I would consider Flip's idea and Rocket727's getting away from tourist type areas, however the dragon area is one big tourist mecca separated by 2 lane mostly with campers, buses and slow looki lou's. I'm game for what ever is decided but interesting places without crowds would be prime. Given early May would be somewhat slow for vacationers. Had a great time at RAAIV even with all that was going on it was the away from the crowd stuff I liked most.
The Official Rocket Across America IV Thread
- Thread starter Pig9r
- Start date
Rocket727
.020 Over
In my previous post yesterday, I stated that "Robbinsville'" was a short ride from Little Switzerland. That was incorrect. The town I was thinking of is "Burnsville" which is west of Spruce Pine. Sorry bout that.
Sidecar Flip
Living Legend
I guess determination of where excatly will, or should be based on whether the riding is excellent or the nightlife is excellent. Most places don't seem to combine good roads and riding with good nightlife like ES did....Which, was an excellent choice, in my opinion.
But then, opinions are like a'holes. Everyone has one and some people do a lot more than deficate from their's.
But then, opinions are like a'holes. Everyone has one and some people do a lot more than deficate from their's.
Rocket727
.020 Over
You're right. It's hard to satisfy both requirements.
What I like about this place is that you can make a good day trip to places like Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, or in the other directon Blowing Rock-Boone, where you can find some good restuarants with good beer(one or two at the most for me when I'm riding and that's with a meal).
By the time you've stopped for breakfast, had a late lunch, and done some sightseeing, its time to head back to the bar at the hotel. Since you're only doing 25-50 on these roads, it takes a while to go 60-80 miles. Some of these steep switchbacks have had me spending lots of time in 2nd gear and occasionally dropping into first .
I've ridden there in May and October and both are great but when you have the Spring fever, mid- May is hard to beat.
What I like about this place is that you can make a good day trip to places like Chimney Rock and Lake Lure, or in the other directon Blowing Rock-Boone, where you can find some good restuarants with good beer(one or two at the most for me when I'm riding and that's with a meal).
By the time you've stopped for breakfast, had a late lunch, and done some sightseeing, its time to head back to the bar at the hotel. Since you're only doing 25-50 on these roads, it takes a while to go 60-80 miles. Some of these steep switchbacks have had me spending lots of time in 2nd gear and occasionally dropping into first .
I've ridden there in May and October and both are great but when you have the Spring fever, mid- May is hard to beat.
Sidecar Flip
Living Legend
We just had Thanksgiving dinner at my niece's house and of course the whole family was there. I ate way too much and after dinner we were all sitting around and Bart and I got to talking about RAA. He would have come last year but he was already booked for another trip and the subject got around to a location and I mentioned the Pigeon Forge locale and he countered with...'Going to Pigeon Forge or Severville or any thing around there is like taking a vacation trip to Gary, Indiana....come to think about it, I'd rather go to Gary, Indiana'......
Looks like Banjo Bart is in theis year depending on the date. He is going to Alaska sometime next year on the bike....No, not the R3. 1800 VTX. He told me he's taking one of the VTX's (he's got 7 bikes now including his newest, an HD). When he gets back from Alaska, he's selling the 1800 VTX for whatever he can get for it. Alaska is hard on a bike. One of my ADV friends went last year on his 1200 GS Beemer for around 15,000 miles and lots of it was on gravel roads, roads regularly covered with CaCl. He told me that every night before he camped, he'd have to wash the bike at the local coin auto wash or a hose....The CaCl completely encases the bike, engine, wheels...everything in a grey corrosive paste. His bike looked like it went through a war when he got back, I saw it....but then GS1200's are fugly anyway.
We could go to Alaska and visit Sarah Palin, maybe shoot a moose or go fishing with her hubby.......
I'm going to throw my hat in for Maggie Valley.
Honestly, I could care less abot the Wheels Through Time Museum. I was there last year and it cost 10 bucks to get in and frankly, it wasn't worth 10 bucks. There are a lot of old bikes there but it kinda reminds me of junkyard but with vehicles that run instead of junkers.
I like Maggie Valley for it's close proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Dragon and the Cheroloha (I think that's how it's spelled) Parkway plus all the good riding roads there. It's friggin beautiful and the whole area is really attuned to bikes and finally, everyone is friendly and it's not that expensive.
I've also wanted to go to Branson for a while now....It's also a nice location and it has nightlife as well as good accomodation and the Ozarks also have good riding roads. I suspect that if it's Branson, my wife will come along as well. Guess that will mean no Rocket. I'll have to bring the Bonnie and the sidecar.......
Looks like Banjo Bart is in theis year depending on the date. He is going to Alaska sometime next year on the bike....No, not the R3. 1800 VTX. He told me he's taking one of the VTX's (he's got 7 bikes now including his newest, an HD). When he gets back from Alaska, he's selling the 1800 VTX for whatever he can get for it. Alaska is hard on a bike. One of my ADV friends went last year on his 1200 GS Beemer for around 15,000 miles and lots of it was on gravel roads, roads regularly covered with CaCl. He told me that every night before he camped, he'd have to wash the bike at the local coin auto wash or a hose....The CaCl completely encases the bike, engine, wheels...everything in a grey corrosive paste. His bike looked like it went through a war when he got back, I saw it....but then GS1200's are fugly anyway.
We could go to Alaska and visit Sarah Palin, maybe shoot a moose or go fishing with her hubby.......
I'm going to throw my hat in for Maggie Valley.
Honestly, I could care less abot the Wheels Through Time Museum. I was there last year and it cost 10 bucks to get in and frankly, it wasn't worth 10 bucks. There are a lot of old bikes there but it kinda reminds me of junkyard but with vehicles that run instead of junkers.
I like Maggie Valley for it's close proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Dragon and the Cheroloha (I think that's how it's spelled) Parkway plus all the good riding roads there. It's friggin beautiful and the whole area is really attuned to bikes and finally, everyone is friendly and it's not that expensive.
I've also wanted to go to Branson for a while now....It's also a nice location and it has nightlife as well as good accomodation and the Ozarks also have good riding roads. I suspect that if it's Branson, my wife will come along as well. Guess that will mean no Rocket. I'll have to bring the Bonnie and the sidecar.......
Lonzol
Supercharged
I posted most of this in another thread, but thought I'd get it in this location for all to see.
LOTS of great riding at and around the Dragon area, very crowded and lots of cops, (posted speed limit of 30mph on the Dragon itself, way too slow), on the weekends though, something to consider.
I've only been to the Dragon one time last month but I could live there, for a motorcycle rider it's heaven on two wheels. I'm probably going back in late April or early May on my sport bike so if I need to scout anything out I'll be glad to. However, I'm sure there are many on this forum that are more familiar with the area than I.
Just so you don't have to read between the lines, the place gets my vote!
BTW, the group I went with went in mid Oct. during the week. The leaves were changing in that area and it was great. We rode the area on Wed & Thur.,(saw zero cops and not alot of folks & traffic), then Thursday night we rode down to the Barber Motorsports complex for their annual vintage bike days event. It's always on Fri., Sat., & Sun. I highly recommend it for those who have never been there. You could spend the entire weekend in the museum and not see it all. Let alone the Races, demo rides, swap meet, airshow, fire apparatus display, and numerous bike shows. It will be on my calendar every year.
Those that wanted too could do both, (less than 250 miles from the Dragon to Birmingham), and we wouldn't be at the Dragon on the weekend. I checked the Barber website and they don't have the date for 2009 yet but like I said it's always in the middle of October. The hotels in the Birmingham area fill up fast, I stayed 20 miles away, though I didn't get my room until 2 weeks before.
I know that Birmingham had been mentioned before but some were concerned about other things to do in that area. This way we get great riding and the annual vintage bike days if the individual so chooses.
I'll have to disagree with Flip on the Barber museum, I've been there the last two years and dedicated most of an entire day to it each time and can't wait to go back.
Having said that I don't think it would be a good plan unless we could be there in Oct. for all the other festivities. I'm going then anyway so if we choose another date thats OK with me too.
Goodfellow, since no one else answered your question, I have ridden both and in my opinion the Dragon makes the Pig Trail look straight.
Again, I'm planning on going back to the Dragon on my Sprint this comming year anyway so if we choose a different place, still OK with me.
I have to say the "Little Switzwerland" local sounds very interesting and since Rocket727 has been to both and likes it better, I'd love to see it also, plus its not far from the Dragon and it would be possible for those that haven't had the oportunity, to ride the Dragon
Most of all like I and the others have said I think it more important to get the date nailed down so people can start making plans for vacation etc.
Just my 2 cents.
Lonnie
LOTS of great riding at and around the Dragon area, very crowded and lots of cops, (posted speed limit of 30mph on the Dragon itself, way too slow), on the weekends though, something to consider.
I've only been to the Dragon one time last month but I could live there, for a motorcycle rider it's heaven on two wheels. I'm probably going back in late April or early May on my sport bike so if I need to scout anything out I'll be glad to. However, I'm sure there are many on this forum that are more familiar with the area than I.
Just so you don't have to read between the lines, the place gets my vote!
BTW, the group I went with went in mid Oct. during the week. The leaves were changing in that area and it was great. We rode the area on Wed & Thur.,(saw zero cops and not alot of folks & traffic), then Thursday night we rode down to the Barber Motorsports complex for their annual vintage bike days event. It's always on Fri., Sat., & Sun. I highly recommend it for those who have never been there. You could spend the entire weekend in the museum and not see it all. Let alone the Races, demo rides, swap meet, airshow, fire apparatus display, and numerous bike shows. It will be on my calendar every year.
Those that wanted too could do both, (less than 250 miles from the Dragon to Birmingham), and we wouldn't be at the Dragon on the weekend. I checked the Barber website and they don't have the date for 2009 yet but like I said it's always in the middle of October. The hotels in the Birmingham area fill up fast, I stayed 20 miles away, though I didn't get my room until 2 weeks before.
I know that Birmingham had been mentioned before but some were concerned about other things to do in that area. This way we get great riding and the annual vintage bike days if the individual so chooses.
I'll have to disagree with Flip on the Barber museum, I've been there the last two years and dedicated most of an entire day to it each time and can't wait to go back.
Having said that I don't think it would be a good plan unless we could be there in Oct. for all the other festivities. I'm going then anyway so if we choose another date thats OK with me too.
Goodfellow, since no one else answered your question, I have ridden both and in my opinion the Dragon makes the Pig Trail look straight.
Again, I'm planning on going back to the Dragon on my Sprint this comming year anyway so if we choose a different place, still OK with me.
I have to say the "Little Switzwerland" local sounds very interesting and since Rocket727 has been to both and likes it better, I'd love to see it also, plus its not far from the Dragon and it would be possible for those that haven't had the oportunity, to ride the Dragon
Most of all like I and the others have said I think it more important to get the date nailed down so people can start making plans for vacation etc.
Just my 2 cents.
Lonnie
goodfellow
Turbocharged
- Joined
- Jun 12, 2007
- Messages
- 745
the dragon
Goodfellow, since no one else answered your question, I have ridden both and in my opinion the Dragon makes the Pig Trail look straight.
Guess that's why the speed limit's 30 mph!!!! Is the dragon fairly close to maggie? Have you been to maggie also? questions, questions, questions.... thanks Lonnie.
greg
****, I can't hardly wait........
Goodfellow, since no one else answered your question, I have ridden both and in my opinion the Dragon makes the Pig Trail look straight.
Guess that's why the speed limit's 30 mph!!!! Is the dragon fairly close to maggie? Have you been to maggie also? questions, questions, questions.... thanks Lonnie.
greg
****, I can't hardly wait........
Rocket727
.020 Over
I missed it. What is the Pig Trail?
The Parkway has great views and the best ones are in the areas around Mt. Mitchell. The Parkway has some pretty good curves, but the roads that come off the Parkway in that area are steep compared to the Dragon and the curves are very good. I don't recall a stretch that is as long as the Dragon (11miles) but you still meet yourself on many of them. When you come out of the curves at the bottom of the mountain you get a break and some relatively straight roads before you start back up again.
The Parkway has great views and the best ones are in the areas around Mt. Mitchell. The Parkway has some pretty good curves, but the roads that come off the Parkway in that area are steep compared to the Dragon and the curves are very good. I don't recall a stretch that is as long as the Dragon (11miles) but you still meet yourself on many of them. When you come out of the curves at the bottom of the mountain you get a break and some relatively straight roads before you start back up again.
wilbur-t
Top Fuel
Bryson City is about an hours worth of riding from the Dragon. There is a historic railroad based in Bryson City for any railroad buffs. Maggie Valley is at least 1.5 hours from the Dragon and Little Switzerland 2-2.5 hours. All very nice riding, [Even the 4 lanes are pretty with lots of sweepers.] and the road up the mountain to L. S. is a definate peg-dragger, as 727 stated. The Dragon is over hyped and heavily patroled, but it is something you will want to do if you have never ridden it. I don't care if I ever ride it again or not. There are too many other good roads that are less traveled. You could spend a week in the area and not run out of good riding.
Sidecar Flip
Living Legend
Lonnie...
My reference to the Museum was the one in Maggie Valley, right next to the really nice and cheap motel that's owned by a biker by the way. It's a nice 50's era motel...All the rooms are in a line on one floor with a continuous porch and you park right in front of your room. He even has a place to wash you bike and provides clean towels to dry it. The place is so clean you could eat off the floor.
When we went to Nashville we stayed a night in Maggie at the motel and I was impressed both with the area, the price of lodging and the owners of the place.
I was more impressed with the beanery in front of the Wheels through Time Museum than I was with the museum. I'm an afficinado of greasy spoons and it rates a 10 in my book.
I've ridden the Dragon and the Cherahola (*). In my opinion, the side roads off the Dragon are much better but you need a local or a good GPS to navigate them. I really like the Parkway (not the Blue Ridge though the Blue Ridge is beautiful but the speed limit is 45 so it's a rubberneck ride)....The Cherahola (*) has long sweeping curves and a decent speed limit.....
Anywhere but Pigeon Forge.......
Barber in B'ham is over the top.
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