The Blue Ridge Parkway

[GeorgiaRoller]

Me and StreetBetty celebrated our 1yr anniversary this past weekend by taking a bike trip up to the mountains of NC. The weather was soooo nice and "cool" after such a long hot summer in Central Georgia. We rode some on Friday & Sunday and rode a 300+ mile mountain loop on Saturday.

When me & her ride we both enjoy the outdoors & nature so much that making stops at overlooks, bluffs, hiking trails & waterfalls is mandatory. To us riding is fun but also taking a step back from the ratrace of life of making a living, raising a family, paying bills...etc and just stopping to enjoy nature, slow it down a little bit (but not slowing down the bike speed! LOL) is what makes riding in the mountains so enjoyable for us.

So with that said we made many stops on the BRP such as:

- Craggy Gardens

- Linnville Cove

- Mount Mitchell

- Grandfather Mountain

- Linn Cove Viaduct

- Graveyard Fields

- Water Rock Knob

- Linnville Falls

- The Biltmore Estate

We also rode:

- NC226A "The Diamondback" https://diamondbacknc.com/

- NC80 "The Devil's Staircase" https://www.thedevilsstaircase.com/aboutthedevilsstaircase.html

Our Saturday Loop route: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=207551215502514026855.0004a669a6e605c27349f&msa=0&ll=35.766572,-82.455139&spn=0.882518,1.757812

All the roads were terrific. And even the small "unknown" local roads on our route we great. Like I always say "If it's paved and in the mountains it's gonna be a good road!!!". However there is something about the Blue Ridge Parkway to me. Other roads like the Tail of the Dragon seem to be more popular with it's 319 curves in 11 miles. But if you like a road that is 455 miles long with endless sweepers, endless overlooks & views, no stop signs, long sections with little traffic, tons of scenic beauty then there really isn't another road quite like it in all of America. You can cruise and enjoy it at the posted 45mph speed or give it some throttle and lean in the curves at 75mph (I would never condone such a thing as breaking the law however! )

VIDEO LINK: https://vimeo.com/channels/119192 (Make sure the "HD" button is on to view in High Definition)

BTW: I did something different with the video.....like I didn't edit it. It's 11 minutes long of basically raw video spliced together from 3 different camera angles. There is no background music, effects, funky transitions...etc. It's just us riding the Blue Ridge Parkway. I wanted to let the road do the talking and give others that maybe have never ridden it on a motorcycle before a feel for how the road is without editing effects.

To me the BRP basically breaks down like this from a motorcycle perspective: sweeper, sweeper, sweeper, nice S curve, sweeper, sweeper, hairpin, sweeper, sweeper, S curve, Short Straight away, sweeper, sweeper...etc.

There are a lot more technical roads to ride for sure...but none maybe quite as nice when you consider the entire package.

Some BRP shots:

Hiking Trail to Lower Falls (Graveyard Fields)

Lower Falls (Graveyard Fields)

CRAGGY GARDENS PINNACLE OVERLOOK

CRAGGY GARDENS MOUNTAINTOP BALD

WATERROCK KNOB

HWY 276 SIGN

MOUNT MITCHELL

LINVILLE FALLS

LINN COVE VIADUCT

LITTLE SWITZERLAND CAFE FOR LUNCH (START OF THE DIAMONDBACK)

THE BILTMORE ESTATE & GROUNDS

 

[allrider]

Nice RR :clapping: :yahoo:

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Willie]

Great RR. Thanks ...I see the sign has been replaced (the high elevation one). I heard somewhere it had been stolen again

Willie

 

[GeorgiaRoller]

Few more from the Parkway

Few more from the Biltmore & Winery - Yes the saddlebags work well for transporting multiple bottles of wine just fine!!! :yahoo:

FOOD

We like Tapas restaurants so we ate in downtown Asheville one night.

Dinner at Zambra: https://www.zambratapas.com/restaurant.html

We had: Chicken, Shrimp & Chorizo Paella, Pomegranate Braised Pork Spring Rolls & Dirty Rice Croquettes and a Cocktail (or two)

For dessert we walked a few blocks over to Curate https://www.curatetapasbar.com/#/welcome and had "Helado de romero con almendras" which is rosemary ice cream with almond spongecake and figs.

Then we walked down to Double D's coffee & desert which is a double decker bus for a latte. https://www.exploreasheville.com/where-to-eat/dining-details/index.aspx?guid=de82cb5d-f510-42b6-8bb1-491e4bbd9f76

 

[Tanker]

Great RR. Can't wait to do the entire Blue Ridge Parkway someday.

You have some very good photography skills along with a keen eye.

Thanks

 

[HaulinAshe]

The BRP holds a special place in history along with a very unique experience. I've yet to find anything else in North America that matches it (but I keep looking!).



I want my ashes spread from the BRP at triple digits. nGArider has the details and the route. Good to see someone taking a more positive association with the BRP.

Happy Anniversary! May you enjoy many, many more along the BRP.

 

[SLK50]

I want my ashes spread from the BRP at triple digits.

OMG, I've recently been thinking the same thing!

I'd like my final resting to be someplace that made me feel really happy.

The BRP would do nicely.

I plan to be on the BRP a week from today on my way to EOM. Can hardly wait.

 

[Mr Bill]

BRP

Great pictures and write up!

 

I'll be there Sunday on the way to EOM. Peaks of Otter for the best lunch in the world...meatloaf sandwich!

 

SLD/BRP are my favorite rides too!

 

[lonerider]

I've ridden the Parkway more times than I can remember over the last 13 years and I never get tired of it. Rode it the week of Memorial Day, Front Royal to Gatlinburg, and will be riding it both ways (weather permitting) the 3rd week in October. You're absolutely correct; there's something special about the Parkway no other road I've ridden has. If I could only bottle the smell of the mountains in the fall, maybe I could make it through the winter with my sanity intact. Hope they find someone to take over Bluff's Lodge when the Park Service finishes the retaining wall restoration; I've enjoyed some spectacular sunsets on the patio there between the buildings.

 

[Richouse]

Very nice. I can't wait. I have a trip planned to ride the whole BRP the 3rd week of October. Hope it will be nice then also.

 

[rickysnickers]

I love that part of the country. My wife is a huge NASCAR fan and we went back there so she could go to the night race at Bristol. Anyway, we stayed in Asheville. We did some sight seeing as well. I wouldn't mind living there. Thanks for the photos!!

Rick

 

[rogdeb]

Nice RR .. I can see I'll need to put the BRP on my list. Asheville especially !