Kawasaki Concours Forum

Riding => Rides and Stories => Topic started by: sas mayhem on June 07, 2011, 02:15:28 PM

Title: Back from BRP.....
Post by: sas mayhem on June 07, 2011, 02:15:28 PM
and it was GREAT , it was about 210 miles for the first leg to Marion NC.  My girlfriend and I stayed the night at a Super*, that to my surprise was quite nice.  We ran into 4 gentlemen from Canada on the HD's that were very nice too. Thanks to :hail: gpzrocker   he is from that neck of the woods he gave us a very nice route to take and I had the pleasure of meeting up with him.  Very pleasant person and gave great directions.  We went to Chimney Rock http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/ (http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/) and to Lake James http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/laja/main.php (http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/laja/main.php) dang it was great.  We spent the night at The Switzerland Inn. http://www.switzerlandinn.com/rooms/diamondback.html (http://www.switzerlandinn.com/rooms/diamondback.html) SCHWEEEET place the settle down and cheap, 69.00 per night.  :thumbs: . When we were there the Inn was hosting a Porsche Boxer meet so they were all over the place.
  We hit more of the mountain roads on Sunday and did the Diamondback route http://www.diamondbacknc.com/ (http://www.diamondbacknc.com/) , very exciting turns.  I didn't do Route 80, I think my Connie would need to upgrade on some springs for that.  I felt that I was really working (physically) to get the Connie around and it was my first time experiencing these types of roads.  We are planning another trip back as soon as we get so free time.  I owe gpzroker a ride.  ;)  We did a total of 612 miles on the weekend and it was great.
 Here are some pictures.

Cheers
Ron

On the way up to Chimney Rock
(http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j419/mayhem47/allsorts014.jpg)
(http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j419/mayhem47/allsorts078.jpg)
(http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j419/mayhem47/allsorts079.jpg)
(http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j419/mayhem47/allsorts026.jpg)
These 3 were also from Canada too
(http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j419/mayhem47/allsorts099.jpg)
And your truly and Angela.
(http://i1084.photobucket.com/albums/j419/mayhem47/allsorts085.jpg)

We must do a return trip soon.  I'll be ordering some Sonic springs first.
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: Jet on June 07, 2011, 03:37:31 PM
Very nice!
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: gpzrocker on June 07, 2011, 04:24:18 PM
We get you a hotel to ditch the saddlebags and maybe the Givi and that would help with the handling.  At least it did for me.

Pic 2 and 3 are of Lake Lure and the Hotel that Dirty Dancing was filmed at. Lake James was on the Diamondback loop, the goat trail known as Lake James road.

If you can make it down 226A alive, then you would be OK on 80. Fish Hatchery probably wore ya out.

I can see Boone in the forecast: just the ride there and back is worth it, but I will have some of my buds let me know where to go.
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: Sea Level on June 07, 2011, 06:42:21 PM
I'll be heading down there this Friday! Can't wait!
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: sas mayhem on June 08, 2011, 01:55:18 AM
We get you a hotel to ditch the saddlebags and maybe the Givi and that would help with the handling.  At least it did for me.

Pic 2 and 3 are of Lake Lure and the Hotel that Dirty Dancing was filmed at. Lake James was on the Diamondback loop, the goat trail known as Lake James road.

I can see Boone in the forecast: just the ride there and back is worth it, but I will have some of my buds let me know where to go.

Lake Lure, that's right  :-[
Thanks we are already planning a date.  ;)
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: speed545 on June 08, 2011, 04:27:41 AM
Hey great thread. I m planning to ride the BRP on august. I ll keep your infos.

You probably  met some of our fellows riders from our community here in Quebec.

Derry
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: George R. Young on June 08, 2011, 08:15:28 AM
September myself. It adds challenge to arrange the trip between hurricanes.

But school is back in, motor homes have returned to their winter homes, campgrounds are almost empty, and it's a bit cooler.
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: shiney on June 08, 2011, 08:24:08 AM
The BRP is always better during the week and/or early morning/evening.
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: sas mayhem on June 08, 2011, 01:34:25 PM
Oh I almost forgot, please don't forget to pack water....a lot.  That way you don't have to pull off the parkway to wet your whistle.  ;)  Also if your using a map make sure it's updated.  The small map I got from ROK, didn't have most of the roads on them as gpzrocker pointed out.  No I don't have a gps yet.

Cheers
Ron
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: mlf73 on June 09, 2011, 11:12:02 AM
I love that Little Switzerland area....very nice.  226A was one of the scariest roads I've ever been on I think if I remember correctly.  If you run off the edge of that one in some places you may never be seen again!
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: sas mayhem on June 09, 2011, 02:14:06 PM
If you run off the edge of that one in some places you may never be seen again!
Soooo true, there were time that Angela really squeezed down on me when looking over the edge. I can't wait to go back..... soooooon.

Cheers
Ron
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: gpzrocker on June 09, 2011, 02:58:08 PM
Yeah, it is hard to put a guardrail 4 feet above the road when it will be 103 feet tall....

And I like to scare passengers a little bit.

Funny, 80 is more technical to me than 226A, and I haven't even shown you the fun way to Lake Lure yet....
Title: Re: Back from BRP.....
Post by: sas mayhem on June 09, 2011, 03:26:04 PM
Funny, 80 is more technical to me than 226A, and I haven't even shown you the fun way to Lake Lure yet....

No you have not, I look forward to it.   ;)