RTE! Outer Banks, NC

Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum

Help Support Yamaha FJR Motorcycle Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

rbentnail

Economic Plankton
FJR Supporter
Joined
Jan 10, 2008
Messages
2,430
Reaction score
1,095
Location
Asheboro, NC
Leaving central NC, heading east on Oct 31. That's a Saturday. Return Sunday. Ken the HD Guy and I will visit 2 state parks on the way out and overnight at the Comfort Inn South Oceanfront in Nags Head, NC. Hoping to eat here for steak/seafood if it's open but there's a couple other places within a short walk. A little pricey but what the heck. ETA: Then visit 4 more parks on the way back.

No leader except whoever has the route/destination on a gps. Very informal, everyone is welcome. Minimal interstate but when east of Raleigh-wood things get kinda straight and flat. Preliminary routes show about 320 miles each way from Asheboro, NC. Feelings won't be hurt if someone wants to peel off and go his own way for sights, riding, whatever.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
We try to get out that way once or twice per yr. Even the way more relaxed riding is a blessing- leisurely, not not as physically or mentally tired after 350 miles as I am when working in the mtn twisties. Plus the seafood.

 
Here's the plan. Start on left, head east on the southern route to Goose Creek State Park, to Pettigrew SP then to the motel. Eat, drink, sleep. Go north to Jockey's Ridge & Dismal Swamp SPs, then west across the top to Merchant's Millpond SP, Medoc Mtn SP, then home again jiggity jig.

Nags%20Head%20RTE%20routes_zpsozpvnviu.jpg


Again, everyone is welcome to ride along. This will give me 41 state parks, forests, rec areas, etc. on my list of "visited" with only two known places left. It's been a heck of a ride exploring some of the out of the way places in my state, I highly recommend setting a goal like this.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
If only I could, my older brother has a home in Fairfield Harbor, which is xcross the Neuse from New Bern NC. So, you're close! :)

Hope you guys have a great time, post up some pics@!

 
Well now. We went, we saw, we ate
icon_biggrin.gif
. Saturday was excellent weather riding to the coast, Sunday mostly light rain coming back. Temps both days hovered in the mid-60s so light jackets and rain gear were more than sufficient. And believe it or not everything actually sort of went to plan tho we did wing it on some route detours. On to the pics!

Ken the HD Guy & I ready to go. I know many of you would just routinely dismiss him b/c he rides HD but if you're not familiar- Ken and I have ridden together from Maine to Mobile and gawd knows how many places in between. So away we go!
IMG_20151031_084555986_zps7ve93y38.jpg


First stop- Goose Creek SP
IMG_20151031_141831230_zpsqmzuetyv.jpg


Second stop- Pettigrew SP
IMG_20151031_164221202_zps9eziazyt.jpg


The RTE! Southern shore, Nag's Head NC.
IMG_20151031_192315728_zpsbl1zxhys.jpg

IMG_20151031_193245098_zpsyppt9jhb.jpg

IMG_20151031_193251850_zps3ivkczwg.jpg


 
Sunday morn sunrise over the Atlantic
IMG_20151101_064034160_HDR_zpsqmsw96gi.jpg


Sunday, first stop Jockey's Ridge SP.
IMG_20151101_081150621_zps4u3nwemp.jpg

IMG_20151101_082657053_zpsaqsldlfl.jpg


Second stop- Dismal Swamp SP
IMG_20151101_110710955_zpsq82qnb3r.jpg


Third stop- Merchants Millpond SP
IMG_20151101_114148122_zpsszgi22ts.jpg


Fourth stop- Medoc Mountain SP, the Highest point between Raleigh and the coast
IMG_20151101_143419088_zpsmn5xx7jb.jpg


Excellent autumn ride. This now gives me 42 North Carolina state parks, forests, etc. visited with 3 known to go. I'll tell you this- NC has some fabulous displays, educational rooms, films, habitats, etc. I am truly thankful for the opportunity to see these things.

 
And some other pics of educational rooms, displays, etc.

IMG_20151101_081828638_zpsjv29yxu9.jpg

IMG_20151101_081839275_zpsf1sab8ta.jpg

IMG_20151031_142946235_zpsrlduktf9.jpg

IMG_20151031_143039875_HDR_zps66kkurq3.jpg

IMG_20151031_142902373_zpsnu66ipir.jpg

IMG_20151031_142853089_zpsrlfamhtx.jpg

IMG_20151101_114903618_zpsy8f4abl0.jpg

IMG_20151101_082954107_zpsankdijru.jpg

IMG_20151101_081931271_zpsfrdy7bme.jpg


You shoulda come with us, it was a most excellent ride! The food- O M G!!

And you know how, when you're riding along, see something and think, "now THERE'S something you don't see every day"? Tho I wasn't able to get a pic I have an image implanted in my brain I hope I never forget. If you've ever been in the coastal plains of the southeastern USA you know the roads are straight & flat and that the term 'coastal plain' is a polite way to say 'swamp'
icon_biggrin.gif
. You ride for miles and miles seeing nothing but swamp. But every once in a while you catch a glimpse of wildlife. For us this time it was a bald eagle, our national symbol. For decades they've been pretty scarce around my parts and elusive even down east. But as we're riding along this huge frikkin bird swoops down about 20 yds from the road, grabs something out of the murky water and off it goes. Closest I've ever been to one and to see it on the hunt is magnificent.

It was one helluva ride!

 
Next up, prolly in the spring, but plans are already in the works.

Sea to Mountain Highway, backwards. Hwy 9 from Black Mountain, NC all the way to the end in North Myrtle Beach, SC. Come hill, hamlet, city and slum, we're gonna ride the entire thing even if we make 17 u-turns!

Preliminary: meet Ken the HD Guy in Danville, VA for breakfast then ride to Black Mtn. Overnight. Then to NMB. Club sammich at Oscar's. Overnight. Then home.

Think it over. Details later.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Would love to do some of that with you -- maybe all, since I have family near NMB. Start a new thread when you start figuring out details. Nonstop Black Mountain to the beach?

(I'm sure you know this, but the formal NC Mountains-to-Sea trail starts at Clingman's Dome and ends up Morehead City. I've hiked bunches of it in the Pisgah/Asheville area.)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Would love to do some of that with you -- maybe all, since I have family near NMB. Start a new thread when you start figuring out details. Nonstop Black Mountain to the beach?
New thread will come when details are worked out. Yep, meet Ken the HD Guy in Danville then to Black Mtn. Some 325 miles each. Then to NMB next day. Some 325 miles. Non-stop is out of the question- we aren't fools. Plentiful rest stops and of course gas along the way. DuhHuh. But yes, same day ride to NMB.

 


Write your reply...
Top