Nice mountain ride planned
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 972
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From: NC
Nice mountain ride planned
I've been wanting to ride the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway for over 20 years. Starting this Thursday it's finally gonna happen. Taking off Thursday morning with my wife and a friend of mine and his wife and riding to Maggie Valley, right at the south end of the BRP. Getting up Friday morning and riding roughly the first half of the parkway, then staying overnight at my friend's mom's house (she lives about 25 miles or so off of the parkway right near the midway point). Getting up Saturday morning and finishing up riding the parkway. 469 miles from end-to-end. Sunday morning getting up and riding the entire length of Skyline Drive (about 110 miles), then will start to head for home in NC. Depending on how we feel we may ride all the way back to our houses Sunday or may stop overnight somewhere near the halfway point and then finish the ride up Monday. Man, I am *REALLY* looking forward to this ride. 
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,276
Likes: 8
From: Minneapolis Area, MN
Enjoy the ride. You may need more time depending on the weather. I went through Blueridge and Skyline last fall and spent 2 nights on the Blueridge (with some wandering around) and when I got to Skyline it was completely in the clouds and drizzling. I wish I would have stayed in the area to ride Skyline with clear sky as I couldn't see anything from any of the lookouts, not to mention more than a hundred yeards in front of me. The park pass you have to buy is good something like 4 or 8 days.
Oh...and watch for deer and bears on Skyline. The deer line the road and don't really move.
Oh...and watch for deer and bears on Skyline. The deer line the road and don't really move.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 461
From: Illinois
Better to ride straight through than not go at all, but you won't get a chance to see much at that pace.
The speed limit is 45 for most of the BRP and 35 on the skyline drive. If you stop at the overlooks and take pictures, leave the main trail to go to the top of the mountains and picnic areas and take time to enjoy it, 120 miles or so a day is a long day.
I have only been on the lower 175 miles and the upper 120 miles of the brp and the skyline drive. I liked the lower brp and the skyline drive better than the upper brp.
I still don't know what I missed between Roanoke Mountain and Grandfather Mountain. That's the stretch I haven't ridden yet.
Try to take the time to ride up to Mt. Mitchel state park while you are there. It was worth the time it took me to stand on the highest peak east of the Ms. river.
Have a great trip.
Dennis
The speed limit is 45 for most of the BRP and 35 on the skyline drive. If you stop at the overlooks and take pictures, leave the main trail to go to the top of the mountains and picnic areas and take time to enjoy it, 120 miles or so a day is a long day.
I have only been on the lower 175 miles and the upper 120 miles of the brp and the skyline drive. I liked the lower brp and the skyline drive better than the upper brp.
I still don't know what I missed between Roanoke Mountain and Grandfather Mountain. That's the stretch I haven't ridden yet.
Try to take the time to ride up to Mt. Mitchel state park while you are there. It was worth the time it took me to stand on the highest peak east of the Ms. river.
Have a great trip.
Dennis
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 972
Likes: 23
From: NC
Better to ride straight through than not go at all, but you won't get a chance to see much at that pace.
The speed limit is 45 for most of the BRP and 35 on the skyline drive. If you stop at the overlooks and take pictures, leave the main trail to go to the top of the mountains and picnic areas and take time to enjoy it, 120 miles or so a day is a long day.
I have only been on the lower 175 miles and the upper 120 miles of the brp and the skyline drive. I liked the lower brp and the skyline drive better than the upper brp.
I still don't know what I missed between Roanoke Mountain and Grandfather Mountain. That's the stretch I haven't ridden yet.
Try to take the time to ride up to Mt. Mitchel state park while you are there. It was worth the time it took me to stand on the highest peak east of the Ms. river.
Have a great trip.
Dennis
The speed limit is 45 for most of the BRP and 35 on the skyline drive. If you stop at the overlooks and take pictures, leave the main trail to go to the top of the mountains and picnic areas and take time to enjoy it, 120 miles or so a day is a long day.
I have only been on the lower 175 miles and the upper 120 miles of the brp and the skyline drive. I liked the lower brp and the skyline drive better than the upper brp.
I still don't know what I missed between Roanoke Mountain and Grandfather Mountain. That's the stretch I haven't ridden yet.
