Blue Ridge Parkway, Etc. Ride Report

[TimC]

EDITED: I added five photos below, which are in post #8. I wish I had more, but this was more of a straight-up riding vacation than a scenic one. Though there was great scenery along the way, I rarely stopped to take photos.

I did three fantastic trips last year, all while unemployed. But thankfully I've been back to work for just over a year now. The only downside is it's really cut into my riding time. So I've been looking forward to this one trip all year. I've wanted to do it for awhile, and this was my chance: Ride the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway, or BRP.

I scheduled a week of vacation (Wed. through Tue.) figuring that would be more than enough, and that I could even come back a day or more early if I got home sooner. I was right about being enough, but I took the whole week anyway. At some point I made a list of the roads I really wanted to hit, and I knew I'd have enough time to do them all.

I left late, as I didn't really have time to prep for the trip the few days before I left. I work a full-time job during the week, a retail job most weekends, and I'm a busy musician on the side, too. I hadn't had a day off in literally two weeks when I left. So I leave home just short of noon and the decide 20 miles down the road that I really want my back protector. Turn around, get home, find the darn thing, and head back out around 1:30.

My route took me (from Akron) down I-77 to US-250E. I had in mind to take 250 to US-50E toward Front Royal, VA, where I'd ride the Skyline Drive to the BRP. I had heard 250 through West Virginia was a fun road, and there were sections of it that really were. I stopped in the small town of Grafton, WV for the night, very near the junction of 250 and 50. (Highly recommend the Crislip Motor Lodge - clean, comfy, parking right outside your room, and very affordable) That night, I decided I'd stick with 250 all the way to the northern end of the BRP. I had ridden the Skyline Drive in 2010 and didn't feel like I had to do it again now, plus this took 2-3 hours off my trip to get to the same place and my goal, the BRP. 250 through the rest of WV and into Virginia did have some nice moments and scenery.

Day 1 on the BRP was great! Saw a young bear scamper across the road just after I started on it - pretty cool. The weather was great and I was making decent time, averaging maybe 50 mph. (Most of the BRP is 45 mph, with some sections at 35.) The road is an easy ride, especially at the marked speed limit, and there are tons of scenic turnouts. Late in the afternoon, before dusk, I had already spotted deer 2-3 times and I was near Roanoke, so I decided to find affordable lodging and call it a day. (I got a great deal on a room at the Holiday Inn via the app on my phone, and it was just a few miles from the BRP.)

The weather was iffy the next morning and by the time I got up on the BRP again it was foggy with 100% chance of rain. I'm too stupid to change my plans, however, so I stick with it, riding through severe fog and some rain for the next several hours on the thankfully mostly deserted BRP. I got a break in the lower elevation areas, but as soon as I climbed up again I disappeared into the fog. Dumb. I probably averaged 30 mph through the thickest fog I've ever seen. Occasionally I'd come up suddenly behind the bumper of a car, and once on the rear wheel of another bike. It was a bit unnerving at times, but my biggest fear was someone coming up behind me too quickly and hitting me before they even spotted my taillight. Thankfully near the southern end of the BRP the fog and rain lifted and I was able to ride the last good stretch in the clear. (I would have liked to have gotten a few photos of the dense fog, but it was so damp I didn't want to risk killing my phone or digital camera.)

I ended the BRP at dusk and used the app to find lodging again. As it was now Friday night in Cherokee, NC - a popular destination for motorcyclists, bicyclists, hikers, and kayakers, I wasn't sure I could find a place locally. I ended up having to ride another 12-15 miles to the place I booked in Bryson City. Along the way I got stopped at a police checkpoint, probably looking for DUIs, but the officer said they were doing license checks. What? I'm sorry but I don't think they have the right to demand my ID without at least a hint of probable cause. But not wanting problems and just wanting to get to my motel I complied - and got a bit of help with directions from the cop. He looked at my ID and I think because it's from Ohio he didn't even bother to check on it over the radio. A couple other guys, locals I presume, were not so fortunate. I'm sure they hauled away a few people with outstanding warrants.

The next day, I head toward Deal's Gap and along the way I pass Wayah Road, to which I was introduced by Bent (Jim) at one of the TMacs I attended several years ago. Tight, twisty, and maybe a little treacherous, but very entertaining. This road was on my list but with the word "risky" next to it. But what the hell, right? I ended up riding the whole road, all the way to where it ends near US 64, which I took into Franklin. Next up with 28 to The Dragon. I made two Dragon runs back to back, one each direction, both of which pretty much impeded by slower traffic. Each time I would slow down to create some space, I'd quickly catch up with the traffic ahead of me.

