I have had some out-of-towners mention that they have a hard time finding threads from rides and riders in North Carolina. I'm thinking this thread will be easy to find, and since there are so many good places to ride in Eastern Tennessee and SW Virginia, why not include them too. There are some really good threads from this area, like MountainNate's and many more on ADV Rider. Please post links to those on this thread so visitors can go directly to them.
A little bit north, but maybe on the way for folks heading to/from your area: www.RidingWV.com It's my collection of ride reports, photos, and things to see in West Virginia. Hope you don't mind me adding it. If you'd rather keep it VA/TN/NC exclusively, I understand and I will try to delete the post. Thanks. .
Thank you for adding this link pnoman. Very much appreciated. I was in DC last summer and needed to get home to Deep Gap, NC in a day. Took hwy 50 west over to Redmond, Maryland where I turned south on hwy 219. Within 10 miles I was in WV. Took 219 all the way south to I77 near Princeton which I got on and hightailed it the rest of the way home in the dark. 219 is an amazing ride! It is like one long video game as it winds from one small town to another! Hundreds of miles of the most enjoyable pavement ever.
Usually toward the end of the day's ride, in a remote area, with no cell service, where I have no business riding, oh and By Myself - I suddenly make the decision, "What the heck. Lets see where this goes." One day a few weeks ago I was at the bottom of Sheets Gap Road / Old Highway 18 in North Wilkes county below the BRP. Decided to go up Darnell Creek. This was the first sign that I should have said Hmmm, and doubled back. But I didn't.
The first water crossing really wasn't that bad. Probably only 18" deep. The second one was a little deeper, then the third one actually followed up the creek for about 50 yards. It was about midway up on the cylinders. Probably why they call the road Darnell CREEK! You can see where the road follows the creek near the top of this photo.
Just look how clean my bike is. Nothing like creek riding to spruce her up! Unfortunately, this marked my turning back. It was getting dark. I was tired. And there was this Big Ole rock that I had to hooch down to get both wheels back on the ground. After a lot of prayer and sweat I did manage to get turned down the trail. Made it back to the pavement without mishap. Next time I along a riding buddy and we will ride to the end. More to come....
There is a little jewel of a place tucked away at the junction of some great riding roads in the foot hills of WNC. One of the best ways to get there is to exit off highway 321 between Blowing Rock and Boone, NC onto AHO road/state rd 1529. This takes you to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Turn right on the BRP then take the first left onto Sampson road/state rd 1526. This takes you off down the mountain into the valley pictured here:
Sampson road is a smooth gravel road. It is another road that was a main thoroughfare 120 years ago. At the bottom of the road be sure to go right onto Old Sampson road. It's just a jog down to Buffalo Cove road. Here you will find one of those little places that makes you go Ah Ha! It is called the Buffalo Mercantile Company. They have a small grill with seating on the patio in back and some very unique items in their store. This is one of those places that need our support as we ride around and enjoy these wonderful roads. Here are some photos:
Its another great winter to ride if you don't have electronic gear, which I don't! BUT even though there were a couple of perfect days this week I couldn't break away from work. I did take off a few hours last week and took advantage of living beside the Blue Ridge Parkway and some fantastic paved roads. Starting out here heading South on the BRP from Deep Gap, NC
Heading on around Grandfather Mountain. Stopping to have a look see down in the Globe Valley, Mortimer, and Edgemont. Some of the best gravel and forest service road riding in the area! Good view of Table Rock and Hawks Bill in the Linville Gorge area.
Took a left onto Adako road at the foot of the mountain then turned right down Playmore Beach road, which is across the road from Brown Mountain Beach road. Stopped to take a photo of a water hole where you can climb up and swing into the creek. Bet this place is full of high school kids in the summer!
Headed on out Adako road through Collettsville, NC then out Warrior road to the intersection of it and Hwy 321 North of Lenoir and South of Blowing Rock. Had lunch at Cheeks Crossroads. Great burgers and fried chicken!