Try to take the time to ride up to Mt. Mitchel state park while you are there. It was worth the time it took me to stand on the highest peak east of the Ms. river.
Have a great trip.
Dennis
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,528
Likes: 606
From: Raleigh NC
Have fun..... We did the BRP in 3 days.... next time we're gonna do it in 4. Not a lot of time to do everything we wanted.... heck.... we could spend a month or more, when you factor in all the great side trips along the way
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 461
From: Illinois
Another factor is I see you are from NC. You probably are more used to the beauty of the mountains than I am. It probably won't take you as long to enjoy it as it does for me.
I also stopped at every overlook to see what it had to offer. If I ignored the scenery and concentrated on the road, I think I could've had the cruise set at the speed limit for 90% of the ride. But with my gawking around, it was rare that I was running the speed limit. The bicyclist were out running me on the downhills and keeping up on the straight aways. Uphill was the only place I had the edge........
Just enjoy the trip. If time runs short, turn around and head home. My wife and I had four days to get from Front Royal to grandfather mountain and back to Front Royal. I thought that would be easy. But we held to our plan of enjoying ourselves even if that meant only traveling 30 miles per day. We only made it from Front Royal to Roanoke Mountain in two days. But we did start late (9a.m. or so) and quit early ( 4 or 5 each evening). We also spent a half day at Narural Bridge in those four days.
Just enjoy it. Ride as far and hard or as near and easy as you want. It's your trip.
Dennis
I also stopped at every overlook to see what it had to offer. If I ignored the scenery and concentrated on the road, I think I could've had the cruise set at the speed limit for 90% of the ride. But with my gawking around, it was rare that I was running the speed limit. The bicyclist were out running me on the downhills and keeping up on the straight aways. Uphill was the only place I had the edge........
Just enjoy the trip. If time runs short, turn around and head home. My wife and I had four days to get from Front Royal to grandfather mountain and back to Front Royal. I thought that would be easy. But we held to our plan of enjoying ourselves even if that meant only traveling 30 miles per day. We only made it from Front Royal to Roanoke Mountain in two days. But we did start late (9a.m. or so) and quit early ( 4 or 5 each evening). We also spent a half day at Narural Bridge in those four days.
Just enjoy it. Ride as far and hard or as near and easy as you want. It's your trip.
Dennis
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,351
Likes: 461
From: Illinois
I also meant to add, if you end up where the brp ends and the skyline drive starts and you need to stay the night, you can hop on I 64 west. You will be at exit 99. Go a few miles west to the second Waynesboro exit. I think it is exit 94.
There are several motels there, but the Days Inn is very biker friendly, great rooms for around $65 with a modest breakfast served the next morning, nice pool and several good places to eat very close. If you get a parking lot facing room, your bike is in plain sight from your room. If you get a pool facing room, they will let you park your bike under their entrance and keep an eye on it for you.
Dennis
There are several motels there, but the Days Inn is very biker friendly, great rooms for around $65 with a modest breakfast served the next morning, nice pool and several good places to eat very close. If you get a parking lot facing room, your bike is in plain sight from your room. If you get a pool facing room, they will let you park your bike under their entrance and keep an eye on it for you.
Dennis
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 945
Likes: 7
I also meant to add, if you end up where the brp ends and the skyline drive starts and you need to stay the night, you can hop on I 64 west. You will be at exit 99. Go a few miles west to the second Waynesboro exit. I think it is exit 94.
There are several motels there, but the Days Inn is very biker friendly, great rooms for around $65 with a modest breakfast served the next morning, nice pool and several good places to eat very close. If you get a parking lot facing room, your bike is in plain sight from your room. If you get a pool facing room, they will let you park your bike under their entrance and keep an eye on it for you.
Dennis
There are several motels there, but the Days Inn is very biker friendly, great rooms for around $65 with a modest breakfast served the next morning, nice pool and several good places to eat very close. If you get a parking lot facing room, your bike is in plain sight from your room. If you get a pool facing room, they will let you park your bike under their entrance and keep an eye on it for you.
Dennis
Yea, what he said. I live in Waynesboro and that hotel is very convenient. You will enjoy the Skyline very much there seems to be more deer and bear etc. Watch out and be alert.
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