Drive to Blowing Rock NC Sunday May 30th.

[YoKramer]

Hey everyone,


Dont post here often but my Dad AUGAH will be coming down to install some BMR goodies and I figure we would do a nice run on some back roads to Blowing Rock for lunch leaving from Charlotte. Anyone interested? Plan to leave the Arboretum at 51 and Providence between 7:30 and 8 am to give us plenty of time to enjoy the new handling of the GXP before a nice lunch in Blowing Rock and a good run back in time for dinner. Should be less than 300mi round trip and I take this run on my bike in this amount of time very often and is a great set of roads that some may not know about. So who is in?

[polo]

Ahhhh, I would love to do it but I've got a family reunion that weekend that I have to go to. I grew up just a couple miles from the Arboretum, and my parents still live in Matthews. I'm going to see if I can somehow get out of Sunday's activities and just attend the Saturday stuff. I'll let u know for sure in a few days.

Edit: I just talked to my wife, and she said she'd stay at the reunion with my parents on Sunday so I could drive back to Charlotte. So, if we get some other people interested in it, I should be able to attend.

I love the Blowing Rock area. I also used to take the twisties on my bike (when I had one). It should be a good time!

[YoKramer]

Ahhhh, I would love to do it but I've got a family reunion that weekend that I have to go to. I grew up just a couple miles from the Arboretum, and my parents still live in Matthews. I'm going to see if I can somehow get out of Sunday's activities and just attend the Saturday stuff. I'll let u know for sure in a few days.

Edit: I just talked to my wife, and she said she'd stay at the reunion with my parents on Sunday so I could drive back to Charlotte. So, if we get some other people interested in it, I should be able to attend.

I love the Blowing Rock area. I also used to take the twisties on my bike (when I had one). It should be a good time!

Awesome, Yea I plan on taking some back roads off of Moores Chapel past the new White Water Center into Lincolinton to Old 18 into Morganton up 181 from there to the BRP then iirc its 226 into BR. There good places to stop and take pics and re group on the way too. Its a great ride on the bike and should be even better in the G8's. Hope you can make it along w/ a few others.

[YoKramer]

Here is the route I plan to take on Sunday. The beginning of it off of 485 may change slightly when I go this weekend to refresh my memory of exactly what roads in that area are best to take. I figure meeting at the White Water Center would be best or Point B on the map which is a Petro Express right off of 321 in Lincolinton, which is where we meet when the group I ride with goes. It is the one in front of the Lowes and across from Bojangles not the other one on the other side of the highway btw. From there the real fun starts at Old 18 at Point C then again at 181 at Point I then a nice easy cruise down the BRP to 221 (Not 226 btw lol) which can be dirty but is a very beautiful road and pretty tight as well then into Blowing Rock. Along the way we will be able to stop and re group, There is a gas station at the end of Old 18 thats hard to miss, and one at the top of 181 at Jonas Ridge which is easy to spot.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=I-485+N&daddr=Unknown+road+to:N+Main+St+to:Woodlawn+Ave+to :E+Main+St+to:N+Carolina+27+W+to:Old+N+C+18+to:Old +N+C+18+to:Old+N+C+18%2FOld+Shelby+Rd+to:S+Sterlin g+St+to:N+Green+St+to:N+Carolina+181+N+to:N+Caroli na+181+N+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to: US-221+N+to:36.134904,-81.677907&hl=en&geocode=FW4pGgIdVYws-w%3BFYFjGgIdbjYs-w%3BFWmdGgIdDssr-w%3BFZXZGgId9pYr-w%3BFaxXHQIdRngo-w%3BFfQ8HgIdl0Qk-w%3BFUoGIAIdV8Ai-w%3BFQbIIAIdwP0h-w%3BFfYZIQIdKsYh-w%3BFcE_IQIda8Qh-w%3BFeJ4IQIdwXUh-w%3BFVU3IwIdEgwg-w%3BFeDiJAIdSmAe-w%3BFXl5JQIdi4Ae-w%3BFYCHJgIdRFEf-w%3BFZSjJgIdnGkf-w%3B&mra=mi&mrcr=11&mrsp=16&sz=15&via=1,2,3,14&sll=36.135968,-81.684337&sspn=0.018023,0.038581&ie=UTF8&z=15

[AUGAH]

Looking forward to the drive and meeting the Charlotte crowd. I will post on the install and performance post suspension mods, with pictures hopefully.

[Ktlplxm]

I may be able to make that unless the G8 is in the shop by that time

[YoKramer]

Looking forward to the drive and meeting the Charlotte crowd. I will post on the install and performance post suspension mods, with pictures hopefully.


Ill be sure to bring the camera then :D


I may be able to make that unless the G8 is in the shop by that time

Hope so always fun to meet fellow auto enthusiasts

[polo]

