[the_Journeyman]

Very nice little report JM. Nice looking Monster too.
My riding group is doing a trip down this summer staying in Boone.
Looking forward to exploring your beautiful roads.

Thanks!

Awesome area to base out of for your group ride!  Not only are right in some good riding, but you can hit some great riding in VA, WV, and east TN, all within a short (and fun) ride from Boone!

JM

[Goat_Herder]

Great pics, JM.  Thanks for posting

[ungeheuer]

Glad you enjoyed Ung.  One of these days I hope to make it back to Australia, I like seeing what you post too.  I spent nearly a month there back in 2001.

JM

And when you get here, there's beer in the fridge and a second bike in the garage (not necessarily in that order  ).