Help! Ideas Needed!

[Joel S.]

Yeah, I was thinking- Hud ain't retired. Regarding the Dragon- I've been meaning to get a hotel instead of driving in and back in a day. There's a Microtel we pass on the way in. Might check out the DG though.

https://tuskeegeemotel.com/

thats right on 28, not too far from the lake, stayed there last year, and again next week.

 

[hppants]

- Avoid the Knoxville, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge commotion like the plaque. Geez - you could blow a half day in that traffic

- the entire Cherokee National Forest area in eastern Tennessee is good riding. Go to Roan Mountain.

- In North Carolina, perhaps set a northern most endpoint at Boone. Then concentrate on the Pisgah National Forest just south and southeast of there. The roads in that area in my opinion are some of the absolute best motorcycling east of the Mississippi River. Hwy 226, 19W, 212, 221, 194.... Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, Hot Springs, etc etc etc. Holy cow, that is some great stuff!!! The road surface is excellent, the curves are incredible, and the best part? NO one is on them!!! They are all riding the dragon, Ashville, etc.

- Linville Falls and Grandfather Mtn are on an excellent section of the blue ridge parkway. Great opportunities for very short walks off the bike for some wonderful views and sights.

- Also, using the Blue Ridge Parkway as a way to ride around Ashville is a great idea. Again, the BRP is kind of slow, but it's loads more fun than big city bumper to bumper traffic.

- From Pensecola, find your way around Atlanta (Hud???) and get to the northwestern part in the Chattahoochie (sp??) National Forest. Hwy 180, 60, 19, 129, etc. Again, great riding, no traffic.

- You can use Hwy 60 to get from Georgia to Deals Gap. Go to Tellico Plains, take a right on the Cherahola Skyway, and run to Robbinsville.

- Great roads to consider in Deals Gap are Hwy 28, War Woman Road. Hwy 64 between Franklin and Brevard is one fine piece of pavement - could be a little crowded at times, but it is some great riding. The blacktop is brand new and it will hold the tires.

- If you are interested in including the Ozarks in your trip, and want to avoid I-40, Hwy 70 in Tennessee is a decent road that will make good time. You can get to/from Jonesboro Arkansas using that road and from there, the Ozarks are well within reach. If Arkansas is in your sights, I can offer a lot of input on that.

 

[rvnmaniac]

Plus 28 is a blast

 

[metalman]

.

https://tuskeegeemotel.com/

thats right on 28, not too far from the lake, stayed there last year, and again next week.

Stayed here last year about this time of year. Enjoyed it. Not new but satisfactorily maintained.

 

[metalman]

.............

 

[Fred W]

I disagree with those who are dissing the parkway. Yeah, it is posted at a low-ish speed, but the patrolling is pretty sparse, mid week. Riding it at 10 over the posted with your cruise control on can make for some pretty exciting corners. And the scenery can't be beat.

Don't miss riding up to the top of Mount Mitchell, if you go. Highest ride to the top of a mountain east of the Mississippi, which rhymes with yippee!

If you are hotelling it, stop at the Holiday Inn Express in Blowing Rock. Great little BBQ / Tavern joint next door with live entertainment and comfy accommodations at the Inn.

edit - Skip Skyline drive. Now that is just too slow.

 

[SmashVol]

You have some good advice from the above. Snake, skyway and many many more good ones to ride. They are working some on the dragon so check it out closer to when you head down and ride safe and enjoy!

 

[jmdaniel]

Thanks again, fellas! I ran across this on Facebook, don't know if Bryan is a member here, but looks like a great resource to load into my Garmin and go....

https://twowheelobsession.com/2016/09/28/custom-smokey-mountain-motorcycle-route-download/

Brayan has a pretty cool FB page/YouTube channel/website called TwoWheelObsession, with a lot of neat info.

 

[Fred W]

Oh yeah... he's on here.

Kaelaria

 

[1911]

• An overnight in Pensacola (high school buddy just moved there)

Lucky dude! Of all the riding suggested here, the highway through Pensacola is one of my favorite m/c roads

(Hwy 197 through Pensacola NC).

The last time I drove to Pensacola Fl we took some backroads that went by Lake Eufaula. Pleasant enough drive to make me wish I was on the bike, until we hit the Eglin 5pm traffic.

