2012 Summer Ride - Blood Mountain, Cherohala Skyway, Tail of the Dragon

[GTPAddict]

OK, I've hinted around in the Georgia Riders thread about a good long ride this summer, and here it is...

We'll leave from Black Mountain Cycles in Dahlonega as that seems to be a good central meeting place for may of us here in Ga. I figured leaving there by about 8 or so, but nothing is set in stone.

We'll head up US19 to US129 and ride over Blood Mountain and in to North Carolina. From there we'll ride the Cherohala Skyway in to Tellico Plains. The ride will get kinda boring for a little while from here back to 129, but there will be good places for lunch and gas. We'll take 65 to 411 to 72 then drop back on 129 about 7 miles from the northern point of the Tail of the Dragon.

I have not mapped this in Google, but if anyone with a copy of BaseCamp (a Garmin mapping program) wants it I can upload my maps for that.

According to BaseCamp, that's going to be about 330 miles and about 8 hours not taking in to account gas and rest stops.

How does this sound to everyone? I'd like to do it on a Saturday as it will be a long ride and this will give us Sunday to recover (if need be). The earliest I will be able to go will be July 21st, but I don't really have anything known after that.

BTW, the attached pic does not include a lot of stops we'll make, but it does give an idea of the length of the ride.

 

[mkjeld76]

Just returned to Chattanooga today after 5 days in Robinsville it was great!!!!

 

[GTPAddict]

Just returned to Chattanooga today after 5 days in Robinsville it was great!!!!

Any places for a great burger or other things we may need to do?

Here's my half assed attempt at a Google map...

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209433662162922459823.0004c2386cc9b0fea047d&msa=0

 

[GTPAddict]

Just had an idea, and checking the map shows it to be about the same distance.

Same route except at the end of the Cherohala Skyway, we turn around and head back to 129. Do the same at the top of the Tail of the Dragon. Get to ride everything at least twice that way. This would eliminate the top of the loop in Tennessee.

Just thinking...

 

[mkjeld76]

you can take 411 to 360 for a better loop

 

[GTPAddict]

Taking 360 to 411 instead of taking 68 to 411 at Telleco Plains, right? I saw that but for some reason BaseCamp kept wanting to put me on 68. I've never been around there, thanks for the tip!

Edit - making that change took almost 30 miles off the trip, thanks man!! Any other suggestions?

 

[Redwolf35]

Would love to do this, just need to be able to get the time off. I live in Dahlonega and have been wanting to do this ride for sometime now. Just haven't been able to get the needed time off to do it

 

[GTPAddict]

I'm gonna check it out next Saturday and let y'all know how the ride will be. Maybe we can do it on a Sunday since that seems to be easier for everyone. I know at least ChevyFazer has a hard time getting Saturday off. It would be nice if everyone that wanted to could go.

 

[Redwolf35]

I'm a truck driver and my boss is pretty easy to work with. As long as I give about a weeks notice I can usually get whatever day I want off, preferably about 2 weeks. Other than that the only thing that would stop me is if I've taken a day off already within the past week or so.....if I'm not rolling, not making money.......no money, no riding

 

[GTPAddict]

That's cool. I have a really hard time getting any week day time off, but I do have the weekend so I can't complain too much. So far I guess we'll shoot for July 21st or 22nd...

 

[BlueMoON]

I am in.... Any weekend after July 9th is good for me. Looking forward to it...

 

[granda080]

I just got back from riding in this area. I highly recommend KramBones in Tellico Plains. It is a really good BBQ place.

 

[GTPAddict]

Thank's man - I LOVE BBQ!!

 

[AngelFZ]

That would be awesome, even thought I'd need some more logistics!!!!!!!!

Summer is a very busy time for me at work, for this I'd need the whole weekend.

I'll keep an eye on this and see my possibilities for the trip.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[GTPAddict]

OK, I rode this yesterday and had a GREAT time! I'm ready to go again as soon as the high temps are round, 85 or so, this 100+ heat is brutal in full gear.

Here are some pics from yesterdays ride... These are just getting up the Cherohala Skyway.

Well, I can't figure out how to add text for each picture, so I'll just tell you what they are any can look at the file name...

0630120737.jpg - Starting out from home - 7:37am - 18837 miles

0630120907.jpg - Turners Corner General Store at US19 and US129 in Cleveland GA - 9:07am - 18900 miles

0630120946a.jpg - Huddle House in Blairsville GA - 10:08am - 18921 miles

0630121112.jpg - Robinsville NC - 11:12am

0630121121.jpg - Skyway Convenience and Cafe - Stopped to get gas before heading down the Cherohala Skyway - Robinsville NC - 11:21 - 18975 miles

 

[GTPAddict]

0630121206.jpg - Santeetlh Overlook - 12:06pm
0630121207.jpg - Santeetlh Overlook - 5377 feet - higest overlook on the Cherohala Skyway. It was pretty cool riding up to here. As your riding and looking around your surounded by mountains. Then you start to notice the mountains are pretty much gone and your looking at sky.

0630121213c.jpg - Big Junction Overlook. This one actualy had better photo ops then the Santeehla Overlook, but it wasn't quite as high. - 12:12pm
0630121212.jpg - Big Junction Overlook
0630121213.jpg - Big Junction Overlook

0630121225a.jpg - Another Cherohala Skyway pic
0630121233.jpg - Another Cherohala Skyway pic

0630121250a.jpg - Bald River Falls. This was really pretty, never would have found it had I not looked around the internet researching the Cherohala Skyway. It's about 2 miles off the skyway in pretty much the middle of nowhere

0630121347.jpg - The end of the Cherohala Skyway, this is a museum in Tellico Plains I stopped in for a cold drink. Pretty cool place if you like telephones or old stuff. - 1:37pm - 19029 miles

0630121432.jpg - US 129 and US 72 - Making my way to the top of the Tail of the Dragon. Got stuck behind a bunch of Harley riders (about 19 of them) getting on 360 in Tellico Plains all the way to Vonore. I got kinda giddy the few times they actually made it up to the speed limit! I kept waiting for them to wave me around but they never did. - 2:32pm - 19064 miles

 

[GTPAddict]

0630121441.jpg - There be Dragons here! - 2:41pm

0630121515.jpg - Deals Gap, bottom of the Tail of the Dragon. This was a pretty fun ride, there were several LEOs, but I'm not a knee dragger so I wasn't really worried. - 3:15pm 19085 miles

0630121543a.jpg
0630121544a.jpg

0630121549.jpg - Back to the Skyway Convenience store. 3:49pm 19100 miles

Second gas stop was in Blairsville at around 5:00pm - 19155 miles

Got home around 7pm, 19238 miles - total trip time was almost 11 1/2 hours and 400 miles.

 

[acniss]

I would like to but i would like to meet you. At the Skyway Convenience and Cafe since meeting you in GA would be insane for a 12 hour ride

 

[GTPAddict]

No problem man, we can meet anyone anywhere

 

[peteehoward]

I can make this any weekend other than the 21-22.