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Suggestions wanted for NC trip
- Thread starter nrpetersen
- Start date
motorman587
New member
The wife and I enjoy this place. You can spend the night or just do breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can park your bike right in front of door. It is right at the border of NC/GA. You can walk to your room from the resturant. Enjoy the bottle of wine, make a great evening.
http://www.dillardhouse.com/
http://www.dillardhouse.com/
motorman587
New member
Polarbear
Polarbear
Nc12
The Outer Banks is far from the Smokies, but a really nice ride, once there. I just did it last month after the rallies and found the NC12 highway really nice. I did all of N.C. and found it a wonderful ride all over. A visit to N.C without the Outer Banks is a comeback future trip. I recommend it, all the way from CA..Randy
The Outer Banks is far from the Smokies, but a really nice ride, once there. I just did it last month after the rallies and found the NC12 highway really nice. I did all of N.C. and found it a wonderful ride all over. A visit to N.C without the Outer Banks is a comeback future trip. I recommend it, all the way from CA..Randy
texanrt
New member
The Outer Banks is far from the Smokies, but a really nice ride, once there. I just did it last month after the rallies and found the NC12 highway really nice. I did all of N.C. and found it a wonderful ride all over. A visit to N.C without the Outer Banks is a comeback future trip. I recommend it, all the way from CA..Randy
We've driven the outer banks using the North Carolina ferry system and I definitely plan to return some day and do that again by motorcycle.
nrpetersen
Curmudgeon
OK here's my brief trip report and a thanks to all of you that made suggestions for our itinerary.
My wife and I did 3100 miles two up on our 2005 K1200LT from Minnesota to North Carolina and return.
We stayed three days at the Chalet Inn at Dillsboro NC on the recommendation above. This was an absolutely wonderful tip. That B&B was the only facility we saw in NC that had the posted state issued cleanliness rating of a full 100%. She is Dutch and he is ex-military and both are very people oriented. I highly recommend this place to anyone. The rides they suggested were outstanding and the weather was also incredible with blue skies and 60 degree temps every day. They recommended NOT doing Deal's Gap (there are too many crazies there) but instead suggested other routes that had little or no traffic and were just as much fun. A local friend did Deals gap a week earlier and saw no less than 4 accidents involving bikes (Yikes!) Of course we did the Cherehala (sp) drive and The Blue Ridge drive too.
We then went to Asheville for three days seeing the Biltmore estate. Yes it is incredible, and expensive ($60 per person admission to see the house) in the eyes of this tight wad but it was completely worth it to see how the super-wealthy could apply their inheritances etc. Definitely a don't miss item if you are in the area. The bar/restaurant scene in Asheville is excellent. One really fun place we ate at was a converted gas station called The U Joint.
We also visited Black Mountain, and an aircraft museum in Hendersonville NC before heading home to MN. We hit the only light rain then from about Janesville WI to Madison.
The bike performed flawlessly and got many comments at our stops. Fuel economy averaged about 55 mpg - more in the twisties etc!.
This trip was my wife's idea. I'll have to listen to her more often....! Unfortunately she doesn't take pictures so as much as I can post are pix of gas stations and motels and restaurants.
Thanks everyone!
My wife and I did 3100 miles two up on our 2005 K1200LT from Minnesota to North Carolina and return.
We stayed three days at the Chalet Inn at Dillsboro NC on the recommendation above. This was an absolutely wonderful tip. That B&B was the only facility we saw in NC that had the posted state issued cleanliness rating of a full 100%. She is Dutch and he is ex-military and both are very people oriented. I highly recommend this place to anyone. The rides they suggested were outstanding and the weather was also incredible with blue skies and 60 degree temps every day. They recommended NOT doing Deal's Gap (there are too many crazies there) but instead suggested other routes that had little or no traffic and were just as much fun. A local friend did Deals gap a week earlier and saw no less than 4 accidents involving bikes (Yikes!) Of course we did the Cherehala (sp) drive and The Blue Ridge drive too.
We then went to Asheville for three days seeing the Biltmore estate. Yes it is incredible, and expensive ($60 per person admission to see the house) in the eyes of this tight wad but it was completely worth it to see how the super-wealthy could apply their inheritances etc. Definitely a don't miss item if you are in the area. The bar/restaurant scene in Asheville is excellent. One really fun place we ate at was a converted gas station called The U Joint.
We also visited Black Mountain, and an aircraft museum in Hendersonville NC before heading home to MN. We hit the only light rain then from about Janesville WI to Madison.
The bike performed flawlessly and got many comments at our stops. Fuel economy averaged about 55 mpg - more in the twisties etc!.
This trip was my wife's idea. I'll have to listen to her more often....! Unfortunately she doesn't take pictures so as much as I can post are pix of gas stations and motels and restaurants.
Thanks everyone!
I once made the mistake of riding the BRP at night when I was heading to the Sherando Rally and I learned a good lesson about the Parkway. You see, there are no trucks or other commercial traffic on the BRP, so when the sun goes down and the tourists go to their motel rooms, the critters come out and warm themselves on the nice, quiet pavement. It is really frightening to come around a dark turn and see about 300 eyeballs in your headlights! I saw animals of all sizes on and beside the road and they did not want to get out of your way!
Of course, if you are riding alone and do hit an animal at night, there will be nobody to pick you up and call the ambulance!I love running the Parkway and all the other wonderful roads up in our mountains, but I have learned that it is wise to do your riding during the daylight hours and spend the evening hours safely off the road and enjoying some nighttime libations.
ncstephen
NC Piedmont Rider
I guess that should have been stated.. good point RW.
I do love the parkway and mountains in general at night but it is a time to really just motor along easily expecting to share nature with those that come out to play at night. Of course I hit one going < 15 mph in my cage one morning last November when she felt she really needed to catch up with me and then cut in front of me. ( I had all but stopped to watch her buck friend wander off as I was leaving the house) But then that is kinda like on I 40 each day to/fro work
Good to see you Sunday Morning
NCS
I do love the parkway and mountains in general at night but it is a time to really just motor along easily expecting to share nature with those that come out to play at night. Of course I hit one going < 15 mph in my cage one morning last November when she felt she really needed to catch up with me and then cut in front of me. ( I had all but stopped to watch her buck friend wander off as I was leaving the house) But then that is kinda like on I 40 each day to/fro work
Good to see you Sunday Morning
NCS
tmoyer
Intermediate Adventurer
George and Hanneke are the nicest people! We very much enjoyed our visit with them and hope to go back again. I'm glad you got to experience their hospitality and see what a wonderfully quiet and beautiful place they have!
tmoyer
Intermediate Adventurer
Did they finally pave the driveway at the Chalet Inn?
We were there when they were getting ready to but still battling the neighbors. I had a little oops on my way up the driveway upon arrival and dropped my 650GS. Nothing serious and it fell into soft dirt. While my husband uprighted the bike, George insisted on driving up the driveway and bringing back the golf cart for me. Talk about making a grand entrance! Hanneke (whom I had never laid eyes on at this point) came running out to give me a big hug and make sure I was ok. During the next three days, she refused to allow me to navigate the long driveway on the bike and insisted she drive me up and down in the golf cart while Matt brought my bike down.
We were there when they were getting ready to but still battling the neighbors. I had a little oops on my way up the driveway upon arrival and dropped my 650GS. Nothing serious and it fell into soft dirt. While my husband uprighted the bike, George insisted on driving up the driveway and bringing back the golf cart for me. Talk about making a grand entrance! Hanneke (whom I had never laid eyes on at this point) came running out to give me a big hug and make sure I was ok. During the next three days, she refused to allow me to navigate the long driveway on the bike and insisted she drive me up and down in the golf cart while Matt brought my bike down.
nrpetersen
Curmudgeon
That sounds like Hanneke ..... They still have the steep driveway and only the lower part of it is paved. The top part is still crushed rock but I didn't have any problem with it going up two up with the LT. Going down was a little shaky on the crushed rock (still don't know how the linked ABS and I will get along) so I had my wife walk that little bit.
There are indeed lots of folks on the Dragon, especially on weekends. And 2 up on an LT isn't the ideal way to do it- its among the twistiest paved public roads you'll ever see. Loads of crotch rockets, plenty of Harleys and about everything on 2 wheels if you wait long enough. Mixed in with locals hauling boats and work trailers over the hills, some car club guys, etc.
In my view there are two reasons to ride it
1) To see the whole scene. I'm not aware of anything else quite like it in the east.
2) While I can think of a very few more obscure roads that are as twisty/tight, it is more of that than most, by far. As such, its not that fast. Sort of like an autocross course with elevation changes for motorcycles. Only the "cones" are trees or rock walls and slopes
Yes there are some accidents- usually the folks playing too hard and sometimes floorboard scrapers. I read that one of the local jurisdictions decided to restrict ambulance service there meaning possibly longer runs to medical care if needed. And you'd better stay in the right lane because most corners are blind. And there are usually one or two of the local cops on it but they don't bother anyone who isn't well over what is reasonable.
Its not a piece of pavement I'd want to ride every week but is unique and fun in its own way. Bikers make up the majority of visitors to Robbinsville at the NC end and are generally welcome in town for businss they bring.
In my view there are two reasons to ride it
1) To see the whole scene. I'm not aware of anything else quite like it in the east.
2) While I can think of a very few more obscure roads that are as twisty/tight, it is more of that than most, by far. As such, its not that fast. Sort of like an autocross course with elevation changes for motorcycles. Only the "cones" are trees or rock walls and slopes
Yes there are some accidents- usually the folks playing too hard and sometimes floorboard scrapers. I read that one of the local jurisdictions decided to restrict ambulance service there meaning possibly longer runs to medical care if needed. And you'd better stay in the right lane because most corners are blind. And there are usually one or two of the local cops on it but they don't bother anyone who isn't well over what is reasonable.
Its not a piece of pavement I'd want to ride every week but is unique and fun in its own way. Bikers make up the majority of visitors to Robbinsville at the NC end and are generally welcome in town for businss they bring.