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"Motorcycle Adventures" - Pick one & Ride
I have limited riding time. Between traveling for work, home remodeling, family commitments, etc. finding time to ride is a challenge these days. Then when I had time, I found myself wondering where to ride to.
I've also gone on several group rides with the HOG chapter in the past. The people are great but the rides are just OK. Ride an hour or so, spend 1.5 hours having lunch, then ride home. If I've got time to ride, I want to RIDE! A couple years ago I bought the book "Motorcycle Adventures" for north GA. A great book written by a Cobb County motorcycle LEO. Last summer I started checking off these rides. So far this year I've done 3 more. Each ride (from my house) will take about 5-6 hours to complete, and I'll log between 150-300 miles. Lots of great country roads and interesting things to see. Even though I'm only out for a few hours, these rides are a great way to learn new areas to ride to, and they recharge your batteries (yours, not the bikes ;) ) So if you're time challenged and need inspiration, I highly recommend this book of rides. PS. My sig picture was taken in front of a business in Chatsworth GA that I just happened to find during one of these rides. |
Dragon tales
Yesterday was a perfect day. I'm on vacation doing remodeling but took yesterday "off" to go ride. Wife and kids away visiting her dad. Weather has sucked but yesterday was great!
Left at 8:30 am, got home 7:30pm. 385 miles, 8 hrs of saddle time per GPS. Always wanted to do the Dragon mid-week and it worked out perfect. Not many other bikes considering it's the Dragon. I never had a bike in front of, or behind me, which was awesome! The entire route was great and highly recommend this ride in the book PS. Waiting for the online photo's showing off my impressive squid moves as I carved through the corners with my RKC. NOT!! LOL! https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...c7089536ce.jpg P. 126 Deals Gap (Dragon) = Done :icon_dance-tap::icon_banana: |
Frank's Ride
Today Dec. 26th, with sunshine and an unbelievable temp of 74, I headed out to do Frank's Ride (page 38). This ride steers through Suches and heads for Blue Ridge GA, with much of the ride on Rt. 60 which is filled with twisties and sweepers and beautiful scenery. Once again I found myself basically alone on these N. GA roads, and man what a cool feeling that is! The entire trip was 203 miles/ 5.5 hrs from Acworth. I highly recommend this ride and I will probably do this one again!
Pictures don't due these mountains justice, but here's an attempt: https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...53bcefaaf7.jpg Also, I knocked off the Run to Highlands ride (page 30) on September 20th, (365 miles). This is also a great ride, but the distance requires good time planning. > |
Book sounds cool. So they have south Ga editions?
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Originally Posted by Kozmo
(Post 14690780)
Book sounds cool. So they have south Ga editions?
Hawk Hagebak Motorcycle Adventure Series Good luck! |
10-23-16
I did the Brasstown Bald route and went up to the summit. Amazing day! Roads were great, weather perfect. About 230 miles roundtrip from my house. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...8d5a385012.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4014f05d42.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...0b86502c5b.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...76e1e6b3a7.jpg |
Cool! I love riding that area.
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Last week I took advantage of the great weather and got 2 more rides in:
11-17-16 Cherohala Skyway. "Mile High" ride in the book. Amazing road and it became an instant favorite that I'll ride again for sure. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...dd76ed1a54.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...42b7b30ddf.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a8a5f28465.jpg 11-18-16 Helen ride. Helen's great, especially during the off-season when it doesn't take 40 minutes to ride the 3 miles into town. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...8f7a4a28b8.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...c8849ff800.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...0146087e07.jpg |
Today was a great day to ride; sunny and around 78 degrees! I've only got 6 rides in the book left go after today's ride. Today I did the Sweet Home Alabama ride. Up through Summerville GA and over into AL, over Lookout Mountain and down around Little River Gorge. Beautiful roads and scenery. This was a 210 miler.
Sorry no pics today! I'm hoping to finish the last 6 rides this year, then....?????? |
Keep up the riding!!
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very nice pictures I love the Georgia Mountains!!
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Greasy Creek Trail ride 7-30-17
Well I finally had a beautiful, sunny, rain-free day off! This ride is the Greasy Creek Trail ride in the book. Greasy Creek (it's a lot prettier than the name implies!) is up near Ocoee Lake in TN. Roads are great, especially TN-30 which has a lot of casual twisties, canopies of forest trees, cool air from the creek and great country scenary. Ocoee Lake is also quite beautiful as you'll see below. Sorry no pics of the roads as most of the time these country roads offer no safe place to pull over.