After the second run, I continued toward south on US 129 Robbinsville, and stopped at Wheeler's Performance before I hit town. A couple of you might remember I posted a thread on Facebook's VFRD People about needing a new front tire, but that I wanted to get more miles out of my existing one. Wheeler's had what I needed but they were in the middle of changing a few other tires on cruisers and it would be awhile. I knew I could get at least another day out of my old front, so I verified they'd be open the next day (Sunday), and headed south again.

I stopped for gas on the outskirts of Robbinsville, and then rode the Cherohala Skyway to Tellico Plains. I had ridden the Cherohala once, I think during TMac in 2010 (the last one I attended, darn it). It's a real treat, but since I'm not one of the fast guys, it takes awhile. A few miles from the end I started to notice my attention really drifting, like I was sleepy. It didn't help that I hadn't eaten a real meal all day, so I stopped for a burger and some sweet tea at the Hardee's in Tellico Plains. After that I had planned to run the Cherohala back to Robbinsville, but instead decided to explore TN 360/Ballplay Road, which heads north off the Cherohala in Tellico Plains. It was a nice, well-paved country road, that I thought would lead me US 411/TN 33. And maybe it would have if I hadn't taken a wrong turn somewhere and ended up dead-ending into a gravel road! I turned back around the made my way back to that turn, then continued on to 411/33. I went north to TN 72E, back to US 129S and my third Dragon run of the day. With no traffic in front of me I had my best run ever on that famous 11-mile stretch, and I just kept going to Robbinsville, where I checked into the Microtel for the night. I opted for dinner at Lynn's Place. I should have had the ribs - man, they looked good - but opted for the BBQ pulled pork sandwich instead, which was very tasty.

I should have gotten out earlier on Sunday morning, because when I got to Wheeler's around 10:30 the mechanic was already swapping tires on a couple more cruisers. So I left my hard bags there and headed toward The Dragon once more. I did two more runs - both of which pretty much devoid of traffic in front of me - and crossed my only double-yellow the whole freaking trip. Thank God there was nothing oncoming. I was behind a Caddy and got a little lazy coming out of a right-hander. Damn! I was so ticked I decided to turn around and hit that curve again, which I think was about halfway through the run. Nailed it that time, and I was soon stuck behind the Caddy again, which thankfully pulled off so I could pass and finish a decent run. My last two runs were pretty good - for me anyway. I'll never be fast, but I rode smoothly and mostly mistake-free, so I was happy with most of my riding over the trip.

When I got back to Wheeler's the mechanic was still working on the cruiser. I wasn't upset, but I was a little anxious to start heading north again - and looking at the weather, hoping to beat the rain on my way out of the area. Steve, who did a great job with my tire change, finished up around 3:30. Very nice guy - we discussed bikes, riding, etc. while he worked on my VFR. (Wheeler's prices are fair, too, and I highly recommend the shop!) Once done, I donned my rain pants just in case (the biggest pain in putting on a rain suit, so I did it before I left), gassed up in Robbinsville, and turned northeast toward the Smokies...where I promptly hit rain again on US 441. But only for a short time. It was gone by the time I hit Gatlinburg - on Sunday afternoon in a very touristy town. Ugh. And as bad as that way, Sevierville was much worse. I was actually happy to see the freeway by the time I hit I-40, which I took to I-81 to Bristol, TN.

I had to search for a decent but cheap place to stay in Bristol, and managed to get a little lost at the same time. I ended up at a Days Inn, and ate at a nearly Applebee's down the street. Bristol was the only place I stayed where I was a little nervous about my bike overnight. With apologies to any Bristol-ites here, it just wasn't a great area. But it was cool. I ended up parking my bike nearly out-of-sight in the parking lot and of course nothing happened.

The plan for Monday was to ride "The Snake", which is a very nice stretch of US 421 from Bristol to Mountain City. And it was great. Good weather, good pavement, little traffic, and few small towns to slow you down. I made the mistake of going too far on 421S, which ended up being very boring, and turned back around and stopped in Mountain City to add a layer of clothing, as it was already getting a little colder. I took 91N from there into Virginia and to US 58E - another terrific road. Eventually I got to VA 16N, a stretch of which from Tazewell to Marion is known as "The Back of the Dragon". And it was great! Total luck I wrote this into my route, and I'm glad it worked out that way.

