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BRP Challenge

svo68

svo68

Scooter
Going to burn the Parkway June 30th leaving Waynesboro, VA at 6:30. Anyone interested in making the ride with me? There is a hotel in Maggie Valley giving a discount. Not sure about the ride back, but there are many roads around that area worth riding. Many more between here and there worth the trip too. Let me know.
 
I would be interested in making this trip. I would be riding one up on a C14. (Cant talk my wife into the 900 mile trip up from Florida) Let me know if you are going forward with it.  (Floridas Turnpike 318 miles, 11 turns) 8)
 
Hey Big Wheel. Rides still on. I'm on a 05 connie. Wife not going on this one either. You can email me at svo68@hotmail.com for more info. The ride is also on the calander, gives the hotel info, etc. Hope to hear from you.
 
I'm thinking of heading down that way on my way to Deals Gap during Memorial Day Weekend. If that doesn't work out I may head down with you.
 
Would love to have you guys join in. Thbe more the merrier! Ride is on calander. More info there. If you want, just email me.  ZG1400A9, what brings you up this way?
 
I think if I was going to try this I would want to start at the Southern end and go North.  The Southern end is more technical and I think I'd want to do that when I'm fresh and leave the easier Northern sweepers for when I might be tired.  Also by going North there would probably be less issues with the sun in your eyes at the end of the day.
 
COG-528 said:
I think if I was going to try this I would want to start at the Southern end and go North.  The Southern end is more technical and I think I'd want to do that when I'm fresh and leave the easier Northern sweepers for when I might be tired.  Also by going North there would probably be less issues with the sun in your eyes at the end of the day.
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Actually, unless you are pushing yourself too much where you will tire yourself out, you will get better at the curves as each day passes.  At least that is what I found.  Confidence builds each day on the tight curves.  Of course if you becoming sleep deprived as the trip progresses you will probably negate that.
 
I'm planning on leading a small group down to the BRP in early september. I'm looking forward to it as I haven't had the chance to do a ride down there in several years.

tentative route from PA to the dragon and points in between:  http://goo.gl/maps/vNuX

seeya

Mark
 
twowheeladdict said:
COG-528 said:
I think if I was going to try this I would want to start at the Southern end and go North.  The Southern end is more technical and I think I'd want to do that when I'm fresh and leave the easier Northern sweepers for when I might be tired.  Also by going North there would probably be less issues with the sun in your eyes at the end of the day.
Click to expand...

Actually, unless you are pushing yourself too much where you will tire yourself out, you will get better at the curves as each day passes.  At least that is what I found.  Confidence builds each day on the tight curves.  Of course if you becoming sleep deprived as the trip progresses you will probably negate that.
Click to expand...
We are talking about a ONE DAY TRIP here.  That is why the name of this thread is BRP Challenge.  A one day trip means there is no getting better at the curves as each day passes. :-[ 

But there is plenty of potential for slower reaction times and sloppier technique as the day progresses. :(  The Southern end of the BRP is tighter with a lot of blind curves compared to the Northern end so it makes more demand on your riding skills.  So I stand by my statement that I would want to do the Southern end when I'm fresher and not at the end of a 10-12 hour day of riding.
 
COG-528 said:
twowheeladdict said:
COG-528 said:
I think if I was going to try this I would want to start at the Southern end and go North.  The Southern end is more technical and I think I'd want to do that when I'm fresh and leave the easier Northern sweepers for when I might be tired.  Also by going North there would probably be less issues with the sun in your eyes at the end of the day.
Click to expand...

Actually, unless you are pushing yourself too much where you will tire yourself out, you will get better at the curves as each day passes.  At least that is what I found.  Confidence builds each day on the tight curves.  Of course if you becoming sleep deprived as the trip progresses you will probably negate that.
Click to expand...
We are talking about a ONE DAY TRIP here.  That is why the name of this thread is BRP Challenge.  A one day trip means there is no getting better at the curves as each day passes. :-[ 

But there is plenty of potential for slower reaction times and sloppier technique as the day progresses. :(  The Southern end of the BRP is tighter with a lot of blind curves compared to the Northern end so it makes more demand on your riding skills.  So I stand by my statement that I would want to do the Southern end when I'm fresher and not at the end of a 10-12 hour day of riding.
Click to expand...

No offense intended, but riding the BRP in one day is a waste of a good road, IMO.  The road is all about the sights, sounds, overlooks, stops, etc.  Might as well just stay on the interstate and check mark another 1000 miles logged on the bike.  Have fun! :)  Remember that the northern end of the road is chock full of deer.

