A long-awaited Blue Ridge Parkway venture

[robertbarr]

I'm extremely happy that my vision issues seem to be behind me, and I've been busy planning out my venture from the Chicago burbs to the Blue Ridge Parkway. I'm starting at the south end in Great Smoky Mountain National Park and continuing northeast beyond its starting point through the Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Forest.

I've heard enough good things about the Skyline that I'm preparing to ride it in both directions. We will see.

So far, I'm spending the first night in Gatlinburg, TN so I can launch early a.m. to GSMNP; I really want to ride through Cade's Cove, maybe twice, but then it's time to get rolling; I intend to cover 170 miles of the BRP in the first day. I'm still toying with turning down the volume & pace for a while by renting a bicycle for the Cade's Cove circuit.

It's a challenge to plan the layovers because there are so many reasons to stop and see the sights and attractions. It's tough to guestimate how much clowning around time I'll need. I want to be a typical Joe Tourist this time and read the placards, photograph everything, ask stupid questions, browse through pamphlets, purchase postcards & souvenirs, the usual.

Second night is in Blowing Rock. I want to photograph the Linville Viaduct / Grandfather Mountain from a few vantage points. Then a quick stop to see what the frig the Peaceful Heart Alpacas are all about (?? MP 204) and onward to Mount Airy to enjoy Mayberry and Aunt Bea's Diner. I'm staying right across the street for night #3. Yep, pure tourist.

That's where I'm stuck for now. There's 200 more miles of parkway to enjoy and I'm not sure where to spend night #4. Perhaps I'll get a motel for two nights at around MP5, where I can launch my Skyline Drive cruise. With a max. speed limit of 35, maybe I never get beyond third gear.

It looks like everywhere I'm staying has wi-fi, so I can actually stay in contact with the civilized world. I've been trying to remember the last year I took an actual vacation!

 

[Eli69]

brp is awwwwesome. i wonder if the blueberries will be ripe...
last time i was there i ate all i could hold.

 

[Steve]

While on the western end of the BRP, be sure to take some time at Maggie Valley. MP455 is US Rt 19, go about 5.7 miles east to the Wheels Through Time Museum.

Hopefully Dale Walksler (the owner) will be there to be your guide. It is known as "The museum that runs" for a reason. He is quite willing to start up virtually ANY of the bikes there, even though many of them are over 100 years old.

.

 

[Guest]

Looking forward to the photos, sounds like a real scenic ride.

 

[willie]

Sounds like a great plan. What are you riding? Definitely take Steve's advice re: Wheels Through Time. You'll be glad you did. I'd try to meet up with you if I didn't have other plans.Ride safe and good luck.
Willie

 

[GSX1000E]

Beautiful roads indeed which are best enjoyed in Autumn when the leaves are doing their thing but anytime except the weekends are great too. Don't forget rain gear just in case.

 

[bwringer]

The bicycle for Cades Cove is a great idea -- it would definitely be the fastest way through that hellhole.

Otherwise, you're sitting for hours on a narrow, one-lane road astride an overheating motorcycle while oblivious flatlander morons stop their cars in the middle of the road so they can get out and take pictures of the exact same species of whitetail deer and squirrels they have at home. (Yes, they really do this. Thousands of them.)

On a bicycle, you can at least just ride around the morons much of the time.

Cades Cove is a beautiful valley and all, but it's ruined by the smothering crowds of blithering imbeciles. Unless it's early on a weekday and you have several hours to spare, be prepared to give it a miss. It's one-way, so if you go in, you're committed. There's a cross road (Hyatt Lane) that cuts off about half the loop if the crowds are too grim.



The BRP is indeed an awesome ride. Definitely a bucket list item. And the whole thing is open now -- parts of it in the mountains were closed for several years following some rock slides.

Enjoy!

 

[Larry D]

Enjoy your trip Mr. Barr.

I hope you sent me my o-ring kit before you left........

 

[robertbarr]

What are you riding?

I'll be taking the Land Barge in my sig.

Beautiful roads indeed which are best enjoyed in Autumn when the leaves are doing their thing but anytime except the weekends are great too..

I'm driving down there on a Sunday, specifically so I'll have an entire week of workdays to play with.

The bicycle for Cades Cove is a great idea -- it would definitely be the fastest way through that hellhole... you can at least just ride around the morons much of the time.

It'll be a Monday morning, but not all that early. 10, maybe. This late in the season, both my bicycle-a$$ and motorcycle-a$$ are pretty well developed and callused.

I found some reference to something like "Peace/Love Alpacas". Here it is It looks almost too weird to pass up, but maybe I'll get my fill of weird without really trying. Looking forward to Mayberry, too!

 

[robertbarr]

Made it to Gatlinburg. Ran into a few tourists! Holy Cheeze-Whiz, when did this area turn into Branson MO? This was just nuts! The last 10 miles of my trip took over an hour because of traffic and pedestrian traffic jams. Madness! I'm glad these folks are making some money on tourism, but this is simply unreal.

The ride was mainly enjoyable. Got rained on 5 different times, including that last hour+ of walking-speed madness.

The scenery is simply stunning. You can look at all the top-notch photography there is and it won't do it justice. My sense of proportion doesn't quite register the heights and distances; I'm looking at peaks that might be 20 or more miles away, all shrouded in mist. Smoky! Kentucky was gorgeous, but Tennessee is incredible. I'm really making the most of my new 'bionic' vision, as my distance vision is better than I ever recall. Really good timing for that.

Great highways, too. Much fun. No photos to report yet.

On to the Parkway in the morning. See ya soon.

RB

 

[robertbarr]

Here's what most of the day looked like.

Sorry about the image size...

 

[robertbarr]

A few more photos on my Pbase site. Use the prior / next buttons in the upper right to navigate. I had to steal a few because of extreme fog. Text later.

Total of just under 2,100 miles. You folks living in the southeast sure have some gorgeous motorcycling roads, and I've seen just a small sample.

 

[GSX1000E]

You look like you are having way too much fun in one of those pictures. A little early in the year for the colorful fireworks show. (That must be one of those borrowed pic's)
Foggy most of the time. Perhaps that is why they are called The Great Smoky Mountains. Now back to work! Where are my O-rings!?? J/K

 

[Joe Nardy]

Robert,

I'm glad you're having a nice trip. I'm enjoying these pics as I will be riding the BRP in October....

Joe

 

[cowboyup3371]

Great looking pictures...can't wait to see more