Author Topic: Blue Ridge Pkway/Skyline Drive 2600+ Mile trip (Read 5537 times)

leafman60 · « **on:** October 19, 2016, 08:49:16 AM »

Last week I spent 8 days on a phenomenal trip up the Blue Ridge mountains. I did the entire Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) and The Skyline Drive. I was booked in all the famous inns along both roadways and never had to leave the road for lodgings.

Temperatures were crisp. 40s in the morning, low 50s in the afternoon. Skies were brilliant blue. Great riding weather.

At the end of the 600-mile scenic trail, I spent a day in Washington DC and then took backroads through VA and NC back to my staging point in Bryson City NC.

All of this was done on my Harley FXDC with Ohlins suspension and the ride was fantastic. I had intended on taking my Stelvio but, as the last time I planned a long trip, the Stelvio developed last-minute mechanical problems (final drive pinion seal) and I opted for the dependable H-D.

A few pics from this fantastic experience-

Fryemont Inn in Bryson City NC

Dining room at Fryemont

Porch of Fryemont overlooking downtown Bryson City, a short walk away

Views along the BRP

Blue Ridge Music Center

(I know y'all will love this one)

Peaks of Otter Lodge

More views

Big Meadows Lodge on Skyline Drive

Big Meadows Great Room

Along Skyline overlooking Shenandoah Valley, people enjoying view

In Washington at new African American Museum (booked up through March of 2017)

Back to Fryemont for the weekend

Aaron D. · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2016, 09:19:28 AM »

Very cool trip, I recognize a few places.

The Harley? I truly understand.

Dean Rose · « **Reply #2 on:** October 19, 2016, 09:45:34 AM »

Glad you had a great trip, good pics to show the beauty of the mountains we have around here. Damn I live in beautiful country.

Dean

guzzisteve · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2016, 09:48:21 AM »

Can't beat a reliable bike for a no fault trip, glad it went ok.

Wayne Orwig · « **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2016, 09:53:57 AM »

Quote from: leafman60 on October 19, 2016, 08:49:16 AM

Big Meadows Lodge on Skyline Drive

Big Meadows Great Room

This is a required stop on any trip through there. They have a blackberry cobbler, with blackberry ice cream. Yum.

wrbix · « **Reply #5 on:** October 19, 2016, 10:24:55 AM »

Yep, love me some Peaks of Otter Lodge - although haven't been back since they changed ownership - can you compare to old?

webmost · « **Reply #6 on:** October 19, 2016, 10:36:49 AM »

That is the grandest motorcycle road anywhere.

PJPR01 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 19, 2016, 10:45:16 AM »

Very nice...beautiful scenery!

leafman60 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 19, 2016, 10:54:45 AM »

Quote from: wrbix on October 19, 2016, 10:24:55 AM

Yep, love me some Peaks of Otter Lodge - although haven't been back since they changed ownership - can you compare to old?

The National Parks Service contracts Peaks out to the same concessionaire that runs Big Meadows Lodge, Delaware North.

I found everything fine. October is the high rate season, though.

The rooms are not Ritz Carlton and that's a good thing. You obvious know you are in a fifties-type facility, a Parks Service facility. However, they were clean. The beds and bed linens were first-class.

The restaurant was okay too. I only had breakfast there because I had eaten a huge turkey dinner late in the previous afternoon at the good restaurant at Mabry Mill not too far south of Peaks.

wrbix · « **Reply #9 on:** October 19, 2016, 03:49:14 PM »

Yes - my mistake - should have said management rather than ownership. Thanks for the feedback.

Chuck in Indiana · « **Reply #10 on:** October 19, 2016, 04:01:38 PM »

Actually, I like your hog.

Gorgeous, thanks for taking us along, David..

groundhog105 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 19, 2016, 04:18:41 PM »

Great trip on a great bike

Guzzistajohn · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2016, 05:07:52 PM »

Thanks for the report. I'm jealous😤

Dean Rose · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2016, 07:05:58 PM »

Quote from: leafman60 on October 19, 2016, 10:54:45 AM

The National Parks Service contracts Peaks out to the same concessionaire that runs Big Meadows Lodge, Delaware North.

I found everything fine. October is the high rate season, though.

The rooms are not Ritz Carlton and that's a good thing. You obvious know you are in a fifties-type facility, a Parks Service facility. However, they were clean. The beds and bed linens were first-class.

The restaurant was okay too. I only had breakfast there because I had eaten a huge turkey dinner late in the previous afternoon at the good restaurant at Mabry Mill not too far south of Peaks.

Mabry Mill

bpreynolds · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2016, 09:01:34 PM »

Fantastic trip. Thanks for posting. I've done two trips to the NC/TN/Georgia area in the last year; total shame I haven't spent more time on the BRP.

leafman60 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 19, 2016, 09:03:24 PM »

Quote from: Dean Rose on October 19, 2016, 07:05:58 PM

Mabry Mill

Inside the old restaurant at Mabry Mill

Bill Hagan · « **Reply #16 on:** October 20, 2016, 06:44:48 AM »

Nice trip; nice pix.

At Front Royal you were too near the Moto Grappa at Cross Junction not to have stopped by.

Bill

tris · « **Reply #17 on:** October 20, 2016, 06:53:30 AM »

I really fancy the BRP & Skyline Drive when we come over the year after next - but wife isn't too excited.

Can we get to see Buffalo (big cow things

) on the route anywhere as it might tip the balance in my favour

OlderSlower · « **Reply #18 on:** October 20, 2016, 06:55:17 AM »

I've ridden BRP 25+ times and never tire of it...

