Analyze my Trip Route

[Walter]

Along your route

100 Sierra Nevada Way, Fletcher, NC 28732

Sierra Nevada Brewery is a cool stop if your into that. There realy went all out building this place.

 

[JJnNC]

First of all, the northern end of the BRP is in Waynesboro, VA. North of there Skyline drive begins. If you want to ride some of the VA BRP from Blacksburg head to Christiansburg and pick up rt. 8 to Floyd. Go through Floyd and it will bring you to the BRP. You could then stay on the BRP or just take it to 58 west at Meadows of Dan and then head south on 21 in Independence to 221 to 421 and Take that to Shady Valley to ride the Snake. You could then head south on 91 towards Johnson City and pick your original route back up. The only other suggestion I would make is to take 143 to Robbinsville from 28. Pick up 129 there. Take 129 north and then turn off 143 and the Cherahala Skyway. Since you were turning around at the dragon you can take the Cherahala to Tellico Plains. Just as you are getting to Tellico Plains turn north on 360 to 411 north to 76 east and that will take you to 129 and the dragon. you will then be heading east again. If you have never ridden the area don't miss the Cherahala.
Writing that all out has me itching to ride that area again soon!

2 thumbs up to Intech's route. BRP is a good trip, but it's slow, lots of traffic. You will get a lot more variety and local flavor by taking hwy 58 and the other routes. Not sure of your timeframe, but to add to Intech's route, consider from Johnson City pick up 212 to Hot Springs, then 209 to Lake Junaluska, then over to hwy 74 down to fontana. Also what Intech said, don't miss the Cherahala Skyway. I ride these roads evey chance I get. You will have a great trip.

 

[FJR-Pilot]

I LOVE route planning and the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway is probably one of the greatest treasures of the eastern US for motorcyclists. I would not miss the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway for all the tea in China because it is an absolutely spectacular scenic ride. I rarely encounter traffic or police problems on the BRP when traveling on weekdays so plan accordingly if your time allows b/c the ride will be significantly better. Weekends will be high traffic, bad, yuk, suck, around Roanoke, Boone/Blowing Rock, and Asheville. Other areas on the parkway are not very bad on weekends. Traveling anywhere on the BRP on weekdays you'll own the friggen place (unless that includes a holiday).

IMPORTANT NOTE: Super slabbing it up to Front Royal and taking Skyline Drive/BRP all the way down to Cherokee, NC ought to be on every motorcycle touring champion's bucket list and you should have your man card revoked if you live anywhere within striking distance of the BRP and you do not travel the entire 578+ mile length of both at least once in your lifetime.

Maybe not on this trip for y'all due to time constraints but you (and anyone reading this) have been forewarned! It takes quite a bit of time (up to 3 or 4 days on the Skyline/BRP portion alone!). I've done it several times in the past 15 years and cannot wait to do it again! For me the absolute beauty of that ride is this little fact: there is not one single stop light or stop sign on the entire 578 mile ride! I think it is one of the most peaceful drives on planet earth. There are about 200 overlooks along the BRP and about a third of them are classified as "must see" so your traveling could be quite slow if you enjoy sitting and soaking in the views like I do. Plus I've seen all kinds of amazing wild life on the parkway (deer, wild turkey, foxes, bears, snakes, etc). The ride takes you away from the hustle and bustle of life and gives you a sense of leaving the commercial world and all your troubles behind.

Anyway. Based on your requested advice (and I am assuming you have 4 days):

• Day 1 - Highlights: Blacksburg (your request), BRP, Doughton Recreation Area, ending in Boone (careful could be a long day).
• Day 2 - Highlights: Linn Cove Viaduct, then more of the best part of the BRP!, Moonshiners 28, and the Dragon/Deals Gap (recommend Tapoco Lodge or Fontana Village for rooms and great food)
  
• Day 3 - Highlights: the Cherohala Skyway, a nice leisurely drive across Highway 64 back to the BRP, Waterrock Knob Overlook (gps 35.460312, -83.140846), Devils Courthouse (gps 35.305104, -82.899589), ending at Pisgah Inn Note: You probably won't be able to book a room at the Pisgah Inn (BUT TRY). If you pull up to Pisgah Inn around 4 or 5 PM (at the latest) you can usually walk up to the front desk and pick up a canceled room. This works about 50% of the time in my experience. It can be a very romantic stay and they have a fantastic restaurant menu/view. The view of the Pisgah National Forrest from every room is simply amazing! If you cannot get a room at Pisgah Inn then Asheville is only 25 miles to the north and always has rooms.
  
