[b]Well, got back today after doing a little over 1000 miles down to the Skyline Drive. Man what beautiful land that is. The Shenandoah National Park is just amazing. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Front Royal the 1st night that we arrived. If anyone is looking for a really nice, CLEAN hotel, this is it. A kick-*** continental breakfast in the morning I might add. Very cool lady had me park me bike by the pool, in the back where there is a security camera 24-7. She tells all bikers to park there so an eye can be kept on the bikes.

We hit the drive @ about 9:00 am, Monday, chilly but nice. Traffic was very minimal. I think we chose a great time to drive it. Only a few times did we get behind anyone. Speed limit is marked @ 35 mph but the majority of the time I drove 45. I told the wife a couple of times, how amazed I was at how clean the park is. No litter at all. Fun roads to drive on, some good twisties. We saw probably 2 dozen bikes. I figured there would be more. With stopping and enjoying the sights, eating & taking it all in, it took us 5 hours to drive the 105 miles.

We chose not to do the Blue Ridge Parkway this time. We stopped at the Shenandoah HD dealer south of Stauton. Beautiful new dealership. Nice layout. I couldn't believe that they had an actual waiting area with a big screen TV, for the service dept. I was pissed to say the least about the selection of T-shirts they had, but I guess it all can't be perfect. They even provided a computer for customers. The wife was able to go online and Priceline a 3 star hotel in Stauton for $65.00. The Stonewall Jackson Hotel. Very nice place. A little too ritzy for my taste but nice.

All in all a really good trip. Rt 64 west is a really nice road to travel on a scoot!

Some pic's.





A tad chilly. Putting more clothes on!




Little guy was just as curious with us as we were with him.


Peace out!!!!!!!!


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Excellent post and nice pics.

Hopfully I'll make that ride sooner than later. Thanks!

 

Last weekend I rode from Chantilly, to Warrenton, took 211 to Thorton Gap and rode the short part from there to Front Royal.

You're 100% correct, its a beautiful, nice slow and relaxing ride. Plenty of bikers to mingle with at the stops.

Mid September, I'm going back again with the lady friend. We're going to start in Front Royal and go south. Camp out somewhere once we tire from riding and then ride back the next day.

I got some pictures from last weekend I'll have to post when i find them.

 

I did Skyline last week, absolutely gorgeous. I found out my cruise control works at 35 mph. Of all the chain motels / hotels, I've found the Hampton Inn to be the most accomodating to me when I was on my motorcycle. Once the girl at the desk had us assigned to ground floor rooms right up front 2 doors from the check-in desk before we got inside the building. They do a good job with the free breakfast, I have to agree.

 

My wife and I did Skyline Drive back on the week of August 7th. Great trip! Awesome scenery. Met some great folks on their Harleys at some of the 75 scenic overlooks on the Drive. Touring the Shenandoah Valley is also beautiful. Here is the motel we stayed at: www.hillsidemotel-luray.com. I just happened to read an article in Iron Works magazine a few weeks earlier about a trip to Shenandoah called "Run To The Hills" and they featured this motel. Fantastic location and run by great motorcycle-friendly people. Affordable too. I e-mailed Iron Works www.ironworksmag.com to thank them for a great article leading me to a great place to stay. Well, the executive editor e-mailed me back thanking me for the letter! Next thing I know the woman who wrote the article also e-mailed me with her thanks and invited my wife and I to join them on a trip to Shenandoah in October. I am deffinately going to try.

 

Neck, you can say that again! Excellent breakfast.

Dang Mac, I wish you would have posted this link on your previous post. After reading it I looked high and low for this place to no avail. I'll definately bookmark it for my next trip down there.

 

TimmerK, I did post the link in the touring and gereral chat forums some weeks back but you may have missed them. Stay at this motel and you won't be sorry. The location alone is worth it. Only four miles from the Thornton Gap entrance to Skyline Drive. I tell everybody I can about this place.

 

After seeing Mac's recommendation for the Hillside Motel, I went by there last week for a room. The owner (Sam?) wasn't sure if he had one left (I didn't have a reservation). The county fair was in town and there was a group of vendors who needed 6 or 7 rooms. If they only needed 6 rooms, I got the last one. The owner called his wife, on a rotary dial phone, and asked her to go to the fairgrounds to see how many rooms would be needed by the vendors. He offered me a beer while we waited for a return phone call. As it worked out he was all full but his hospitality was great. He offered me the floor in an empty house he had that he was trying to rent if I had a sleeping bag. Just a super nice guy. He said there's a group of 5-6 guys who work at the factory in York who come down and stay with him every year.

I ended up staying at the Luray Caverns Motel and it was a nice, clean, affordable motel. Next trip up that way I will call ahead for reservations at the Hillsdie Motel.

 

Great post, thanks

 

Thanks for the story and great PICS! I live 30 mins from Front Royal - - I get over that way every chance I get out and ride! Gotta Love the Shenandoah Valley! !

Buy a National Parks Pass for 50 bucks, and you'll get in as many times as you want all year long! (although the 10 dollar one time pass is good for 7 days from date of purchase)