Quote:
Originally Posted by stanleychief
I'm planning a ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway in early June. We are leaving KC, going to a wedding in Hermann, and from there want to take a couple of weeks and spend some time in the hills. Has anyone done a similar trip?
I want to hit up some distilleries along the way, so planning on going to Buffalo Trace in Frankfurt, then shooting over to the northern end of the parkway (either via Staunton or Lexington VA) and working my way south and then back to KC. I'd like to see Ashville, NC and ride the Tail of the Dragon on the way back.
I've got a rough idea of how the days are going to split out. I'll have the misses with me riding 2up, so not sure how much endurance she's going to have. I'm hoping to keep it light (under 300 miles a day). Are there any places that I should definitely see or skip along the way? I'm thinking of doing all interstate from St. Louis to Lexington VA, unless there's something fantastic along the way.
My current itinerary is something like:
Day 0: Kansas City to Hermann -> 188 miles
Day 1: Hermann, MO to Evansville, IN -> 244 miles
Day 2: Evansville, IN to Morehead, KY -> 258 miles
Day 3: Morehead, KY to Staunton, VA -> 332 miles
Day 4-9: Blue Ridge Pkwy to Ashville, NC -> ~500 miles
Day 10: Ashville, NC to Chattanooga, TN -> 230 miles (via Deals Gap)
Day 11: Chattanooga, TN to Memphis, TN -> 316 miles
Day 12: Memphis, TN to Eureka Springs, AR -> 288 miles
Day 13: Eureka Springs, AR to Kansas city, MO -> 228 miles
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You really can’t go wrong in this area. The idea of The Bourbon Trail is sound. Buffalo Trace, Makers, Woodruff Reserve and independent distilleries all have a beautiful ride to get there, plus the properties are stunning. For riding I really enjoyed the Suches Blood Mountain area and Cherohala Skyway. The Tail of the Dragon is alright, and I am glad I went, but be prepared for a carnival type atmosphere with a tidbit of idiocy mixed in.
I went with a couple of guys that knew the whole area like the back of their hand. We took so many logging roads and twisties, most of the time I had no idea where we were, but it was beautiful. Enjoy!