VA 16 becomes WV 16 when you cross the border. WV 16 has some nice twisties, too, but once in WV you soon run into big-rig coal trucks and roads with plenty of dust and some gravel coating them. And tons of small towns with low speed limits. What a drag when you're trying to make time. When 16 mete up with WV 10, I took 10W toward Logan WV. Once in Logan I had a choice to make: Stay on 10 and go to Huntington, stay the night, and hit some nice SE Ohio twisties on the way home; or take US 119N to I-64 and I-77 through Charleston and slab it all the way home.

It was already at least 6 pm and heading toward dusk. I didn't want to be on mountain roads at night, and more importantly I was tired - probably more mentally than physically at that point. I had ridden hard for over 4 days by that point, in some of the most challenging twisties and conditions ever. I chose to slab it home, thinking I might make it home even that night. Though riding freeways is boring, I was ready to be home, plus I felt like I had already pushed my luck quite a bit during the trip. I really don't feel like I compromised in slabbing it home instead of hitting more sweet twisties the next day.

I rode through the night, stopped for a late dinner, and coffee/rest stops every hour or so after that. The temperature dropped to 40F on I-77N at 70 mph, getting down to 37 by the time I got home. I was wearing every layer I had, including my rain suit and heaviest gloves. It wasn't really enough, but it was tolerable. One almost not funny anecdote: I don't wear ear-buds (but yes - ear-plugs), so to entertain myself during long, boring stretches on the bike I sing favorite songs to myself. While doing this I unknowingly ran into my last fuel bar, only spotting it once I was into that LCD bar. And at the next exit the only station there was closed. I accelerated slowly back onto the freeway, hoping to save a few ounces of fuel - and very thankfully made it to New Philadelphia, OH, where I gassed up the bike and had another cup of coffee. (That last fuel bar started flashing on the exit ramp!) That was my last stop. I made it home at precisely 2 a.m., 578 miles for the day/night. I was immensely happy to get home safe and sound very early Monday morning after over 5 days on the road and over 2100 miles for the trip - all but about 500 of it on two-lanes and serious twisties. I took Tuesday off as planned to rest and recharge after the long trip.

And what a great trip it was. In order: US 250, BRP, Wayah Road, NC 28, US 129, Cherohala Skyway, US 129 again, US 421, VA 58, VA 16, WV 16, and WV 10. Though the weather sucked for 2/3rds of the time on the BRP and I probably should have left it and pledged to ride it some other time, I'm glad to cross it off my list. I'd ride it again but never in those conditions. I guess I'm just too stubborn - and dumb - to have abandoned my trip down the Parkway. The rest of the trip was a total blast, and I hit some of the best motorcycling roads I've ever seen - some I'd ridden before and others brand-new to me, but which I hope to ride again someday.

Huge thanks to Wheeler's for being open on Sunday, which allowed to me get more great riding in on Saturday afternoon instead of having to wait that day for a tire change. By the time I got the new rubber, my front tire was done. Very thankful to have had a new front shoe for the trip home, especially when I hit rain on US 441N in the Smoky Mountains.

Friends often ask me if I do tours like this with a group or by myself. They usually look shocked when I say 'alone', which is how most of my trips have been so far. It's not that I don't enjoy the company of others, but I'm OK riding solo. I actually enjoy the solitude. I am a people-person, but I'm surrounded by people all the time. At work (office and retail) and at gigs with bands. It's nice to get away and just be by myself once in awhile, and this tour was no exception. By the end I was ready to be back home with my family, but during most of the trip I got to clear my head, ride as long or as short as I wanted, sleep in a bit, take breaks whenever I wanted, and ride the roads I chose. Like most of you, I can have a blast during group rides, but the freedom in solo rides can be wonderful, too.

I'm very much hoping to make TMac next May. In part for the riding in the NC/TN area, and in part for the friendships I've fostered in the VFRD community - which I hope to rekindle next spring! And rather than hurrying down and back north again, I'm hoping to take a week off again so I can explore some new roads during the trip. See ya soon, folks!

[Dutchy]

Nice write up!

