Our recomended riding map

[brad@dealsgap]

If you are looking for alot of other rides in Western NC, North GA and East TN take a look at the Mad Map. We have found it to be very well researched and provides alot of other places to ride. I use it as well, love it.

http://www.sporttouringusa.com/www/touringmaps.htm

Brad

[towboattrash34]

i have a gf in mooresburg....and there around cherokee lake is very nice.... i think 375 goes on the backside of the lake close to the edge..not sure how the road is,but it is a short ride but nice.

[Tn scout]

There's so many it's hard to imagine. Come off the Skyway and go left to Ducktown and Copperhill. Take 64 down the Ocoee River Gorge, go right (N) when it widens out into Parksville Lake onto Greasy Creek Road- I dare somebody to count the curves on this one; it's got to have about as many as the Dragon. Then when you get to Reliance, either go left on 30 down the Hiwassee River gorge- don't miss the gap of the mountain, you can hike up those bluffs you see across the river for an awesome view; or go straight on 315 thru Rural Vale, it's another twisty with mountain views on both sides and comes out near Tellico Plains. Coming next: twin monster waterfalls on the edge of the Plateau- closer than you'd think. Adios from Tn scout.

[assdragger]

How long does it take to run this loop,tie miles etc. what about road conditions,leo`s ,fuel ,food ? Will be comming 2nd week of october and would like to run some new roads in the area. Thanks!

[v2wyn]

...and there is Rt 16 out of Marion, Va toward Tazewell, VA! Use google maps or goggle earth to check it out. More freakin' curves than you can swing a cat at. In MANY places it's narrow, steep, and dangerous too. More "fear factor" than "reality" TV.

Rt 91 from Glade Springs, Va to Saltville, then take either 91 north, or 42 east along the scenic North Fork of the Holston River to reach Rt 16 if you are coming from the other direction. Head north or south for great curvy roads.

How about Rt 58 from Abingdon, VA (off I-81 north of Bristol, VA) to Damascus?? Not a great first 15 miles or so but when you get to Damascus, wow!! Most excellent mountain biking there, along with the Appalachian Trail that literally runs down main street, along with the Virgina Creeper Bicycle Trail nearby, as well as fantastic motorcycle roads in nearly every direction.

Rt 58 from Damascus to Volney, VA is 38 miles(!!!!!!!) of FANTASTIC road and you are just getting started! Take the roads around Mt Rogers (not quite the Smokys but the highest point in VA) while in the area. Grayson Highlands State Park is off Rt 58 near Volney.

Rt 16 thru Sugar Grove and/or Rt 21 from Independence, VA toward Wytheville are great. ALL of these roads mentioned previously lead thru National Forest and most are bounded by trout streams.

Rt 52 over Big Walker Mtn and East River Mtn and into Bluefield, WV. WHOA!

Rt 219 and/or Rt 92, both north of I-64 and begining in Greenbrier Co. WV at Lewisburg or historic White Sulphur Springs, WV (the place our gov't leaders were going to hide out in case of an atomic bomb attack. you can now take a tour there and I don't believe you even need to be a guest of the hotel... not sure.) Both lead toward Snowshoe Resort in Pocahontas County WV. Be sure to visit the Trout Hatcheries on your way to the cool little town of Marlington, WV, which is before you get to the road to Snowshoe. Continue north on either route and traverse Cheat Mtn. Cheat Mtn is a blast too!

How about riding to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, WV on Rt 92? Or Cass Scenic Railroad nearby as well? It's an operating history museum that features actual working Shay, Climax, and Heisler direct geared logging steam engines. Take the ride up the mountains that have switchbacks (with up to 11% grades) to Bald Knob or the old logging town of Spruce. Cass is a "Tim Taylor" "manly" kind of place. Let the cooled down cinders from a coal-fired engine fall back on your face as you ride in an open car right behind one of the Shay engines. Many of our early radial engine warplanes had props that were made from the spruce trees from this area.