Dean Rose · « **Reply #19 on:** October 20, 2016, 08:19:36 AM »

Quote from: tris on October 20, 2016, 06:53:30 AM

I really fancy the BRP & Skyline Drive when we come over the year after next - but wife isn't too excited.

Can we get to see Buffalo (big cow things ) on the route anywhere as it might tip the balance in my favour

There is a herd in Paint Bank Virginia (Hollow Hill Farms), you can also eat them at the Swinging Bridge restaurant there. It's on US 311 from Salem Virginia go west towards West Virginia. A great place to eat, rest, and fuel up. The roads are great too.

http://www.theswingingbridge.com/

http://www.lancasterfarming.com/news/southern_edition/where-the-buffalo-roam/article_88665ec1-f881-5e98-b226-822d4477477d.html

Dean

tris · « **Reply #20 on:** October 21, 2016, 06:34:36 AM »

Cheers Dean, but if I suggested that eating one was part of the plan it might completely put the kibosh on my efforts to travel the BRP & Skyline Drive!

Where in the US is it best to go to see them "roaming free" as they say!

leafman60 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 21, 2016, 06:40:05 AM »

North America has Bison which are a little different from large-horned Buffalo located in Asia and Africa.

Most of what's left of bison herds will be out west on the vast, flat open plains which is where they thrived in days of old.

The topography and vegetation of that region lacks the variation and lushness that you will find along the ridge of the eastern Appalachian mountains. However, Yellowstone National Park still has the remnants of an original Bison herd that was not destroyed. It's also a beautiful place.

Your wife would love all the mountain craft stores and town festivals that are so prevalent along the BRP and Skyline.

During my recent trip, I encountered a pleasant group of about 5 British couples on motorcycles who were also staying at The Fryemont Inn in Bryson City.

They were ecstatic. They had picked up rental H-D's in Washington DC and ridden the entire Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway from Front Royal to Cherokee (near Bryson City). They had researched the trip and taken several days for their journey and obviously picked all the cool places to stay at night. They were just delighted.

From Bryson City, they were headed to Nashville for a dose of country music and then back to DC to return the bikes and fly home.

Dean Rose · « **Reply #22 on:** October 21, 2016, 07:33:36 AM »

Quote from: leafman60 on October 21, 2016, 06:40:05 AM

North America has Bison which are a little different from large-horned Buffalo located in Asia and Africa.

Most of what's left of bison herds will be out west on the vast, flat open plains which is where they thrived in days of old.

The topography and vegetation of that region lacks the variation and lushness that you will find along the ridge of the eastern Appalachian mountains. However, Yellowstone National Park still has the remnants of an original Bison herd that was not destroyed. It's also a beautiful place.

Your wife would love all the mountain craft stores and town festivals that are so prevalent along the BRP and Skyline.

During my recent trip, I encountered a pleasant group of about 5 British couples on motorcycles who were also staying at The Fryemont Inn in Bryson City.

They were ecstatic. They had picked up rental H-D's in Washington DC and ridden the entire Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway from Front Royal to Cherokee (near Bryson City). They had researched the trip and taken several days for their journey and obviously picked all the cool places to stay at night. They were just delighted.

From Bryson City, they were headed to Nashville for a dose of country music and then back to DC to return the bikes and fly home.

They do have Bison in Europe mainly Poland.

http://www.arkive.org/european-bison/bison-bonasus/

Dean

drw916 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 21, 2016, 11:16:02 AM »

I love the BRP. It, and all the roads around it, are almost enough to entice me to move back to the East Coast. However, the speed limit should be considered cruel and unusual punishment. I have never been able to stay even close to it, and only pure luck has kept me out of jail.

leafman60 · « **Reply #24 on:** October 21, 2016, 11:29:39 AM »

Escort 8500

OlderSlower · « **Reply #25 on:** October 22, 2016, 07:44:55 AM »

Radar detectors are illegal in Virginia. I understand the speed limit concerns. My experience is that the Rangers are pretty tolerant of "reasonable" speed excesses, but have NO TOLERANCE of passing on the double yellow...

Wayne Orwig · « **Reply #26 on:** October 22, 2016, 07:51:31 AM »

Quote from: OlderSlower on October 22, 2016, 07:44:55 AM

My experience is that the Rangers are pretty tolerant of "reasonable" speed excesses, but have NO TOLERANCE of passing on the double yellow...

+1 on that.

Bill Hagan · « **Reply #27 on:** October 22, 2016, 08:04:13 AM »

I am hardly a sanctimonious pseudo saint on the roadways -- other places, yes

-- but, IMO, the BRP is not an appropriate place for track days.

There are an infinite number of technically challenging roads that follow the Appalachian spine and I use those to "play."

I do ride the BRP, and occasionally enjoy it -- OK, as I said, no saint

-- at above 45 mph, but not much.

That said, when cars do the speed limit and below, I'm fine with that and pass politely if I can. If I can't, there's an exit soon enough that takes me to other fun.

I appreciate the LEO presence, too, as that slower-paced leaf- and other looking is, IMO, what the BRP is all about. If I want to rock & roll, I'll take another road.

Bill

Dean Rose · « **Reply #28 on:** October 22, 2016, 08:52:47 AM »

The BRP is for enjoying the beauty and the scenery of the area and is not a highway. Enjoy it for what it is.

Dean

leafman60 · « **Reply #29 on:** October 22, 2016, 10:39:36 AM »

Radar detectors are not always used to only protect against supersonic speeding. They are good to have to know you are being watched and to adjust your speed and passing behavior accordingly. It's easy to creep up to 55-60 in a 45 zone and the detector can be a helpful alert to keep you on your toes.

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Author Topic: Blue Ridge Pkway/Skyline Drive 2600+ Mile trip (Read 5537 times)

bpreynolds

Bill Hagan

Bill Hagan