Here is the route I plan to take on Sunday. The beginning of it off of 485 may change slightly when I go this weekend to refresh my memory of exactly what roads in that area are best to take. I figure meeting at the White Water Center would be best or Point B on the map which is a Petro Express right off of 321 in Lincolinton, which is where we meet when the group I ride with goes. It is the one in front of the Lowes and across from Bojangles not the other one on the other side of the highway btw. From there the real fun starts at Old 18 at Point C then again at 181 at Point I then a nice easy cruise down the BRP to 221 (Not 226 btw lol) which can be dirty but is a very beautiful road and pretty tight as well then into Blowing Rock. Along the way we will be able to stop and re group, There is a gas station at the end of Old 18 thats hard to miss, and one at the top of 181 at Jonas Ridge which is easy to spot.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=I-485+N&daddr=Unknown+road+to:N+Main+St+to:Woodlawn+Ave+to :E+Main+St+to:N+Carolina+27+W+to:Old+N+C+18+to:Old +N+C+18+to:Old+N+C+18%2FOld+Shelby+Rd+to:S+Sterlin g+St+to:N+Green+St+to:N+Carolina+181+N+to:N+Caroli na+181+N+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to:Blue+Ridge+Pkwy+to: US-221+N+to:36.134904,-81.677907&hl=en&geocode=FW4pGgIdVYws-w%3BFYFjGgIdbjYs-w%3BFWmdGgIdDssr-w%3BFZXZGgId9pYr-w%3BFaxXHQIdRngo-w%3BFfQ8HgIdl0Qk-w%3BFUoGIAIdV8Ai-w%3BFQbIIAIdwP0h-w%3BFfYZIQIdKsYh-w%3BFcE_IQIda8Qh-w%3BFeJ4IQIdwXUh-w%3BFVU3IwIdEgwg-w%3BFeDiJAIdSmAe-w%3BFXl5JQIdi4Ae-w%3BFYCHJgIdRFEf-w%3BFZSjJgIdnGkf-w%3B&mra=mi&mrcr=11&mrsp=16&sz=15&via=1,2,3,14&sll=36.135968,-81.684337&sspn=0.018023,0.038581&ie=UTF8&z=15

That looks like a cool ride. I don't think I've ridden that part of 181. I've been on it closer to Linville Falls/ Grandfather Mountain though. Usually when going to Blowing Rock we take 321, but that's when I've got the family with me and we're not trying to have an exciting ride. My grandparents live in Granite Falls (near Hickory), so usually we make a pit stop up by their house to visit with them.

I might see if one of my friends wants to ride with us up there. He's one of the guys I used to ride bikes with, and I haven't seen him in a while.

[YoKramer]

That looks like a cool ride. I don't think I've ridden that part of 181. I've been on it closer to Linville Falls/ Grandfather Mountain though. Usually when going to Blowing Rock we take 321, but that's when I've got the family with me and we're not trying to have an exciting ride. My grandparents live in Granite Falls (near Hickory), so usually we make a pit stop up by their house to visit with them.

I might see if one of my friends wants to ride with us up there. He's one of the guys I used to ride bikes with, and I haven't seen him in a while.

Yea we used to take 321 straight out to Lincolnton which really sucks on a sportbike lol. And if we are on 181 that far we usually end up in Shady Valley TN. Hope you 2 can make it

[polo]

We made one trip to Shady Valley, and I nearly killed myself on that trip! I was taking a right turn around the mountain, and completely misjudged how tight that corner was (because it was hidden behind the mountain wall). I ended up going straight through the turn, crossing oncoming traffic, and ended up in someone's driveway. Scared the crap out of me.

Needless to say, I took the rest of the trip very carefully...

That town was great though, because all of the cars would pull over and let bikes go around them. Most people seem to dislike sportbikers carving up their roads, but the people in Shady Valley all seemed to like them. Every time we would stop at a gas station or store, someone would come over and start a conversation with us.

[YoKramer]

It has changed since then up there tho :( The cops have started to really patrol that road which sucks. The people at the Country Store at the cross roads there made a petition to get them removed with close to 1000 signatures of people that live there and people who ride there and no go, guess the state of TN needed the money more than the Store did. I loved it up there because its just as good as Deals Gap with 1/4 the traffic and morons and only about 3hrs away even with beautiful roads.

[caretaker]

DAMN! either one of us is early or one is late.
I'm sitting in the G8 in Blowing Rock right now.
Just did some of the twisty back roads around Boone,
Valle Crucis, Banner Elk, etc. Rt 194 is great.
Did a quick trip up 321 to Elizabethton, TN on
Monday. Great country around here.
Oh well. Maybe next time.
There are 4-5 of us meeting at HOOTERS in Rock Hill
this Friday the 21st at 6:00 if anyone else wants to join us.
See the thread "Near Charlotte 21st - 22nd".

[polo]

I was thinking the same thing, Reg. It would have been nice if this ride was happening while you were in town. If You don't make it to our restaurant on Saturday and you're still going to be in the area this Sunday, let me know.

[YoKramer]

DAMN! either one of us is early or one is late.
I'm sitting in the G8 in Blowing Rock right now.
Just did some of the twisty back roads around Boone,
Valle Crusis, Banner Elk, etc. Rt 194 is great.
Did a quick trip up 321 to Elizabethton, TN on
Monday. Great country around here.
Oh well. Maybe next time.
There are 4-5 of us meeting at HOOTERS in Rock Hill
this Friday the 21st at 6:00 if anyone else wants to join us.
See the thread "Near Charlotte 21st - 22nd".

Too bad :( From what I remember on the bikes 194 was kind of a goat path w/ quite a bit of gravel on it tho. And yea western NC has some of the best roads of the Country. Rivals California imo.

[caretaker]

I was thinking the same thing, Reg. It would have been nice if this ride was happening while you were in town. If You don't make it to our restaurant on Saturday and you're still going to be in the area this Sunday, let me know.
I'm going to try to stop ay the restaurant of Saturday morning. I think you said you are
going to be there from 8:00. I'm starting home right after that so I can stop and visit
some friends in Galax, VA in the afternoon. See you Saturday morning.

[YoKramer]

Got the Parts :D Cmon there have to be more people that want a nice Sunday Drive.


http://icanhasimage.com/images/6d723d9u1ocubqlgau.jpg

[YoKramer]

Made a run up there this weekend to refresh the memory and see how the roads look and everything is beautiful. Cmon I know there have to be more in the area, Cmon guys lets have some fun on Sunday.

[YoKramer]

Bump. Cmon there have to be more than 2 maybes