Blue Ridge Parkway

Just came back from a trip I have been thinking about for a long time - a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. This is a ride through the Blue Ridge mountains in Virginia and North Carolina. The Blue Ridge is just a section of the Appalachian mountain chain.

The first day I rode from Midland, MI to Athens, OH down I-75 from Midland to Findley, OH and then southeast across Ohio on mostly secondary roads to Athens, OH. After spending the night in Athens I crossed into West Virginia and rode I-77 to Fancy Gap, VA where I stopped for the night again. The next morning I got on the Blue Ridge Parkway and rode about 200 miles to Asheville, North Carolina.

Most of you probably know little about the Blue Ride Parkway but it is a scenic, two lane, paved rode through the Appalachian mountains. Here is a link to a site with plenty of maps and pictures if you are interested:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Blue+Ridge+Parkway+Map&qpvt=Blue+Ridge+Parkway+Map&FORM=IGRE

There are lots of places to stop and visit along the way such as the Blue Ridge Music Center, sort of a museum of mountain music, and others.

I stayed in Asheville for two nights and went to a college football game with a friend from Asheville. Then it was back on the Blue Ridge which I rode to the end in Cherokee, NC. From there it was on to Knoxville, TN and then back to Michigan.

So now I have done the Blue Ridge from Fancy Gap, VA to Cherokee, NC. Next summer I plan to do the Sky Line Drive from Front Royal, VA to the point where it connects with the Blue Ridge and then on down to Fancy Gap. That means I will have done the Sky Line Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway from start to finish.

I had a lot interesting conversations with motorcycle riders on this trip. All of them in North Carolina could not believe I rode a 600 cc scooter from Michigan all the way to Virginia and North Carolina. These people have no idea what this bike willdo. And most were surprised I actually rode on an expressway. After all, we all know to ride on an expressway you have to have at least an 1,800 cc road monster. It was a good time. Only problem is I forgot to check the total number of miles I covered.

midlandchip,

Sounds like it was a great trip. I have riden the Blue Ridge from Cherokee, NC to north of Asheville a couple of years ago. It is a beautiful road. I have been on Skyline Dr. but in a car. I will one day get up there on the Swing.
Glad you had a great trip.

Sounds like a great trip! Just for info when I take a ride short or long I set one of my trip odo's for the entire trip mileage and the other for fuel purposes. I would assume all Silverwings have two like mine?

in 2009 my wife and I with two others (from this forum) met in Newport, TN and rode our 4 Silverwings up to Front Royal, VA for a full ride down the Skyline and Blue Ridge to Cherokee, NC. Ride Report: https://www.silverwing600.com/t175-skyline-drive-blue-ridge-parkway-part-1

There are 3 parts with links inside each article.

Go when you get a chance. It is a fun ride.

I missed your post Dale. I don't spend a lot of time on this board. I'll read it later tonight.

I actually had my doubts about making this trip. I'm not getting any younger and I wasn't sure I could do it. But it was a breeze and I would get on my bike and do it again tomorrow it we were not at the end of summer. I guess I learned if one puts limits on what they can do as they get older they will end up doing nothing.

I like your idea of linking up with others for the ride. When I do the Sky Line Drive from Front Royal, VA next summer, and then on down to Fancy Gap, VA, I would like to see if I can get a few other riders in the area to make the trip with me. I had a great time by myself but it's always more fun when a few others with similiar interests are along. My wife is just not interested in this sort of thing. Anyway I have hard side cases on my bike and I had a big duffel across the back behind the backrest. There was no place for a rider.

Cathy, just wanted you to know I learned about the headlight protector from one of your earlier posts and I ordered one for my bike. It has been on the bike for a while and looks great.

Glad the headlight protector worked out for you.

Oh man I love to ride on the blue ridge parkway !

Here is a photo of my wing on the parkway at over 3500 feet !!!!!!!!!




Anyways we all need to plan a ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway ! What do you think ?

I absolutely love that ride! Years ago, the wife and I used to come down from NJ and ride Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway down to the GoldWing "Rally in the Valley" in Roanoke. It was the two of us with all of our gear on a 76 CB400F. Ahh, those were the days.

This is not my actual bike, but it looked just like it, except for the sport windshield, rear rack, backrest, soft saddlebags, tankbag, and loads of other stuff. Anyone remember K&G universal motorcycle accessories?