• Day 4 maybe something like this to get back to Raleigh? (I have actually done most of the Day 4 route).

Mapping notes: To make trip planning easy I use Google Maps to make each daily route (the hard part), then drag and drop each of the daily routes into the free Tyre-to-Travel program, then press one button to copy the daily routes over to my TomTom XXL 530S as daily itineraries. My buddies make me do the route planning

 

[Kneedragger55]

Sounds like I've got a pretty good start. Otw to the gap we'll be hitting 212 to 209 to 74, in addition to some of the BRP from Fancy Gap to Deep Gap. Still looking at different routes to High Point or Charlotte for the next to last day. I just don't want to do the entire leg from gap to Raleigh in one day. Unfortunately, our schedule puts us on the BRP on a Sunday, just hoping it'll be light.

The same problem is always there, too much to see/ride, not enough time. Good problem to have I guess. Next question is tires...I'll be posting a pic tonight as I'm debating on a new set. Think I'll do a new front, but not sure about the rear.

And yea, I wanted to hit Front Royal and do more of the BRP, but time just didn't allow it. I'll be asking my boss for more vacation days in May (my work anniversary)

Also, we did go to the Sierra Nevada Brewery a couple weeks ago, and WOW. That place is amazing. I would definitely recommend that to anyone. Basically the Biltmore of brewing.

 

[Intech]

And yea, I wanted to hit Front Royal and do more of the BRP,

Again for the record, the northern end of the BRP is in Waynesboro, VA. North of there it continues as Skyline Drive(Which is also a fee road unless you have a national parks pass) The BRP between Waynesboro and Roanoke is awesome too. Especially if there is no traffic.

 

[FJR-Pilot]

Sounds like I've got a pretty good start. Otw to the gap we'll be hitting 212 to 209 to 74, in addition to some of the BRP from Fancy Gap to Deep Gap. Still looking at different routes to High Point or Charlotte for the next to last day. I just don't want to do the entire leg from gap to Raleigh in one day. Unfortunately, our schedule puts us on the BRP on a Sunday, just hoping it'll be light.
The same problem is always there, too much to see/ride, not enough time. Good problem to have I guess. Next question is tires...I'll be posting a pic tonight as I'm debating on a new set. Think I'll do a new front, but not sure about the rear.

The 212 & 209 Hotsprings area north of Asheville is gorgeous touring country!

T30 Bridgestones with the "GT spec" is a fantastic tire for the FJR. I have logged over 80,000 miles on the Michelin PR1's & PR2's, BT023-GT's, and now the T30's (since mid-2014). Two years on the T30-GT and (for me) they are huge improvement over the BT-023-GT or the Michelin PR1 or PR2. I hear the Michelin PR4 is a slightly better tire (and more expensive) but I have not tried it.

 

[luvtoride]

You could then stay on the BRP or just take it to 58 west at Meadows of Dan and then head south on 21 in Independence to 221 to 421 and Take that to Shady Valley to ride the Snake.

Do you mean after taking the BRP to Meadows of Dan head west on Rte 58 into Damascus. Then take Shady Valley Rd which turns into Rte 133 in Tennessee. Then take a left on 421 to ride the snake?

No, but that's OK too.

Just ok? Rte 58 is a "not to miss" type of road. Be careful... all of rte 58 is a notorious speed trap.

 

[hppants]

I agree with FJR-pilot - that entire Hot Springs area is just beautiful. Riding in and around the French Broad River is spiritual. I'll be running through there in a couple of weeks.

 

[Kneedragger55]

Thanks guys. Looking to work hwy 58 in somehow, but the Hot Springs area fits right in perfectly. Thinking about adding a stop at the Iron Mountain BnB a little over halfway between Blacksburg and Gap so we don't have to do a 8-9hr ride, and have some time to relax and enjoy ourselves. Looking at their website it looks like they have some awesome views and pretty cool accommodations for being in BFE.

