heading east

[Nails]

I'm planning a trip from Santa Fe, NM to DC in June. My plan is to beat feet to E Tennessee on I-40, ride the Cherohala Skyway toward Asheville, noodle up the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Trail to about Front Royale, and then pop over to DC. I'll come home further north, maybe more-or-less along US-50 to S Ohio (family). And then zoom back home -- been back and forth between NM and OH way too many times.

I can leave pretty much any time in June. I need to be in DC 6/23 til 7/4 (same week a bunch of you are nearby in WV, but I got no choice about the DC schedule). I hope to leave OH about 7/7, assuming I survive a huge kinfolk barbecue -- never a sure thing.

I'm looking for suggestions: long-cuts and diversions; good food; attractions; travel tips (like stay away in the middle of the summer); campgrounds; or whatever. I'll be solo with a tent &etc. Short hikes, good food/music would be swell.

I know there are a bunch of dragon body parts all through there: tails, claws, &etc. But don't know anything about any of them. Fun loops, back to the BR Parkway?

Last summer, I drove a cage through the Smokies, generally going from Charleston, SC to S Ohio. I've lived in Philly and Ohio. But I don't know this Appalachian country very well -- gawd help me. (But Gatlinburg, OMG!)

Suggestions appreciated.

[HMB Don]

Nails

Trisha and I will be leaving High Point, NC for Summerville on June 22. We'll arrive in High Point on June 19. High Point is a short ride to DC.

[Nails]

Okay, you'll be there June 19-22. (I drove past last summer but don't remember it.)

I'll probably leave Asheville a few days earlier, heading north. Would be great to have a beer, but might miss like we did when you came through CO and NM a couple years ago.

I don't know how much time to budget -- kinda depends on side trips, like the various "Dragon" routes. I know about Tail-of, but I've heard of other wanna-be's. I mean, can anyone recommend awesome twisties a short way off the Parkway? (I'll do some more web searching.)

[Nails]

https://advrider.com/f/search/74534045/ ... =relevance

https://traveltips.usatoday.com/ride-dr ... 02780.html

[ekap1200]

Okay, you'll be there June 19-22. (I drove past last summer but don't remember it.)

I'll probably leave Asheville a few days earlier, heading north. Would be great to have a beer, but might miss like we did when you came through CO and NM a couple years ago.

I don't know how much time to budget -- kinda depends on side trips, like the various "Dragon" routes. I know about Tail-of, but I've heard of other wanna-be's. I mean, can anyone recommend awesome twisties a short way off the Parkway? (I'll do some more web searching.)

Any where near the TAIL OF THE DRAGON , Not much roadway that is in a straight line for more than 100 feet

[Nails]

I live in the mountains, and it's easy to find curves here, too. But some ways are better than others. Was sorta hoping for some local knowledge, whether roads or stops.

I'm planning some specific side loops. I'm sure it'll be a great ride!

[Nails]

This site is new to me: https://www.butlermaps.com/
Maybe a little cheaper: https://americaridesmaps.com/

[Mr Jensee]

You know if you detour through Louisiana that we already established the food is wonderful.

[Nails]

That we did. But I'm afraid the closest I'll get is Chattanooga.
This planning is coming together nicely. Looks like I'll go "to" on the Cherohala Skyway, "fro" on the Dragon, "to" again through Smoky Mtns Park ... and then start up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lots of side trips now on my map. Tons of camping. This'll be a blast.

[cranky]

... Enjoy!! Stop by now and then and let us know how you're doin'!!!

[dsmmrm]

If you are traveling near the Dragon I can't recommend enough http://www.huntslodge.com/. Jack and Lori are personal friends and know every road for 100 miles.

[Nails]

Thanks, sounds like exactly my kind of place. I didn't have anything on my list near Tellico Plains -- was thinking of camping somewhere along River Road. But this sounds swell. I'll drop your name and see if they want to have a beer or something.

[Mr Jensee]

Personally I dont know how you guys stay in the saddle that long. After two hours my butt is in real pain. I guess it is just as well since I cant really get far anymore. Enjoy your trip!

[cranky]

.. Air Hawk fixed mine... but its a hot sucka, so I
put a set of wooden beads over it... raises me a tad...
but works... JM2C

[Nails]

Personally I dont know how you guys stay in the saddle that long. After two hours my butt is in real pain.

I honestly don't know for sure. The last time I took a multi-day ride was about 30 years ago, on a '75 GoldWing (windscreen, but no fairing). It was an awful trip: rained from W Oklahoma to E Indiana, the last week of November; my dad was having heart surgery; and I was in a divorce. Around all that, I don't remember anything wrong with sitting on the bike. I think I needed a lot of time on the bike, actually. (You might call it gloriously awful.)

I sold that GW soon afterward, and then got back into the dirt until I bought this XII. The only problem I've had on long day rides has been the arthritis in my lower back. I'm working on a backrest and rack for a suitcase, to replace the pass seat and trunk. Else I'll sort something really firm to put on the pass seat.

I use beads over real sheepskin. When it's wet, the sheepskin goes wherever my rain gear was stowed. The beads alone are good enough for several hours, at least as far as I can tell with the rain distracting me.

I'm planning two long days in a row, but then about 10 days of short rides, hikes, and hanging out drinking beer. Then a week walking around in DC, before heading back. That will be a long day, a couple days off, and two long days. I'm sure I can survive; and I can hole up to recover as necessary. I'm optimistic it'll all be good.

[Mr Jensee]

Nails I have used sheepskin on the seat before. Didn't make much difference when I rode to Baton Rouge or to Lake Charles. When I was a kid I nearly lived on my little 50cc Riverside and NOBODY made worse seats at the time than the Italians. That seat was a rock. Still I guess because I only weighed the same as the bike 128 lbs. It didn't matter. Today I think it is my weight nearly 250 that causes my pain plus the fact that I really have no meat on my butt. Anyway it adds up to 2 hours max before I really start to hate the bike I have loved so much.

[cranky]

.. put an Air Hawk under the beads and ride on... JM2C

[Nails]

Michael, I had a kidney stone a while back, and they took a CT scan. Among a host of anomalies, they reported on arthritis in my back. Until then I thought it was just sore muscles. I wasn't going to exercise arthritis away. I framed the report, officially marking the exact last day of my middle age.

It happens. I might know that even more clearly after this trip. But what the hell ... pain is just subjective, after all.

[dsmmrm]

Nails, tell Jack and Lori you are an honorary maggot and they will treat you right.

For full disclosure, Sabmag is one of the oldest internet motorcycling groups first started on the MIT listserver in the early 90's as a simple mailing list. It was started to support Honda Sabres and Magnas. It lives on though most of us ride other bikes now. Jack and Lori met on the list and the rest, as they say, is history. They are both avid riders and good folks. I've shared an adult beverage or 2 with them so I'm sure that would be ok.

[Nails]

Okay! I don't think I've been a maggot since boot camp.
And you remind me that I need to look up which counties out there are dry.