Riding in the Eastern US

[BanannaMan]

Took a few pics on my trip last weekend.
Same old scenery if you've been around a while, my favorite ride, but haven't posted any in a while so thought I'd post a few.

3 days and about 800 miles, I rode the backroads and the Blue Ridge Parkway to North Carolina's Black Mountains. No miles on the motorway.

The Parkway is a US Government owned National Park so there are no houses or businesses on this 469 mile road through the mountains.
Only a few ranger stations and rest areas along the way.

The first 2 pics sum up your views on the Parkway.
Either riding through lush green forests or mountain top views.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element5.jpg



http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element24.jpg




The tallest mountains here (+6,000 ft.) all seem to exhale water from every possible point.
There are dozens of waterfalls both big and small in the area. Lots of small ones can be seen from the road. The big waterfalls all require hiking through the forest to see. Water drips from nearly every exposed rock face.

My favorite falls.
http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element2.jpg


The pool at the bottom is 3 to 4 ft. deep and the clearest water you ever seen.
Also it's easy access from one of my favorite roads in the area.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element3.jpg


More falls.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element8.jpg


Many like this one.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element4.jpg


Tunnels.
There are some 25 tunnels on the Blue ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element13.jpg


http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element23.jpg

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element22.jpg




My Bike at 'The Rock". (with a smudge on the camera lens)

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element6.jpg


NC roads.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element11.jpg



http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element12.jpg


The coolest house around but the fixed bridge/walkway kind of defeats the purpose.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element10.jpg

Mountain views.


http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element14.jpg


http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element20.jpg


http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element21.jpg



http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element17.jpg


Pics from Mount Mitchell. NC's highest peak at 6684 ft.


http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element15.jpg


http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element16.jpg


http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element19.jpg


Restaurant at the top of Mt. Mitchell

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element18.jpg



As high as you can get on the road. You have to hike to the top.
http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element9.jpg


Despite onminous looking sun and clouds on the way home, managed to stay dry the entire trip. :D

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element25.jpg


Me riding!

http://www.allenschevron.com/nc31.jpg


http://www.allenschevron.com/nc34.jpg


http://www.allenschevron.com/nc33.jpg


Last stop on the way home The Poor Farmer's Market in Meadows of Dan, VA. A popular meeting spot for bikers.

http://www.allenschevron.com/publishImages/12~~element26.jpg

[peterco]

Some nice scenery you there Bill.

[Geodude]

Breathtaking scenery you have there Bill and you would have to be mad not to want to take a bike up those roads, not a pot hole or patch of gravel in sight. jealous me, you bet i am. :D

[pookie]

I wish they we had mountains and roads down in essex :) An 25 tunnels to check how fruity the bike sounds great.
Thats a very shiney pipe you have there :)

[The Idle Biker]

Today in South East England it's as wet a duck ar$e. The roads are about to become clogged with Bank Holiday weekend day trippers and the speed cameras will be flashing like a pervert.

Thanks for posting Bill, I am now questioning wtf I am still doing here ;-)

[Icanopit]

Nice photos Bill, trust the riding cleared the "fog" a little.

[littleoldman2]

Superb

[widepants]

and you came here to do the AR !!!!! keep it up fella

[Bibio]

your a lucky man having that on your doorstep. if you ever want a garden gnome just let me know and i'll pack the red hat and fishing rod :-)

[Bluefish]

Isn't there a 50 or 55kph limit on the parkway Bill?

[BanannaMan]

Isn't there a 50 or 55kph limit on the parkway Bill?




45 mph (72 kph) and 35 mph in a few places.
However it's not widely enforced. For the most part, Ride as fast as you feel safe or lucky.
As long as you slow up for the tourist areas you can ride at your own pace.
And even there they seem more concerned with noise than speed.
If your quietly motoring along 10 to 15 over they won't blink an eye where as making a lot of noise (high rpms) even at or below the speed limit you'll likely be seeing blue lights.

In short, respect other visitors in the park, wait till you're riding those many winding miles alone to play and you've nothing to worry about.

But, It's not a speeding ticket you need be worried about.
You need to be able to set you own speed limits.

It's a fairly remote area. Should you crash medical help may be hours away. It is one of the highest motorcycle fatality per accident roads in the country.

I try to ride 65-70'ish as much as possible, many places you must go slower. There are a few places you can go faster and a few bends you're not going through faster than 25 to 30 mph! It's about a 50/50 split between the fast sections and the slower sections.
It's constructed more like your one lane roads in terms of bends and elevational changes. 45mph seems like 70 in some places, 65 seems like 100! LOL
It's only 469 miles long but cannot be ridden in one day. (seriously)


You 'will see' wildlife of various species in the roadway, occasional fallen rocks and limbs, slower traffic in areas where you're unable to pass, strange weather, stranger city people who abandon their cars in the road to get and see 'the deer' as if it were some sort of bloody miracle occuring :rolleyes: and other assorted hazzards.
But there's more than enough endless miles of good riding and good views to make up for all that.

Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway always promises to be nearly as much adventure as it is ride, at any speed.

[Bluefish]

All good then bill, as long as you don't have to tootle along :mrgreen: do you usually go oyut on your own or with a buddy? In case of being bitten by a rabid bear or summat :rolleyes: lol

[BanannaMan]

Weekend trips I usually ride alone unless the mrs comes along (only occasionally).
Probably not the safest but I've been taking trips alone through the mountains for years. (up to 2500 miles)
Think nothing of it now. The Mrs doesn't even worry anymore.
My how mobile phones have changed the world.

As for bears. I've seen one ****ed off. I don't think having rabbies would make it any worse.
Stay away from bears!
That being said,


http://www.allenschevron.com/ls15.jpg

[-Ralph-]

Nice pics Bill

What temperature was it at the top? (and for comparison what temperature was it at the bottom?)

[BanannaMan]

Nice pics Bill

What temperature was it at the top? (and for comparison what temperature was it at the bottom?)





Interesting point and another reason I like riding here.
Below the mountains, high's for the day were at 32 degrees or better.
At the hotel (3500 ft.) in Little Switzerland the high was 24.
At the top of Mt. Mitchell (6684 ft) at 12:00 noon it was a cool 17 and I was happy I had my motorcycle jacket on as I watched the tourists in t-shirts shiver every time the wind blew. LOL

[tonyk]

Bill,
you said "It's only 469 miles long but cannot be ridden in one day. (seriously) " so do you camp or is there hotel where you spend the night.
If your camping, what about the bears ?.

[gruntygiggles]

Bill,
you said "It's only 469 miles long but cannot be ridden in one day. (seriously) " so do you camp or is there hotel where you spend the night.
If your camping, what about the bears ?.


Camping with bears around is fine...so long as you are meticulous with how you handle and dispose of any food you have...there are other concerns, but it is also possible to camp safely over there.

Bill, those roads look amazing...I cannot wait to try them out. Haven't had a catch up with you for ages, so hope all is well over there, seems like you are getting some good bike time in :-)

[gruntygiggles]

Bill,
you said "It's only 469 miles long but cannot be ridden in one day. (seriously) " so do you camp or is there hotel where you spend the night.
If your camping, what about the bears ?.


Camping with bears around is fine...so long as you are meticulous with how you handle and dispose of any food you have...there are other concerns, but it is also possible to camp safely over there.

Bill, those roads look amazing...I cannot wait to try them out. Haven't had a catch up with you for ages, so hope all is well over there, seems like you are getting some good bike time in :-)

[Scythe92]

I'd love to fly over, rent a bike and ride that road. Looks brilliant, great pics!

[-Ralph-]

Quite warm still at the top then. On Serra d estrela in Portugal last August which is a similar height, it was 7 degrees celcius, but 35 at the bottom. I was wearing one of these fully perforated air flow jackets and I was frozen!!

[BanannaMan]

Bill,
you said "It's only 469 miles long but cannot be ridden in one day. (seriously) " so do you camp or is there hotel where you spend the night.
If your camping, what about the bears ?.

Camping with bears around is fine...so long as you are meticulous with how you handle and dispose of any food you have...there are other concerns, but it is also possible to camp safely over there.


There are hotels and campgrounds just off the Parkway in several locations and some campgrounds on the Parkway.
However most privately owned campgrounds do not allow motorcycles. There are a few motorcycle only campgrounds, but mostly the Harley crowd there which may or may not be sportbike friendly.
The campgrounds on the Parkway are owned by the US and open to anyone but most offer very spartan accommodations and facilities.
I stay in hotels as most riders here do.

What GG said on bears.
Truthfully, even though there is a large black bear population, your odds of seeing one is only slight unless you have some food they can smell at your campsite or you are at a high bear traffic location.
Bears tend to avoid humans and are generally not aggressive towards people unless provoked.
Still if you go there often enough, sooner or later you will see one a little closer up than you'd like so best to know about bear behavior should you be camping or stopping in a high bear traffic area.
The places where bear sightings high are marked with signs but people do camp there safely every night.




Bill, those roads look amazing...I cannot wait to try them out. Haven't had a catch up with you for ages, so hope all is well over there, seems like you are getting some good bike time in :-)



:smt039
Hope things are fine there as well.