Great Weekend Ride GA., N.C. & TN.

[Cowboy]

Thought I might let a few people get some great ideas for a long weekend ride.

The wife and I along with our other riding partners Rick & Jackie left Ellijay, GA. Thursday morning around 10:00 a.m. Headed to Boone, NC. Spent the two nights in Boone, NC then over to Gatlinburg, TN. and just got back Sun. Late afternoon.

If you have time take a look at the following links for roads traveled. I think the only bad road we spent any time on was I-40 from Canton, NC to Marion, NC which really is not that bad other than it is an Interstate.

 

Want to hear what people think!

 

So many guys come down to ride this area but do not know the roads they should take. Thought we could put a few ride links like this on the destination forum for people to have a better idea of what they would see.

 

Since everyone has diffrent taste in lodging, dinning, I leave all my info as great rides with plenty of water falls, rivers, Mountain tops, & Valley Views. Along with the great curves that this region gives us!

 

See attached links

http://binged.it/134GC5d Ellijay, Ga. to Boone, NC

http://binged.it/134MJq6 Boone, NC scenic day rides and lunch at The Canyon in Blowing Rock,NC

http://binged.it/132yG8b Boone, NC over to Gatlinburg, TN taking all back roads and Lunch at Shady Valley, TN and Steak Dinner at the Alamo Steak House and Bar in Gatlinburg.

http://binged.it/134RC2o Gatlinburg, TN over to Cades Cove Loop to view the Wildlife, Black Bears, Turkey, Deer, Fox // Wondering where to see the Elk??

Over the Foothills parkway and on to slay the Dragon as I do so well!! The wife says that it just gets the adrenline running thru you as we just have safe throttle reving fun. All roads have their own beauty and one can enjoy all.

Have a great review!

[Cowboy]

I also had a question.

Can you input this info in a GPS and let it lead you on all the roads without having to try and follow the map or directions. I would like to be able to relax and let the GPS tell me when the next turn is coming up.

 

I want to be able to tell the GPS the roads I want not it trying to tell me how it wants me to get to point A to B.

 

Does this make sense?

 

Thanks again for any responses!

[Motorcycle Mike]

You were all around the Blue Ridge Parkway. Looks like you were trying to avoid it. I love the parkway and most of the roads leading to and from it.

Post 2 depends on your GPS. Some let you load a route, others don't.

[Cowboy]

Mike,

Most of the time we do ride the parkway! We Love it also. When we get an early start from Ellijay and not worried about the storms catching up with us. Thur. we ran from the storms and just made it to Boone,NC before they hit. While we decided the next day to take some roads that we had not ridden in a long time and just remind us at how great the area is.

Fridays ride around the area of Boone, we saw over thirty waterfalls due to the high water table and the rainfall on Thur. night.

 

Do you know which GPS model will allow a route programmed?

How hard is it to program?

 

Thanks

[Black Owl]

Thought I might let a few people get some great ideas for a long weekend ride.

The wife and I along with our other riding partners Rick & Jackie left Ellijay, GA. Thursday morning around 10:00 a.m. Headed to Boone, NC. Spent the two nights in Boone, NC then over to Gatlinburg, TN. and just got back Sun. Late afternoon.

If you have time take a look at the following links for roads traveled. I think the only bad road we spent any time on was I-40 from Canton, NC to Marion, NC which really is not that bad other than it is an Interstate.

 

Want to hear what people think!

 

So many guys come down to ride this area but do not know the roads they should take. Thought we could put a few ride links like this on the destination forum for people to have a better idea of what they would see.

 

Since everyone has diffrent taste in lodging, dinning, I leave all my info as great rides with plenty of water falls, rivers, Mountain tops, & Valley Views. Along with the great curves that this region gives us!

 

See attached links

http://binged.it/134GC5d Ellijay, Ga. to Boone, NC

http://binged.it/134MJq6 Boone, NC scenic day rides and lunch at The Canyon in Blowing Rock,NC

http://binged.it/132yG8b Boone, NC over to Gatlinburg, TN taking all back roads and Lunch at Shady Valley, TN and Steak Dinner at the Alamo Steak House and Bar in Gatlinburg.

http://binged.it/134RC2o Gatlinburg, TN over to Cades Cove Loop to view the Wildlife, Black Bears, Turkey, Deer, Fox // Wondering where to see the Elk??