The only mishap was at my last stop for gas when my battery died and I'm 2 hours from home! Luckily the 3 TN teenage boys in the car at the next pump had jumper cables and were happy to help me out. There ARE still great people in this world. Big thanks to those 3 guys! This ride was about 195 miles. I really needed it. Life has been a bit harsh lately and the Wind Therapy was a blessing. Hope you like the photos! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...d6d3302743.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...935918bcc5.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ddfb76324b.jpg Ocoee Dam https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...932f312057.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ac16beeff6.jpg |
Wolfpen Gap Loop ride 8-6-17
18 rides down, 5 to go! (For those of you keeping score at home. :icon_munching:) 203 miles; 5.5 hours.
Today's ride was the Wolfpen Gap Loop ride on page 48 in the book. This ride is up GA 60 in north GA, through Suches and beyond. Lots of mountain twisties include many hairpin curves. Fun and challenging on the RKC! I don't ever ride fast on these roads. Even at posted limits the 800+ lbs. King needs plenty of attention. Lots of interesting stuff to see today as well. Dahlonega, GA is a great town; America's original gold rush and produces some of the purest gold in the world. Just north of Dalonega is the "Rock Pile". Legend has it that a Cherokee princess is buried there, and leaving a stone on her grave will bring you good luck. It's unfortunate that GA road planners couldn't do something smarter than run a road on all 3 sides of the Rock Pile. Hard to enjoy a bit of history while you're dodging cars. Yup I left a rock on her grave; my Gremlin Bell told me to. :icon_eek: Pics below. Also I stopped at a small country church that caught my eye as I road past, so I went back. Something about it; wasn't sure. Then I saw the sign and that it's been there since 1919. I didn't go in; it was closed for the day. It was very quite outside and the church just had a very stately and peaceful vibe; hard to explain but very cool. As I've mentioned before, these North GA roads are amazing and so much fun to ride! Pictures of them are tough; there's no place to safely pull over, so just use your imagination and you'll get it! I hope you enjoy the photos. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4f81c710a8.jpg This reservoir is in Dahlonega, GA. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...f8c8913452.jpg From an overlook on GA 60. These mountains never fail to impress! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a8c2d5ac76.jpg Since 1919. And I like their message; Faith, Hope & Love! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...b39a143850.jpg The start/end of the Appalachian Trail is here in north GA. There were many hikers at this stop and a hiking store to boot! And GA certainly could have used a bit of PR help when naming their mountains. LOL! https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...1483865359.jpg The view from the Blood Mountain overlook. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4de512dcbb.jpg The princess's grave. The Rock Pile. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ca6dec1a80.jpg The full story of the Rock Pile. |
Good deal on keeping us updated on your journey through the pages of the book. I work up in Dahlonega on the campus. Beautiful ride every time I climb into the mountain.
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Wolfpen gap road is one of my favorites in N.Ga. Was up there Sunday afternoon.
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Wayah Road ride, NC
Today’s ride was “Wayah Road”, page 120. The area is the Nantahala Gorge. The ride itself is 100 miles. Getting there and back made for a 340-mile, 8 hour day for me. Nice!
I’ve got 4 rides to go. This one was the farthest from my place so I’m glad to have it completed. Located in the southwestern tip of NC, the “Wayah Road” ride is about 1 hour southeast of the Dragon. So if you’re headed up that way you may want to add this one to your list. The scenery is awesome. At the start of the ride you enter an enormous valley, flat as a pancake but surrounded by these majestic mountains! Very cool! And then you have the mountain overlooks, the whitewater river and Nantahala Lake. The roads hold a great variety also. There are many mountain switchbacks, and a handful of hairpins thrown in just for the fun of it! In contrast you also get the lazy tree-canopied roads that run next to the shallow quick-moving river. What’s not to like? https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...eca5193f2b.jpg This is the valley and this the view if you did a 360. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...d9d0045524.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...741502c1a0.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...3795dc41a7.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...9866cda4e3.jpg Nantahala Lake https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...b9f1c687da.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...af5e934455.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...23b01b3721.jpg McCaysville, GA. Right on the GA/TN line. The view from the sandwich shop I stopped at on the way home. . |
Brunt Mountain ride
That bitch Irma finally blew out of town and left clear skies and warmer weather.