Rt 150, the Scenic Hwy, across from the Cranberry Glades visitors center (near the boardwalk that leads thru the Cranberry Glades bogs complete with the carnivorous Pitcher and Sundew Plants) in the Monongahelia National Forest in Greenbrier Co. I used to trout fish/backpack in the Backcountry and Wilderness area there. Need to go back. It's the only place I've seen a momma black bear with 2 cubs in the wild.

How about Rt 33 east of Elkins, WV, to Seneca Rocks? This is one place that our Special Forces have visited to hone their rock climbing skills. Black Water Falls and Canaan Valley Resort (again skiing) State Parks are nearby. There is a good reason why the D.C./Northern VA/Maryland/et al, locations use this area as their playground.

Rt 60 from Lewisburg, WV to Charleston, WV. Rt 60 is a FANTASTIC road! Be sure to go to the New River Gorge National Park via RT 19 south if you take this route. Go on Bridge Day and watch the BASE jumpers do their thing. Maybe you've seen one of the history channel programs featuring Bridge Day? Remember the GMC Sonoma that was bungied off a bridge??? That was the New River Gorge Bridge in that commercial. And don't forget the Class I through Class VI rapids on the Gauley River and New River when they let out water from the dams. Take the one-way trip down the old road into the New River Gorge while there also. It's a treat. So is visiting the historic towns nearby.

Have I mentioned the Blue Ridge Parkway from Afton Mtn near Charlottsville, VA to Cherokee, NC? Too many great roads to list but I will mention Rt 8 near the town of Floyd, VA, to Rt 58. Tuggles Gap on Rt 8 is as technical as Rt 129...just not nearly as long. Then take 58 north over Lover's Leap Mtn (lots of sweeping curves you can see through plus some major twisties) to the sleepy town of Meadows of Dan. You will be about 1 mile south of Mabry's Mill which is supposedly the most photographed spot on the BRP. Squirrel Spur Highway at Meadows of Dan is a fantastic road as well as the road that leads down to Versuvius, VA and nearby Steeles Tavern (just off I-81 and I-64) from the BRP (near Montibello, VA, Zachory Taylor's homeplace. and don't forget Monticello, the house that Thomas Jefferson designed and built for himself and his family, which is near Charlottsville, VA, and is close to milepost 0 of the BRP and just north of Afton Mtn)

Boone, NC. Love this place too. Be sure to check out the original Mast General Store in nearby Valle Crucis, NC. From their website..... "Nestled in a secluded mountain valley, you'll discover spectacular foliage, rustic countryside and a place Charles Kuralt calls, "... a destination." That place is the Mast General Store in the rural historic district of Valle Crucis. Since 1883, we've been outfitting the Appalachians with traditional mercantile goods...." etc., etc.. I hate that the lady no longer operates the Oakwood Inn in Boone. That was a really cool, circa 1950s motel that had REAL knotty pine paneling and some wild reddish tile work in the bathrooms! You parked right outside your room and entered your room directly from your parking space. It had a nice overhang where you could park your bike out of the weather too. Very similar in construction to the Resort Motel at the CRoT.

...AND why not take South Shady Ave heading south out of downtown Damascus, VA, toward Backbone Rock and through yet MORE National Forest to Shady Valley, TN? The "wannabe" Deals Gap of eastern TN. Rt 421 is just as challenging as Rt 129 but without the tractor trailers and a lot of the "vibe" of the CRoT. However, the good folks at the Country Store are trying very hard and are just as friendly but there's a lack of motel space nearby.

No doubt, there are many, just as interesting places nearby where you live. These are just some of the locations that come to mind and most of them are not that far from the BRP, which many ride on their way to Deal's Gap. Some of these areas have special significance for me, as I grew up close to many of them. BUT and that's a mighty big but... not ONE of them even come close to the overall vibe/hospitality I receive as a motorcyclist, as when I visit Graham County, NC, the CRoT, the entire general Robbinsville/Deal's Gap area, and nearby Eastern TN, for me. I will visit these other areas from time to time but my main outlay of cash, time, and energy, will be around Deal's Gap. :)

and not once did I mention a private competing motel that is in business at this time!:rolleyes: