[swills650]

How much time should I budget? I was hoping two days but I really wanted to do Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge. Anyone done this or something similar?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=10570&daddr=I-81+S+to:40.286073,-76.998711+to:I-81+S+to:N+Shenandoah+Ave+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:US-220+to:27409&hl=en&geocode=%3BFbzzZgIdHApr-w%3B%3BFSKPUwIdybxV-w%3BFbkKUgIdMMdW-w%3BFQGqUQIdn9JW-w%3BFeQjUAIdHA9X-w%3BFda4SwIdsh1T-w%3BFXqjSQIdDtJR-w%3BFRJoRwIdwM1O-w%3BFZjbQgId31JL-w%3BFUJgQgId_sFJ-w%3BFYNFQAIdHjJG-w%3BFaEXPgIdDHNF-w%3BFYeAPAIdnNtC-w%3BFVIFOwId5eY--w%3BFaQALAId_ls8-w%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=1&mrsp=2&sz=12&via=2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16&sll=40.305451,-76.965065&sspn=0.179347,0.441513&ie=UTF8&z=12

 

[enrico vespa]

I road down to Buncombe county near Ashville NC. Stopped every hr to an hr and 1/2, peed, gassed and road. Found a spot off the highway and slept on the grass, woke up and road again. My intention was to get there and not do the whole viewing the scenery thing. Left Brooklyn 9pm, got there 4:30pm the next day. If you're into coffee, you can either get a 32 oz of Manhattan special coffee soda or just make your own espresso and freeze it in a shaker bottle.

 

[whitemax]

**** enrico, you slept on theside of the road? crazy mofo

 

[evilbologna]

**** enrico, you slept on theside of the road? crazy mofo

I do the same thing. Screw paying for a hotel or camping spot. Find a nice hidden pull off or deserted road and squat.

I'm heading to Lynchburg, Va sometime. Giving myself 2 days. I know its an 8 hour shot straight there but I'm going to break it up for the sake of my arse.

 

[flacoman91]

I just got back from riding to and from Greensboro.

I started off in Arlington, VA, near Washington DC, and it took about 6 hours. I didn't take any major highways outside of 66. I wanted to do Skyline too, but it rained on me- which turned out to be a good thing, since I just took 29 down - it saved me alot of time.

I rode the Blue Ridge Parkway, and I found that it was okay, after a while it got really redundant... just hills hills, small green mountains. And for the speed limit being 45, and then dropping to 35 in some spots, it was really frustrating. Tons of tourist traffic, and people darting across the road to go to the scenic viewpoints.

On the way back, I took other various routes, since they all seem to go North or North East. I found that the country roads are better since they are more wide open, and you can go faster.

But your trip sounds like 2 days, especially if you're going to detour off Skyline drive- adding that adds distance and slow speeds.

 

[enrico vespa]

For those that do the long rides to get somewhere, do you guys prefer to ride nights or day?

When I went to NC, I left at night going there and left in the morning coming back. When I went to VA, same thing. Not that it was a choice, but because I left after work.

 

[RichDesmond]

For those that do the long rides to get somewhere, do you guys prefer to ride nights or day?

When I went to NC, I left at night going there and left in the morning coming back. When I went to VA, same thing. Not that it was a choice, but because I left after work.

Much prefer daytime. Way safer on a bike than riding at night. And even if the point of the trip is to get somewhere I still like to check out what's around me.