Asphalt Redemption: BLUE RIDGE MTS. RIDE REPORT Sept 2012

BLUE RIDGE MTS. RIDE REPORT
My Sept 2012 trip from NJ to Ft Lauderdale FL and back

Click on the link below to view the active map.
Red line is Southbound. Blue line Northbound
http://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/BlueRidgeMt

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway built during FDRs' Civil Works Program during the 30's. The parkway runs for 469 miles, mostly along the Blue Ridge Mts, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. The parkway begins at the southern terminus of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and runs to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina. It is a non-commercial road and traffic is limited to RV's, tourists and motorcycles. The speed limit is 40mph. Cell Phone service is spotty to none and gas can only be had by jumping off the parkway and heading into a town a few miles. The Blue Ridge Parkway offers some of the best rural motorcycle riding on the East coast with abundant twistys and a variety of campsites along the way. The views are spectacular and viewing pull overs are frequent. I highly recommend this ride.

Stats:
Total Miles Traveled: 3055 miles
States traveled thru: PA, VA, GA, SC, NC, DE, MD, FL
Highest Elevation: 6683 ft. Mt Mitchell N. Carolina
Coldest Temp: 35 Deg. Mt. Mitchell
Total riding time: 5 1/2 days (3 on the blue ridge)
Nights camping: 4
Total meals purchased on trip: 2
Breakdowns: 1 stator, 1 locked up back brake
Day1: Allenhurst to #1 marker campsite in The Blue Ridge
Day2: campsite#1 to campsite#2 (it takes a full day of riding to reach each site)
Day3: campsite#2 to campsite#3
Day4: campsite#3 to Ft Lauderdale FL (blue star) 15 hours
Day5.5: Return trip: Ft Lauderdale FL to campsite#4 onto NJ

Equipment list:Sleeping bag, back pack, stove, cooking fuel, kettle, spoon, food, water, earplugs, toilet paper, tools, BMW manual, air mattress, leatherman multi-tool, Gps, Tent, tire tubes, maps, compass, head lamp, lighter, empty gallon water jug, oil, axe, pain reliever, clothing, small bible, camera, tire pressure gauge, towel, solar powered cell phone charger, air pump, first aid kit, shaving kit, rain suit
Equipment failures: Gps burned out, 1 boot sole destroyed, 1 air mattress.

The Good: The weather was excellent for the entire trip. The middle of Sept has those crisp mornings and warm afternoons, Everything on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the views, people, historical stuff and the roads were awesome. Camping on Mt Mitchell was a treat at 6683 ft up in the clouds, The Blue Ridge Parkway was virtually empty except for the occasional RV and fellow riders so riding was peaceful.

The Bad: Bears outside my tent, 4 hours of sleep a night, I95 is the most mind numbing of highways, and trucks! The buffering that occurs at 75 mph when a truck gets near you while riding is like being in a losing pillow fight at high speed.

The Ugly: Hitting a piece of truck retread at 70 MPH on I95 and almost crashing.

The Weird: Happened upon some Gypsies one afternoon when I rolled into a campsite. I relocated across the mountain & took my chances with the bears instead.

If you have never been riding thru The Blue Ridge Mts, I highly recommend it!