Franklin NC

[LAF]

The teacher I work with and I are going to go to Franklin NC on June 23 to July 1st. He just bought an RV and we bought a trailer together so we can haul the bikes down. Now I am not a fan of a trailer but RT 81 is the most boring road there is. And we will have less expense in Room and Feed with the RV.

So the question is what should we see and do there?

And anyone want to meet and show us around?

He has an 06 RT and I have a 07 LT.

So any suggestions, or company would be greatly appreciated.

[kevincook]

Now I am not a fan of a trailer but RT 81 is the most boring road there is.

I guess you've never been on I70 in Kansas or I80 in Iowa. :D

Have fun on your trip.
Kevin

[messenger13]

The Cherohala Skyway.
Deal's Gap (aka 'The Tail of the Dragon') Even though I don't care if I ever ride it again. But everyone should experience it at least once.
The Cherohala Skyway.
Any road in Graham County.
The Cherohala Skyway.
The Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah.
The Cherohala Skyway.
The last 30 miles or so of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
All of Rt 28 the runs through Graham county.
And last, but not least . . . The Cherohala Skyway!!!
I can provide Garmin waypoints and routes if you're interested. Just say the word. And yes, I realize I have you riding northwest of Franklin. ;)

[LAF]

The Cherohala Skyway.
Deal's Gap (aka 'The Tail of the Dragon') Even though I don't care if I ever ride it again. But everyone should experience it at least once.
The Cherohala Skyway.
Any road in Graham County.
The Cherohala Skyway.
The Iron Horse Motorcycle Lodge in Stecoah.
The Cherohala Skyway.
The last 30 miles or so of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
All of Rt 28 the runs through Graham county.
And last, but not least . . . The Cherohala Skyway!!!
I can provide Garmin waypoints and routes if you're interested. Just say the word. And yes, I realize I have you riding northwest of Franklin. ;)

West North South or East don't matter. We are up to 250-300 mile days with no issues.

Will be my first ride on the Dragon and as you said I guess everyone needs to do it once.

I am more interested in the others you mentioned as I like to see off the beaten path type places more then tourist traps.

Last year in Cass WV just stopping for gas was a hoot. The people were great and friendly and really added to the over all experience, and some gas stops took a lot longer then they should have because of the willingness of the locals to talk and joke and just be really cool people.

[LAF]

I guess you've never been on I70 in Kansas or I80 in Iowa. :D

Have fun on your trip.
Kevin
No I have not, but from the sounds of it they are all triplets from an ugly mother.

I would prefer to ride but a RV is worth sitting out a boring 9 hr drive to have all the comforts of home and no packing worries.

[tnk12lt]

Do this loop........NC 215 north from Rosman to US 276, turn right and follow 276 back to US 64.

Lots of peg scrapping, up and over the BRP twice and little traffic


Also, buy a copy of the Mad Map for the Smoky Mts. www.madmaps.com

[jeffklt]

I guess you've never been on I70 in Kansas or I80 in Iowa. :D

Kevin

I80 in Iowa is only about 150 miles, coming home from CCR in Grand Tetons I crossed Nebraska on I80 and its over 450 miles NEVER again. I81 actually has some scenic areas and there are all sorts of nifty roads that parallel it by 10-40 miles.

64 east out of Franklin through Hendersonville and the 9 east over through Lake Lure and Black Mountain is a fun ride.

[motorman587]

Lunch or dinner here. I love their ribs, if you like BBQ. Eat a one for me.


http://www.fatbuddiesribsandbbq.com/

[beets]

Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley NC.

[messenger13]

Funny ... I guess it's all perspective. I have ridden across KS on 70, and across Iowa and Nebraska on 80. In fact, several times. And I'll be riding across 80 to get to Cali and back come late April / early May. Long, straight stretches of superslab don't bother me so much. Especially if you have good weather and good tunes. Oh ... and triple-digit speeds don't hurt none either. ;)

I'll take hours of sittin' on my GT riding ANYwhere over sittin' at my desk any day. :)

[LAF]

[QUOTE=jeffklt] I81 actually has some scenic areas and there are all sorts of nifty roads that parallel it by 10-40 miles./QUOTE]


I81 gets really beautiful going North from me, going South is not really any great shakes.

I think Chris just wants a shake down run in the RV with 2 bikes on the trailer, and I have never done a RV run before.

If it gets too bad for me, I can have Chris pull over, and I will just get my bike off the trailer and ride :D

[LAF]

Wheels Through Time motorcycle museum in Maggie Valley NC.

Good one, I have heard it is pretty cool.

[LAF]

Lunch or dinner here. I love their ribs, if you like BBQ. Eat a one for me.


http://www.fatbuddiesribsandbbq.com/

I am looking forward to that :D

[jackd]

Actually even US 129 east/south of Deals Gap is a great ride. Just about any road that runs across it or cuts to a numbered road. Deal's Gap has too much traffic and was very heavily enforced on the weekends when I was in the area last summer and fall. You need to experience it though as it is one of those roads that is really one of the best in the east.

Like Joe said you need to run the Skyway. The best part of that is you can run it out and back and you will think it is a different road. Too much going on to take it all in on one direction only. I did the Skyway last season for the first time. That whole area is great riding. Almost all of the runs in that area are not short as the roads are long in miles and time. Franklin is a good area to be based out of. I was running out of Atlanta and every day we went north to the mountains it was a good haul getting to the 'good stuff'. However, that was where I was 'working'.. when I wasn't riding :cool:.

