This ride is an annual ride during June for two couples from south east Georgia. The couples, my cuz Angie, her husband Craig, my wife Beth and myself Troy started these rides as a vacation in 2002. We invited a friend to ride that year. We've been to this area every year since except 2005. Our master plan... Get up to the mountains of north Georgia, then make a loop through North Carolina,east Tennesee and back into Georgia on the last night. We would ride until the afternoon and find a motel to stay in each night. (Not an easy task). Our group has grown from these three bikes with five people to eight bikes and sixteen people in 2008. The length of the trip has been as low as 950 miles to as high as 1145 miles. We normally spend four nights and five days out. The ride I have mapped here was from 2006. We had five bikes, three couples and two one up riders. We stop about every 80 to 100 miles to refuel.... the bikes and us too. On all our trips we are interested mainly on getting to the hills ASAP!! We generally ride the same route at least to Lavonia Ga. From Sylvania,GA we Take US301 to GA24, then follow GA24 to Waynesboro,Ga. Here we get on GA80 to Wrens,Ga. Now onto GA17 north all the way to Lavonia,Ga.This is the first 165 miles.DAY 1 Leaving Sylvania Ga about 8:30 am, we were to meet a friend at his home in Lavonia, Ga for lunch. His place is on the bank of Lake Hartwell. What a view! Leaving here we crossed in South Carolina on I-85 exiting onto SC11 a senic byway. We followed this to US 178. Turned left on 178 heading to Rosman ,Nc. This is where the fun curvy roads begin on this trip. It is a nice two lane blacktop with curves, switchbacks and grades up and down. In Rosman,Nc we turned right onto US64 east to Brevard,Nc our day 1 destination. Between Rosman and Brevard we ran into a late afternoon thunder storm. We had to stop about 8 miles from brevard to put on rain gear and wait out the heavy rain.After about 30 minutes we moved on in light rain which lasted into the late evening. We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express about 6 pm. After checking the others motels we found this to be our choice. With the help of the hotel clerk, we find a resturant a block away that served beer on sunday. They had good pizza and cold beer.We stayed here a couple hours then returned to the hotel poolside. One of us had remembered to pack a bottle so some enjoyed a few drinks. One of us even took a swim! After a couple hours we called it a day. On the road, 250 miles and 9 hours. DAY 2 The rooms and the breakfast at this Holiday express were great. And they should have been. Be prepared for over 100.00 to stay here double. As is the norm for our rides, we pulled out by 9 am. We get on US276 just up from the hotel and head into the Pisgah National Forest. A few miles and I stopped because I knew my fellow riders were cold. They didn't listen when I told them the temp would drop in the tree covered roads and with the constant altitude gain. It was only about 68 when we left Brevard. We continued on to Looking Glass Falls and Sliding Rock. We stopped and climbed down to the falls. We then rode up the road, parked and walked down to the pool below sliding rock. Sliding Rock is a bare faced slab of granite the river flows over. It cascades about 40 feet into a pool about 8 feet deep. During warm days it is a sight. There is a fee parking area and there are restrooms. Back on 276 we rode on to the Blue Ridge Parkway. US 276 has plenty of curves some are tight and will sneak up on you, but the pavement was cracked up. There were 'tar snakes' a plenty here. At the parkway we turned east toward Asheville,Nc. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a nice ride. Sweeping turns, tunnels, viewing pull offs and scenery everywhere. We exited onto US25 into Asheville for lunch. Before we left our lunch stop where it was 85 degrees, I told the group that we would get back on the parkway were we left it and continue on. After it loops around Asheville the parkway will start a gain in altitude heading toward Mount Mitchell. This is the highest peak east of the Missisippi River. This would be our next stop. Be ready for colder temps I advised. We did stop at one overlook to rest. It was still warm here. After leaving here the temperature steadily dropped as we rode higher. My fingers were getting cold. We had our coats on and of course a full fairing.(I rode a 84 Goldwing then). I lead the group non stop to the summit of Mount Mitchell. They were not happy with me when we stopped there. It was cloudy and 38 degrees on the summit. The snack shack had coffee and hot chocolate for sale. The restrooms and gift shop are nice and are heated. We warmed up, leathered up and headed for Linville Falls and Little Switzerland on the parkway. We arrived at about 3:30 pm at the Skyline Village Inn and Cavern Tavern. We checked on the rooms and found them to be nice. We booked rooms even as some of our group found the tavern / resturant open. The Inn has parking in the back for your bikes. We unpacked and then checked out the tavern. Most of us had a real thrist after that ride! The Inn has a long history and the owners say you can eat drink and sleep here and not have to drive