Praise God for another wonderful ride and the chance to check off another destination from our bucket list.
We have been trying to get to Skyline Drive now for several weeks and the weather has not been our friend. On Wednesday we decided this is the weekend, booked a hotel, packed lightly for one night, checked the bike over and told family where we would be.
From our undisclosed bunker west of the twin city that tobacco built we pulled out Saturday morning at 7am wearing a smile and our new GoPro Hero 5 Black with a cool air temp of 73 degrees. Quickly we were on Hwy 421 and transitioned north on I-77 toward the Virginia line. We rolled up the gap clicking off semi-trucks like they were going backwards on a mission to get to the Southern entrance of Skyline Drive near Waynesboro, VA by 12 noon. The air temp at Fancy Gap was 60 degrees and the heated grips with my fingerless gloves felt nice. Those that know that section of I-77 know that when you top the mountain at Fancy Gap heading to Wytheville that the POLICE are always in force and it is a 65 MPH speed limit. Well even at 8am on a Saturday there were FOUR busy writing tickets before we leaned right onto I-81 North.
We stopped a few miles up at Bojangles for a Cajun filet biscuit and coffee, topped the tank off and our next stop was at Roanoke Valley HD for a poker chip and bathroom break. Saw our first new 2019 Street glide there. Looked like all others except for mat red color. Did not get to check out the Boom because of other customers looking at it also. We also learned a little locomotive history about the famous 611 that was built in Roanoke. At the time it was a largest, fastest most powerful locomotive ever built. It has been completely restored and is used today for sightseeing railroad rides.
All the people at the dealership were very friendly. We met a father and son team that were cool. The father was 77 years old. What got my attention was his captains hat? It was the real deal from back in the day but looked brand new with a beautiful white bill. I commented on it and he told me he bought that hat new in 1959 to go with his first Harley a 1955 model new to him at the time. He actually had a picture of that bike painted on his t-shirt. I really enjoyed talking with him and he still rides today, but hey we are on a mission, time to roll.
We passed thought the gate at Skyline Drive at exactly 12:21 PM $20.00 lighter with 105 miles to go till we reached Front Royal, VA where we had hotel reservations.
The elevation is much lower than what we are used to on the BRP. Like we were told they do not mow and manicure it like the BRP either. The majority of the day was between 2200 and 3400 feet. The air temp was in the 70's all the way and it felt nice with a light jacket. We stopped at a couple of overlooks and the bugs were terrible. I also realized that there is an overlook about every mile so we slowed and looked but kept riding through most of them. Traffic was a little heavier than expected and there is a lot of bicycle traffic. Speed limits range from 25 MPH to 35 MPH the whole way.
Well about 2 pm we arrive at a restaurant and gift shop across from the entrance to Loft Mountain Camp Ground. We were hungry and really enjoyed our cheeseburgers, fries, and fountain drink for ONLY $29.12! I told the young man ringing me up that this better be the best cheeseburger I have ever eaten for that price! It was actually good and would have been perfect at McDonald's pricing. Nothing in the gift shop of interest and we kept on trucking. About 30 minutes later traffic just stops, I hit the brakes hard and people are all out in the road ahead. I assumed there was an accident and feared the worst. Well much to our surprise there was a black bear in the tree next to the road. We maneuvered between cars and people and got within 30 feet of the bear. It was a juvenile on a branch about 15 feet in the air having a great time entertaining all of us crazy people. We carried on and our next stop was at the visitor’s center.
The wife and I both really enjoyed this stop. I learned a lot about how Skyline Drive came to be, how the people of that area were displaced, the struggles, the interruption by WWII and many very interesting facts. They did an excellent job of chronicling the entire story, why, how, when and the good and the bad. It was easy to follow and you are done in less than an hour even being thorough. We loaded up still on a high from seeing the bear and continued north.
Well much to our surprise while running about 40 MPH another black bear climbed up on a two-foot-high rock wall on the opposite side of the road from us. We were only 60 feet from it and closing fast. I got my wife's attention and as we pass directly adjacent to it the bear enters the roadway and crosses right behind us. WOW. I was able to click off one shot on the GoPro and was hoping I captured it. We rolled into the next overlook to check the camera and two mini vans pulled in next to us. Outcome four guys from India, they admired our bike and asked if they could take a picture of us on the bike. Well sure we said, everyone needs a picture of a fat American with white beard on a sweet 2017 CVO Harley right! I'm thanking the good Lord at that moment that I was born in America.
Well guess what? As we are posing for this picture I look up and about 100 yards ahead there is another black bear crossing the road! I pointed and said "BEAR" and these guys went running toward it and the bear disappeared into the trees. The wife and I were amazed. Three black bears in less than one hours on the same trip, same day, same road! At this point I was a bit concerned about our riding safety and slowed down a little. We were both on the lookout closely for anything especially bear entering the roadway. No more bear but as the clock neared the 6 pm mark we saw about a dozen deer over the last few miles before we exited the park on the North end.
We made the turn right toward downtown Front Royal and one of the restaurants the wife had researched in advance was immediately on the right. It is called "Joe's Steakhouse" and WOW in smelled great and the parking lot was already full. We continued on across town to the Hampton Inn near I-66 to get checked in and chill a while after 12 hours in the saddle and 357 miles. Well the great dinner plans we had went out the window and I went next door to the Subway for a foot long, chips and drinks. We ate in the room, showered and called in a "GREAT DAY"! Day one was 360 Miles.
With no alarm set we woke at 8am ready to enjoy the day. The wife had volunteered us to house sit for friends on a cruise and care for their cats, and we had an obligation at church that night so we needed to make good time on home. We grabbed a quick breakfast, enjoyed conversation with a couple from Alabama and hit the road. From the hotel we were a hundred years to I-66 then just a few short miles to I-81 heading south for the 238-mile run Wytheville, VA. All was going well, traffic was average, the air was cool, the bike was running perfect and then we felt the rain drops. Where the heck did these come from? I jumped off at the next exit to top off the tanks and check the radar. Yeah there was a rain front west of us all along the I-81 corridor. We were definitely going to get wet. We suited up and put her in the wind again. Thank goodness the temps were cool and the rain helped cool things even more. We were in and out of several showers some light and some heavy. About a hundred miles in we were able to take the jackets off but there were still threats so we left the pants on if needed.
We rolled onto I-77 South near Wytheville and I started thinking BBQ. Yeah one of the places we discovered on our 5 states ride a couple of weeks back is this cool little BBQ joint on the side of the road at Exit 8 Fancy Gap. We pulled in and he was open and the smell was drawing us in. We enjoyed a BBQ sandwich, home cut fries and canned coke. The PERFECT late lunch. We took off the rain pants, topped the fuel tank and continued enjoyed the last leg of our ride arriving home at 3:12 pm after covering 318 miles.
Okay we saw three black bear. I was able to get one still picture on the GoPro and I pulled one from a video clip. Lets see how this goes since this was my first day with the camera.
Okay follow a line at out 11 o'clock between the mirror and windshield and you see the bear. is was just on the opposite lane as we passed by and he crossed directly behind us.
Anyone thinking about doing the Blue Ridge Parkway should also consider adding the SLD to the route.
(Check on ONE FREE DAY annually).
There's a lot to see and do if you have the time, patience and interest and the key is to do this ride over a multi-day schedule, and in nice weather.
I've done this trip several times but the last time the wife and I attempted to ride the SLD, the conditions (mostly weather) was so bad that it took us 5-1/2 hours to do the 105 miles!
Once we had made it to Waynesboro, VA (the end of the SLD and the beginning of the BRP) we gave up on the idea of continuing down the BRP and chose to hit the freeway even though the weather seemed to keep getting worse.
We stopped at the local H-D shop and I purchased a set/pair of the "soft lowers" for my wife's Heritage and it was probably one of the most "appreciated" items that I have ever bought her !
Continuing south, we were the ONLY motorcycles on the road (and in the downpour) even though there was a HOG Rally event somewhere south of us (can't remember where) and we must have seen a hundred (if not more) trailers, carrying bikes, headed towards that event (at that time, I was envious)!
We finally made it to Gastonia, NC before giving up and heading for a (dry) motel that evening as the rain continued.
After a long, hot shower, the rain had stopped, so I jumped on my bike and headed out to forage for our dinner.
those are some nice pics. looking at them reminded me of when I was on the BRP (south entrance in Cherokee). Then I saw on google maps how the BRP becomes Skyline Dr... hm. so many good roads out east to ride. definitely want to move out that way.
I'm heading down to the BRP fist week Oct from NJ. We have 5 or 6 days for the round trip so I figured to bypass SD since if memory serves me correct, it can be very slow going with more cars then the BRP.
I'm a little unsure at this point though. I figure with stops at Wheels Through Time museum and a few other places along the way, and mellow speeds we could make the BRP take 3 days beginning to end,no?
That leaves us 2 days for a return run north through alternate roads then rt 81 for one full day back home to NJ.
Or am I way off with that plan?
Yes you are correct. The speed limit on the BRP is mainly 45 and places you can do a little better. But a slow easy pace. Top to bottom three days allows you to smell the roses and enjoy it. SLD is a much slower pace, heavier traffic and not as pretty overall. Stick with your original plan.
08-27-2018, 08:35 AM
Skyline Drive *CHECK*
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