Gee Whiz!
Now I want to go. One of my good friends from work lives in Cambridge Ohio.
Now I want to go. One of my good friends from work lives in Cambridge Ohio.
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lurch12_2000
Guest
Are you in the area next month? Your nephew still riding the GS1100E I delivered to him in ME? You want to buy my GS850G and keep in OH?
No, none of the above. I still have a 850G I'm not using. I might talk to my buddy about storing it at his place though. We have been talking about going to Mid Ohio Vintage days for years. My nephew still has the 1100E I bought from you. He quit riding it a few years back. I'm not sure why. He did ride it up to the top of Mount Washington. I've never been up there.
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There are a handful of REALLY GREAT riding groads directly northwest of Cambridge... 658 & 209 are world class, 16 miles of awesomeness if linked together. the intersection of the 2 is literally just 3 minutes outside of Cambridge. 83 from 93 to 209 is GREAT. 93 between Zanesville or Adamsville & 541 is real good, New Hope Rd and Norfield Rd are both real nice, I take Guernsey Valley Rd after the top of 658 @ 541, right on Eighth Street Rd south to 541 again westward, then do 658 and 209 the opposite direction... one marked 30mph curve on 658 is known to crash people as evidenced by the half knocked down old mini barn on the right as you enter the left hand turn northbound... either direction it's unsuspecting, should be marked 20mph. Southbound you'll see hill on the right of the corner directly after a residence with a big out building pole barn or 2 and some big heavy equipment trucks (old well drilling rigs?). 658 can bite you, it's all over the place 15mph to 45mph turns, unpredictable. In a slow car you seldom can get even up to the speed limit on this road!!!
209 is easier with world class sections of back to back to back to back etc very long radius neverending sweepers for several miles from 658 to 83 on top of a beautiful ridge... very awesome for all skill levels.
About 45 minutes to 55 minutes south-southeast of Cambridge is the real goldmine of incredible Ohio roads... 260, 26, 536, 255, 530, Dalzell Rd, Germantown Rd, 565, 537 are the best of the best.Archers Fork Rd, Rinard Mills Rd, Sykes Ridge Rd back to 556 to the upper portion of 26 back to Woodsfield...great run there, 800, Stanleyville Rd I believe it's called....
Best riding in Ohio. Almost zero traffic / LEO. Very desolate area in and out of farmland and Wayne National Forest. Only gas stations are in some of the towns on the Ohio river (not all), Marietta, Woodsfield, & Caldwell. And Lowell. Not many for the square mileage this territory covers! Desolate.
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lurch12_2000
Guest
I rode up the Mt Washington auto road last year mid week in the spring on my old XJ900. Still cost $15 and at mile 7 they were dumping new dirt/gravel for the mile or so stretch of the auto road that is not paved. Coming around a steep blind hairpin turn and seeing a flag man 50 feet in front of a fully extended big dump truck blocking your path gets your attention! Balancing the bike at a steep upward angle for 20 minutes waiting for them to finish with side ways gusts of 40-50mph made it very challenging. Then resuming up on loose pack squeezed to the shoulder (there really isn't a shoulder, just the edge and a freefall on rocks) to let the dump truck squeeze by, with street tires squirming away was thrilling. Then there are multiple hairpin turns and no guardrails between you and the steep rocky drop offs is a rush too. Stayed at the summit for an hour, had lunch and crystal clear views with no people made it worthwhile. Then there was a complete whiteout (as usual for the summit) but as soon as it cleared I took the opportunity to start down. Coming done was the same thing with another stretch being dumped with new loosepack, only tilting the other way for 20 minutes and tail winds shooting you from the rear, keeping balanced. Yeah, I would do it again though.
Another time many years ago I did the auto road with my old Triumph 650 chopper, with no front brake, a springer front end and no rear suspension....another story.
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Have you read the traveling picnic thread? If this is a destination this summer for you, I suggest you come down for as long as possible early/mid July... AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days weekend at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course is July 7-9 is a first place tie with Barber for easily being THE ABSOLUTE BEST vintage motorcycle event in the eastern US, maybe all of the US for all I know... camping at the racetrack, vintage racing, 20+ acre swap meet, and my favorite part - being in the same location for an entire weekend with thousands of vintage motorcycle fanatics and drooling at all the bikes ridden there to the event, and the swap meet and bike show bikes, etc... Friday and Saturday are the days to go. Everyone generally is packing up on Sunday except the racers. You can take state route 97 east out of the nearest town and head into the eastern ohio hills from there. Ask me for a few good preferred route options through this area, I'll have to look at a map to refresh my memory on the ones just ouf of Mohican State Forest. Or I can say just take a route off 97 and hit 83 southbound. It has some good stretches up that way, and then gets real good for a 5 mile stretch after 93... then you can hit 209 and maybe the tricky 658. head back south on Eighth Street Rd, then make a line over to 148 near Belaire I think it is. catch the top part of 26 into Woodsfield... Then you have it made. south of Woodsfield east and west, east of Woodsfield, wow...great riding! Be sure to cross into WV to Proctor Creek Rd to Amos Hollow Rd to US250 (world class road Moundsville WV to Hundred WV). Great riding.
