| Author | Message | ||
     Terp_bueller |
Ft_bastd...and others, I'm planning a ride, October 10th - 13th, with several co-workers and need a few ideas regarding good route #'s, parkways and road names that I should include on the 2-day ride. Obviously Rte 129 and the Skyway are a given. Any other interesting twisties? | ||
| Etennuly |
What direction are you coming from and where will you be staying? Just getting to this area is a great ride. | ||
| Arcticktm |
M28 all the way down to Highlands, NC (and into N Ga, depending on how far you want to go) is great. Best done on a weekday when the weekend Highlands traffic is not as frustrating. The earlier in the day, the better. Nantahala Gorge (again, weekend traffic can be heavy) is beautiful. US 276 in Pisgah Nat Forest is always popular, but 215 is a lesser known great road. It's really pretty hard to find a bad road in the area, if you stay away from larger towns and anything with 4 lanes. | ||
| Arcticktm |
I see you cross posted this: Do you know anything about 1397 & 1442? 1442 is Wayah Rd, and is very narrow and very fun. Had a lot of gravel thrown down early this spring in a few sections, so don't do it if you insist on perfect clean pavement. Great Uly road, but HD's do it as well sometimes. 1397 looks like a dead end forest road of some sort. Never noticed it. I bet it is dirt? Note that no one local uses the 4 digit route numbers, so they won't ring a bell. Wayah Rd is pretty well known, but I had no idea it was 1442 until I looked it up. | ||
| Jlnance |
Obviously Rte 129 and the Skyway are a given. It depends on what you're after. There are roads equally as good and uncrowded, but you won't get pictures.  Are you riding down I-81 through VA? There is some fantastic riding in western VA, around Marion. | ||
| M2nc |
US421 from Mountain City NC to Holston Valley TN. US58 from Damascus VA to Volney VA | ||
| Terp_bueller |
Thanks for all the advice...keep it coming. We are staying in Cherokee, NC. We plan to make the tourist trap run one day (always fun though) and concentrate on routes south and east of Cherokee, on the 2nd day. I am riding down from Maryland and will most likely need to take Rte 81 for timing purposes. I am riding with a group of co-workers located throughout the country...OH, MS, VA & myself from MD. I am the solo Bueller, with the group consisting of a metric cruiser, an Ultra Glide, an ST1300 and a few Gold Wings. The group can ride the heck out of those big pigs. I'll make note of the 97 & 42. No Uly's on the trip, so I'll stay clear this time. 215 & 276 are in...and we plan to include 28 from Highlands to Lauada. I'll save Rte 58 & 421 for another ride. The one co-worker lives in Wytheville, VA and we get together for occasional rides. I am meeting him for this NC ride. I love the western part of VA. My last VA ride resulted in the trade of my 03 XB for an 08 1125R. (A story for another time) Local Buell tour guides are always welcome.  Thanks, again. | ||
| Etennuly |
Try to find rt 32, it is seven miles of twisted like you have never seen. If the road is clean, the pavement is perfect. It parallels interstate 40 where it turns South towards Asheville. Get there any way you want, it is all great riding. It ends on a mild dirt road that goes for about 3 miles. Turn left at the bottom, in a couple of miles you will be on rt 40. Awesome fun ride, if you don't want the dirt, just turn around at the top. Permagrin awaits! If you find rt 109 to Hot Springs it too is awesome. It is a bit tricky until you figure out there is a little bit of gravel on every inside corner in the center groove. Usually it is very consistent, so it is predictable. New Found Gap (441) is one of my favorite rides if you can miss traffic(weekends or special times, fall foliage comes to mind). | ||
| Terp_bueller |
I believe we were including 441, already. I found 209...not 109, out of Hot Springs. 32 looks like a bad EKG...I gotta ride that one. Could we blend in with 1397? Can I borrow the Uly? | ||
| Etennuly |
Lets see here.....OK, you're probably right, 209 sounds right, I didn't have the map out, 32.....yes, don't know what 1397 is, 32 just runs into dirt at the top, I have not done it yet, but the dirt road should continue about 9 miles beyond the intersection at the bottom of the mountain, and no.   | ||
| Terp_bueller |
What...no free rentals? Does the southern hospitality stop at the TN border?  | ||
| Etennuly |
Not a hospitality issue so much. If you have followed the "Engine Occilation" thread on BBD, you might understand! However.if you still really feel like you need to ride it, the pilon be open.....I will be at the controls! | ||
| Terp_bueller |
Alright, I'll ride my own bike...don't like the nutz to butz idea.  | ||
| Etennuly |
don't like the nutz to butz idea Neither do I, if there was an insinuated lack of hospitality, that is where it came from. Sorry.  | ||
| Terp_bueller |
No need to apologize...knew your intended humor. OK, back to motorcycles... | ||
| Arcticktm |
TN-32 is a fun twisty section (south of Cosby TN), but as Vern says, it turns to dirt at the NC state line (and enters Smoky Mtn NP). I would not recommend the dirt part with the bikes you describe, unless they are quite adventurous. Road is in good shape, but lots of switchbacks and 2 way traffic of the 4-wheel variety. You can always turn around and run it back north though. 209 from Hot Springs is good, and Hot Springs makes a good meal stop, as well. Again, popular on summer weekends, and likely for fall colors. Since you will be down in prime color season, there will be no avoiding traffic on Sat/Sun (especially staying in Cherokee), so I would suggest you use your off-the-beaten path routes those days. If you get to US64 near Rosman, US 178 is a good stretch down to SC-11, and makes a natural extension south from where 215 ends at US64. US281 is also a good out-of-the way choice, but does have a short dirt section just SE of Wolf Creek Reservoir and N of Lake Toxaway. It can be a little challenging to follow if you are not familiar with it, though. Would be good to meet up and "guide" you around, but won't know until just before your ride, as I am planning a big dual sport ride in SE Ohio the following weekend (and NOT on the Uly!). | ||
| Cyclonemick |
I was in Gatlinburgh in 01 and do not remember the name of the highway but we left Gatlinburgh and went to piegon Forge and then took the Foothills Parkway to the Dragon. The Parkway was a wonderful road full of highspeed sweepers and wonderful scenery! | ||
| Terp_bueller |
Thanks to all who contributed on the thread. Our group had a great ride on Sunday; however, Monday's rain shortened our stay. I rode 5 hours north before escaping the rain. I did manage some fun on Monday with 100+ chilly miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia. 1,500 total miles in 3-days. I passed (3) dinosaurs on the Dragon...a lobster CR, a Black Uly and Amber XB12...sorry we did not get chance to talk. My best Eslick impressions through the twisties.    |
