Mountain Ride - Saturday March 20th

[kopaka]

Time to dust off those Winter Bikes!

I'm planning to ride up and around the mountains on Saturday - morning and returning around 3pm. I'm breaking in my new bike and need to see how she leans and turns.

It should be fairly warm day. Should be a good Mid-pace Ride - the quicker I get use to her the quicker I should be.

:stirpot:

[kopaka]

What? No one wants to ride Saturday? Are the roads that bad up there? or is it because I smell?

[Mortalis5509]

I'm thinking about riding but got to find out the road conditions first. I'm coming out of Athens though.

[kopaka]

Yeah I heard it's rough up there...RRR is closed down. 180 is gravel Town. 129 got's spots of gravel like a Dalmatian Dog. I was thinking of just shooting up 60 towards Morganton.

[JSKeezy]

Gotta meet cha next week.....Ill be in Ohio dropping off my baby!!

[AdrenalineBoyz]

I went up to Helen last weekend and the roads sucked! Sand and gravel everywhere.... Snow up top still... ice on the side of the road... But now that we have had a week of rain and the sun pop out may be a good time and clean roads... prolly still a tit bit nipply up there tho....

[kopaka]

I'm still going to ride tomorrow. Heading up from Mid-Town Atlanta to Suches and up to Morganton if anyone is interested in riding tomorrow.

[ninja6r]

I might be, what route are you looking to ride?

[kopaka]

Heading up from Mid-Town Atlanta to Suches and up to Morganton if anyone is interested in riding tomorrow. :) 400 - 19 - 60

[Mortalis5509]

Is 60 the best to be on?

Any word on 129 or 180?

[kopaka]

I'm not sure about 129 but the word on 180 is it is full of gravel...even on the best of day 180 can get a bit dicey. I'm heading up 60 cause it's pretty well traveled and might have better luck. I may swing by 129 for a taste if I have time.

[kopaka]

If anyone wants to ride tomorrow, you can either meet up with at the end of 400 at the Shell station @ 10:00 or Just PM me and we can set something up...

[Ga-Bandit]

I started going from Ellijay to Clayton by way of Blood MTN:

nothing to speak of about 515. Hwy 60 South had gravel in only one spot 2 miles before I hit the school where the Dale's benefit was (near T.W.O.). Otherwise it was great. Hwy 180 from 60 to Wold Pen Gap sign had gravel in 1 spot RIGHT before the left turn for the bridge - almost laid it down there. The section of 180 from Wolf Pen Gap (sign) to 129 is one of my my favorite roads and I would NOT go any faster than what I did. Can you say REAL slow due to gravel.

I was told Richard Russell was closed.

129 was covered by 2 unmarked GSP ,the gray one, and a local at the bottom (working towards other side of Turners Corner). Stopped by Linda's and they said he'd been working HARD.. Grey GSP was pretty much working Blood MTN all day. I got there at 12:30 and saw 2 peeps getting pulled over in 5 minutes and another set on the way down. The set at the Outfitters store rode up with Grey GSP on their tail and they didn't know it. They rode past waving and saying hi and they hit the first curve and started to open them up and you heard sirens after that.

We rode from Blood MTN to Riders Hill to have lunch - sweet ride.

From Riders Hill we went towards Helen on HWY 75 and-3 something (technical term) towards Clayton and had some nice cruising in all spots EXCEPT for one turn about 13 miles before the City of Tiger, GA.

Blood was GREAT - no gravel to speak of anywhere - just GSP.

Have fun, ride smart, and be safe.

[sportbike34]

129 was great!!!! hit it up in the evening!!! i went up at about 5-5:30 and no cops whatsoever....but i was in my car lol but still had one hell of a time!!!!!!!!!!!
as far as gravel wnt...i didnt see any just your occasional small bit that is always there from trucks in corners slinging it back on the roads but nothin major....the roads are pretty much cleared of the salt...

[Gypsyangel]

Thanks for the report Ga-Bandit! We're all wondering how the mtn roads are clearing up.:up:

[kopaka]

Sorry i'm a little late with the post.
19 to 60 all the way to Suches was clear. After Suches gastation there was gravel spots on 4 or 5 curves going down the mountain side. After you hit the valley - 60 North was clear all the way to Morganton.

I only went to the top of 129 West at the Hiking station and it was perfect. Perfect day to ride.
Got a real feel for the Honda and I must say....it was amazing how fast I could pull out of the curves....Amazing.

[Mortalis5509]

129 was a great road. I saw the local cop but not the GSP.