The entire state of WV is really the best state in the eastern US for riding roads. Nearly the entire state is filled with hills, almost no large flat areas anywhere... Eastern KY is basically an extension of WV as well... and the NE WV mountains.... amazing! A bit far from Nebraska however.
Anyone interested, please always email me for advice on route planning if you are trying to ride these areas. there is a lot of awesomeness to be had.
You can make a full weekend of just riding the SE Ohio roads and not even hit them all. A full week to hit Red River Gorge KY, KY-32, SE Ohio near Gallipolis/Crown City up to Marietta/Woodfield, cross the Ohio River at Hannibal (?) And ride proctor creek Rd to Amos Hollow Rd to US250 and then into that area of WV (I'll have to revisit my notes for roads in that area but there are some GREAT ones... WV-7 and WV-20 if I recall. Webster Springs to Diana to Sutton Head seems to ring a bell
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Yes I have read the traveling picnic thread and am currently trying to make it work out for me. Trying to make sure all the planets align in the correct order.
I do have some experience with riding in Ky. and WV. Agreed, some beautiful roads for motorcycling.
If I can make it out there I will have all the above routes mapped out to get the best rides possible. Thanks.
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lurch12_2000
Guest
I did 83, 78, 374, 93 and a few others today. Great roads and in nice shape. Even spent a few hours hiking Old Man caves in Hocking Hills. Just that I was without a bike and in the cage. I have some pics but no wifi now.
Did you leave the bike at home for your trip? Or are you just here early doing reconnaissance, scouting out the area?
93 down near Hocking is just "decent" for this area, 83 south of Interstate 70 I have never hit 83, because there are so many other roads in the area that are much more enticing.
83 and 93 are 2 of the best roads in the area east and northeast of Zanesville, however (north of I-70). This is quite a ways from Hocking and 78.
So you are still coming back on bike later this month, right? Just in the truck this time?
Make sure to check out Big Pine Rd (Conkles Hollow hiking trails are there, excellent gorge trail) east of 374 to 664, & 56 east of 374's southern terminus, a short 5 mile stretch to the gas station at 664&56. That is one of the absolute best stretches if pavement in the area, and FINALLY it got repaved late last year. The prior year they paved 56 from the Lake Hope - Zaleski State Forest area up to 374. The remainder is now fresh. Very excellent section of road if you are in the area.
78 takes the crown for me as best road overall however, because other than several miles around McConnelsville, it is absolutely wonderful from Nelsonville or Glouster all the way to Caldwell. If you picked up 83 off of 78, I'd recommend taking 260 south instead. To 26 to Marietta to 676. Then 550 from 555 to Sharpsburg(?) Then to Athens or north on 555 or 377 back to 78 for more curves that way.
The area around 260 & 26 is where you will find some of the best riding in the state. Just west of Interstate 77 from there are 78, 530, 377, 676, 550 & those are great roads as well but the concentrations of the best roads are the area between Marietta and Woodfield and south. Also closer to your Kentucky starting point, the area around Gallipolis and Crown City - more incredible roads but very desolate area as well, we never make it down that way as it is further from home.
The Lake Hope - Zaleski Forest, Hocking Hills Forest, & Burr Oak Forest (78) areas are 3 way tie for the #2 best riding areas in Ohio.
93 down near Hocking is just "decent" for this area, 83 south of Interstate 70 I have never hit 83, because there are so many other roads in the area that are much more enticing.
83 and 93 are 2 of the best roads in the area east and northeast of Zanesville, however (north of I-70). This is quite a ways from Hocking and 78.
So you are still coming back on bike later this month, right? Just in the truck this time?
Make sure to check out Big Pine Rd (Conkles Hollow hiking trails are there, excellent gorge trail) east of 374 to 664, & 56 east of 374's southern terminus, a short 5 mile stretch to the gas station at 664&56. That is one of the absolute best stretches if pavement in the area, and FINALLY it got repaved late last year. The prior year they paved 56 from the Lake Hope - Zaleski State Forest area up to 374. The remainder is now fresh. Very excellent section of road if you are in the area.
78 takes the crown for me as best road overall however, because other than several miles around McConnelsville, it is absolutely wonderful from Nelsonville or Glouster all the way to Caldwell. If you picked up 83 off of 78, I'd recommend taking 260 south instead. To 26 to Marietta to 676. Then 550 from 555 to Sharpsburg(?) Then to Athens or north on 555 or 377 back to 78 for more curves that way.
The area around 260 & 26 is where you will find some of the best riding in the state. Just west of Interstate 77 from there are 78, 530, 377, 676, 550 & those are great roads as well but the concentrations of the best roads are the area between Marietta and Woodfield and south. Also closer to your Kentucky starting point, the area around Gallipolis and Crown City - more incredible roads but very desolate area as well, we never make it down that way as it is further from home.
The Lake Hope - Zaleski Forest, Hocking Hills Forest, & Burr Oak Forest (78) areas are 3 way tie for the #2 best riding areas in Ohio.
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lurch12_2000
Guest
Chuck
My timeline was moved up on short notice because of my wife's schedule. I have a car travelling through the
area for other reasons too. I won't be back in the near future but still scouting and
enjoying back roads in OH, KY and WV. I wasn't sure with the cold, rain and snow along
the way I was going to get much riding in. Besides the 850G isn't the easiest bike to unload and reload with the truck
on a whim by myself. Another time I'll get back with a bike.... I hope! I did meet up with Steve and borrowed his bike for a quick "fix".
My timeline was moved up on short notice because of my wife's schedule. I have a car travelling through the
area for other reasons too. I won't be back in the near future but still scouting and
enjoying back roads in OH, KY and WV. I wasn't sure with the cold, rain and snow along
the way I was going to get much riding in. Besides the 850G isn't the easiest bike to unload and reload with the truck
on a whim by myself. Another time I'll get back with a bike.... I hope! I did meet up with Steve and borrowed his bike for a quick "fix".
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lurch12_2000
Guest
Hiking around Hocking Hills was worth the visit even without the bike...
OH660 was a good bike road for the sunrise in OH hill country.
Hocking Hills:
OH660 was a good bike road for the sunrise in OH hill country.
Hocking Hills:
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lurch12_2000
Guest
AMA bike museum outside Columbus...ok for an hour walk through. Only old street bike Suzuki I found was the Wankel. I test rode a work mate's when they first came out so I'm dating myself. Notice the normal looking instrument cluster.
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lurch12_2000
Guest
Scouting Red River Gorge was definitely worth the detour south. Roads are in good shape and being early in season, no traffic. KY17 was a surprise nice ride with plenty of twisties and sharp turns and to add to list of bike roads, then KY460 for a nice ride for bikes through horse farm country and plenty of sweepers. KY77 and 715 of course were prime riding roads around Red River. Give yourself most of the day or a few days to hike short trails to Sky Bridge, Princess Arch and Chimney Top Rock amongst others while riding. It turned out to be 80F so I missed having the bike. On to WV today and maybe WV60.
Hang ten off the Chimney Top?
Hang ten off the Chimney Top?
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New River Gorge area? If checking out WV61 Deepwater to Kincaid, & WV60/16 From Gauley Bridge to Hawks Nest or the other way on the split toward Fayetteville, please note the pavement conditions and get back to me. I wasn't down there last year, but in prior years 60/16 was getting rougher by the year.
Deepwater to Kincaid on 61 I believe it was is right around the corner another magnificent road.
on your way home, if you have time to check our the far northeast corner of West Virginia in the Monongahela National Forest area, this is where the big mountains are. In big hill country, locals may refer to large hills as mountains, but in the Monongahela NF & neighboring George Washington - Jefferson National Forest, these are really big mountain ranges, the ridge and valley province...
"The Meadow" @ Flagpole Knob, WV/VA border area:
US33 Harman WV east to Hinton VA is one of the most thrilling rides in the east, with the WV/VA border mountain (Shenandoah Mtn) being the highlight. Seneca Rocks is a great spectacke to see, Spruce Knob at just under 5000ft is nearby, but I'd pick Smoke Hole Canyon to the northeast of Seneca Rocks if I had to choose one or the other. You'll possibly skip the north fork mountain crossing of US33, but if you see Spruce Knob after Smoke Hole, you won'the miss that. Smoke Hole Rd top to bottom is fantastic. Mix of tighter than tail of the Dragon curves up on the side of the mountain for several miles, to a riding alongside a beautiful small bubbling river that the road follows through the canyon. Mostly sweepers here and a slower scenic road, but breathtakingly beautiful. Steep steep mountainsides so steep in areas that its hard to believe that trees are growing so densely on them... when the leaves are down, it's easier to see why it is named Canyon, as the western side is really about a 70+ degree cliff withe dense forest somehow growing on it. Cool rock outcroppings, excellent scenery.
Smoke Hole Canyon at Eagle Rock:
If you take Pub Rd 79 (out of the middle of smoke hole canyon) up to the ridge of North Fork Mtn & park at the campsite clearing at the top, then hike north about 2 miles in the backpacking trail, look for a steep sheet of quartzite rock about 250' to the ridge and a hundred or two feet along the trail to your left. Hike up to the ridge here. This is one of my favorite views in the state! Very remote! If you miss that spot, a hike from the trail up to any rock outcroppings you spot up on the ridge is going to give you a multitude of incredible views. The spot I mention is my favorite because it is one if the few ridges/peaks in the area that has a clear view, most are densely forested. North Fork Mtn is unique because it has cliffs 50' to 200' tall off of almost the full length of the west face of the 38 mile ridge, therefore always good views as you are on a cliff with little or no obstructions. If the top is very rocky as in many areas, then you can also have endless views of 6 or 7 more mountain ridge ranges off to the east. Best Sunrise spot EVER....
Me at that spot, minutes after sunrise:
Taken from where I was standing in picture with the cloud of valley fog below. Cliff hanger sleeping accommodations!
640' tall Champs Rocks waaaayyyy down below the ridge of North Fork Mtn in it's heavy shadow...
And...same shot minutes before the sun popped up over the distant ridges:
US250 south of here has 3 or 5 very good mountain crossings and is also an EXCELLENT road. In between, Sugar Grove Rd to Reddish Knob Rd is another good one, just a narrow forest service road up and over a foothill mountain and then up to the peak of Reddish Knob - which the last half mile is barely wide enough to fit a car, and it is 2 way traffic!!! Cool view here as well. It is a drive up knob/summit viewpoint, not as epic as my north fork spot, but that north fork mountain ridge spot in my photos is very remote! 35 minutes into the canyon from the major roads to the north or southeast, 25 minutes up a steep gravel road to the ridge, half hour or so hike to "the spot..."
I recall more northern central WV that WV20, WV15, maybe WV7 were EXCELLENT. Webster Springs to Diana and Sutton Head (or Valley Head and Sutton?) were some cities one of them went through this magnificent route. The eastern half of that route was the better.
Snowshoe Mtn is in between the NRG & Monongahela also. Good mountain, rt 66 is nice there, & Back Mountain Rd used to be WILD... narrow. Degrading pavement a few years ago.
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Deepwater to Kincaid on 61 I believe it was is right around the corner another magnificent road.
on your way home, if you have time to check our the far northeast corner of West Virginia in the Monongahela National Forest area, this is where the big mountains are. In big hill country, locals may refer to large hills as mountains, but in the Monongahela NF & neighboring George Washington - Jefferson National Forest, these are really big mountain ranges, the ridge and valley province...
"The Meadow" @ Flagpole Knob, WV/VA border area:
US33 Harman WV east to Hinton VA is one of the most thrilling rides in the east, with the WV/VA border mountain (Shenandoah Mtn) being the highlight. Seneca Rocks is a great spectacke to see, Spruce Knob at just under 5000ft is nearby, but I'd pick Smoke Hole Canyon to the northeast of Seneca Rocks if I had to choose one or the other. You'll possibly skip the north fork mountain crossing of US33, but if you see Spruce Knob after Smoke Hole, you won'the miss that. Smoke Hole Rd top to bottom is fantastic. Mix of tighter than tail of the Dragon curves up on the side of the mountain for several miles, to a riding alongside a beautiful small bubbling river that the road follows through the canyon. Mostly sweepers here and a slower scenic road, but breathtakingly beautiful. Steep steep mountainsides so steep in areas that its hard to believe that trees are growing so densely on them... when the leaves are down, it's easier to see why it is named Canyon, as the western side is really about a 70+ degree cliff withe dense forest somehow growing on it. Cool rock outcroppings, excellent scenery.
Smoke Hole Canyon at Eagle Rock:
If you take Pub Rd 79 (out of the middle of smoke hole canyon) up to the ridge of North Fork Mtn & park at the campsite clearing at the top, then hike north about 2 miles in the backpacking trail, look for a steep sheet of quartzite rock about 250' to the ridge and a hundred or two feet along the trail to your left. Hike up to the ridge here. This is one of my favorite views in the state! Very remote! If you miss that spot, a hike from the trail up to any rock outcroppings you spot up on the ridge is going to give you a multitude of incredible views. The spot I mention is my favorite because it is one if the few ridges/peaks in the area that has a clear view, most are densely forested. North Fork Mtn is unique because it has cliffs 50' to 200' tall off of almost the full length of the west face of the 38 mile ridge, therefore always good views as you are on a cliff with little or no obstructions. If the top is very rocky as in many areas, then you can also have endless views of 6 or 7 more mountain ridge ranges off to the east. Best Sunrise spot EVER....
