Blue Ridge Parkway

[ALIENHITCHHIKER]

The major impediment when riding the Parkway in July are the hordes of slow going tourists. I'm talking about motorhomes doing a steady 35mph, Floridians slowing to 30 for each and every curve, and formations of Harleys making much noise but often going even slower than the rest of them (forgive me).

If you drop down to Asheville on I-26 and pick up the BRPW there, you can expect the first 100 miles to be as described - especially on Sunday (Monday is a bit better). Once you are north of Boone, NC it clears out considerably.

The 105 mile long Skyline Drive, which begins in Virginia where the BRPW ends is even slower with a posted speed of 35mph and tourists from the greater metro DC area.

After all that ranting though, I must add that if you or any of your riding buddies have never done the Parkway you should not pass up the opportunity. It is stunning. Just don't expect to be able to maintain 45-50mph.

I have ridden the entire length of the Parkway (Cherokee, NC to Rockfish Gap, VA) in a single 17 hour day, but it sure wasn't in mid-summer.

[osbornk]

I've lived near the Parkway 55 of my 61 years and highly recommend it. If you are in any kind of a hurry, don't do it because you will only get frustrated.

I have done the entire length of the Parkway (469 miles) as a round trip two or three times. The Blue Ridge Parkway starts at the top of Afton Mountain just outside Charlottesville where I-64 crosses the mountain. It makes a nice 2 day ride each way. A round trip on the Parkway gives you an almost 1,000 mile ride. You feel you are on a different road with different views when you make the return trip.

My favorite part of the Parkway is in North Carolina near Mount Mitchell and my least favorite part is near Roanoke, Va where civilization has encroached.

Make sure you have good tires before you start you BRP trip because the road surface with the curves wears the tires rapidly.

[calmil]

Today is the 40th wedding anniversary of my better half and me, and our honeymoon was on Skyline Drive. We did make reservations for that!

Since then, I have motorcycled parts of it many times and the entire distance twice. I have also bicycled the entire distance once, and that ride seemed all uphill.

It's a beautiful location in a great part of the country and best enjoyed at a leisurely pace and in a peaceful spirit.

_____________________
EyeBiker
2007 R1200RT

[RoboRider]

How much do they charge for the Skyline Drive Fee now?

[marcopolo]

How much do they charge for the Skyline Drive Fee now?

According to the Parks Service website for Shenandoah Nat'l Park, it's $10 for a motorcycle (good for 7 days).

[calmil]

If you are 62+ years old $10 will also buy you a Senior Pass at the entrance, which is good for that and all entrance fees to National Parks and Recreational Lands for lifetime (assuming you remember to carry it with you)

_______________
EyeBiker
2007 R1200RT

[BMorleyW]

I just put Day 28 and 29 for the BRP of my trip to the Rally. I look forward to it! Haven't really been in Virginia and never in North Carolina so am looking forward to finishing my mainly Canadian trip on the Blue Ridge. By the time I hit Johnson City I should be pretty good at pitching my tent, the GPS says 8280 miles from Littleton CO to Johnson City with my planned route. Then about 1200 miles back.

[83014]

I've decided to take my own advice. My wife isn't much of a camper, so to offset the 3 nights in a tent, we've booked a room in Floyd, VA at a B&B on Wednesday. This will leave us with a short ride to the rally on Thursday. We chose the Lawson House. She still has rooms available and quoted us a midweek price of $ 100 which includes breakfast.
http://www.lawsonhouseinn.com/

See you all at the rally.

[Brettendress]

I ride the parkway a lot on trips to North Carolina from Pa and I just love it. I do however always travel it n the weekdays to avoid congestion but there are always plenty of places to pass and the police are not bad if you are not acting like an idiot. Take the parkway and enjoy it, there is no other road like it. If you have the chance visit West Virginia also. The area around hot springs is perfect for motorcycles, truth being told there are too many roads to mention in the whole area so none will disapoint you.

Brett Endress
Altoona Pa

[mdillon3]

I just rode the entire BRP from south to north over the course of two days. It's one of my favorite roads regardless of what I'm in or on. Some quick observations that came to mind as I was riding.

1. While it's easy to press the 45 mph speed limit, you're going to end up averaging less than 45mph overall. There is simply too much to see and take in. It just isn't a fast road and that's part of the joy.

2. Services are readily available. There are very few parkway services but at nearly every gap there is an exit to a main road. While the parkway is cleverly constructed to look like it is in the middle of nowhere it is usually only a short distance to "civilization" including fuel, services and restaraunts.

3. Parkway is always cooler than lower elevations. check local weather and then subtract 10 degrees in summer for elevation. First day was perfect on BRP while lower elevations were miserable. Second day was actually chilly while lower elevations were just plain hot.

4. Weekday traffic is great. some traffic but nothing dramatic. Very few RVs which are the major obstruction on BRP.

5. Two short detours just north of Asheville,not bad at all and an excellent opportunity for gas up. This is rare for BRP, usually there are more detours.

6. One park ranger / law enforcement in the entire distance. From experience law enforcement is much heavier on weekend and almost non-existent on weekdays.

7. Saw 2 accidents - 1 Harley 1 sportbike. Harley's seem to take shallow apex and ride off side of road, sport bike, who knows, just dumb riding, everybody all right. While BRP is curvy it's actually fairly easy to ride, high apex and realistic speeds, a few reducing radius turns but nothing serious. Getting off BRP is more dangerous as NC roads can quite funky in regards to traffic. The hardest part is leisure traffic on BRP to real traffic on NC highways. Big change in situational awareness.

8. Plenty of deer. Especially around VA / NC line.

9. Take time for pull offs - some great views

10. more opportunities for passing than I remember.

11. Ignore your map sense in NC, in some cases you'll spend an hour going 20 miles, the road into Johnson City from Boone, NC is the perfect example, actually a lot more technical than the BRP.

12. Forget the Tail of the Dragon. too much hype for a road that looks like a million other NC / / TN / Va/ WVA roads.

13. Enjoy it all, everytime I'm on BRP I see new things that I didn't remember the last time.