My wife and I took our first overnight trip on our 04 Ultra without a “support” vehicle. We took a couple of days and went to Thomasville, Ga. It is a favorite place of ours to visit and close to our home, only a couple of hours away. We put enough miles on the Ultra to realize that we need to have Mean City rework the seat. We also learned you can pack a bike full and have room leftover for artisanal cheeses and other epicurean souvenirs. On the way to Thomasville, we stopped off and visited the nice folks at Still Pond Winery in Leary, Ga. http://www.stillpond.com/ I recommend the Notchaway Red and White, as well as the Still Pond Harvest Noble. You can’t go wrong with any selection from them. They have a festival on April 4 that you might enjoy. Plus, you’re supporting local farmers and business folks. Buy local, eat local, stay local. We stayed at http://www.beulahlandretreatcenter.com on a whim. It’s a nice place to spend the night, clean, safe, and reasonable. Email or call Shirley and set yourself up in the two or three wheel only motorcycle retreat center. From Thomasville you can take day trips to Florida and other various places. Do yourself a favor and go by http://www.sweetgrassdairy.com and score some wonderful cheeses. The Thomasville Tomme is nice, as well as the Green Hill. Just down the highway past the BP is The Bread Wagon, a Mennonite bakery. The fine people there make the best bread you’ll ever put in your mouth. They also have a selection of Amish cheeses and goodies to compliment the baked goods. You can visit them online at www.breadwagon.com. Take a cooler or clear out a space in the tour pack for a three layer coconut cake to die for (at a reasonable price I might add). If you want some nice local cuisine, try Jonah’s Fish and Grits. (http://www.jonahsfish.com) We didn’t eat at Liam’s next door, but it enjoys a great reputation. It’s a bit more upscale than our blue jeans and t-shirts would allow. http://www.moonspinpizza.com offers some great pizza. Try the Harvest Moon and the Full Moon.

Visit Pebble Hill Plantation for a look at plantation life in South Georgia in the mid 1960’s. We also visited Birdsong Nature Center. We had a nice ride through the country out there and enjoyed a quiet respite watching birds and lizards! http://www.birdsongnaturecenter.org/mission.htm

Start your visit off at the visitor’s center downtown near the fire station. You will find lots of information and resources here. http://www.thomasvillega.com/

The roads? What can I say; it’s South Georgia. They’re largely flat and not too twisty, but they go through beautiful country with blooming azaleas, budding pecan trees, and rollicking calves this time of year. Enjoy the trip, we did!

P.S. Forgot to mention we stopped outside of Albany, Ga at Salt Lick Sausage Company to pick up some smoked sausage on the way home.

 

you didn't go far enough, they get even flatter and strighter along the coast......

 

Yup. Been there too. One shot, one killed by being run over in Panama City Beach. Didn't want to go that far.

Savannah would have been nice. Just didn't have that kind of time.

 

Sounds like a great trip, PR! Many years ago I worked in that area, and there are some great roads. Good BBQ and catfish too!

 

Nice trip report pastorralph! I copied it and saved it to my Georgia travel folder, thanks.

 

Great trip report! Since we are in Atlanta, you've got me thinking...

 

Nice report. The wife and I are kinda planning a ride from southwest Indiana to Savannah in late May. Since you guys in Georgia might know the area....can you suggest a route from Chattanooga to Savannah staying off the interstate and more importantly missing Atlanta? Any little towns of note, etc? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

HDHoosier,

I suppose if I was going to go from Chattanooga to Savannah and wanted to miss Atlanta, I would take US 64 from Chattanooga over to Franklin, NC so that I could see the great scenery along the Ocoee River. Then south on US 441 through Clayton all the way through Athens (nice town), Madison (incredible antebellum town), with stops in Eatonton and Milledgeville. At Dublin, take US 80 east to Savannah and you're there. A long day, for sure, but perhaps the most scenic route that I know of through Georgia.

An overnight in a B&B in Madison would be nice if you want to split the trip into two legs.

 

Thanks John, it looks like a plan...I appreciate the suggestion!!!

 

Ditto on that alternate route. If you're a drinking man, plan on staying overnight in Athens, Ga. Several good places there. Just don't stay too long.... Get you a chili dog and rings at The Varsity, and a swiss mushroom bacon cheeseburger at The Grill, and dang, I'm hungry!
Franklin, NC should be beautiful. I miss the mountains.