BRP_ride018.jpg
 
such doubters,  :-X negativity,  :'( naysayers, :)  i'm doing the ride from the northern end because i live 5 miles from marker zero. yep lots of deer on the northern end, probably lots of them on the southern end too. they are running all over the place around Waynesboro. i have ridden the pkwy a couple times and stopping at each pull off to take pics, etc is a been there done that. trying something different this time.

if anyone would like to do it on a 2 or 3 day trip, drop me a line. i'll do that too.  8)

should be a nice day of nice curves. then relax and enjoy the evening.  :beerchug:








 
twowheeladdict said:
No offense intended, but riding the BRP in one day is a waste of a good road, IMO.  The road is all about the sights, sounds, overlooks, stops, etc.  Might as well just stay on the interstate and check mark another 1000 miles logged on the bike.  Have fun! :)  Remember that the northern end of the road is chock full of deer.

BRP_ride018.jpg
Click to expand...

This thread is about Tim's desire to do something different on the BRP . . . not mine.  I personally have no desire to try to do the entire BRP in one day but I have done large portions of it in one day.  When I ride the BRP I rarely stop because I enjoy the rhythm of the ride and the scenery as I go by.  I suppose I should stop and take some photos but the rhythm just keeps carrying me on.  I hope to ride a good portion of the BRP on my way home from the National in Eureka Springs.
 
Hi Tim
After riding around Deals Gap and the surrounding areas, where we were covering maybe 250 miles per day, I think a 500 mile blast on BRP in one day is too much for my old body. I made that trip in a car a long time ago and took 2 days to enjoy the driving and the views. The road is beautiful as well as fun to ride/drive, but you need to take the time to enjoy it. I hope you have a great time and make it safely. I also agree with COG-528 that riding south to north, if you are doing the trip in one day is a lot safer. The southern end is far more technical than the northern end, so if you ride south the difficulty will be increasing as you get more tired.
Regards, Ed ;)
 
IMHO every rider will have a different opinion on how they want to enjoy the BRP... none are the best and none are wrong.  I've ridden the BRP several times and have done the tourista thing over several days and stopped at the overlooks on my first two trips.  I've also did the entire length of the BRP in one day on the way home from the 2009 National Rally without stopping for anything but pit stops and food.  There is something about being able to ride uninterrupted using "The Pace" for 400+ miles on wonderful scenic mountain ridgeline roads.

If this posted BRP Challenge ride is not your cup of tea, don't go... no one twisting your arm.  And there is no need to be negative or chastise the ride planner.  Just my official $0.02.


 
Well, after a 2 day delay due to the storm, power outage and the VA side of the parkway closed, I made the ride. Took 10:12 end to end. Stopped for gas twice, but didn't hang out either time. Maybe next year, someone will join.
 
Glad to hear you had a good ride.  Coming home from Arkansas I rode the BRP and broke my rule and road a good portion of Skyline Drive which was a mistake.  They take their speed limit enforcement very seriously in the park.  :-[

It took me three days to do the BRP because I started late in the afternoon on the first day and for once I made a point of stopping to take a lot of photos of the scenery.  I spent one night at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground in Cruso, NC and another at the Super 8 in Salem, VA.  I got drenched a couple of times near Peaks of Otter.

Large sections of Skyline Drive was horribly socked in with fog.  At 7:30 in the evening it seemed like the Sun was going down in the next five minutes through out the park.  That made me nervous and caused me to pick up my pace more than I knew was prudent in a park with a 35 MPH speed limit.  I didn't mind the ticket too much but I did mind the safety lecture the Ranger insisted on giving me even after I had told him I was worried about hitting wildlife if I didn't make it through the park before dark.  I've got to add some extra driving lights like I had on my previous C-10.
 
So, you averaged about 39 MPH.  That's pretty good.  I've ridden all of the BRP and this sounds like an interesting challenge.  If you plan to do it again, hopefully I'll see the post in time to consider it.  I think it would be a better challenge to add on the Skyline Drive to add to the distance.  it'll add another 100 miles and about 3 hours, but if done in the summer, could be done all the way during daylight.

Just some thoughts.  congrats on making it safely!  :beerchug:
 
Sport Rider said:
So, you averaged about 39 MPH.  That's pretty good.
Click to expand...

The BRP is 469 miles long.... so wouldn't that be approx. 49 MPH average?


That a respectable time considering fuel stops and the typical slow downs.  I assume there were no detours.

 
There was one stop at Mt Mitchell, sat for a few minutes waiting on the flagman. I snapped a couple pics while sitting there, only pics of the trip other than marker 469.

Averaged about 46 mph.  :-\

I was thinking on BRP II  Thought about doing one way and coming back the other, either the next day or take a day or  two in between. There are plenty roads to do in that area, so spending a day or so there would be fun.


 
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