Over the Foothills parkway and on to slay the Dragon as I do so well!! The wife says that it just gets the adrenline running thru you as we just have safe throttle reving fun. All roads have their own beauty and one can enjoy all.

Have a great review!

 

Sure.... Just keep rubbing it in. We just got hit with another wind-rain-Ice and Snow storm over the week end.

May a camel find your mess kit......

[Motorcycle Mike]

Do you know which GPS model will allow a route programmed?

How hard is it to program?

I'm not really qualified to answer this as just have a fairly basic unit from Garmin. I think the Garmin Zumos and some of the others will do just about anything you want such as Bluetooth, MP3's etc.

[1rooster]

Thought I might let a few people get some great ideas for a long weekend ride.

The wife and I along with our other riding partners Rick & Jackie left Ellijay, GA. Thursday morning around 10:00 a.m. Headed to Boone, NC. Spent the two nights in Boone, NC then over to Gatlinburg, TN. and just got back Sun. Late afternoon.

If you have time take a look at the following links for roads traveled. I think the only bad road we spent any time on was I-40 from Canton, NC to Marion, NC which really is not that bad other than it is an Interstate.

 

Want to hear what people think!

 

So many guys come down to ride this area but do not know the roads they should take. Thought we could put a few ride links like this on the destination forum for people to have a better idea of what they would see.

 

Since everyone has diffrent taste in lodging, dinning, I leave all my info as great rides with plenty of water falls, rivers, Mountain tops, & Valley Views. Along with the great curves that this region gives us!

 

See attached links

http://binged.it/134GC5d Ellijay, Ga. to Boone, NC

http://binged.it/134MJq6 Boone, NC scenic day rides and lunch at The Canyon in Blowing Rock,NC

http://binged.it/132yG8b Boone, NC over to Gatlinburg, TN taking all back roads and Lunch at Shady Valley, TN and Steak Dinner at the Alamo Steak House and Bar in Gatlinburg.

http://binged.it/134RC2o Gatlinburg, TN over to Cades Cove Loop to view the Wildlife, Black Bears, Turkey, Deer, Fox // Wondering where to see the Elk??

Over the Foothills parkway and on to slay the Dragon as I do so well!! The wife says that it just gets the adrenline running thru you as we just have safe throttle reving fun. All roads have their own beauty and one can enjoy all.

Have a great review!

 

 

You rode to Marion NC and didn't give me a call,I would have rode with you but I had a death in the family and could not have made it.Some of the best rides start at Marion.80,226A,181 are all great roads and all go to the Blue Ridge Parkway.Next time give a call.

[RandyR]

throw away the maps and GPS and see where that new and unknown road leads....

 

 

Of course I've wound up in a few places I wish I wasn't at, using that philosophy...

[meach]

throw away the maps and GPS and see where that new and unknown road leads....

 

 

Of course I've wound up in a few places I wish I wasn't at, using that philosophy...

 

I've ridden some of those roads Cowboy took, just not in the order he did them. Lot of nice riding in them neck of the woods.

 

I hardly ever use my Garmin Zumo cause I can hardly read what it says without my readin glasses on.

 

I like Randys idea of just seeing where the wind takes ya. I'm reading a book right now called "Blue Highways" written back in 82 bout a guy hit the road in an ole Ford van and drove 14,000 miles over about 3 months around the country just seeing where the road took him, looking for unusual towns and people and found some of both, tried to only take secondary roads (which used to be blue in the old atlas thus the name of the book).

[stroker ace]

You rode to Marion NC and didn't give me a call,I would have rode with you but I had a death in the family and could not have made it.Some of the best rides start at Marion.80,226A,181 are all great roads and all go to the Blue Ridge Parkway.Next time give a call.

 

 

You have to throw in hwy 209 aka "THE RATTLER" in there also. Then from Linville hwy 181 to 126 to Lake James.

 

I avoid Gatlinburg and the Cove just not my thing.

[Cowboy]

Randy,

You know I always let my nose take me and I am my own GPS. I just have those days that I know the roads and route I want to take but some of the turns might not be marked or I am not paying attention to the road but the scenery around me.

 

I want the GPS to alert me when there is a turn coming so I do not have to look for it.

 

I know the roads just not always the turns.

