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From CowboyUp: I'll include my replies, and maybe others want to chime in with helpful or sarcastic comments:
Robert,
I was looking through the Blue Ridge Parkway trip pictures you took in 2014 and wanted to ask you about the trip. It looks like you did the entire trip in a week; how long was the actual Parkway ride? Including Skyline Drive, almost 600 miles. Were you able to see everything in those days? Well, most of day 1 I could barely see my nose in front of my face in the fog; I missed Mt. Mitchell because of that, but otherwise, yes, I was able to make a lot of stops.
What's the actual drive like? It varies. Pavement is outstanding, speed limits are low, great signage. It's limited access, like a baby interstate. Immaculate, well-maintained. Reading Brian Wringer's comments to you back then, it sounded like the car drivers are stopping out in the middle of the road a lot. I encountered none of that, but I went in mid-July. Peak traffic is autumn, when the leaves change. Is it a pretty technical ride (I'm still doing some of my own reading) to the point that an inexperienced or even one still somewhat young (about 6 years now) in their riding career should wait to do? Don't wait. Life's too uncertain; eat dessert first. I wouldn't consider it as terribly demanding, skill-wise. Common sense, sure. There are some serious drop-offs that are probably not survivable -- I mean, a major mistake can be a MAJOR mistake. I had no trouble with a Goldwing, so a smaller bike would probably be more fun.
How's the lodging along the route? The hotel pricing I've seen so far lends me to believe it's quite expensive but available. That's accurate, in my limited experience. The most I paid was $115, and that was at the Grand Lodge (Big Meadows?) up in the Shenandoah Nat'l Park, on Skyline Drive. Under $100 everywhere else. Are gas stops pretty frequently available or should I plan on carrying a gas can? Look here: My 550 only is doing about 100 to 130 per tank so I'd need to fill up quite frequently I'm sure and I'm not sure yet how that matches up with the towns along the route. I'm still researching though of course.
I was thinking of taking the trip over a three or four day weekend but I'm starting to wonder if I'd be smarter to make it longer. Were you glad you made it over the weekdays instead? Absolutely. I did my distance stuff (Chicago area to Gatlinburg) on a Sunday so I'd have the whole Parkway on weekdays. I think that was one of my best ideas.
It looks like you ran into some weather on the trip. How did that affect your ride and how long did it last? It seems like it lasted ten to twelve years, but the worst was over in about two days. Did you know you'd hit it before you went or was it a surprise? The wet & chill was no surprise, and I had really good rain gear. I wasn't expecting to drive through a <expletive> hundred-mile long car wash in pea soup fog; that was some of the worst weather I've ever ridden through.
Thanks for helping me figure out my summer trip. I have usually made a second trip after the Brown County one and want to do it again this year but am not sure where to yet. Take the Parkway. You'll be hooked. I'm going again this year, late July. Here's some tempting photos of my 2014 trek.
Will you make Brown County this year? Well, I have to show off my new 650, so I'll be down for at least the Saturday Pizza Ambush and the Sunday morning Epic Breakfast at the Story Inn.
Robert,
I was looking through the Blue Ridge Parkway trip pictures you took in 2014 and wanted to ask you about the trip. It looks like you did the entire trip in a week; how long was the actual Parkway ride? Including Skyline Drive, almost 600 miles. Were you able to see everything in those days? Well, most of day 1 I could barely see my nose in front of my face in the fog; I missed Mt. Mitchell because of that, but otherwise, yes, I was able to make a lot of stops.
What's the actual drive like? It varies. Pavement is outstanding, speed limits are low, great signage. It's limited access, like a baby interstate. Immaculate, well-maintained. Reading Brian Wringer's comments to you back then, it sounded like the car drivers are stopping out in the middle of the road a lot. I encountered none of that, but I went in mid-July. Peak traffic is autumn, when the leaves change. Is it a pretty technical ride (I'm still doing some of my own reading) to the point that an inexperienced or even one still somewhat young (about 6 years now) in their riding career should wait to do? Don't wait. Life's too uncertain; eat dessert first. I wouldn't consider it as terribly demanding, skill-wise. Common sense, sure. There are some serious drop-offs that are probably not survivable -- I mean, a major mistake can be a MAJOR mistake. I had no trouble with a Goldwing, so a smaller bike would probably be more fun.
How's the lodging along the route? The hotel pricing I've seen so far lends me to believe it's quite expensive but available. That's accurate, in my limited experience. The most I paid was $115, and that was at the Grand Lodge (Big Meadows?) up in the Shenandoah Nat'l Park, on Skyline Drive. Under $100 everywhere else. Are gas stops pretty frequently available or should I plan on carrying a gas can? Look here: My 550 only is doing about 100 to 130 per tank so I'd need to fill up quite frequently I'm sure and I'm not sure yet how that matches up with the towns along the route. I'm still researching though of course.
I was thinking of taking the trip over a three or four day weekend but I'm starting to wonder if I'd be smarter to make it longer. Were you glad you made it over the weekdays instead? Absolutely. I did my distance stuff (Chicago area to Gatlinburg) on a Sunday so I'd have the whole Parkway on weekdays. I think that was one of my best ideas.
It looks like you ran into some weather on the trip. How did that affect your ride and how long did it last? It seems like it lasted ten to twelve years, but the worst was over in about two days. Did you know you'd hit it before you went or was it a surprise? The wet & chill was no surprise, and I had really good rain gear. I wasn't expecting to drive through a <expletive> hundred-mile long car wash in pea soup fog; that was some of the worst weather I've ever ridden through.
Thanks for helping me figure out my summer trip. I have usually made a second trip after the Brown County one and want to do it again this year but am not sure where to yet. Take the Parkway. You'll be hooked. I'm going again this year, late July. Here's some tempting photos of my 2014 trek.
Will you make Brown County this year? Well, I have to show off my new 650, so I'll be down for at least the Saturday Pizza Ambush and the Sunday morning Epic Breakfast at the Story Inn.
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