David Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Some of you wanted some routes. Bill Hawkins and David Bearden and I took a scouting trip two weeks ago and put some together. You might want to do these in small groups, on your own, or just something else entirely. You can't go wrong heading in any direction from Cherokee, NC. So, the point is that nobody has to do anything! The whole point is to have fun and relax and do what you want. But if you WANT to go on a group ride, this will facilitate it. El Paseo Routes The Friday route, departing the hotel at 1:00p, will take us on a 156 mile loop, with a nice treat near the end: the Wheels Through Time museum with more than 250 vintage motorcycles. Click here to download the route in Word. Click here to download the route in PDF. The Saturday route, departing the hotel at 8:00a, will take us on a 254 mile loop that takes in the Cherohala and Deal's Gap, along with some other roads you'll really enjoy. Click here to download the route in Word. Click here to download the route in PDF. ==== Quite a few of you have written and expressed an interest in working on your riding skills. To that end, I've included some thoughts on each upcoming section on the route. For any of you who want to, we can talk about the previous section at our stops. Please don't be insulted by the comments. If you don't find them helpful, just ignore them. They aren't meant to be condescending. Sunday morning won't bring any formally charted rides. Just maps and suggestions, as well as an informal "riding clinic" for any of you who are interested in taking advantage of the challenges in the terrain. We'll chat about it Saturday night and set a time/place to meet. There will be a camera bike to capture a few of you to help you analyze your riding. I don't imagine a lot of people will make it in time for the Friday ride, so we might be able to do it as one group. Saturday, though, will bring dozens and dozens of riders and it'll be best to split up into smaller groups, or even to have some of you run the route backwards. If you are looking for someone to follow who rides well and/or knows the area, you might hook up with Chris K, Bayport, Jake, Larry Rudolph, Randy Shields, Mitch, or anyone else you want. It'll probably be best to ride in groups of 5-10 bikes. Cherokee is a dry county and you can't buy beer or liquor. If you want some for that evening, stop on the way. On the Friday route, stop in Maggie Valley. On Saturday, stop in Bryson City. Here is a checklist of some things you might want to work through before heading out in your group: When to ride staggered: NOT when you are concentrating on cornering. Appropriate following distance: three to four seconds so you don't fixate on the rider in front of you. Turn signals: signal if someone leaves it on (tapping right or left sidecase). Where we'll stop: see route sheet. Wait until everyone catches up. Cell Phone: get leader's number, who will check it at stops. Passing Other Bikes: rider in front should move over and signal permission unless it's a passing zone. Passing Cars: preferences on double yellows; waiting after pass is complete. FRS/GMRS Channel: 2 with no sub-channel. Full fuel to start. Feedback: you ask person in front or behind if you want it. All this, as any group ride, is at your own risk. Ride your own ride and stay within your capabilities. Enjoy the beautiful country. Live to ride another day. Link to comment
RichEdwards Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 The routes look great! I'll be there with Tallman in time for the Friday ride. Rode much of the same territory in the fall with Bayport and agree that it's spectacular. Link to comment
oldtime Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 plan to be there friday for the rides also, with 2-3 others Link to comment
PeterScottNJ Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 Posted to the Calendar Event Link to comment
chadhargis Posted March 23, 2003 Share Posted March 23, 2003 I'm really excited about the trip. Just put new rubber on the rear and I'm scrubbing it in. Link to comment
SteveB Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 The routes looks great! For all you waterfall lovers out there check out the following site: http://www.highlandsinfo.com/maps/mapwaterfalls.htm Link to comment
RandyShields Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 Saturday -- Deal's Gap; Cherohala; and Wayah Road. Yeehaa, what a way to start the season! Link to comment
David Posted March 25, 2003 Author Share Posted March 25, 2003 Saturday -- Deal's Gap; Cherohala; and Wayah Road. Yeehaa, what a way to start the season! Randy, have you done Wayah road? I haven't heard of many people who have done it before. It's a pretty interesting stretch. Narrow and deserted and beautiful. I think it'll even be green by then. Link to comment
RandyShields Posted March 25, 2003 Share Posted March 25, 2003 >> Wayah Road: "It's a pretty interesting stretch. Narrow and deserted and beautiful. I think it'll even be green by then." David -- I'm very glad you included it (. . . might have had to detour a bit if it wasn't on the planned route). That's probably my favorite road up there. I've probably ridden it 8-10 times over the past 3-4 years, and when I've had to choose, skipped the others to get to Wayah. When it was re-tarred and sanded two summers ago, it actually gave us an opportunity to slow down and see more of what it has to offer which, as you noted, is a great taste of the diverse scenery of the Smokies. Those of you who haven't ridden Wayah before are in for a treat. Great route selections! Link to comment
PeterScottNJ Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 I think they look great - can't wait. My little ride to DE this past weekend DID NOT scratch the itch - it just made it itch worse. Link to comment
RandyShields Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 David, looking forward to checking out a new lunch stop in Telico Plains -- I've never stopped at Tellihala Cafe. Another spot for folks to consider if they're looking for good bbq is Cardin's Landing, one of the last establishments on the left before you get into the Skyway. They have a large dining room and tables outside if the weather is nice. Lots of bikes in the parking lot, which is always a good sign. I believe they even got a nice write up in MCN or another magazine over the last few months. (The steep stairs with the winch are to pull the stairway up out of the water when the river overflows its banks. No outside seating on those days.) Randy Link to comment
Chris S. Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 Hello Everybody, Sounds like a great ride you will have Friday! For those of you who have not traveled the road to Highlands, you are in for a real treat! My family is from this area and I have traveled this road much throughout my life, and still find it breathtaking to ride. Please be careful, as you will be traveling on the gorge side up to Highlands. As the travel directions say, It is VERY narrow and there is no guardrail on your side, only a 2' high stone wall. Take time and enjoy the waterfalls! Link to comment
John Ranalletta Posted March 26, 2003 Share Posted March 26, 2003 The Tellihala is okay but no gourmet delight. Might want to avoid the chilli, slaw hamburger. It can handle a crowd however. Link to comment
David Posted March 26, 2003 Author Share Posted March 26, 2003 The Tellihala is okay but no gourmet delight. Might want to avoid the chilli, slaw hamburger. It can handle a crowd however. John's correct on tnis point. The problem is really one of what's available at all. The Cherohala doesn't have a single stop for 50 miles (gas, food, anything). Tellico Plains is a pinprick on a map, with one gas station, this Cafe, and two fast food places. And back up 360, it's another 50 miles to where 72 runs into 129, and there's one diner there that holds 20 people. But on weekends, 5 of those places are occupied by a really old band of really old men who are really really bad! Link to comment
dave sawyer Posted March 28, 2003 Share Posted March 28, 2003 David, I'm planning to ride the Friday and Saturday rides. Heading out from Chesapeake Wed/Thur. looking for Presidents (I'm doing the CRVR Presidential Grand Tour). Looking forward to meeting everyone. Link to comment
Kinsley Posted April 4, 2003 Share Posted April 4, 2003 Hi David, I had lunch with Marty Hill today in Robbinsville and on the way back to Atlanta we decided to take Wayah Rd. It's covered with gravel, and not just a little. In some places it covers both lanes all the way across. I just thought I'd let you know, since I know it's on one of the routes. See you next week, Ken Link to comment
David Posted April 4, 2003 Author Share Posted April 4, 2003 Hi David, I had lunch with Marty Hill today in Robbinsville and on the way back to Atlanta we decided to take Wayah Rd. It's covered with gravel, and not just a little. In some places it covers both lanes all the way across. I just thought I'd let you know, since I know it's on one of the routes. See you next week, Ken Thanks, Ken. That'll slow us down enough to enjoy the scenary! It's too good a road to pass up, I'm thinking. We'll just warn everyone in advance. When Bearden and Hawkins and I ran it a few weeks ago, the light was weird AND there was gravel, which was hard to spot because of the shadows that we were moving in and out of. Good practice, I say. Were things turning green (besides Marty's face when he hit the gravel)? Link to comment
Kinsley Posted April 4, 2003 Share Posted April 4, 2003 Hi David, Yes, it will slow us down, but my eyes will not be on the scenery as thick as it was today. The light was a problem in spotting it and it was intermitent. Just when I thought we had cleared it, there would be more around the next corner. I think some Harley guys were dropping it ahead of us to slow us down. I don't know how experienced most of our riders will be, so I just wanted to pass the info along. I know my wife will not want to ride it if given the information. I don't think Wayah Road is on the top of Marty's list of favorites, in fact I think I saw him deleting it from his GPS, with white knuckles of coarse. See ya, Ken Link to comment
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