Wheedle's Appalachians Trip 2011 [Archive]

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Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:09 AM

Or... 'Pussy-Free Motorcycle Touring The Appalachians' since 75% of the roads would apparently scare the piss out of many folks here. If you think Wayah is bad... you dont wanna follow me.
Headed out Tuesday the May 17th a little late and headed up to the Ocoee up 30 and across the back way to Tellico Plains.

And the 'bad' roads began.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-pxcsXqp/0/X2/Sdc14074-X2.jpg

I spent the night at http://lloydsontheriver.com/ pretty cool place, cheap, and the view from the porch was nice.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-66BCjSh/0/X2/Sdc14076-X2.jpg
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Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:10 AM

Started out up a foggy and rainy Blue Ridge Parkway the next morning.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-RPCWFGs/0/X2/Sdc14079-X2.jpg
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Then onto 215N

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-7QhNpWH/0/X2/Sdc14093-X2.jpg
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Then 209 to Hot Springs to 212

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-HwhtwnZ/0/X2/Sdc14113-X2.jpg

Over to Elizabethton and Hwy91 climbing North out of the town

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-4dksSRN/0/X2/Sdc14119-X2.jpg

I don't really remember where this was... and I lost most of my track logs...

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-MGTt2W5/0/X2/Sdc14126-X2.jpg

I took 133 towards Damascus VA and stopped at Backbone Rock

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-9GfXzdd/0/X2/Sdc14143-X2.jpg
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Then I made my way to Burkes Garden.

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Then North to spend the night in Princeton West Virginia

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-NSNRPC7/0/X2/Sdc14178-X2.jpg

Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:12 AM

Thursday I took 112 from Ingleside WV to Peterstown, then 219 to CR29 to Zenith WV.

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http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-3NjTjRN/0/X2/Sdc14192-X2.jpg

Oh the roads were horrible... :rolleyes:

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-cv433n7/0/X2/Sdc14194-X2.jpg

I crossed the Mountains over into VA and into Paint Bank VA, found a buffalo farm on the way.
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Stop in at the General Store and have a bite at the Swinging Bridge Restaurant.. great food and service.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-cxpLBH2/0/X2/Sdc14209-X2.jpg

Took 311 out of Paint Bank... awesome stretch of road. No pics tho... Then I headed over to Eagle Rock VA and stopped at the lime kilns.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-zHTkDkG/0/X2/Sdc14213-X2.jpg
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From there I took 43 down to the BRP at Peaks of Otter.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-CJNfXxM/0/X2/Sdc14223-X2.jpg

Then took the Parkway North to the end at Waynesboro

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-pC7nFhS/0/X2/Sdc14227-X2.jpg
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I then headed for Maryland to fight my way through 2 hours of traffic hell to spend the night at my father-in-law's in Silver Spring MD

Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:13 AM

So, I headed out Friday morning to cross the Potomac via Whites Ferry, which was flooded.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-WNv9XQj/0/X2/Sdc14240-X2.jpg

So I made my way up to Point Of Rocks then Harpers Ferry by backroads. Rural MD is actually quite nice, a lot more farmland than I would have thought.

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http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-5hBm9Zj/0/X2/Sdc14247-X2.jpg

The next few pics... no idea where they are, just rural Virginia and West Virginia. I quit following my route and just headed a general direction towards Waynesboro, crisscrossing the VA/WV border.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-6JmTP3b/0/X2/Sdc14248-X2.jpg
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This is from Camp Run Rd near Miles WV

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-Q2W9Tsk/0/X2/Sdc14276-X2.jpg

I did take HWY33 from Brandywine WV to Harrisonburg... great stretch of perfect curvy pavement, but only one dull pic.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-Sm6B5zK/0/X2/Sdc14279-X2.jpg

Then more little backroads into Waynesboro.

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I spent the night at Sherando Lake Va, very nice campground.

Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:14 AM

I got up Saturday morning and took Campbells Mountain Rd to 56 to Roseland.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-JVLTPz6/0/X2/Sdc14289-X2.jpg

Then over to 60N through Buena Vista and Lexington, then 39 through Goshen Pass.

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http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-XPLRm7Z/0/X2/Sdc14295-X2.jpg

Then it was SR600 to Lake Moomaw

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-WVr5nqN/0/X2/Sdc14297-X2.jpg
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The intersection of SSR603 and SR687

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-2WSCSFd/0/X2/Sdc14305-X2.jpg

Which turns into Jackson River Turnpike

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-gZxb255/0/X2/Sdc14309-X2.jpg

Again, no idea where these pics are exactly, quit following my route and headed towards Wytheville VA for the night.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-p5ffThh/0/X2/Sdc14320-X2.jpg
http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-BZV8QXb/0/X2/Sdc14323-X2.jpg

Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:15 AM

Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:15 AM

So, Monday morning I went back North on the BRP to see if one of my favorite little mom-n-pop motel/restaurant had closed as I had heard... unfortunately, they had. I'll miss this place.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-XQTRGrG/0/X2/Sdc14357-X2.jpg

And back down the Parkway I went.

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-fTkBLkm/0/X2/Sdc14358-X2.jpg

For some reason... my picture taking was done for this trip. I headed over and ran 421 then back down to the BRP, down to 276 South to Brevard, then 215 North back to the Parkway,then to the end at Cherokee NC. I spent the night at http://www.riversedgecherokee.com/ right on the river, clean, free wifi, and only $70. I got up Tuesday morning and took 441 through Smoky Mountain National Park, lots of construction going on right now, so traffic was pretty bad. Then I took Little River Road, Foothills Parkway, Deals gap, Cherohala Skyway of course, 68, backroads down to 53, then 61 home.

Wheedle

06-02-2011, 10:16 AM

On a side note... I love the Tourances, shoulda started running them 65000 miles ago...
But, they may be a little too good. I wish I was a little less comfortable with two wheel drifting the Strom. Also, I think I'm using parts of the tire that really were'nt supposed to ever touch the ground.

Yes, that is a 150 all the way to the edge, and then some. I've worn the spaces between tread blocks on the sidewall... :eek:

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-tSdV2TL/0/L/Sdc14362-L.jpg

And yes,that is the front tire, a 110/80-19, with no chicken strips...

http://wheedle.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Appalachians-2011/i-2s4GD2f/0/L/Sdc14367-L.jpg

sdawg

06-02-2011, 11:16 AM

Nice pics and I love the scenery.

everyday3

06-02-2011, 11:29 AM

Very cool great pics

Barton72

06-02-2011, 12:26 PM

Nice write up. Looks like a great time. Yeah, I'd say you are pushing that machine and those tires a bit beyond the limit of what they were designed for. LOL.

steve c

06-02-2011, 12:39 PM

Glad you had a great trip. Did you get your total miles? How long did it take you (hope I didn't miss that somewhere.)
And, forgive my ignorance, is that a V-strom, or wee-strom?

Thanks for sharing, ya bastidge {jealous} :)

Wheedle

06-02-2011, 07:47 PM

Its a V-Strom... cause thats how I roll. I was gone 7 1/2 days and totalled right at 2700 miles.

steve c

06-02-2011, 10:02 PM

Its a V-Strom... cause thats how I roll. I was gone 7 1/2 days and totalled right at 2700 miles.

Cool. We don't have baggers so we'll have to trailer up to Johnson City, or other place nearby, and run overnight loops from here. Maybe a long weekend in September. :up:
We'll call it Wheedle's Redneck Roadtrip II :D

s

Wheedle

06-03-2011, 01:18 AM

Cool. We don't have baggers so we'll have to trailer up to Johnson City, or other place nearby, and run overnight loops from here. Maybe a long weekend in September. :up:
We'll call it Wheedle's Redneck Roadtrip II :D

s

You know... if you knew someone with a little fabricating skills... anything can become a bagger... :up: