I live just west of DC. I agree with the suggestion of taking 70 to 340 during the week, traffic in this area sucks during weekday rush hour. HOWEVER, if you are doing that on Sunday, go thru DC on 50 to 110 etc. There is usually NO traffic and driving past the monuments when the streets are so quiet is very cool.

 

As of now, we agreed that taking 70 to 340 is the way to go. We'll be leaving Delaware (Harrington) on Tuesday Sept. 13 at approx 6:30am so hopefully we won't hit too much traffic. The schools have opened so perhaps the traffic down the Skyline Drive will be light. All I can do now is hope the weather doesn't spoil it for us. Thank you to all for your great suggestions and help.

 

HeelDragger, have you ever been on Skyline Drive? I hadn't until a few weeks ago. Nice ride. It might've taken me until sometime next week if I'd have stopped at all the little pulloffs to look at the views ----- until one of the locals (guy from Harrisonburg who drives it in his car a couple times a year) told me that the best views are in the center section because the elevation gets up near 3500 -- 3700 feet. He was right. Temps were a little cooler too. It was nice.

 

This will be my first time on the Skyline Drive.
I rode on the Blue Ridge Parkway last year from Ashville down to Deals Gap and the Dragon and found the pull offs to be real nice. I spent 4 days riding around the area and had great weather. Beautiful area to ride in. Maggie Valley is a nice bike friendly town and the Wheels Through Time is a fun place to visit. I'm planning to go back there next spring.

 

OP...what route did you take? how did you like it?

 

Once we went over the Chessie bridge we took 301 to 97 to 32 to 70 to 15 to 340 down to Front Royal. Was a nice ride with very little traffic. We left Lewes Delaware at 9:45 and was in Front Royal at 3:30 after stopping for gas and lunch on the way.

We went down the Skyline Drive to Lauray Caverns the folowing day and I must say RTE 211 off the Drive to the caverns was more fun than the Drive..Lots of curves.

Coming home we took 64 to 250 to 22 to 231 to 15 to 20 to 3 to 301.
The ride on 231 and 20 was nice... 45mph to 50mph mile speed limit with not another a car in sight. Lots of farms and rural areas. The ride on 301 was hell! Way too much traffic and red lights. I will never ride that thing again if I can help it. All in all, a great 3 day mini vacation.