Barber Vintage Weekend... insight requested

[taz]

Headed to the Barber Vintage Weekend in October, any suggestions/insights that will enhance the experience is appreciated.

http://www.barbermuseum.org/events/barber-vintage-festival/

Riding from Raleigh, NC area.  Looks like superslab the entire trip. 

Will there be any Guzzi sponsored events there?

[clubman]

Not much of a detour to hit some of the best riding in the U.S. Western Tn., north Georgia. US 129, Cherohallah Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway, Wolf Pen Gap, etc. I'll be towing my bike up to Barber and then heading for the mountains on Sun. Don't know of any Guzzi specific events, but usually a good dealer/new bike display (you can bug them with questions they can't answer).

[NC Steve]

Make sure your camera battery is charged up, and take a spare if possible.
You'll be taking hundreds of pics in the museum alone, and lots more of the track and flea market, among other spots.
 On the last trip, I edited my photo album down to only 400 pics!

If you're on a motorcycle and riding thru Atlanta, save a prayer when you start getting even close.
That's the most scared I've even been on a motorcycle riding thru.
If possible, take a pickup truck or van, and load it up with great parts from the flea market to bring back with you

[nunzio]

I would get in line an hour or two Before the gates open!!

I'd rather stand around and talk for an hour or so rather than inch along for an hour.

The line get incredibly long, later in the morning.

I have a swap meet spot ,so, I get in on Thursday.  ...Alan

[blackcat]

If you're camping at Barber's I wish you luck. Did it once and the next two times we stayed at Oak Mountain State park off of I-65.

[Craig in Alabama]

There are some good inexpensive motels just up the road in Leeds, if they're not already booked up. And you can take a back road straight to the track that is much more pleasant than the interstate.
And if you haven't done the Cherohala then I also recommend that too. From Tellico plains TN there are plenty of nice routes to Barbers that beat the heck out of the superslab.

Cheers!
Craig

[wrbix]

Avoid like the plague riding thru Atlanta! Always the rush hour. Teresa and I did it on way to Barber a few years back and she's made it quite clear - never again. She rides solo and is quite accomplished.

[taz]

Thanks for the input...

Avoid Atlanta, got that message will see about rerouting.  Staying at a hotel down the road, no camping on this trip.

[LowRyter]

Gotta say, this thread leaves me confused.

Gonna slab it from NC rather than ride the twisties?

And don't camp there?

Don't understand either.

[taz]

LowRyter, if time was unlimited, then the twisties would be preferred.  Think we have done them all over the years.  Blue Ridge end to end, Tail of the Dragon, 58 in VA, Cherohallah Skyway, etc.  I will admit that camping no longer has much of an appeal to us, a nice hotel frees up space on the bikes and allows more time to ride.

[LowRyter]

s 'ok   

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

Vintage Weekend in October, any suggestions/insights that will enhance the experience is appreciated.

Allow extra time would be my advise. It took me three days to see the museum.  That was in the days following all the other weekend stuff.

[Noguzznoglory]

You act spend all day in the museum if you've never been.
I wouldn't buy an advance ticket if I was going. Last year the line entering for people who purchased in advance was miles long while the right hand lane of the entrance road for people purchasing on site was EMPTY.  As you got within a few hundred feet (after creeping for a couple of miles) of the gate where you presented your ticket they were waving people over to the purchase on site gate where the line was only a few deep. Could have rode right in if I was purchasing the ticket there.