anywhere. We had a couple of meals and much beer. They even have a package shop on the property with many many beer selections. The Inn has a private party room just for the guest. This is good as the tavern and package shop closed at 9:00. We stocked up and moved our party to the private room till about midnight. We then called it a day. Check out the Inn at www.the-skyline.com On the road 145 miles 6.5 hours. Extra: One of our one up riders meet a lady here that has since become his wife. But, that's another story.Day 3We departed at 9:00 am as usual having the big head from the night before heading toward Spruce Pine, NC. Here we had breakfast and shoped a local bike shop. We moved on heading west on US 19 to Mars Hill,NC. We stopped here to refuel and rest. Moving onto NC 218 we headed toward Hots Springs,NC. We rode through town getting onto NC 209.209 crosses several mountains having a good amount of switchbacks and curves. This is a rural road so you must watch for gravel in the center of the lanes in the corners. Also narrow roadway at times. The road opens into several valleys with homes pastures and farm animals. This is some great scenery.We followed 209 to Lake Junaluska and hooked back up with US 19 going toward Maggie Valley. NC. We stopped in Maggie Valley for food,fuel and a must visit to the Wheels Through Times Musuem. (It has now closed to move as of Nov. 15,2008)We leathered up with an anticipated cool ride across the mountains from Cherokee, NC to Gatlinburg, Tn.The ride across was not as cool as we thought it would be, but nice anyway. Always a great slow ride (traffic always being heavy during summer).Arrived in Gatlinburg about 7 pm and looked up our friend from other visits to book rooms for us. She set us up nice too. rooms right in town so we could walk, shop, eat and party without driving.And that's what we did. We went to Blaine's for a meal and cold ones, then over to Hogs And Honeys for more cold ones and music.We walked and shopped too calling it and day about midnight.On the road 150 miles and 8.5 hours.Day 4Staying on our schedule, we departed the rooms about 9:00 and headed for some breakfast at the Apple Barn. A full course breafast with all the fixings.Hitting the road arounf 10:15 we headed toward Pigeon Forge then over to Townsend. Staying on US 321 toward Marysville We turned at the Foothills Parkway. This is a road similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The road follows the boundary of the Smokey Mountains Park over to US 129. At US 129 we turn left and go toward the Dragon Tail. Our first stop was at the Calderwood Dam Overlook.There is beautiful scenery here. Also alot of bike viewing too.After a short stay we boarded our rides and headed back onto the Dragon for our try at the 318 curves in 11 miles. This stretch of road gives you every kind of turn or curve you can dream up. It is a MUST for bikers! If you are in the area, slay the dragon and get the sticker. It's only available from the store at Deals Gap.Speaking of Deals Gap, there's a store with gifts, refreshments, fuel, resturant, motel and camping. We stopped and refreshed and took pictures.From the gap we turned onto state 28 through Fontanna and on to Bryson City to find lodging for the night. We found rooms at a Sleep Inn in town for good rates. We found that our motel was one block from the ABC package store. We decided to stay at the motel drink a few and order pizza. We threw a last night party!!!!!On the road 100 miles and 6.5 hours.Day 5A sad day. It's the day to head back to the flat roads of south Georgia and home.We stuck to the normal schedule and pulled out at 9:00am. We fueled up and got on to US 19 to go back and catch State 28 south toward Franklin, NC. This is the last of the 'good curves' to ride heading home. After getting through Franklin, we are back on 4 lane US 441 US 23 south toward Clayton, Ga. We made a stop at Tallulah Falls. We visited the Jane Hurt Center. They have exhibits of the history of this area in a very nice vistor center. There is a walkway out the rear of the center that leads to overlooks on the Tallullah Gorge. There is also a stairway with over 1000 steps that lead down to the river at the bottom of the gorge. This is a MUST SEE and DO if you are ever in the area.From Tallullah Falls it is 198 miles to Sylvania going through Toccoa and then to Lavonia onto the same route home that we used coming up 5 days earlier.Last days miles 270 and 8 hours on the road.Total trip 915 miles in four nights, five days.Picture 1 is of the group before departing Sylvania, GA on day 1.Picture 2 is the group now with all 8 present (I took the picture) at Looking Glass Falls outside of Brevard,NC.Picture 3 is the group at the bar in the Cavern Tavern at the Skyline Village just off BRP.Picture 4 is the group standing in a pasture at Cades Cove,TNPicure 5 is the ladies with mountains and lake in background at overlook on Dragon Tail.
This is a motorcycle ride in the states Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee. This motorcycle route has 9 scenery characteristics and other road conditions to help you plan your road trip. This motorcycle map was created by troy30455 in January. Click here to see other Motorcycle Roads by troy30455