 

Stroker Ace,

Hwy 209 leaving Lake Junalska/ Maggie Valley North to Hot Springs is a great run! Then head over to Hwy 212 toward Erwin, TN.

 

Hwy 181 South out of Linville, NC to Hwy 126 over to Lake James is also a great road. Always pack a Lunch so we can enjoy along the river or at the lake.

 

Gatlinburg is not my cup of tea either due to the amount of traffic & people, however by sliding in the back door and then early thru Cades Cove just for the wildlife is ok. Just do not hang around or let it get later than 10:00 a.m. Seems that most of the people who make it to Gatlinburg do not get moving before 8:00 a.m. Hard to find breakfast any earlier.

 

Would you happen to know what road the Elk can be seen on?

[midnightrider1300]

to ride to bluedige all the way to winston salem , then across to boone, then down to Gatlinburg, tn on the BACK roads.... please post some does and don'ts from boone to gatlinburg please....

[stroker ace]

Randy,

You know I always let my nose take me and I am my own GPS. I just have those days that I know the roads and route I want to take but some of the turns might not be marked or I am not paying attention to the road but the scenery around me.

 

I want the GPS to alert me when there is a turn coming so I do not have to look for it.

 

I know the roads just not always the turns.

 

Stroker Ace,

Hwy 209 leaving Lake Junalska/ Maggie Valley North to Hot Springs is a great run! Then head over to Hwy 212 toward Erwin, TN.

 

Hwy 181 South out of Linville, NC to Hwy 126 over to Lake James is also a great road. Always pack a Lunch so we can enjoy along the river or at the lake.

 

Gatlinburg is not my cup of tea either due to the amount of traffic & people, however by sliding in the back door and then early thru Cades Cove just for the wildlife is ok. Just do not hang around or let it get later than 10:00 a.m. Seems that most of the people who make it to Gatlinburg do not get moving before 8:00 a.m. Hard to find breakfast any earlier.

 

Would you happen to know what road the Elk can be seen on?

 

 

 

 

Hope this helps

 

Viewing Elk

The best times to view elk are usually early morning and late evening. Elk may also be active on cloudy summer days and before or after storms. Enjoy elk at a distance, using binoculars or a spotting scope for close-up views. Approaching wildlife too closely causes them to expend crucial energy unnecessarily and can result in real harm. If you approach an animal so closely that it stops feeding, changes direction of travel, or otherwise alters its behavior, you are too close!

 

Most of the elk are located in the Cataloochee area in the southeastern section of the park. The easiest way to reach Cataloochee is from Interstate highway I-40. Exit I-40 at North Carolina exit #20. After 0.2 mile, turn right onto Cove Creek Road and follow signs 11 miles into Cataloochee valley. Allow at least 45 minutes to reach the valley once you exit I-40.

 

 

http://www.nps.gov/commonspot/images/clear.gifhttp://www.nps.gov/commonspot/images/clear.gif

 

Last year a bull Elk turned mt KLR over trying to get in the tank bag for something ( it was empty ) so watch where you park. It's off hwy 276 it's the first right off I-40 or last left going toward I-40. We have Elk here at WindRock OHV Park.

[Venturous Randy]

I like Randys idea of just seeing where the wind takes ya. I'm reading a book right now called "Blue Highways" written back in 82 bout a guy hit the road in an ole Ford van and drove 14,000 miles over about 3 months around the country just seeing where the road took him, looking for unusual towns and people and found some of both, tried to only take secondary roads (which used to be blue in the old atlas thus the name of the book).

 

 

I have a couple of copies of Blue Highways and have read it several times. Even though it is 30 years old, it is still great reading.

He spent a couple days in Jonesboro, TN, where I went to high school and he told stories that I had never heard before.

RandyA

[meach]

I have a couple of copies of Blue Highways and have read it several times. Even though it is 30 years old, it is still great reading.

He spent a couple days in Jonesboro, TN, where I went to high school and he told stories that I had never heard before.

RandyA

 

I had never heard of book, was chatting with library lady as she noticed I was picking up DVDs on my MC and she suggested i might like it. We found an old copy within the local library system. Looking online I see there is a "Bllue Highways Revisited" out recently where a father and son team have retraced the route and tried to find all the people in the book who were still alive, might be some interesting reading also. I'm currently heading east across Montana in the book. By coincidence he travels through a few towns in different states here and there that I've also been to.