Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
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Joined: Sep 2006
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RE: Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 867
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From: Bridgewater, NJ
RE: Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
Since you live in Hobokenfigure its a full days ride to the end of Skyline Drive. We stayedat some flea bag hotel in Waynesboro. Wasn't really bad. Been to worse...LOL
Anyway, If you're going during the week, I wouldn't be too concerned with making reservations. Weekends are awhole nother story.
We never make reservations for a weekday trip.
Imapped a trip taking the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way to Deals Gap. I just can't figure out how long it would really take doing maybe 30 MPH average for 800+ miles.
Anyway, If you're going during the week, I wouldn't be too concerned with making reservations. Weekends are awhole nother story.
We never make reservations for a weekday trip.
Imapped a trip taking the Blue Ridge Parkway all the way to Deals Gap. I just can't figure out how long it would really take doing maybe 30 MPH average for 800+ miles.
Banned
Joined: Aug 2006
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From:
RE: Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
You MUST do the Blueridge Parkway/Skyline drive.
Blueridge Parkway is FREE, Skyline Drive cost $10.... gives you a 7 day pass....... $30 gives you a year.
Blueridge Parkway Speed limit is 45 mph, Skyline Drive is 35 mph.
Tons of places to pull off and see the views.
Make sure you bring drinking water with you... DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM THE ROADSIDE DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
I suggest doing some research... Youcan get off a number off places to get into towns, and the rides off/onto the route are generally faster then the Parkway, and can be as breath taking.
For the most part cheaper fuel and cheaper/better food off the parkways.
Anytime from May to late October is good, IMO.
Enjoy the ride!!
DougJ
Blueridge Parkway is FREE, Skyline Drive cost $10.... gives you a 7 day pass....... $30 gives you a year.
Blueridge Parkway Speed limit is 45 mph, Skyline Drive is 35 mph.
Tons of places to pull off and see the views.
Make sure you bring drinking water with you... DO NOT DRINK WATER FROM THE ROADSIDE DRINKING FOUNTAINS.
I suggest doing some research... Youcan get off a number off places to get into towns, and the rides off/onto the route are generally faster then the Parkway, and can be as breath taking.
For the most part cheaper fuel and cheaper/better food off the parkways.
Anytime from May to late October is good, IMO.
Enjoy the ride!!
DougJ
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 765
Likes: 0
From: Alleghany Co., NC and SW Florida
RE: Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
I live on the Parkway (three miles East and twenty miles south of the Va. /NC border. I used to live in N.Va near DC so I am very familiar with both the Skyline and BRP. Be aware that temperatures will be around ten degrees cooler than in the lowlands. Good on hot days, makes a jacket comfortable on nicedays. Evenings can get chilly, even in summertime and the deer can be very thick and cross at many points. I've even come upon a little black bear along the BRP.
I agree with the Stations Inn being a great place for a biker stay. Check first, it only opens in season and Sundays has bands and I've seen pretty large crowds of bikers. No colors or nastiness here.Very friendly place with cheap , decent burgers etc. Rooms are clean and spare. Its a sixties type motel set up that caters to bikes and has a biker centered general store that sells t shirts, some leather and oil etc.
The ride from Front Roal, at the northern end of Skyline drlve is scenic, twisty and slow going. Expect lots of campers and mobile house thingys who stop in the curves to ooh and ahhhh. Luray Caverns is a big attraction off the Drive if you feel touristy.
NC offers really friendly people in the little towns like Sparta and a good sized HD deal in Wilkesboro. Be aware that the local roads are, hilly and posted for fifty and up and should be twenty five, LOL. Locals in pickups, while really friendly, typically do sixty and up in hairpins and were born riding them, LOL.
Blowing Rock is a really cool upscale resort about seventy five miles into NC and , of course, the Biltmore is a big attraction as you get toward the southern end and Tennessee.
Enjoy and, if your trip is after mid April, email me here and I can give you more info and maybe a meet up.
EZ
I agree with the Stations Inn being a great place for a biker stay. Check first, it only opens in season and Sundays has bands and I've seen pretty large crowds of bikers. No colors or nastiness here.Very friendly place with cheap , decent burgers etc. Rooms are clean and spare. Its a sixties type motel set up that caters to bikes and has a biker centered general store that sells t shirts, some leather and oil etc.
The ride from Front Roal, at the northern end of Skyline drlve is scenic, twisty and slow going. Expect lots of campers and mobile house thingys who stop in the curves to ooh and ahhhh. Luray Caverns is a big attraction off the Drive if you feel touristy.
NC offers really friendly people in the little towns like Sparta and a good sized HD deal in Wilkesboro. Be aware that the local roads are, hilly and posted for fifty and up and should be twenty five, LOL. Locals in pickups, while really friendly, typically do sixty and up in hairpins and were born riding them, LOL.
Blowing Rock is a really cool upscale resort about seventy five miles into NC and , of course, the Biltmore is a big attraction as you get toward the southern end and Tennessee.
Enjoy and, if your trip is after mid April, email me here and I can give you more info and maybe a meet up.
EZ
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 184
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From:
RE: Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
That sounds like a cool trip! I have done parts of BRPw/ 4 wheels, riding it would be too sweet. Enjoy
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 400
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From: The People's Republic of New Jersey
RE: Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
Ken, I've never done the BRP but Skyline Drive is amazing. Just give yourself plenty of time as it's a slow go. Depending on how far you want to travel (and on which route) your first day getting out of the Garden State, Frederick, MD has plenty of reasonably priced rooms as does Harrisonburg, VA. There are lots of great two lane roads through PA to MD if you're not in a big hurry and you like to avoid the superslab. Rt. 340 south out of Frederick, through Harper's Ferry, is a great route to Front Royal. If you take the Drive from Front Royal, you can get off on Rt. 33 outside of Elkton, VA. From there, Harrisonburg is about 20 minutes west. Lots of rooms and restaurants there.
It's a great trip. Have fun & ride safe. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
It's a great trip. Have fun & ride safe. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: Richmond, VA
RE: Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway...
We were up on the BRP summer before last while we were at the VA State Hog Rally in Lynchburg. It was nice, but the sunshine coming threw the trees made s strobe like effect, light/dark/light/dark...it got to be really tough on my eyes. But I love the mountains and love to ride on the Parkway. I live in Richmond, VA so it is not too far from me. I have only ridden the Parkway in the daytime. I would avoid evenings and the deer if possible.
Tnicean
Tnicean