Triumphrat

klantz · 11-16-2009, 10:41 PM

I have essentially 2 weeks free after school ends and before I am going to meet some friends at the gap. I think I want to spend at least a week to a week and a half on the road getting up there. I am going to use this thread to get the trip laid out as far as plans go and offer for anyone else to join me for a part or the whole thing (until I get to the cabin in NC). I will be leaving from Baton Rouge around the 18th-20th of May 2010. I will be at a cabin at the gap the 28-31 and will the slab it back to BR. A few things to keep in mind for those wanting to come along or help me plan.

1. I will be camping the whole trip
2. It will be on the Thrux so there will not be any extended gravel.
3. I am going to cook most meals at the camp sites, if I do eat out it will be at local diners and the like. NO CHAINS.
4. I want to stay off of major highways if at all possible. (edit)
4. I want to see a lot of great roads and places I would not get to experience in any other way!

That in mind, after the gap, I will head straight back to BR where I will pack up my house and head back to Texas to get married and start a new job get a new place so on and so forth. 2010 will be an exciting year.

95speed3 · 11-17-2009, 11:41 PM

I've gone to the dragon the last two years in a row. Once in May, once in August. May was the better time, not as crowded. If you have time, you may enjoy crossing into Tennessee and the Cherohala Skyway. Tellico Plains has two camp grounds that were about $15 a night: Cherohala Motorcycle Resort & Hunts Lodge. Both have websites.
Also, the Hellbender ( SR 28 ) is a great road. I found it to be a little less crowded.
Actually, all the roads in that area are fantastic, and your not going to have a problem finding non chain diners, good food is not hard to find.
Maybe I'll see you there.

klantz · 11-18-2009, 01:01 PM

Thanks for the reply, I've not ever been exploring east before. I am kinda of planning Arkansas, up to TN, then KY, Virginia and back down to NC. Maybe WV and MO if time and route allows.

Brooks · 11-18-2009, 01:35 PM

Since you have a good 7-8 days, I'd take the Natchez Trace all the way to it's northern end near Nashville then head E/NE through Tenn WV and Va to the northern end of the BRP. Ride the entire BRP to the southern end. A total of about 1650 miles.

Skip Deals Gap which really is crowded and overrated compared to so many other great roads in the area.

From the bottom of the BRP head west to Robbinsville (near Deals Gap if you really must) and ride the Cherohala Skyway over to Tellico Plains, TN. Use those couple of extra days saved by not wasting time at Deals Gap and ride the small roads all the way back to Baton Rouge.

A great tour of the Deep South!

klantz · 11-18-2009, 01:53 PM

Brooks, The cabin near the gap is already booked with a bunch of friends and since I've never ridden it, I figure it's one of those things to check off my list. The week before is really for me to get to explore and play around and see whatever I want to see. I'm currently in the process of making routes and the trace is certainly one of those. I'll post up more exacts when I get the routs figured out. I am thinking around 300-400 miles per day and at 7 days that gives me around 2000 miles to play with in getting to NC.

95speed3 · 11-18-2009, 02:58 PM

I agree with Brooks that Deal's Gap is over rated, but by all means check it off the to do list.
I don't know your riding style or what you like, but I found that 300 to 400 miles a day travel was hard to do. There are many roads and loops that were good enough to do a couple or three times, plus there are sights to just stop and look at, you may find yourself in the same general area for a couple of days. You can't go wrong just riding around NC, Tenn, KY & WV/V. If you don't get every where you want, Texas isn't that far away for 2011.

klantz · 11-20-2009, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 95speed3

If you don't get every where you want, Texas isn't that far away for 2011.

Very true, I'm just planning on having fun. At this point I am locating gear, getting the bike set up, finding general routes, places to see, and places to stay.

klantz · 11-20-2009, 06:56 PM

I think I will be starting my trip by riding the Natchez Trace. It looks like the whole thing is about 444 miles so that pushes my 300 mpd limit so I might camp along the way somewhere. The next stop on the trip will be up in KY. I am thinking of heading to the woodford reserve distillery in Versailles, KY. From there I will head in WV and come down the Skyline drive in and around the appalachain senic trail down to the great smokey mountain national park and over to the Cherohula Skyway. Now I just need to sit down and map it out and find out where my checkpoints along the way will be and how I'll get from A-B-C