JJ...you are gonna have a blast...take your time in the hills and enjoy the views. You may have just helped me plan a trip for later this summer or fall when the leaves start to change some. We have a ride planned this month leaving northern VA on the 18th...headed to Daytona, Key West, up around the gulf to New Orleans...then follow the Mississippi north until we think we need to head back east thru Tenn & Kentucky to be home on Sunday Memorial Day for our buddies annual "ride back from The Wall" party...be safe and let us know how it goes and what to see...Im interested in the NC part of the ride....post pics if you can also. Enjoy.

 

I was pretty sure it was doable just looking for reassurance... We did skyline last fall and most of the BRP a couple years ago. A typical Saturday ride is around 200 miles but we have ridden more a day on other trips. I did an Iron Butt a couple years ago and have no problem being on the bike for any length of time. (I even rode to work 2 days later and the rest of that week)

Never made it farther down than Grandfather Mountain and did not know what to expect past that to the Dragon. It will be nice taking the BRP form top to bottom.

Thanks for the other tips on places to ride. End of June can't get here quick enough.

 

did that trip with a rookie rider on her 1 year old sporty in 7 days but I'm from wiscosin,u have a very relaxed pace.i try and do 500 on the slab and 250 on backroads,and try and get there faster and spend more time down there,maybe even one down day just for relaxin at the pool or shopping in town for a rain day.

 

That looks great. I have a less ambitious 850 odd mile route planned. Scenic Savannah byway, Bootlegger's, Dragon, Cherhola and then BRP from west end to Asheville. Planning on about 4 days for it. Can't really pull off more days or I would shoot for the length of the BRP and then down the coast.

Can't wait to do it. Make sure you fill us in on your trip. I know you'll have a great time.

 

Enjoy your trip, me and a few friends just got back from the dragon a few weeks ago. We rode the dragon, the skyway and the devils triangle and while on the skyway we went to bald river falls it was beautiful. There are several pics in my albums from there, be safe and enjoy your trip.

 

I'm leaving Friday for the exact same trip. We're leaving from Vermont first thing Friday morning for us it will be about 2800 miles in 10 days. We hope to ride mostly seconday roads but will hit the slab if we get crunched for time. My trip planner is taking us on pretty much the same route.

Ride safe and enjoy the trip.

 

Looks like a great ride!!

As long as you are leaving on a weekend the I-95 part of the trip shouldn't be too bad, but I prefer avoiding 95 and crossing the Potomac on RT 301. It looks like you can connect with 301 not far from the Potomac to avoid most of the traffic lights. 301 from the Potomac South toward Richmond is a nice ride. It is flat and straight (boring) but there is not much traffic.

I-95 between Baltimore and Richmond is no fun on a weekday.

 

I just got back from A similarTrip . We spent 4 days out in that area alone. If you take the Cherohala Skyway to Telico Plains from there, you can take Rt 360 to the Dragon and back to Deals Gap...It's a great day of riding. Also check out Rt 151 off of the Blue Ridge Pkwy heading back towards Cherokee...It was packed full of great twisties and almost void of traffic. The Moonshiner was a great ride too, but there was a lot of traffic on it. Beware of the fog on the Cherohala, especially in the morning.

 

Take Rt. 151 coming off the BRP. Great ride Very challenging twisties. I was told it has one less curve than the Dragon. Ride Safe!

 

Since your leaving on a Friday you might want to go out to Front Royal and run the 105 miles of Skyline Drive too. Plan on 3 hours. While in the Smokey's take the Foothills Parkway once to the Dragon. The road up to Clingmans Dome was paved last year and is a rip. Lots of traffic though, pull over at the bottom and wait for a long clear run. Same thing at the top. Cades Cove is beautiful in the early morning. The traffic can make you crazy after 10AM. You can then head to Townsend and hook up with the Foothills.