Skyline?

[snikr]

We're riding the Blue Ridge Parkway The end of this month starting from Front Royal, VA. I've heard before the Skyline Drive isn't as good as the Blue Ridge. Is this true? Should we just skip the Skyline and ride just the BRP?? TIA

Tom

 

[luvtoride]

If you are looking for beautiful scenery, Skyline is definitely as good as the BRP. If you're looking to speed, it is the wrong place to be (unless you have pocketsfull of money). The BRP as well as Skyline Dr is federal land. As so, they do not take kindly to speeding. Fines up to $500.00 are not unusual from what I understand. The good news is that a speeding ticket up there yields no points on your license. They just charge you out the orifice for that priviledge. Be aware that SLD is a National Park & there is a fee to get onto it. Also the speed limit tops out at 35 MPH. For sure, the curves in the park beg for higher limits.... but the scenery is gorgeous! The BRP speed limit is tops 45. If you plan to exceed these limits, I'd be careful... really careful by how much.

Have a good time. This is definitely not a rushed ride... but a gorgeous one. If I was planning on a trip down from up north & not in a hurry, I'd ride it, Heidi

 

[Mr Bill]

We're riding the Blue Ridge Parkway The end of this month starting from Front Royal, VA. I've heard before the Skyline Drive isn't as good as the Blue Ridge. Is this true? Should we just skip the Skyline and ride just the BRP?? TIA
Tom

SKD/BRP is my favorite road. Speed limit is 10 less on SKD 35 vs 45. I usaully cruise around 45-50 on SKD as long as I can see around the corner and this can be a pretty fun pace for me. I run the radar detector and I don't pass the utility trucks on the double yellow, cause they all have radios.

here is a copy of my post on the mtf:

31707.7 in reply to 31707.1

Skyline Drive is going through a major overhaul to be ready for it's 75th anniversary in 2010.

Certain sections between mile 31.5 and 65.5 will be reduced to one lane weekdays sunrise to sunset causing delays up to 15 minutes during 2008.

I was there Patriots Day and got covered in dust on the way down and mud on the way back home. I think the GS guys will love it!

 

[motorcycle-ed]

It seems others have covered most of the points about this ride. I have ridden the entire length of the BRP and SLD several times. The only time I got caught speeding was on SLD. Heed the warnings...they WILL catch you if go through there speeding. You can get by with 55 or so on the BRP with the 45 limit and more curves and more elevation changes. Still SLD is pretty and worth seeing..just keep the speed down. If you find yourself on the southern end of the BRP and have a GPS, you need to get off the parkway and ride the roads up around north and west of Asheville, NC, Hot Springs, NC, Roan Mountain TN. Fantastic roads and no traffic.

Motorcycle-Ed

2006 AE

 

[squeezer]

My comments are just more of the same. Skyline is very pretty and very slow unless you want a ticket. It's worth the scenery if you've never done it before. Having ridden it twice, I think my job there is done.

 

[snikr]

Thanks for the input guys. We know the speed limit is low. We were just wondering if it was worth the trip. Seeing as I've only done the southern end of BRP up to Ashville it looks like the SLD is worthwhile. Thanks again.

Tom

 

[NormK]

I have done the entire BRP and Skyline Drive and I can agree it is all very beautiful. One word of caution other than the fuzz. On Skyline be extra careful looking for deer. They were very abundant in this area.

 

[luvtoride]

On Skyline be extra careful looking for deer. They were very abundant in this area.

Ohhhh yeahhhh, I completely forgot about that one. I am sure one of the reasons that the speed limit tis so low. I think that there are a lot of bears, also.

BRP has a lot of deer, also... although, I've seen them very sporadically.

 

[FJR Gary]

Ohhhh yeahhhh, I completely forgot about that one. I am sure one of the reasons that the speed limit tis so low. I think that there are a lot of bears, also.

Yup, the last time I was on Skyline, we had encounters with both the 4-legged kind and the 4-wheel kind

A mama bear and her cub ran across the road right in front of us, and when we were stopped at an overlook a Park Ranger stopped by and reminded us to "take it easy". I prefer the BRP over Skyline any day.

 

[snikr]

31707.7 in reply to 31707.1 Skyline Drive is going through a major overhaul to be ready for it's 75th anniversary in 2010.