So...I may split the "to and from" Deals Gap into two legs to avoid the 8-9hr trip both ways and stay somewhere else in the mountains. Any recommendations, BnB, hotel, cabin with good views and decent accommodations? Thinking that the last thing I want on this trip is to be rushed and feel like....we gotta ride another 3hrs to check-in...just because we have reservations. Splitting the to and from the gap will leave us more time to explore, ride, and enjoy local stuff; which sounds awesome.

Tires......this trip will be 1200-1500 miles. Would you ride these PR4GTs? Right around the wear bar on both, but PLENTY PLENTY of tread everywhere off 100% dead middle. Front tire has some cupping and wobbling in the bars when you take pressure off the hands, which seems standard for these tires. Front I'm meehhh about....rear I think I can do. Thoughts?

Thanks again for the thoughts guys, really looking forward to this trip. This is probably the most excited I've been about riding in a long time. Next we'll continue this into a "packing" thread and sum everything into one haha.

 

[FJR-Pilot]

... Next we'll continue this into a "packing" thread and sum everything into one haha.

I'm bailing out here. Good luck!

 

[Intech]

Those tires look good to me for the trip.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Those tires look good to me for the trip.

Depends on how you ride and how much you like changing expensive tires on the road instead of enjoying the roads. Your trip - you take your chances.

 

[hppants]

No way I'm taking those tires on a 1000 plus mile 2-up trip in the Deal's Gap twisties. You are gonna end up paying $400.00 for a set of sport bike tires in Tellico Plains that will last maybe 2500 miles.

YMMV (literally, I suppose)

 

[FJR-Pilot]

No way I'm taking those tires on a 1000 plus mile 2-up trip in the Deal's Gap twisties. You are gonna end up paying $400.00 for a set of sport bike tires in Tellico Plains that will last maybe 2500 miles.
YMMV (literally, I suppose)

Ya. The front one is already down to the wear bars! The back one would likely be end of life just before or on arrival at home. But considering you're two up, fully loaded, and lots of twisty action ... I'd pull the trigger on two new ones.

 

[Kneedragger55]

10 4. Just not sure how these things wear as I've never owned a sport tourer, and it's been a long time since I ran Michelins. Yep we'll be fully loaded, 2-up, and dragging some pegs, so I would think the rear could make it. Center may be struggle, but I think the sides could do. Guess I'll put some new ones on and save these for around town...

 

[hppants]

It's a heavy bike and you are loading it up. Not as much as Arkansas, mind you - but many of those cheap seal roads in NC/TN eat tires pretty good. As a general rule, when I'm riding with full luggage and a camping bag (still lighter than 2-up), and the rear PR2 gets to the wear bar, I've got right at 500 miles before the tread is completely gone, and maybe another 200 before the first thread starts to show. I've only done that once and I puckered all the way home. Thank goodness the pavement was dry. Never again.

 

[Intech]

It's a heavy bike and you are loading it up. Not as much as Arkansas, mind you - but many of those cheap seal roads in NC/TN eat tires pretty good. As a general rule, when I'm riding with full luggage and a camping bag (still lighter than 2-up), and the rear PR2 gets to the wear bar, I've got right at 500 miles before the tread is completely gone, and maybe another 200 before the first thread starts to show. I've only done that once and I puckered all the way home. Thank goodness the pavement was dry. Never again.

Wait until you follow me and see what the tires look like!

I had balled up rubber like track day 2-up on the dragon. Ask Joe to tell you the story in SEO!

 

[wshski]

any reason for taking i81, unless it's a time saver I would get on 42 from Blackburg to Saltville, then 91 into Glade Spring. (just to stay off 81, busy with 18 wheelers) could take from glade spring 81 a d 11 to Abington, 75 to 421 thru Shady Valley to Mountain City. I like hot springs to trust to fines creek, nice road. I have riden these roads and they are good. Travelling BRP on Sunday can be slow (lots of sightseers). can use the side roads that run beside BRP in alot of places. mostly it's all depends on your time and kind of roads you want.

 

[Kneedragger55]

Yea I suspect that 2-up riding takes more of a tole than I account for...since I've never done it. Ordering new PR4GTs today, lookes like Motorcycle superstore has some of the best prices, and I have a $10 discount there. Holler if you see anything better.

 

[wshski]

if you have the time and want to add a night between Asheville and Fontana / deals gap try to stay at Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley. Really a relaxing layback place. they serve breakfast and dinner in the cost of each night you stay, and you won't go hunger. just a beautiful place on top of the mountain.