Blue Ridge Parkway Ride!

[xp]

**UPDATE**
To accomodate schedules for several people, we're going to move this ride to October 22, 23, 24th instead of September. If you can make it, I'll need to know by October 1st.

Columbus, Dragon, Cherohala, Blue Ridge Parkway Group Ride

This ride will depart from The Cracker Barrel on Stringtown Road off of I-71 in Grove City, Ohio, on October 22th at 4:30pm. We’ll ride through Kentucky to The Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah, North Carolina where we’ll turn in for the night. Eat dinner before we leave. We’re only stopping for fuel on the way down.

On Saturday at 9:30am we’ll depart for the Tail of the Dragon: 311 mountain curves in 11 miles! We’ll ride The Dragon North, turn around and ride it South back to Highway 143. We’ll ride to The Dragon together, but the group ride will terminate until we meet up at the North end of the run – Tabcat Bridge. Terminating the group ride will allow the fast guys to go fast! Once everybody checks in, we’ll make a U-turn and do it again! At the South end of The Dragon—Highway 143--we’ll meet up again and take a group ride on the Cherohala Skyway Loop.

Highway 143 is the entry point for the Cherohala Skyway Loop which is 115 miles of sweeping turns through elevations up to 5390 feet. The loop terminates on Highway 129 where you’ll have the option of running The Dragon Southbound again, or taking a more relaxed route on Highway 28 back to the Ironhorse Lodge where we’ll meet for dinner. There are no events planned after dinner, so you can socialize with others or go in smaller groups, or on your own to explore the area.

On Sunday, we’ll load up and depart Ironhorse at 8:00am. The destination is Cherokee, North Carolina, where we’ll pick up the Blue Ridge Parkway for an 82 mile/2 hour ride to Asheville North Carolina. We’ll gas up and depart Asheville around 10:30 for the return trip to Columbus (about 7.5 hours).

We will stick to departure times so we can fit in all the riding. All of the other times should be considered flexible, and “padding” has been added to allow for gas-ups, lunch, breaks etc. You should have your bike gassed up and ready for departure on all three days. During the group ride portions we’ll travel about 100 miles between fuel stops. I suggest you keep a copy of the Itinerary on you so if you become separated for whatever reason, you’ll know where the group will be.

If you want to attend the ride, please RSVP to me at vtxrider1@hopke.net by Friday, October 1st so I can call the lodge and make reservations for the group. AFTER I MAKE RESERVATIONS, YOU WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO CALL THE LODGE TO MAKE YOUR DEPOSIT. I WILL ONLY RESERVE A BLOCK OF SPACE, I WILL NOT MAKE DEPOSITS! YOU MUST MAKE YOUR DEPOSIT SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL. Cabin rooms at the Lodge are $50-$80 per night for double occupancy, so you’ll need to let me know if you’re going to double up so I can put together an accurate room count. You also have the option to rent a tent. Check the Ironhorse website for details on boarding options: http://www.ironhorsenc.com/rates.html

For more information about the Blue Ridge Parkway, Tail of the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway, check this website out: http://www.tailofthedragon.com/dragon.html

If you have any questions about the ride, Email me at vtxrider2@hopke.net

Most of the riders will be VTX’s, but everybody is welcomed to come!

Looking forward to doing some miles with you guys,

John

[xp]

Kind of surprised nobody replied to this? Did ya'll get your Blue Ridge rides out of the way already this year? I'd like to get more people going. We have a small handful so far. Anybody else interested????

[TreeBoy]

Looks like a great ride, just bad timing.

I have made that ride to the dragon twice this year, hopefully one more this year.

[xp]

It looks like we'll be moving it back one month to accomodate schedules. October 22, 23, 24th looks like the revised dates.

[Country Girl]

You might want to post this schedule on the carolina, and Ky riders board. I would love to try to make this ride. but not sure if hubby wants to.

[xp]

countrygirl,

Good tip. I posted it in the Rides/Events forum for the whole website, but I'll add it to the Carolina/Ky forums as well.

Hope ya'll can make it!

John

[TRHOD]

xp,

Sounds like a GREAT ride. I've got plans that weekend already to go to WVa Hatfield and McCoy trials to sling some mud on my Foreman. If I didn't have that, I would have been with you on the ride.

Be sure and let us know how it is, and keep us in mind for the next ride.


TRHOD

[hardcase]

You might want to post this schedule on the carolina, and Ky riders board. I would love to try to make this ride. but not sure if hubby wants to.

LMAO .. I was trying to figure out who the guy was .. knew it wasn't Nick .. Then it hit me :oops: This trip sounds good so count me in. I'll meet everyone at the Iron Horse. Tell Nick he has to go or I'll kick his butt :D

[xp]

This trip sounds good so count me in. I'll meet everyone at the Iron Horse. Tell Nick he has to go or I'll kick his butt :D

Hardcase, Cool! Gotch'ya down. Will it be just you? Need to know for the reservation...

See you in October!

John

[Country Girl]

Hi Larry,

I sure hope he changes his mind. He said he is biked out for a while. I can't imagine why, we only rode 7300 miles on vacation!

Oh, you figured out who that handsome man is in that picture :wink:

Cheryl

[DonG]

xp,

Why don't you also post this on the Ohio X-Riders board? You might get a few more to go there.

Don

[hardcase]

This trip sounds good so count me in. I'll meet everyone at the Iron Horse. Tell Nick he has to go or I'll kick his butt :D

Hardcase, Cool! Gotch'ya down. Will it be just you? Need to know for the reservation...