I believe that most of the roads that parallel I-81 are good for riding, even US-11, if you get back on to I-81 anytime you get near a city of more that 10,000 population. Coming down from PA you can also take US 250 to miss the Maryland and upper Virginia I-81 sections. I think that is a nice ride also and virtually no traffic..

IMHO, to go from PA to that area around Smoky Mountain NP there is only one M/C way.. and the is the Blue Ridge Parkway. It can be tough if the weather does not cooperate but you just can't beat 550 miles of road without a stop sign.. great views and twisty roads.. :thumb: Last year I did the BRP top to bottom and it was perfect weather. I must have been up there more than a dozen times and this was the first time weather or traffic was not a problem. I only came off the parkway to sleep..

IMO, I-81 between PA and Tenn is an awesome ride compared to I-70 and I-80 anywhere between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.. I don't know about beyond the Rockies..

[sparknme]

Lee sent you a PM Re: Franklin
Mike

[byke33]

Pick up a copy of Mad Maps for that area....they sell it at the Dragon store.

Head south on 28 out of Franklin and do the Devils Triangle loop in Northern Georgia..awesome roads and alot less traffic then around the Cherahola and the Dragon. Do the Dragon during the week and early am only. Summer afternoons and weekends are either clogged with Harleys and or cops.

Ron

[LAF]

Well really pumped up and probably wont sleep tonight.

Everything packed, hooking up the trailer this afternoon. Leaving early am.

Anyone around Franklin or the area want to hook up this week?

Chris and I will be there from Monday night to Sat or Sunday. His RT and my LT.

First round on me.

[pkpr1998]

[QUOTE=jeffklt]I80 in Iowa is only about 150 miles, coming home from CCR in Grand Tetons I crossed Nebraska on I80 and its over 450 miles NEVER again.

Jeff, then how do propose on getting to Utah? It looks we will taking 80 again, bummer!

[MikeERideWNC]

I am not to familiar with North Carolina...

http://wwwRideWNC.com

I have a couple of good routes documented. They start in Murphy which is about forty five miles west of Franklin on 64.

Try to get into GA and SC.
Look for:
Blood Mountain-GA
Wolf Pen Gap-GA
GA 60
Richard Russell Senic Byway-GA
War Woman Road-GA
28 from South Carolina to 129 is almost all good
Yellow Creek Road- NC
Cherohala
315- TN
Foot Hills Parkway-TN
68-TN
Wayah Road-NC
Joyce Kilmer-NC

Places you have to see once:
Lost Sea
Dillard House-Food
Sweet Water BBQ-Robbinsville
Rock Pile- 19 & 60 -GA
Helen, GA

There are a lot more, but I need some roads for myself.

[LAF]

Thank you for the info, printed as I type.

Chris is really familiar with the area as he and his wife have been there and rode it.

Chris got a couple of those maps that were mentioned also.

Just looking for off the path as it seems congestion is the order of the day on the more advertised, established routes.

Of course I have to do the Dragon, but Chris has done it before. I see we missed the Honda's this weekend and the Porches come in Friday I think, so I hope to do it Tuesday to get that t-shirt, then on to the less traveled.

Thanks again.

I am not to familiar with North Carolina...

http://wwwRideWNC.com

I have a couple of good routes documented. They start in Murphy which is about forty five miles west of Franklin on 64.

Try to get into GA and SC.
Look for:
Blood Mountain-GA
Wolf Pen Gap-GA
GA 60
Richard Russell Senic Byway-GA
War Woman Road-GA
28 from South Carolina to 129 is almost all good
Yellow Creek Road- NC
Cherohala
315- TN
Foot Hills Parkway-TN
68-TN
Wayah Road-NC
Joyce Kilmer-NC

Places you have to see once:
Lost Sea
Dillard House-Food
Sweet Water BBQ-Robbinsville
Rock Pile- 19 & 60 -GA
Helen, GA

There are a lot more, but I need some roads for myself.

[Morley]

I crossed Nebraska on I80 and its over 450 miles NEVER again.
Cheyanne WY-Omaha NE I80...502 miles of....NOTHING!

Grand Forks ND-Butte MT 910 miles of less than nothing.

81 out of PA is a veritable paradise compared to those 2

[TomMoss]

At the end of the Cherahola in Tellico Plains, TN, be sure to stop by Tellico Motorcycle Outfitters. Small shop in downtown area. Really nice people and great place to grab a t-shirt.

http://skur.net/tellico/home.html

[TomMoss]

BBQ....Fat Buddies is great, but also try:

Willy's Bar B-Q. Behind the Comfort Inn in Franklin.

240 Cunningham Rd
Franklin, NC 28734
(828) 524-0414

[JCarver]

Of all those mentioned, there are two standouts in my mind, The Cherohala Skyway and Wayaw Rd. Those two are quite different, but both are very nice. If trout fishing interests you, plenty of places along Wayaw Rd. But if tight curves with good scenery are not your thing, you can skip Wayaw Rd.

[rando]

Schedule the deals gap ride for a weekday morning....

Randy