The weather was iffy the next morning and by the time I got up on the BRP again it was foggy with 100% chance of rain. I'm too stupid to change my plans, however, so I stick with it, riding through severe fog and some rain for the next several hours on the thankfully mostly deserted BRP.

No worries, that is what I did in 2012 pre-TMAC......

[Switchblade]

You rode the " WORLD FAMOUS DRAGON " and did not crash and die .

Congrats !

[checksix]

Good write up, enjoyed it.

Funny you should mention taking a wrong turn on 360 trying to reach 411. I made the same mistake the first time I went through there. There's a tee intersection coming off a bridge where you must turn left. But it is unmarked. Not a hint which way to 411.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Tellico+Plains,+TN&ll=35.512631,-84.182053&spn=0.013763,0.027637&fb=1&gl=us&hnear=Tellico+Plains,+Monroe+County,+Tennessee&t=m&z=15&layer=c&cbll=35.512457,-84.190316&panoid=J0nshPft2IbrbrMSXPLIuA&cbp=12,45,,0,0

[TimC]

A few points I forgot to mention:

-It was great to see several other VFRs in the NC/TN area. It was pretty evenly mixed between 5th and 6th gen's, though I think maybe a couple more 6th's than 5th's. I don't think I saw a single 7th or 8th gen. the whole trip.

-I saw two riders down on The Dragon inside one mile during one of my runs. I didn't see what happened - they were already down. One cruiser (I think a nice Indian) in a ditch - rider sitting up a bit, looked stunned, leg bloodied. Not really sure about the other one, might have been on a motard or other smaller bike. Kind of sobering.

-If I ever had a doubt, it was settled at Deal's Gap: Harley-Davidson is the most popular motorcycle in America. It's like a 1:1 ratio -- I think I saw one HD for every non-Harley in the area. Also, Gold Wings, both with 2 and 3 wheels, run a distant 2nd as far as I can tell.

-You can easily tell which states have mandatory helmet laws, because everyone on cruisers in those states are wearing helmets - but usually only half-shells. Here in Ohio, with no mandatory helmet law (other than when you have your learner's permit) the vast majority of cruiser riders go lid-less.

-Not sure what's next on my riding agenda, but I am seriously thinking about doing a Saddlesore 1000 before the season ends.

[RollinAgain]

Shame on you sir....Your post is the equivalent to reading a playboy magazine without any pics in it. Sounds like a fun trip, glad you made it back safely.

Rollin

[TimC]

But we only get Playboy for the articles, right? Seriously though, I'll try to load a few pix today.

One other thing I forgot -- God bless the people who pull over to let you go around. It doesn't always happen, but we surely appreciate it when it does. I always give a couple quick beeps or a wave to say "Thanks!" after I've passed.

[TimC]

These are all from the BRP, and are pretty much the only photos I took worth sharing!

Just in case anyone is curious, these were taken with my Fufi FinePix S4200 (14 MP). I've had it a couple years now and I think it's a great, affordable digital camera, with 24x zoom. One of my favorite features is its viewfinder, a feature that is getting harder to find in this class of camera.

[MaxSwell]

Great report. I loved my time on the BRP.

They don't call them the Smokies for nuthin'.

[VietHorse]

I've been there. :)

Thanks for sharing your pix.

[6thGenVFRZen]

Nice write-up! I have ridden the BRPW in those conditions myself and it was unnerving. Last year I did a 10-day ride through 8 states (included a 2-day stop at the T-Mac) and did 16 through WV and VA down to Boone (phenomenal riding day - check out High Country Motorcycle Campground in Ferguson, NC). I also really enjoyed eastern KY and southeastern OH. At any rate, if interested, I captured bits of this trip on my GoPro and through footage up on my "VFR Zen" YouTube channel.

BTW, I hear you on the merits of riding solo, though I also enjoy the fellowship too - on that 2013 trip I rode with a friend for 5 days and solo the other 5 - perfect balance. Ride safe, all!

[TimC]

Thanks for the comments, guys. I can't believe it's already been over two months since I finished the trip.

I never got around to the Saddlesore 1000 this fall. My season is over, so I might tackle it next spring.

[LangoPTC]

Thanks for the great write-up! Since I can't make my first TMAC in 2015 because of work I am hoping to make a BRP ride of some type.

[Switchblade]

Great shot. Just needed your VFR in the pic.