The Brunt Mountain ride was on tap for today. A good friend rode his Heritage Springer with me; the first time I've not gone solo on one of these rides. Good friends are harder to find than good roads, that's for sure. We had a blast. Brunt Mountain sits between Tate and Jasper, GA. The ride is a 48 miles loop up and over the mountain that starts/ ends in these towns. Road conditions are good but not excellent, but these roads aren't as intense in terms of steep grade or tight curves, so it balances out making this ride a technically easier ride. Great weather today, around 84 and sunny. Total miles today for me = 147. 3 rides to go... Just one photo today, but it's worth a look. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...571980a852.jpg |
Lookout Mountain ride 10-6-17
Today's ride was the Lookout Mountain loop, page 94 in the book. The mountain is located in the upper north-west corner of GA, very close to the TN state line. 250 miles today. Just 2 more rides left! (Before I start all over!)
This was a good ride, but there were no scenic turn-off's on the mountain which was a bummer, especially since it's called Lookout Mountain, jeezzz! I did find a few along the way. I stopped at Covenant College which is at the top of the mountain; beautiful campus and views. Found one area on the route with a great view of the valley below which is actually Tennessee. Also took a short side trip to Cloudland State Park GA which also had a great overlook to capture a few shots. I got my directions messed up heading there; I was close but a bit lost so I stopped in a small town to check my map. A fellow biker walked by and we started talking. He ended up jumping on his bike and took me to where I needed to be! Hats off to Wayne and his flat black Kawi-Davidson rat bike! And I say that in a complimentary way! Cool dude! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...3ce8357b1b.jpg Covenant College; top of Lookout Mountain https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...df8c7b6dff.jpg The view from the college campus. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...290309e6a3.jpg Roadside overlook. That's TN down there, near Chattanooga. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...8fb95a611a.jpg Another shot of the TN valley. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...f6ca0e1289.jpg This was taken at Cloudland State Park, which is on Lookout Mountain. . |
Mountain Lake Loop 10-13-17
I rode out today for the Mountain Lake Loop ride. P.26 247 miles.
This ride starts just north of "Little Bavaria", Helen, GA. I love Helen! So before I started the "official" part of the ride I stopped at one of my favorite places, Hofer's German Bakery. I grabbed a coffee and pastry and sat out on the deck with live music and a view of the main drag. Plus Octoberfest is in full swing so Helen was hoppin'! The ride itself was great. Lots of great roads and scenery. State Rt. 75 north of Helen is on a mountainside and is full of hairpins that will keep your ADD at bay. Just 1 ride left to complete the book. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a6eb48d82b.jpg This is Hofer's German Bakery and Restaurant. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4df5310ca4.jpg The view of main street from the covered deck at Hofer's. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...afa45212e2.jpg A beach on Lake Burton https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...c3c7b82a20.jpg LaPrade's on Lake Burton. It's been there since 1925. https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...37551e9c46.jpg Popcorn Overlook https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...272a522601.jpg This is a pretty typical view on many of these great GA mountain roads! https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...5ba0a7882f.jpg I pulled over quick to shoot this one from the bridge I was on. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...94245289b2.jpg I couldn't resist this photo op! Unfortunately the place was out of business. A cold cider would have been excellent! |
LAST RIDE! Marble to Gold ride
Well, today I finished the last of the 23 rides! I started the "Motorcycle Adventures Book 1" back in 2013. In total I racked up 5,193 miles of outstanding riding enjoyment; not bad considering the farthest ride from my house (The Dragon) is only 177 miles away! Yes I'm fortunate to have so many great roads so close to where I live. And I really appreciate the author writing the book! I never would have found many of these roads if not for him. I hope that by creating this thread other riders will discover the book and these awesome rides. I'm definitely going to ride many of these again.
Today I completed the Marble to Gold ride; page 64. This was 177 miles. It starts in the small town of Tate, GA where there's a long history of marble mining and production, and it ends in Dahlonega, GA which is the home of America's original gold rush. A nice enjoyable ride with lazy, curvy country roads. No mountainside hairpins on this one! Amicalola Falls and Park was a great place to stop on this ride. Pic below taken at the top of the falls looking out at the mountains. Also I stopped at the former headquarters of Nascar legend Bill Elliott. Elliott's museum has moved to the nearby town of Dawsonville, but his old headquarters building is pretty cool with murals on every exterior wall. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...f4baf97793.jpg From the bridge at the top of Amicolola Falls https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...0eb9607d11.jpg Bill Elliott's old HQ. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...1446c5a40b.jpg Elliott's HQ shop https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4077bbd15a.jpg The End |
Did the Red Top Mountain ride today. First good ride this year. Just got my bike back from Hartman Cycles with fresh tires, brakes & a 10k service. She's ready for a full fun season of riding!
This ride is the closest to my house, which makes it great when time is short. About 2.5 hrs. and 90 miles. Scenery here is still brown with some signs of Spring showing themselves. I'll add photos for this ride when the scenary looks better! |
Pigeon Mountain ride, P.86. This was a really fun 200 mile ride to north-west GA which went up and over Pigeon Mtn. Most of the photos are from the valley. These mountain roads had no pull-off's, so stopping and trying to take photos is between risky and impossible. The shot of my bike on the tree-lined road is a bit deceiving. That beautiful lazy road lasts about a mile and then suddenly turns into a blind downhill hairpin turn, followed by 3 more hairpins in quick succession as you ride down the mountainside! Full attention is required as this is a lonely road and help isn't close by, but fun nonetheless though!
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...928a0b73e7.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...8ec94d47bb.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...141c310d81.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...9ce47a8200.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...adac95664a.jpg |
Carters Lake Loop
This was my Father's Day morning ride! Carters Lake Loop on page 68. Approximately 4+ hrs. and 200 miles from my place, including a 13 mile over-shoot of a turn & return. Carters Lake is about 80 miles due north of Atlanta.
It was was a perfect day! The country roads were well-paved & marked, and offered up many lazy sweeping turns which are always fun. Once you're at the lake there's a lake overlook and a dam overlook. Stop at both! So peaceful & beautiful. CATER'S LAKE OVERLOOK https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...b0f7552861.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...3f6377160d.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a05cdf094d.jpg CARTERS DAM OVERLOOK https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...3b066e8336.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...976e5b90d4.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...2cf3fb2f29.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...7d0df7dadf.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...5d896fa85f.jpg |
Been really cool following your adventure. Thanks
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Originally Posted by Kozmo
(Post 18348597)
Been really cool following your adventure. Thanks
Ride safe and have fun! |
Ocoee River Run 8-11-19
Page 106 in the book. Today I rode the Ocoee River Run which features white water rafting and kayaking on the Ocoee River. This was the kayaking venue for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta! Roads were excellent, with numerous sweeping curves and many turns sharp enough to get your attention. Weather was OK but super hot; 93 degrees with a real feel of 102! When I was on the bike it felt OK, but when you stop, you melt. On the way home I included a ride over Fort Mountain. This on Rt. 52 between Ellijay and Chatsworth GA and it's a great ride by itself as well.
Total miles today were 248. It took 7 hrs that included several stops. ( No highways either; I avoid them if I can.) I wasn't the only bike out there, that's for sure. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...352ecce482.jpg Lake Ocoee https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ec19bd59d9.jpg Lake Ocoee https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...81d7be9391.jpg This is the viewing bridge over the river to watch the Olympic events! https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...688161fe37.jpg View from the bridge. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ba14993d49.jpg These were a little farther upstream. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...cde2caee3e.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a110014a6e.jpg From the top of Fort Mountain. It was worth the short but steep hike to the viewing area. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...964cc71f27.jpg Looking down from Lookout Mtn. into GA. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...d621d56bb1.jpg |
Fort Mountain ride 9-22-19
Today's therapy session was the Fort Mountain ride, page 72.
I love this ride! The roads I take getting there and back are awesome, there's a cool small town on each side of the ride (Ellijay and Chatsworth), and the mountain's roads are in excellent condition and lightly traveled, with plenty of twists and turns to keep a smile on your face. And the views are amazing. My pics are from the 3 overlook areas. There's a Ft. Mountain park up there as well with some historic landmarks. I took my Sportster on this run. 171 miles, 4 hours 30 minutes. The bike performed great, just like the brat it was meant to be! I had the seat redone by MMC and I could feel the difference from stock even though they kept the same low profile like the stocker. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ceaa5abacb.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...de4e36fadb.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...db1ce2952f.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...e3727d06b6.jpg |
Red Top Mountain ride 9-29-19
Yesterday’s ride was the Red Top Mountain ride, page 78. I did this ride earlier in the year, but wanted to ride it again to get some decent photos for this log. This ride is close to my house, so it’s sort of my go-to ride when I’ve only got a couple of hours. It’s 101 miles, about 2.5 hours.
