ECSR 2012

[rktmanfj]

I will be going - from Baltimore, south through Leesburg to Charlottesville, and then west to Afton Mountain and down BRP.

Not a camper - does anybody know of any decent hotels near Boone?

Are there any rides that go down to Ashville?  My older daughter and my son-in-law have announced they are going to move there with grandkids someday.  So I need to go see the town I will be moving to.

Boone is a college town, so plenty of places to stay.

Rally rides tend to avoid cities & towns, so we have only been to Asheville once on a ECSR ride (that I recall), and that was a navigational error.  We did have a nice lunch at the Texas Roadhouse across from the Biltmore Estate.

It's a great town, but not likely to be a rally destination, unless you just happen to find someone else who wants to check it out.

[ddlewis]

I will be going - from Baltimore, south through Leesburg to Charlottesville, and then west to Afton Mountain and down BRP.

Not a camper - does anybody know of any decent hotels near Boone?

Are there any rides that go down to Ashville?  My older daughter and my son-in-law have announced they are going to move there with grandkids someday.  So I need to go see the town I will be moving to.

Don't know what kind of time table you have for for getting to Boone from Baltimore.   But if you pick up the BRP at the beginning on Afton Mountain, Rockfish Gap, it is a deceptively long ride to Boone on the parkway.  Around 300 miles of 45mph all the way - basically a full days ride right there.  And there's no gas on the parkway so you'll have to get off for fuel.  And it's more tiring and you'll be stopping more than a typical 300 miler too.  curve, curve, curve all day long - doesn't that sound like pure hell?  .  Just account for extra travel time on it.

If you can go from Baltimore, to Afton to Boone via BRP in one day, I reckon you could give Iron Bike Mike Ramos a run for his money.

[racerman_27410]

the ride down the BRP from Afton Mtn is definitely a long ride but if you have never done it then its required riding.... plan on taking the extra time and enjoying the scenery.... it truely is magnificent!


55 mph on the parkway wont get you pulled over as long as you arent doing anything stoopid.... like passing over the double at the same time.   

I would ,however, advise watching your speed in the 35mph speed zones as they are near the public centers and the most likely places to see a ranger. (there arent that many rangers on the BRP anyway)

KOokaloo!

[carey]

55 mph on the parkway wont get you pulled over as long as you arent doing anything stoopid.... like passing over the double at the same time.   

Frank,

Is this based on actual experience?   

[Tom Renda]

Thanks to all for the tips.

I will be staying overnight with some fellow Wahoo alums in C'Ville.  So it will be about 340 counting the ride out 250 West to Afton.

I remember that the BRP takes a while - I took it (together with Skyline Drive)  from Front Royal VA to Roanoke in 1989 to take the Virginia Bar exam.  It WAS an all day affair.  I was able to get away with 55 to 60 as I recall -- it was the middle of the week so traffic was not too bad.  I was figuring averaging 50 mph while riding, and not stopping a whole lot.

However, I distinctly remember there was gas in some of the recreational areas/attractions on the Parkway.  I remember seeing one station (after it had closed for the day -- DOH!)) somewhere north of Peaks of Otter.  Wound up hitting reserve and getting off on 53 and descending into Nelson County and getting gas at the bottom of the mountain.

Now, this was 23 years ago.  Did they discontinue selling any and all gas up there?

(Or am I once again remembering things that did not happen.  Hey, it's better than forgetting the things that really DID happen!)

My FJ1100 gets 50 mpg at those speeds so maybe I can make it to from Afton to Roanoke for gas.

[rktmanfj]

However, I distinctly remember there was gas in some of the recreational areas/attractions on the Parkway.  I remember seeing one station (after it had closed for the day -- DOH!)) somewhere north of Peaks of Otter.  Wound up hitting reserve and getting off on 53 and descending into Nelson County and getting gas at the bottom of the mountain.

Now, this was 23 years ago.  Did they discontinue selling any and all gas up there?

They useta did, but not anymore, per blueridgeparkway.org.      

There's plenty just a stone's throw away at a lot of places, though.

[Klavdy]

the ride down the BRP from Afton Mtn is definitely a long ride but if you have never done it then its required riding.... plan on taking the extra time and enjoying the scenery.... it truely is magnificent!


55 mph on the parkway wont get you pulled over as long as you arent doing anything stoopid.... like passing over the double at the same time.   

I would ,however, advise watching your speed in the 35mph speed zones as they are near the public centers and the most likely places to see a ranger. (there arent that many rangers on the BRP anyway)

KOokaloo!

72 MPH IN A 35?
Nothing to see here, move along now,,,

[rktmanfj]

72 MPH IN A 35?
Nothing to see here, move along now,,,

  At least there's no points involved (not any that would matter to you anyway).

[Tom Renda]

"If a man is talking in the forest, and no woman is there to hear him, is he still wrong?"

Yes, he is. 

Men are always wrong, regardless of the venue.  In the house, in the car, in the forest, in the bar.  On a train.  On a plane.

I learned that lesson early on. 

(Much cheaper than a divorce.)

[FJmonkey]

"If a man is talking in the forest, and no woman is there to hear him, is he still wrong?"

Yes, he is. 

Men are always wrong, regardless of the venue.  In the house, in the car, in the forest, in the bar.  On a train.  On a plane.

I learned that lesson early on. 

(Much cheaper than a divorce.)

As long as she does not get the FJ, it might be worth it....

[Tom Renda]

No way man.  I'm keepin her!

1. Very low maintenance.

2. Good solid frame.

3. Suspension sagging a bit compared to new, but much bettter than most her age (53) and still very appealling.

4. No unusual noises or other signs of imminent breakdown.  (Grunts a bit under load, but she always did that.)

[racerman_27410]

55 mph on the parkway wont get you pulled over as long as you arent doing anything stoopid.... like passing over the double at the same time.   

Frank,

Is this based on actual experience?   

LOL it's based on my last conversation with a local ranger...and no i wasnt being written a ticket at the time either

I havent had a ticket on the BRP since 2005..... and it was for 70 in a 45.... cost me 80 bucks.  Luckily for me North Carolina does not accept park ranger tickets on my state drivers license.  I just mail in the money and life goes on.

I told the ranger (who thanked me for actually stopping) i would be back that way later in the day so if he could just make the ticket for 160.00 now then he could just wave the checkers for me later to save us both some time.   

BTW the rangers wont chase you if you dont stop.... if they crash their cars or hit a deer they are responsible for their own repairs.... if one is being really stoopid then the plentiful wildlife will take care of slowing you down permanantly and the rangers know that.

KOokaloo!

[racerman_27410]

Thanks to all for the tips.

However, I distinctly remember there was gas in some of the recreational areas/attractions on the Parkway.  I remember seeing one station (after it had closed for the day -- DOH!)) somewhere north of Peaks of Otter.  Wound up hitting reserve and getting off on 53 and descending into Nelson County and getting gas at the bottom of the mountain.

Now, this was 23 years ago.  Did they discontinue selling any and all gas up there?

No more gas on the parkway.... however you can still get gas near Peaks of otter.... you just have to roll down the mtn on 43 to get it.

KOokaloo!

[Tom Renda]

$80.00 for 70 in a 45??

That's a deal!!!!  Cheaper than a ride on the Cyclone in Coney Island (which my Grandfather built, btw).

[SlowOldGuy]

Geez, that's a total bargan!

I paid $165 for a lousy 66 in a 55 (conveniently 11 over which jumped me into the more expensive bracket), back in October in Arkansas.

Another reason I need to get back to a rally soon, it's cheaper!

DavidR.