Any riding roads suggestions for Skyline Drive & Blue Ridge PKW
Sue and I will be leaving this coming Saturday for a 2-week trip to Skyline and BRP Parkway. We will be spending 3 days in Bryson City over Memorial weekend. Will be hitting some roads in that area. Any suggestions will be welcome. Bruce and Sue.
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 05-12-2024 at 08:03 PM.
Reason: Expanded title to briefly ask the question... ;-)
New to Sue and I
2021, LTD, Asphalt Gray, 22,000 miles
Gone but not forgotten
RTS 2011 SM5, 95,000 miles
If you are heading to Skyline drive first I highly recommend to catch Rt. 75 south starting in Port Royal, Pa. it is also called Path Valley road. Awesome scenic view and you can move at a pretty good pace all the way to outside Hagerstown, Md. where you can take a choice of roads to cut over to Route 11 that takes you to just outside Front Royal where you can catch Skyline drive.
It is scenery you will never forget and absolutely enjoy with plenty of places to stop along the way.
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Road to nowhere in Bryson City, Wayah Road, Elijay Road, actually pretty much any direction will take you on a nice road. I prefer these local types of roads due to less traffic.
While heading south on the BRP, get off in Little Switzerland and do the Diamondback loop (226A). It is a very interesting road, and can be as exciting as the tail of the dragon. After passing Asheville on the BRP, you can hop on 276 near Waynesville. If you head south, you can take that all the way down to 64. You will go past Looking Glass Falls and get some pictures. Once on 64, head west and hop back on 215 that will take you back up to the BRP. Then you can continue going south towards Cherokee. As it was said earlier, there are so many good roads to ride, you just can't go wrong. I also suggest going up to Mt. Mitchell while you are on the BRP. You will come to this just before reaching Asheville.
2021 RTL , brake pedal from "Web Boards" chalk white
Try the Cherohala Skyway. Also from the motorcycle resort at the start of the Tail of the Dragon, head south on the little very narrow 2 lane road. Fun ride, used to be where SCCA did hill climb events
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When you get to that area, check out the Chamber of Commerce roadside stands .... they have maps of the local area's best MTC. routes ...... Enjoy Bruce ....Mike
Check out 'The Rattler' from Hot Springs south to Fines Creek (NC209) and Cherohala Skyway (south of Deals Gap) to Robbinsville.
Rode it twice last week while at the BajaRon Rally. Once in the dry the other in the rain. Good ride. Got on NC32 on the way back and it was even better.
The BRP between Jefferson NC and Boone NC is closed for road work. Been that way for some months now. Not sure of distance but about 20mi or so. The detour is well marked.
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Sue and I have made it to Front Royal. Left yesterday morning and had a decent ride until Woburn Mass. Then the skies opened up and we had a heavy rain for the rest of the day. Typical stop and go traffic in Mass. Connecticut was not much better. It was a crappy day. Left Waterbury Ct, this morning and it was a nice day. Arrived in Front Royal around 7:00pm. We will hit Skyline Drive tomorrow and parts of BRP. Keep you posted. Bruce
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 05-19-2024 at 09:18 PM.
New to Sue and I
2021, LTD, Asphalt Gray, 22,000 miles
Gone but not forgotten
RTS 2011 SM5, 95,000 miles
Hope you have a good ride today. Very heavy fog this AM at south end of SLD, but should burn off by late morning.
You probably know that there is no gas on the BRP in VA. Personally, I would fill in Waynesboro before starting the BRP. If you are looking for gas and food, taking 64W a couple of exits (a few miles) and a right off the exit would be best. For just gas I would probably just go 250W down the hill a couple of miles and there are a couple of stations at the bottom.
Kevin thanks. We topped off at the beginning of (North) BRP. Staying in Lexington tonight. Had a great day. Spent more time on Skyline Drive then I had expected, glad we did. Saw 3 deer, a black snake in the road that I barely missed and a bunch of squirrels. Saw one Turkey on the BRP so far. Bruce
New to Sue and I
2021, LTD, Asphalt Gray, 22,000 miles
Gone but not forgotten
RTS 2011 SM5, 95,000 miles
Kevin thanks. We topped off at the beginning of (North) BRP. Staying in Lexington tonight. Had a great day. Spent more time on Skyline Drive then I had expected, glad we did. Saw 3 deer, a black snake in the road that I barely missed and a bunch of squirrels. Saw one Turkey on the BRP so far. Bruce
About a Turkey ...... last time I was down that way ... on the way to Peel's ferry .... a Turkey flew off the side of the road I was on and managed to get between me and the windshield ....almost knocked me off the RT ..... if it had hit the windshield I'm sure it would have broken it...... Mike
Glad you are having fun, and the weather is being friendly. As for our wildlife, the bear population has been booming. I saw four bears one morning over just a few miles early this Spring, just south of Lexington. The Mountain Laurels are blooming (maybe not the peak), and you should be going through some sections today that can be awesome, if you are into that sort of thing. Be safe.
Last edited by Peter Aawen; 05-21-2024 at 05:36 AM.
Sounds like you are having a great time. I have a couple of buddies doing this ride right now, but they were going from south to north. This morning they are heading north from Blowing Rock area (they are on slingshots). Once you get to the 421 area and south, you will definitely be tempted to stop very often. From there south is the most beautiful parts of the BRP, in my opinion. When you get as far south as Little Switzerland, get off and do the 226A route (Diamond Back Loop). You will be glad that you did. It is every bit as interesting as the Dragon,with more elevation changes.
2021 RTL , brake pedal from "Web Boards" chalk white
We met the Slingshots this afternoon. We encountered 7 deer today and it was hot. Nice on the ridge. Early evening we were coming around a corner and a tree was down blocking 90% of the road. We managed to squeak by. We are in Hillsville tonight. Heading for Blowing Rock tomorrow. Bruce
New to Sue and I
2021, LTD, Asphalt Gray, 22,000 miles
Gone but not forgotten
RTS 2011 SM5, 95,000 miles
We met the Slingshots this afternoon. We encountered 7 deer today and it was hot. Nice on the ridge. Early evening we were coming around a corner and a tree was down blocking 90% of the road. We managed to squeak by. We are in Hillsville tonight. Heading for Blowing Rock tomorrow. Bruce
As the old saying goes, "the best is yet to come" It is always hard pressed to decide which pulloffs to stop at when doing the areas south of where you are now. Each one looks so nice, and then the next one looks even nicer. I can never get enough.
2021 RTL , brake pedal from "Web Boards" chalk white
Left Hillsville and made it to Blowing Rock. We had a detour that took about an hour or so to get back onto the BRP. You folks have some really nice country around here. Loved seeing all the small farms. One thing I noticed in Virginia and in NC, is that a lot of your roads are posted at 55 mph. These roads back home would be 45 mph. It seems no matter what road you are on, they are curvy. Very nice. Bruce
Last edited by Peter Aawen; Yesterday at 09:48 PM.
New to Sue and I
2021, LTD, Asphalt Gray, 22,000 miles
Gone but not forgotten
RTS 2011 SM5, 95,000 miles
Any riding roads suggestions for Skyline Drive & Blue Ridge PKW
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Originally Posted by safecracker
..... if it had hit the windshield I'm sure it would have broken it...... Mike 