See you in October!

John

John .. will me just me. Sounds like it will be a good time for all. :D

[hardcase]

Hi Larry,

I sure hope he changes his mind. He said he is biked out for a while. I can't imagine why, we only rode 7300 miles on vacation!

Oh, you figured out who that handsome man is in that picture :wink:

Cheryl

:D We have awhile to work on him. Since threats woun't get it done maybe a bribe will work :D

[Country Girl]

This trip sounds good so count me in. I'll meet everyone at the Iron Horse. Tell Nick he has to go or I'll kick his butt :D

Hardcase, Cool! Gotch'ya down. Will it be just you? Need to know for the reservation...

See you in October!

John

John .. will me just me. Sounds like it will be a good time for all. :D

I am trying to talk him into this ride. But he said we have already been down that way once this year. Boo hoo, he is not going to give in , yet, lol :wink:

[hardcase]

I am trying to talk him into this ride. But he said we have already been down that way once this year. Boo hoo, he is not going to give in , yet, lol


Oh hell, at 7300 miles last trip he's been EVERY where at least once this year :shock: so that aint going to fly :D

[Country Girl]

I just might have to fly solo on this one! :wink:

[xp]

xp,

Why don't you also post this on the Ohio X-Riders board? You might get a few more to go there.

Don
That was the first place I posted it: http://ohioxriders.proboards14.com/inde ... 59&start=0 (http://ohioxriders.proboards14.com/index.cgi?board=Rides&action=display&num=1092373259&start=0)

J

[xp]

John .. will me just me. Sounds like it will be a good time for all. :D

Alrighty!! Feel free to invite others if you want.

J

[xp]

I just might have to fly solo on this one! :wink:

We'll be taking I-75 all the way through Kentucky. If you want to meet up somewhere along the way, you're welcome to ride with us. I'll carry my cell phone, so when we stop for fuel I can let you know where we are so you can plan on where/when you can hookup with us.

J

[hardcase]

I just might have to fly solo on this one! :wink:

Will keep the light on for ya :D

[hardcase]

xp,

Why don't you also post this on the Ohio X-Riders board? You might get a few more to go there.

Don
That was the first place I posted it: http://ohioxriders.proboards14.com/inde ... 59&start=0 (http://ohioxriders.proboards14.com/index.cgi?board=Rides&action=display&num=1092373259&start=0)

J

Am I missing something :? Thought this was the Ohio board. Maybe I'm just getting old :shock:

[xp]

hardcase,

There's a seperate website with forums for Ohio VTX Riders: ohioxriders.com

J

[hardcase]

Told ya I was getting old :shock:

[Country Girl]

Told ya I was getting old :shock:


You are not getting older, just better :wink: lol

[grandpa J]

Parts of Blue Ridge Parkway closed for months...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In case you haven't seen this. Reported in the Charlotte Observer 09/15/04.

Quote:

DAVID PERLMUTT

Staff Writer


Huge chunks of the Blue Ridge Parkway were washed away by recent flooding, and with more heavy rain from Hurricane Ivan projected for the N.C. mountains, business owners so dependent on tourists are bracing for more bad news.

Rain from the remnants of Hurricane Frances -- in some spots a reported 15 to 20 inches -- undermined support structures in sections of the parkway, causing the road to collapse, said Parkway spokesman Phil Noblitt.

Parkway officials estimate $11 million in damage to the scenic highway and some of its facilities.

"This is a not a matter of just the asphalt washing away," Noblitt said Tuesday as he and Parkway Superintendent Dan Brown surveyed the damage. "The mountainside that was supporting the asphalt tumbled down the mountain, so we have big gaps where there is no road.

"I've never seen damage like this in the 20 years I've been with the Parkway."

Engineers from the Federal Highway Administration are expected to assess damage this week. The parkway is closed:

• Near Linville Falls in Avery County from milepost 317 south to milepost 325.

• From milepost 344 at N.C. 80 near Marion in McDowell County to milepost 355 at Mount Mitchell State Park in Yancey County.

• Near Waynesville in Haywood County from milepost 412 at U.S. 276 to milepost 443.

Parkway officials closed the campground and visitor center at Linville Falls after the flooding knocked out water and sewer lines and left the visitor center under 8 feet of water.

Much of the damage to the parkway could take a year to repair, Noblitt said.

The closings couldn't have come at a worse time. October, along with July, is the peak month with visitors flocking to the parkway for autumn colors.

That will mean detours, but Noblitt and boosters of mountain communities are doing their best to encourage visitors not to cancel leaf-viewing trips.

"People can still get to their favorite spots, they'll just have to get off the parkway to get there," said Patti Jensen, tourism director for the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce.

Some communities could benefit from parkway visitors detouring by their restaurants and stores.

"It's certainly not the worst misfortune to travel the rural countryside and experience the communities that adjoin the parkway," Noblitt said.

Meantime, they all brace for Ivan.

"There is nothing we can do to stop the hurricane," Jensen said. "We can just prepare as best we can, and then we recover

[grandpa J]

for road conditons, for the Parkway call 1 877 444 6777

[xp]

The Blue Ridge ride is just over a week away. If you've been thinking of going, I need to know so we don't leave anybody behind when we leave Columbus.

I'm ready. I've been looking forward to this for over a month!

J

[Ed Bollinger]

I loved that ride . This year hope to make it back and maybee get to Deals Gap again too.......