The ride starts by traveling over the Red Top Mountain Bridge and through Red Top Mountain State Park. The park is on Lake Allatoona, and you ride over parts of the lake at a few different points. The Park is beautiful and the roads peaceful. In fact, this entire ride is on excellent, lightly traveled country roads which is why I ride it often. On this ride I also visited the GA National Cemetery, operated by the Veterans Affairs Administration. Not the first time I’ve been there, and I encourage anyone in the area to pay a respectful visit. It’s on the top of a hill/mountain and it’s beautiful. Very peaceful. Different sections for vets of different wars. Walking among the tombstones and taking it all in gave me a great sense of pride and appreciation for all those that have served. My dad was a WW2 veteran, so this visit hits home. Red Top Mountain bridge https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...b2b038c1db.jpg Lake Allatoona https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...68c76b0613.jpg Lake Allatoona https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...7dc4b2e7f1.jpg Lake Allatoona https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4d566b12e4.jpg Little River Marina on Lake Allatoona. My boat is in this marina, you can't really see it but it's there on the right end of the dock. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...e23370097e.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...03aed910d7.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...815fdc0279.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...3b30a90968.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...7b4cd109c4.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...0b9c32504c.jpg |
Ridge & Valley Scenic Byway
Yesterday I did the Ridge & Valley Scenic Byway ride, page 82. Milage was approx. 150 miles. This ride is in the north-west corner of GA. near Cloudland State Park. The roads were in great shape and had little to no traffic. There are some nice curvy sections and a lot of long lazy sweepers as you work your way up towards Villanow, GA, and then back down the other side. If you go this way, don't blink in Villanow as it only has 1 intersection with a stop sign and a couple of gas stations. Any ride is better than no ride, but this ride isn't on my list to do again. The reason is there's not really any points of interest to stop and check out. There was a mountain overlook sign that I rode past. I turned around and when I got back there the road entrance is paved for about 15 feet, then a sign that says "rough road, next 2 miles". The road was gravel. I was pissed. No way Jose with the RK; I turned around. If you've got an adventure bike, this ride would rock. No pun intended.
So I did find something interesting to share. The end of this ride travels down a section of Rt. 20 that I'm on regularly. I've often seen this burger stand and said one day I'd stop and check it out. Well I did yesterday and I'm glad I did. It's run by a southern family and they are super nice people. It's actually curb-side window service if you've got a car. There's no inside seating but they have a nice area to the left that has picnic tables. I placed my order at the window and they brought it out to me at one of the tables. Good food, good people, good time! Nothing earth-shattering but it's cool to find small businesses like this one. I'll be stopping back there for sure! https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...f5e1b97e80.jpg |
On Saturday I did the "Run to the Highlands". The ride starts 2.5 hours from my house, so this was an all day adventure; total of 11 hours and 364 miles. The first time I rode it 5 years ago I didn't take any photos, so I made sure this time I had some for ya.
Highlands NC is the destination. It's a small very upscale town just over the GA & SC line. Mercedes' and Porsche's are much more common there than Harleys, so I didn't stay long, but the ride there is great! I stopped at Bull Sluice, a whitewater area of the Chattahoochee River in SC. Scenes from Deliverance were filmed here. No banjo's, so I was feeling pretty good about that. The ride has miles and miles of lonely, curvy mountain roads; just a blast to ride and relax. Also a few cool waterfalls to see. I stopped at a couple but ran out of time for the others. And of course some great views of the mountains. I also stopped at an old mountain volunteer fire station for a quick photo op. The place looks run-down but it's an active station. This is Highlands, NC. Nice town but but everything else on this ride was much more interesting. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ce6cdfbecd.jpg Bull Sluice, Chattahoochee River. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...9873e79201.jpg Bull Sluice, Chattahoochee River. Infrared B&W photo. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...6b79ac7277.jpg Bull Sluice, Chattahoochee River. Color Infrared photo. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...01bfd44e38.jpg This is the Satolah Volunteer Dept. in Clayton, GA. I hope their trucks are in better shape than that Coke machine; it's hasn't spit out a cold one in decades. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ad6f19dff6.jpg Here's a waterfall you had to view from across a gorge from a pull-off. The falls are on private property so you cant go there. Too bad, looks really cool. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...49d8f53e2a.jpg This is Bridal Veil Falls in NC. Totally opposite of the falls above, this waterfall is directly off the roadway. And you can walk under it and not get wet. They closed off the driveway that goes under it, I'm guessing for insurance reasons. If it wasn't so busy at the time I really wanted to ride the bike under there and get some pics. Room enough to get a bike past the barrack and under there. https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...be5a96b793.jpg And of course some shots of the gorgeous mountain views. Pictures don't do justice, but you get the idea. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...38170cb14c.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...fa81c46aa0.jpg |
P.44, the Georgia Highway 60 ride. Ride time was about 6 hours and I covered 208 miles. I had a beautiful, sunny, 84 degree day yesterday. This ride is a famous road in north GA. Hwy 60 goes up through Suches and Cedar Mountain. You know the ride is going to be good when the first sign you see is a yellow diamond sign that says, " steep grades and curves, next 33 miles". :icon_banana: It was a blast to ride, and doing it on a weekday pretty much gave me the entire road to myself which was amazing.
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Chickamauga Trail ride Page 90
I got a great ride in today! This ride is up in the far north east corner of GA, near Ringgold, GA; a 196 miles round, 5.5 hour trip.
The Chickamauga battle was one of the deadliest battles of the Civil War. Per the web, "While Chickamauga was a decided Confederate victory, the results of the battle were staggering. With more than 16,000 Union and 18,000 Confederate casualties, Chickamauga reached the highest losses of any battle in the Western theater." The area is huge, with monuments, canons, and historical markers everywhere. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...d364474464.jpg https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...65e43189ea.jpg This is the monument to Georgia's soldiers. It sits on one of the battlefields. I think there's a monument for each state that sent soldiers. https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...5254fe81e7.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...2315ea608d.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ec4e401c1a.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...c1a4f7c654.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...464ace65f8.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...4d7bab5140.jpg |
Still following and admiring the pictures.
thanks from south ga! |
Sweet Home Alabama
Today was a perfect day to ride so I went on the Sweet Home Alabama ride, page 98. This was a 205 miler. It starts in Summerville GA and hits Desoto Falls, Little River Falls, and Weiss Lake, all in Alabama. Great roads although one of the roads I needed was temporarily closed and getting around it took me down a couple of really crappy back-country roads. Oh well that's part of the game, right?
I haven't ridden in awhile, so today felt perfect! Desoto Falls, AL https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a2b2b91bb2.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...591d1cf936.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...eb931975dd.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...62d20d6862.jpg Little River Falls, AL https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...fad3488203.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...0884ed4d10.jpg Weiss Lake, AL https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...51d1a306fa.jpg |
Roadside Titans & Old Car City
And now for something completely different. (A tip of the cap to John Cleese @ Monty Python's Flying Circus!)
OK I admit it, I love photographing oddball stuff. Flowers are meh; a rusted-out car is magnificent. So the other day I fired up the Roadside America app to find some unique things in my area. The day was perfect and I jumped on the 1200. My first stop, Dallas, GA, is about 35 miles away. Here I found the first 3 of 5 giant roadside statues that were used to advertise businesses back in the day. The other 2 giants are located in the town. All 5 are owned by a plumber who collects them! These giants are about 20 ft. tall! Here's a link to learn more. https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/63705 Another Roadside America site to see is called Old Car City. I ride by this a lot and I have spent a day there photographing. It's really cool and unique; remember I like off-the-wall stuff. OCC is located in White, GA. It's like a combination junk yard & outdoor museum. So I continued my journey that day by riding up to OCC and beyond. Here's a link to OCC. Check it out to really get a feel for this place. https://www.oldcarcityusa.com/ If you go there, bring plenty of bug spray during the hot season!! All in all, it was a great 120 miles ride with fun stuff to see. I'll definitely seek out more "unique" things to see. Here are the photos. The first 3 giants were at the headquarters of the plumber who owns them. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...d794a223fd.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...294ec0a95f.jpg Next was Wonder Women - the Uniroyal Gal. If you like big girls, well here you go. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...5f671eb89f.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...9cd49cb793.jpg Here's Big Mike. He's at the opposite end of the plaza where Wonder Woman is. https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...155bd7539e.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...148d823056.jpg Here's Old Car City. The car pics are ones I took a few years ago. They are a combination of visible light and infrared light; one of my passions. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...84a6784d7e.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ec364af734.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...b15eea7ac7.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...2e681fcc21.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...2d78986335.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...335b02f019.jpg |
N. GA Loop
Yesterday I did a 215 mile, 7 hour ride up through the towns of Chatsworth > Ellijay > Dawsonville > Waleska. Went up n over the Ft. Mountain Rt. 52 road which is a favorite of mine. Then I stopped for lunch in Ellijay at the Rooftop Restaurant. Great food and a great view from the 3rd story of the indoor/ outdoor eatery. This ride is a combination of past rides. I'm mixing them to keep things a bit different.
This place is in Chatsworth GA. It's an ice cream shop now. It's a great photo opportunity for bikes and classic cars. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...8610955ec.jpeg Overlook on Ft. Mountain https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...9794b11c36.jpg Another shot from Ft. Mountain. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...316c92fb8.jpeg |
Went north on this sunny 83 degree day for 135 miler. This photo was taken about half way between Chatsworth,GA and Ellijay, GA. I've past this picturesque scene several times in the past, but between needing the proper lighting and the scarcity of a safe place to pull over, it was like searching for a unicorn. I did photograph it once before, but the light wasn't great. Today was much better!
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I went out Sunday on a 100 miler up and around Cartersville, GA. Cartersville is a great town and the area has a lot to offer.
I found this very interesting, huge, 1800's Iron Furnace. A photo of the sign below will give you more details. This was in a small out-of-the-way county park called Cooper's Furnace Day Use Area. Through the park runs the Etowah River, creating some cool photo ops. Cooper's Furnace... https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...1a7006e66d.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...d9a4945c85.jpg The Etowah River... https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...ca0fedf213.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...cf14465ae7.jpg This is Lake Acworth, which connects to Lake Allatoona. If you're in the area check out Cartersville and Acworth. If you're hungry and like Cajun food, stop at Henry's Louisiana Grill. Henry is an old hippy-Harley guy who grew up in deep Louisiana and learned to cook from his Cajun grandma. He then went to France to formally study French cooking. He was featured on the Cooking Channel. Yea, this guy CAN COOK!! The place is so popular now you'll need reservations on most nights. And if you do make it here, let me know! I'm just 5 miles from Henry's. https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...5d767c2ea3.jpg This is a small pond near Waleska, GA which is about 20 miles from Ackworth. Notice the "spacious" breakdown lane, LOL! Actually it is spacious as almost all the backroads I ride have zero area to safely pull over. I've missed a lot of cool photos due to that. https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...f513ab6a47.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a126d3bcc5.jpg |
Savoy Automotive Museum
Very excited about the Savoy Automotive Museum!
On friday I took the 1200 out for about 80 miles up through Emerson, Cartersville and Waleska GA. In Cartersville the new Savoy Automotive Museum just opened on Dec 8, 2021. A lot of my rides end up going by the site of the museum, and I've been watching it being built for the last year or so. Now that it's open I'll be stopping there a lot! This is now the 3rd world-class museum in Cartersville, joining the Booth Museum (a Smithsonian-affiliate) and the Tellus Museum. You could spend an entire day or 2 exploring these museums and of course the great little city of Cartersville, GA. I became a "Key Contributors Club" member and a museum member at the Savoy, an I'm also a member of the Booth Museum. I highly recommend this area as a destination on one of your rides. Here's a taste of what the Savoy offers: https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...83d01b9143.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...3ac15ffcb5.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...0ed9c4e480.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...3ffe30613f.jpg https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...81d339616f.jpg https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...7168bb361d.jpg https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...f144f2994e.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...d673edb222.jpg https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...a16b6c9484.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...9f33953454.jpg https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...95dacc9703.jpg https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...6f963069f1.jpg https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hdf...699e7f8963.jpg |
Originally Posted by MikeBel
(Post 20337963)
Very excited about the Savoy Automotive Museum!
Here's a taste of what the Savoy offers: |
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