Me at that spot, minutes after sunrise:
Taken from where I was standing in picture with the cloud of valley fog below. Cliff hanger sleeping accommodations!
640' tall Champs Rocks waaaayyyy down below the ridge of North Fork Mtn in it's heavy shadow...
And...same shot minutes before the sun popped up over the distant ridges:
US250 south of here has 3 or 5 very good mountain crossings and is also an EXCELLENT road. In between, Sugar Grove Rd to Reddish Knob Rd is another good one, just a narrow forest service road up and over a foothill mountain and then up to the peak of Reddish Knob - which the last half mile is barely wide enough to fit a car, and it is 2 way traffic!!! Cool view here as well. It is a drive up knob/summit viewpoint, not as epic as my north fork spot, but that north fork mountain ridge spot in my photos is very remote! 35 minutes into the canyon from the major roads to the north or southeast, 25 minutes up a steep gravel road to the ridge, half hour or so hike to "the spot..."
I recall more northern central WV that WV20, WV15, maybe WV7 were EXCELLENT. Webster Springs to Diana and Sutton Head (or Valley Head and Sutton?) were some cities one of them went through this magnificent route. The eastern half of that route was the better.
Snowshoe Mtn is in between the NRG & Monongahela also. Good mountain, rt 66 is nice there, & Back Mountain Rd used to be WILD... narrow. Degrading pavement a few years ago.
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lurch12_2000
Guest
Some beautiful pics there Chuck. I did take WV60 along the river from Charleston where I stayed for the night. 60 is in good shape and nice and twisty. Unfortunately it was foggy right up to the bridge via WV16, which was in good shape too. I crossed the river on Hwy 19 and then looped back down into the river bottom via Rt82. Most of 82 is one way and lots of switchbacks, but is choppy and lots of debris. One of the few times I was happier with the car. From there I headed back north and took Rt39 east until I hit the national forest. 39 was good out there and WV150 was a smaller version of the Blue Ridge Pkwy with beautiful scenery being up high. On to Rt219 north until MD with some nice carving up closer to the MD border. WV is a beautiful state once you explore it instead of bypassing it with the interstates. That wraps up my scouting tour and now to slab it til NH today from MD. I would probably spend another week in WV alone some day.
Approaching New River Gorge on WV60 yesterday
Pano of bridge from 1k feet below on Rt82...the western hemi's largest arch bridge a little distorted with the pano shot
WV150 Highland Scenic Pkwy
Lots of windmill farms in the hills of WV...close to road
Approaching New River Gorge on WV60 yesterday
Pano of bridge from 1k feet below on Rt82...the western hemi's largest arch bridge a little distorted with the pano shot
WV150 Highland Scenic Pkwy
Lots of windmill farms in the hills of WV...close to road
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39 is a wonderful road to ride! 219 has a few sections here and there which are incredible, one with some massively banked turns. Right after 150 "Highlands Scenic Highway" it was really great but unfortunately we rode it in a heavy downpour and haven't seen it dry... the 150 highland scenic highway wasn't really a road I would return to, it's mostly straight with all high elevation views, & a lot of huge biting black flies in May and beyond! Next time around I will bypass it.
That panoramic shot of our bikes is on 150 the Highland Scenic Highway
You've GOT TO RETURN to WV with your bike. And not just " Someday." There is wonderful incredible world class riding and scenery down there...
I feel so lucky to be only a max of 6 hours to the furthest of the real good stuff...interstate/direct route, that is. New River Gorge is a Friday after work ride for me at only 3.5 hours + gas stops! And only 45 minutes to 2 hours from all of the excellent hilly/twisty Appalachian SE Ohio roads...
You've GOT TO RETURN to WV with your bike. And not just " Someday." There is wonderful incredible world class riding and scenery down there...
I feel so lucky to be only a max of 6 hours to the furthest of the real good stuff...interstate/direct route, that is. New River Gorge is a Friday after work ride for me at only 3.5 hours + gas stops! And only 45 minutes to 2 hours from all of the excellent hilly/twisty Appalachian SE Ohio roads...
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lurch12_2000
Guest
Yes there is a lot to return for especially in WV.
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