Blue Ridge Parkway Advice

[deucedog]

Myself and 3 buddies just did the BRP & Skyline Drive last weekend. Well, we couldn't do the whole BRP as we only had Fri/Sat/and Sun to get home. We decided to ride south to north as that would put us closer to home on Sunday.

Left NJ at 7 am Friday, stopped at 8 due to a shredded rear tire on one of the bikes.


5 hours later we resumed the trip, only to have another 2 hr delay in Harrisonburg Va due to the same bike having a oil pressure light come on. Turned out to be a bad wire. We finally got to the motel in Waynesboro Va around 8:30 that night.

After breakfast on Saturday we headed another 60 or so miles south and entered the BRP at Roanoke, Va. It was a hot/humid day but no rain.
The traffic was absolutly horrible, as can be seen in the next photos.




We got to Skyline Drive around 5 pm.


And made it to the hotel in Front Royal after dark. Had dinner at 10 pm, went to bed, breakfast at 7:30, hit the road, and pulled into my driveway at 2:30.

Total mileage: 988
Avg has mileage: 47





MAX size for posting pics in the forum are 800 X 600. Oversize pics will be removed.

 

[deucedog]

Myself and 3 buddies just did the BRP & Skyline Drive last weekend. Well, we couldn't do the whole BRP as we only had Fri/Sat/and Sun to get home. We decided to ride south to north as that would put us closer to home on Sunday.

Left NJ at 7 am Friday, stopped at 8 due to a shredded rear tire on one of the bikes.


5 hours later we resumed the trip, only to have another 2 hr delay in Harrisonburg Va due to the same bike having a oil pressure light come on. Turned out to be a bad wire. We finally got to the motel in Waynesboro Va around 8:30 that night.

After breakfast on Saturday we headed another 60 or so miles south and entered the BRP at Roanoke, Va. It was a hot/humid day but no rain.
The traffic was absolutly horrible, as can be seen in the next photos.




We got to Skyline Drive around 5 pm.


And made it to the hotel in Front Royal after dark. Had dinner at 10 pm, went to bed, breakfast at 7:30, hit the road, and pulled into my driveway at 2:30.

Total mileage: 988
Avg has mileage: 47

So, to finally answer your question. If you're doing just the BRP, then you could do it in two days depending on how often you stop for photo ops and how long you spend in the saddle each day.

addition to previous post:

The BRP is 469 miles total, and you can't run it at 70 mph so it's a more leisurely ride. Which is what makes it such at great ride.






MAX size for posting pics in the forum are 800 X 600. Oversize pics will be removed.

 

[Lancer]

I have chance to ride part of it the end of July. Gonna do a speed run up I-95 to Fort Bragg area, to visit son before he deploys to Iraq in Aug. Then over to Asheville, pick up BRP there, south to Hwy 215, Hwy 281, Hwy 107, Tilley Creek/Ellijay Rd to Franklin, Hwy 64 to Hiawassee, down through Dahlonega, over to Ballground, RON in Kennesaw, speed run home. Can't wait. Anybody in the area on the 26th, 27th?

 

[Dr. Dolittle]

I have chance to ride part of it the end of July. Gonna do a speed run up I-95 to Fort Bragg area, to visit son before he deploys to Iraq in Aug. Then over to Asheville, pick up BRP there, south to Hwy 215, Hwy 281, Hwy 107, Tilley Creek/Ellijay Rd to Franklin, Hwy 64 to Hiawassee, down through Dahlonega, over to Ballground, RON in Kennesaw, speed run home. Can't wait. Anybody in the area on the 26th, 27th?

Sure, pick the part of the month that I'm working!

 

[Breeze3at]

Kennesaw, speed run home. Can't wait. Anybody in the area on the 26th, 27th?

If you find yourself passing thru Warner Robins (S. of Macon) on I-75 around a break time, give me a call. I'm only 10 miles/minutes from the slab. I know what a speed trip is, so no worries if you want to keep rollin'. It's 420 miles or 7 hrs. to Palm Bay from W.R., that's where I lived for 40+ years (ex Harris-ite).

 

[Craig Sharp]

In my opinion it depends upon whether you are goal oriented or life oriented.

If you must ride every mile and want to do a complete job, you will want to ride all the way to Front Royal.

I also think that the best parts are around Asheville, NC and Staunton, VA. Afton mountain area near Waynesboro is pretty nice, too. Anyway, the scenery is nice the whole way but if you take pictures in those two or three areas, you basically have the whole thing covered in terms of stops. The real deal is riding in that environment for two days.

Of course you will miss a lot on the side trips. I also think that the best time to take the ride is in the fall but then, so does everyone else and it gets a lot more crowded.

C#

 

[Lancer]

Sure, pick the part of the month that I'm working!

I know how it is Doc, I have been on duty the last 3 weekends and 2 weekends more to go. I have to work Friday night the 23rd, planning on leaving 0600 Saturday morning from work. Sure do hope it's slow Friday night. If the aliens don't drug the water supply, and the rednecks lay off the beer......maybe

 

[Lancer]

If you find yourself passing thru Warner Robins (S. of Macon) on I-75 around a break time, give me a call. I'm only 10 miles/minutes from the slab. I know what a speed trip is, so no worries if you want to keep rollin'. It's 420 miles or 7 hrs. to Palm Bay from W.R., that's where I lived for 40+ years (ex Harris-ite).

Thanks for the invite. But I think I'm gonna catch I-16 in Macon down to Dublin then 19 south to Hazelhurst, 23 thru Waycross into Jax then down 95. (Plan subject to change, depending on my rear end.) My youngest brother works for Harris he likes it pretty well. I've been here since 2002, love the winters but hate the summer.

 

[Breeze3at]

Thanks for the invite. But I think I'm gonna catch I-16 in Macon down to Dublin then 19 south to Hazelhurst, 23 thru Waycross into Jax then down 95. (Plan subject to change, depending on my rear end.) My youngest brother works for Harris he likes it pretty well. I've been here since 2002, love the winters but hate the summer.

That is a MUCH better route than congested I-75. I-16 is the lightest traffic interstate that I can think of in the east. Hazelhurst south, is like Florida without traffic, just a few buzzards having lunch.

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

My advice is... The Blue ridge is more of a passenger pleasure. The driver needs to KEEP your eyes on the road, except where you are going straight for some distance... other wise you may find yourself up an unsanitary tributary without means of propulsion... :s

Boy, you think Glider has us all watching our keyboards for fear of seeing a poof? Nice call Harry! :bigsmiley20: