anyone around my area have recommendations for 1-2 hr rides around charlotte/concord out and back?

new to my 1200 and wanting to get some non hwy miles on it - plan to take 73 out to albemarle and grab lunch and back - looking for ideas similar to this. I know I saw a Matthews NC member -

thanks in advance for recommendations!

Jeff

 

I think you're on the right track. From Concord you're better off heading east if you're only looking for a 1-2 hour ride.

From Concord you might consider Hwy 49 N up to Hwy 109 and the Hwy 109 south through Morrow Mountain State Park and then 24/27 back to Albemarle.

If you head west from Concord, you aren't going to be able to get to any decent riding areas and back in the time you have alloted.

 

I live about 10 mins above Lexington, takes me about 40 mins to get to Concord down 85...I've been thinking about doing a few Hwy 49 runs myself

 

Morrow Mountain State park around the Albemarle area is a good ride area. I live in the Piedmont so I don't know a lot about that part of the state. However, Head North on highway 77 and there's a bunch of good roads. If I had a day to ride from Charlotte I'd head North on 77, West on 421, through Wilkesboro, up highway 16 to Glendale Springs and the Blue Ridge parkway. Then you can South through Boone and if you want, all the way to Asheville. It is a gorgeous ride through the Pisgah National Forest. Or, hang out in Glendale Springs and West Jefferson and check out the churches of the frescoes. Or, go North on the Parkway to Laurel Springs and eat at Freebournes North. Then it's about an hour more to fancy Gap Va. From there you could go 52 South to 77 South and back to Charlotte.

Obviously the mountain rides are not a couple of hours. I rode my wife's new sporty home 240 miles last Monday down from Western Carolina. I loved it and had a great ride, even in some hard rain. If ever you're up this way and want to go riding on some local mountain roads give me a shout out. I usually head up to Danbury NC up highway 8 and into Stuart Va. Over through Lovers leap and down the parkway to Mabry's Mill for pancakes. Then down to 52, down fancy Gap and back through Winston Salem.

We have ridden to Charlotte a number of times for events. You should consider joining the Patriot Guard Riders. They are real active in the Charlotte area and in fact, have a major event this Saturday morning early for the Air Guard crew that were killed in the line of duty. The PGR folks in your area are great. Saturday they meet in Huntersville NC to escort the Airman to Todd NC for a funeral. If you feel like this is something your interested in you must join the national on the web site. Then join the NC PGR facebook group to get mission updates.

Just looking at the map, looks like you could do 74 West to 26 into Asheville NC. Lots of great riding there. But again, not two hours. Probably be two hours almost to Asheville. As you can see I like all day rides. I take my Heritage for that but, if I had a sportster I'd ride that all day too.

 

let me know I also live in lexington off of rt 8 (use to live on welcome-bethesda rd in welcome )

 

Thanks for all the input
Would love all day rides too, right now not an option with young kids and work duties etc. plus new rider so not ready for mtn roads,starting out on major inclines etc just yet, but looking forward to getting there!!

 

Cool, you guys are great!

May take you up on a ride after I get a few more hundred under my belt

 

haha...well I live right near welcome-bethesda on Hinkle Ln, and grew up all over hwy 8..Lived on High Rock Lake up until about a year ago...I ride down to Tucker Town Dam and back all the time...would be cool if we could map something out following the lakes out all the way down to Concord....maybe start or end at the speedway using back roads

 

Just did mapquest on a route basically using 49 and hwy 8 those two hwys go over Badin lake and High Rock lake taking 1hr 30mins....could start or end at Christos in Lexington on Hwy 8 and start or end at Quaker Steak and Lube near Charlotte Motor Speedway......just a thought....lol

 

Jeff, there's lots of good back roads in Union county. Take 601 from Condord through Midland and hook up with any of the East/West roads for miles then double back to 601 to Concord.