Certain sections between mile 31.5 and 65.5 will be reduced to one lane weekdays sunrise to sunset causing delays up to 15 minutes during 2008.

I was there Patriots Day and got covered in dust on the way down and mud on the way back home. I think the GS guys will love it!

This is a time killer and we might have to skip the SLD for this reason. Any more info on this??

Tom

 

[charismaticmegafauna]

Certain sections between mile 31.5 and 65.5 will be reduced to one lane weekdays sunrise to sunset causing delays up to 15 minutes during 2008.

This is a time killer and we might have to skip the SLD for this reason. Any more info on this??

Tom

Tom: the whole thing is a "time killer".... Seriously, it's really kind'a difficult if there are any time constraints. Sometimes the weather is really foggy at higher elevations and you won't be able to see anything -- and, it'll be dangerous. Often, you'll (all y'all -- you did say 'we'?) want to stop at overlooks and displays and such (eat cobbler) -- you just can't 'make time'.

Once I was touring with friends, as couples, on the BRP and there was just so much to see and do (in that particular section) that we only made about 50 miles -- for the whole day!

It's a beautiful ride and a great experience -- but, can be kind'a frustrating if there's not much time.... :huh:

 

[Charlie Hoss]

I think the Skyline is awesome, but when heading south the Blue Ridge is not nearly as good as far as Roanoke. Then after Roanoke, it gets much better as you head towards the southern end.

You can get on and off the Skyline at different points along the way. My last trip there, we did the Skyline for a couple of hours , then got off and made up some time on I-81 to Roanoke, then got back on the BRP. If you encounter lots of fog up there, get off onto 221 where the fog will not be and the speed limit is 55, with plenty of curves.

 

[snikr]

You can get on and off the Skyline at different points along the way. My last trip there, we did the Skyline for a couple of hours , then got off and made up some time on I-81 to Roanoke, then got back on the BRP. If you encounter lots of fog up there, get off onto 221 where the fog will not be and the speed limit is 55, with plenty of curves.

Thanks Charlie. I'll pass the word along to Ron. Whatever happens I know we'll have a good time.

Tom

 

[RayW]

Not meaning to hijack the thread here but the one ride I've taken on SLD was one of my most favorite rides NOT on a bike.

My wife and I had flown to VA to buy a Miata. A 1996 M Edition. After taking posesion of the car we jumped on the freeway to head back to Nashville, TN. After driving for a bit we stopped for lunch and saw the signs for SLD. We figured "what the heck" and headed that way.

It was a GLORIOUS spring day...the first day with our Miata....the top was down....and a twisty, (but slow) road with amazing scenery. Who could ask for more? (except maybe two less wheels! )

One other funny incident was when we were paying the fee to get on the road. We handed over our money and the Ranger looks at us and asks if we mind if he says something. Expecting the lecture on speed limits and sports cars we let him talk. Instead of the lecture his face lit up and he said, "I LOVE your car, man!!" So of course we had to sit there and talk cars for a few min, much to the anoyance of the Chrysler 300M sitting behind me.

Ray

 

[toophast]

BRP: try to maintain 50 to 55 mph through EVERYTHING and you will have a GREAT ride, can do / have done the whole 465 miles in 10 hours or so. All that is said re the SLD is true, but worth the extra time at the tail end of your trip for the scenery alone, regardless of the speed limit. Besides, you will then be able to say "been there, done that" when you read about it in magazine articles. :yahoo:

 

[FJR1300A]

One minor note to add, is to watch out for stopped cars!!!!

I ride the BRP at least once a year if not three or four times, but have only ridden SKD once for a lot of the same reasons that everyone else has already listed, but let me add this...

I was riding SKD and came around a bend at about 40mph to find a car stopped in the my lane directly in front of me so I stop as quickly as possible, then I notice that everyone in the car was looking to the left. So I looked and I see a bear and her cubs coming straight for me! So I roll on the throttle and take off around the car as quickly as I can.

While I'm sure the idiots in the cage would have enjoyed the site of a pissed off bear eating the dumbass biker behind them, I wasn't in the mood to be lunch.

 

[S76]

BRP tickets for 65 in a 45 is $100. Passing in a no passing zone is $100. No points on your license.

Or so I'm told.