 

[SacramentoMike]

On the BRP, if you see a sign for the Blue Ridge Music Center near Galax, VW (mile post 213), don't ride past, esp. if there's a sign up saying "Live Music Today." Local players just show up there and entertain themselves and whoever comes by--it's great if your timing is right. And of course if you enjoy good bluegrass. Several regularly scheduled free concerts in the summer too.

 

[jmdaniel]

I found this the other day, and it just may pull my head out of my own ***, which usually gets in paralysis by analysis mode:

https://twowheelobsession.com/2016/09/28/custom-smokey-mountain-motorcycle-route-download/

Tweak the maps for where we are staying, (yet to be determined), load them in the Zumo, and hit it!

 

[jmdaniel]

Well, the plans are set...

Saturday, Day 1 (5/20) Austin to Pensacola, FL (approx. 700 miles)

Pretty much slabbing, in order to make it to my buddy's house in one day. Highest mileage day of the trip.

Sunday, Day 2 (5/21) - Pensacola to Sylva, NC (approx. 500 miles)

Haven't mapped this day yet.

Monday, Day 3 (5/22) - Smoky Mountain Ride

Combining a couple of the maps that I downloaded from Two Wheel Obsession, in order to hit Wheels of Time and the Dragon.

Tuesday, Day 4 (5/23) - Smoky Mountain Ride

One of the other rides laid out on the Two Wheel Obsession maps

Wednesday, Day 5 (5/24) Sylva, NC to Memphis (500 miles)

Some National Forest riding

BB King's for dinner

Thursday, Day 6 (5/25) Memphis to Natchez, MS (294 miles)

Blues Highway, then a little on the Natchez Trace

Friday, Day 7 (5/26) Natchez, MS to the house (448 miles)

Go through three national forests on the way home.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Just a reminder, don't even think about coming through Atlanta. I-85 is still closed, although it is scheduled to be open about the time you roll through. That means all the other metro Interstates are still carrying the displaced traffic.

(You weren't planning to come anywhere close to ATL, anyway, were you? Of course not, Hud!)

If you're thinking Interstates get you there faster, and they do, take I-65 and 59 (Montgomery--->B'ham--->Chattanooga) and branch off through the NC mountains.

Ride safely, brother, and remember: pics or it didn't happen.

 

[jmdaniel]

Just a reminder, don't even think about coming through Atlanta. I-85 is still closed, although it is scheduled to be open about the time you roll through. That means all the other metro Interstates are still carrying the displaced traffic.
(You weren't planning to come anywhere close to ATL, anyway, were you? Of course not, Hud!)

If you're thinking Interstates get you there faster, and they do, take I-65 and 59 (Montgomery--->B'ham--->Chattanooga) and branch off through the NC mountains.

Ride safely, brother, and remember: pics or it didn't happen.

I really wasn't planning on going through Atlanta, we have crappy enough traffic in Austin.

I will take pics, and very much looking forward to getting out there! Thanks!

 

[hppants]

I will be a few hours ahead of you on 5/26 heading west to YFO.

 

[erixun]

You are going to have a great time, and see some beautiful country for sure!

 

[jmdaniel]

Mapped out!

 

[hppants]

It's a shame that you have to go to Pensacola from Austin on a 700 mile bender for the first day of your trip. Honestly, given those 2 parameters, I don't see how I could suggest an alternate. The problem is that you are going to ride through Houston, Baton Rouge, Slidell, and Mobile. Any one of those at any given time of any given day could turn into a 3 hour cluster. This is no **** - one time, we were stalled on I-10 in Baton Rouge for so long, we got out of the car to stretch and made friends with our fellow stranded. They had sandwiches and we had a grand ole time just standing there on the elevated interstate.

The Astros play that day at home. The game doesn't start until 3 pm, so hopefully that isn't an issue.

Well anyhoo, have a good trip.

 

[jmdaniel]

Well, the way I routed this trip, that was either going to be the first day or last, and I'd rather have the big miles on the first. We're actually going to be north of Houston a bit, (although it doesn't look like that on the map), and it's going to be very early in the day, so that won't be an issue. I've been stuck in BR traffic on I-10 myself, so know where you are coming from there. I'm going to keep an eye on the weather, and if it continues to look like rain, we may cut out Pensacola and head more north on the first day. My buddy in FL might be disappointed, but I can always make a run over there by myself later.