Dan Cooper
Well-known member
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Actually, you did ask for advice, and then you blew it off. It's all about reading comprehension and memory my friend.
dan
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BRP in 1 day
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Actually, you did ask for advice, and then you blew it off. It's all about reading comprehension and memory my friend.
dan
Yes comprehension seems to be a problem. You said "The way I like to ride, I like to see, and experience, as much countryside as I can on a trip". Yet everybody is telling you you're not going to "see, and experience" much on the BRP if you intend on doing it in one day.
Tough to comprehend the contradictions...
"When I ride alone, I don't like to take a lot of time stopping at every picturesque view that presents itself."
"The way I like to ride, I like to see, and experience, as much countryside as I can on a trip".
No need for me to discuss any further. Have a great trip.
Tough to comprehend the contradictions...
"When I ride alone, I don't like to take a lot of time stopping at every picturesque view that presents itself."
"The way I like to ride, I like to see, and experience, as much countryside as I can on a trip".
No need for me to discuss any further. Have a great trip.
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Another factor you might consider is the weather. When it's just raining on the lower elevations, the Parkway will likely be up in the clouds (dense fog). I've ridden there when the weather is like that and s slow going.
rbentnail
Economic Plankton
This is true. Not too bad in the northern parts but south of Roanoke, VA the increased elevation can cause some really dense fog. Not fun riding in that I can tell ya! Couldn't wait to get off it.
Well I can't say I'm a real big fan of fog myself either. So is the fog more prevalent this time of year, or does that not matter?
Also a bit curious about what to expect on Hwy(?) 12 going from Kitty Hawk down to Hatteras. Looks like a pretty slow going road, almost residential in a lot of parts, and hopefully with LD weekend past the summer vacation crowd will have left.
Also a bit curious about what to expect on Hwy(?) 12 going from Kitty Hawk down to Hatteras. Looks like a pretty slow going road, almost residential in a lot of parts, and hopefully with LD weekend past the summer vacation crowd will have left.
rbentnail
Economic Plankton
Time of yr doesn't matter for the fog, weather does.
Hwy 12 is a slow going road year round. Past Labor Day generally makes no difference. Take the ferry to Ocracoke and you can visit 3 lighthouses. Ocracoke, Hatteras and Bodie Island. Take another ferry to Cedar Island and then continue on your way to Harkers Island for a boat ride to Cape Lookout lighthouse. Being out there is like standing on the edge of the world.
Hwy 12 is a slow going road year round. Past Labor Day generally makes no difference. Take the ferry to Ocracoke and you can visit 3 lighthouses. Ocracoke, Hatteras and Bodie Island. Take another ferry to Cedar Island and then continue on your way to Harkers Island for a boat ride to Cape Lookout lighthouse. Being out there is like standing on the edge of the world.
rbentnail
Economic Plankton
And maybe stop in at the Wright Bros National Memorial
That actually is near the top of my list of sites to see.
Bugnatr
Well-known member
+1 for the Wright Bros Memorial and Bodie Light house was well worth the time to go inside. Someday I want to get back to the outerbanks-good stuff.
Mike, I'll be waiting for your report on the 15 hour thing, sounds lofty but only one way to know for sure!
It's beginning to get foggier as the nights cool down but it's pretty unpredictable. Don't rule it out as a possibility. There are also times when it's foggy down below and crystal clear on the Parkway.
One other thought about BRP, although, of course, it applies elsewhere. Riding in the back of beyond means there's a bigger chance of encountering wildlife. So far, nothing big's jumped out at us during the days we've been on the BRP, but that doesn't ol' Brer Bear might not wander out to say howdy. OTOH, dodged a rattler or two sunning itself on the far side of a stone wall on a lookout parking area.
Going back to an earlier comment, the BRP is also a commuter's road, with people actually having lives using the road to conduct same.
Regarding Kittyhawk, the park ranger presentation on the Flyer was one of the most moving accounts I've experienced. Don't know exactly why, but it pushed all the right buttons. I think part of it was finding out more about who Wilbur and Orville were, and how they came to be even messing with the idea of flying in the first place. If you look up instinctively to see what plane is flying by overhead, go there!
NPS Senior Pass - for those old enough to benefit from having one, Get It!! Unless you're going to visit only one or two national parks in your lifetime, this rascal is worth the price. Pull up to an entrance station, hand the ranger your pass and photo ID, collect you park map and words of wisdom, and continue on, without having paid a cent to get into the park. Ah, the good old days... IIRC I paid $10 in St. Augustine for mine. BTW, passes are good for up to four people.
Going back to an earlier comment, the BRP is also a commuter's road, with people actually having lives using the road to conduct same.
Regarding Kittyhawk, the park ranger presentation on the Flyer was one of the most moving accounts I've experienced. Don't know exactly why, but it pushed all the right buttons. I think part of it was finding out more about who Wilbur and Orville were, and how they came to be even messing with the idea of flying in the first place. If you look up instinctively to see what plane is flying by overhead, go there!
NPS Senior Pass - for those old enough to benefit from having one, Get It!! Unless you're going to visit only one or two national parks in your lifetime, this rascal is worth the price. Pull up to an entrance station, hand the ranger your pass and photo ID, collect you park map and words of wisdom, and continue on, without having paid a cent to get into the park. Ah, the good old days... IIRC I paid $10 in St. Augustine for mine. BTW, passes are good for up to four people.
BigOgre
Well-known member
Pick this up and hopefully get it in before the visit. An excellent read. (McCullough just recently passed.)
Bugnatr
Well-known member
Or one bike. They are increased to $80 now, but at 25.00 to get in the major parks mine paid for it's self in one year. Got mine the day I turned 62.
Won't have the time to read it as I head out this Thursday. But if I see it at a store in KH, I'll be sure to pick it up. The brothers have always amazed me, former bicycle shop owners I believe.
BigOgre
Well-known member
Yup, they were. One of the things that's sorta hard to grasp is the speed at which flight developed. After figuring it out as a younger man Orville was still alive to witness the thousands of planes flying throughout WW II.
DoggyDaddy
Member
I rode Skyline and BRP several years ago when I was living in PA. I tend to keep riding (briskly) and not stop a lot, I do like to stop and see some things (as long as they are not overrun with tourists) but after a couple scenic overlooks / photo ops they start to feel repetitive.
I spent 2 days riding that part of my trip, starting north of Skyline (about an hour to get to the north end, IIRC), went into town for lunch (probably about 1-1/2 hour side trip) and ended an hour + after the southern end of BRP. I don't remember how far I went on Skyline but between the 35 MPH speed limit and the tourist traffic I started to feel like it was a waste of time and I bailed out, went to a main road and jumped to the end of BRP. My trip was in mid to late September.
I, too, had limited amount of time, riding was my main goal (and riding enjoyment, not just sitting in a line of traffic), and I had a lot of other roads I wanted to ride. I decided that if I was ever traveling in the area in a car with my wife I would try Skyline again but wouldn't ride it on a motorcycle. I would probably give a "1 day BRP trip" a shot given the chance; would try to set it up so I was starting and ending the day relatively near the ends and take food & water with me.
That doesn't exactly answer your question about how doable it is but I'll give you a +1 on trying it.
I spent 2 days riding that part of my trip, starting north of Skyline (about an hour to get to the north end, IIRC), went into town for lunch (probably about 1-1/2 hour side trip) and ended an hour + after the southern end of BRP. I don't remember how far I went on Skyline but between the 35 MPH speed limit and the tourist traffic I started to feel like it was a waste of time and I bailed out, went to a main road and jumped to the end of BRP. My trip was in mid to late September.
I, too, had limited amount of time, riding was my main goal (and riding enjoyment, not just sitting in a line of traffic), and I had a lot of other roads I wanted to ride. I decided that if I was ever traveling in the area in a car with my wife I would try Skyline again but wouldn't ride it on a motorcycle. I would probably give a "1 day BRP trip" a shot given the chance; would try to set it up so I was starting and ending the day relatively near the ends and take food & water with me.
That doesn't exactly answer your question about how doable it is but I'll give you a +1 on trying it.
Bill FJR
Member
The BRP should be doable in one day. Not sure about Skyline Drive + BRP. Midweek is best, as is the window between when the kiddies go back to school and the foliage starts to color up.
They removed the gas stations from the rest stops and visitors centers, so you have to get off the BRP for gas. Advance planning helps here - some stations are less than a mile off the parkway while others can be quite a distance.
As others have noted, weather is a factor - particularly fog. But you’re never far from I-81 so if you need to bail and make time that option is always available.
Finally, I will join the chorus of others with the opinion that this is not a particularly good way to enjoy the BRP. You will have to ride at a pace that demands a lot of attention to the road and traffic and you will have to maintain a constant lookout for wildlife and law enforcement. The experience will be akin to eating a fine meal as quickly as possible. Yes, it can be done, but at the expense of the satisfaction that would otherwise accompany the event.
Good luck!.
They removed the gas stations from the rest stops and visitors centers, so you have to get off the BRP for gas. Advance planning helps here - some stations are less than a mile off the parkway while others can be quite a distance.
As others have noted, weather is a factor - particularly fog. But you’re never far from I-81 so if you need to bail and make time that option is always available.
Finally, I will join the chorus of others with the opinion that this is not a particularly good way to enjoy the BRP. You will have to ride at a pace that demands a lot of attention to the road and traffic and you will have to maintain a constant lookout for wildlife and law enforcement. The experience will be akin to eating a fine meal as quickly as possible. Yes, it can be done, but at the expense of the satisfaction that would otherwise accompany the event.
Good luck!.
graytaz
Well-known member
The deer start to yard up, especially at higher altitudes and along Skyline Drive, in early September so be on the lookout for multiples, not the doubles and triples you might otherwise have come across. I've seen multiple bear sightings along the Skyline in September, both on two and four wheels.
Enjoy your ride.
I have been riding most of the BRP for over 15 yrs, and have completed E2E rides a couple of times. I have never seen fuel available on the BRP, always have to get off somewhere. At what point in time did the BRP have fuel available without having to exit?
The last gas available on the Parkway was at Doughton Park (mile 240). I gassed up there in 2005, when I went through in 2006, it was gone. Used to be available at the three lodges, Peaks of Otter, Doughton Park, and Pisgah Inn. Been a few years since I've been on Skyline Drive but, when I was last there, gas was available at Big Meadows (mile 51), the only place it's available on Skyline.
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