Route Planning - NC/Tenn

[BobFV1]

Okay, here's my deal. I will ride down to Charlotte, NC this coming Sunday, then on Monday I have to give two presentations and attend a business dinner. I would like to make it home to Great Falls, VA, by Tuesday eve. Is it realistic to depart Charlotte early on Tues AM, ride Deal's Gap and then loop around home? It seems like a long day - I will do the mileage on Mapsource tonight.

If it is practical, anybody recommend the best routing, especially the Charlotte to Deal's Gap segment?

TIA!

[Arby]

Bob

Dee Jones lives in Charlotte. He can give you the best routing from Charlotte to Deal's Gap.

But, if he doesn't chime in, you can check this out.

Out of Charlotte take I 85 south, then US 74 west to I 26 north to Asheville. At Asheville take I 40 west (maybe 10 miles or so)
to the Waynesville exit (aka US 74 west). US 74 is AKA The Great Smoky Mtn Expressway. Stay on 74 maybe 50 miles and watch for NC 28 to Fontana Dam. Right on 28 will take you to US 129 at the base of Deal's Gap on the NC side.

After the Gap, follow 129 to 411, north on 411 to I 40 west, then north on I 81. (Others might say follow 129 on over to I 75 north , then east on I 40, north on I 81. But I'd try to avoid Knoxsville, if it were me.

A good alt to NC 28, is to continue past the 28 turn off, ride thru the Nantahala Gorge (which I believe you are familiar with)
just as you climb the hill out of the Gorge, watch for US 129 at the top of the hill, right on 129 thru Robbinsville to the Gap.

The first is a lot more curves, the second is more sport touring, but still plenty nice. Time will probably be about the same.

Good luck on your trip.

RB

[BobFV1]

Arby thanks!

I ran the first route on Garmin Mapquest and it looks like about 779 miles - I think that if I decide to do that I will need to leave Charlotte very early, as I do have to be back Tuesday night. We shall see. One of these days I'd like to really explore that part of the country well.

Appreciate the tips.


Bob

Dee Jones lives in Charlotte. He can give you the best routing from Charlotte to Deal's Gap.

But, if he doesn't chime in, you can check this out.

Out of Charlotte take I 85 south, then US 74 west to I 26 north to Asheville. At Asheville take I 40 west (maybe 10 miles or so)
to the Waynesville exit (aka US 74 west). US 74 is AKA The Great Smoky Mtn Expressway. Stay on 74 maybe 50 miles and watch for NC 28 to Fontana Dam. Right on 28 will take you to US 129 at the base of Deal's Gap on the NC side.

After the Gap, follow 129 to 411, north on 411 to I 40 west, then north on I 81. (Others might say follow 129 on over to I 75 north , then east on I 40, north on I 81. But I'd try to avoid Knoxsville, if it were me.

A good alt to NC 28, is to continue past the 28 turn off, ride thru the Nantahala Gorge (which I believe you are familiar with)
just as you climb the hill out of the Gorge, watch for US 129 at the top of the hill, right on 129 thru Robbinsville to the Gap.

The first is a lot more curves, the second is more sport touring, but still plenty nice. Time will probably be about the same.

Good luck on your trip.

RB

[black6]

You probably have already left but I think you need to slab it. I took the parkway once and it took ALL day to get to maggy valley- well short of the gap.

[BobFV1]

Had a nice ride to Charlotte today - 400 miles - left home at 0900 and arrived here at 1600. Did the I95 slab to Richmond, VA, then followed US 360 from Richmond over to Danville, VA, which is where VIR is. From Danville I got on to US 29 south to Greensboro, NC, and on in to Charlotte.

Only glitch was the route I picked through Richmond - took me through I part of Richmond I will know to avoid in the future - not the best part of town!

On Tuesday I plan to ride back via Lynchburg, Va, and visit Hammersley BMW (http://www.webparts.com/cycles/index.htm)

I had planned to take an extra day and go back down to the gap, but I do have to work sometimes so by riding back through Lynchburg I can get to my office Tuesday afternoon for a couple of hours.

Ride safe everyone :039:

[BobFV1]

Thanks for the riding tips. I just blasted home up route 29 yesterday - had to be in the office in the afternoon.

The GS is a great bike. Hammersley BMW is a BMW motorcycle dealership tucked in a M-B auto dealership - I thought I was in the wrong place at first. They seemed like cool bubs, though, and I bought a tee shirt. Not exactly a "destination" shop, though.