First Annual Rhododendron Tour June 2-8 2024

[2andblue]

COG members, see below, Carol and I are starting an annual ride invite that we will host. Carol, Blue (our 2017 C-14) and I have taken this roundtrip tour annually for 6 years and would like to share this amazing trip with you!

More details to come by April 6, giving you ample time to decide if you want to join the entire tour, (more than 1,000 miles) or hop on or off at day start / stop points or even just join days with certain points of interest or within our region you live.

This will be an exhilarating multi-day Blue Ridge Parkway tour riding through some of the finest roads in the United States. Mountain views are breathtaking, road conditions are consistently excellent; you will see wildflowers in bloom everywhere (see chart below), access to waterfalls and nearly 300 overlooks right from this closed to commercial traffic road! Atop the Blue Ridge Parkway tour ~one day will be dedicated to the Smokey Mountain region where we'll treat you to the opportunity of seeing Elk and even Black Bear. Elk we have seen 100% of our trips, Black Bear about 25% of our trips.

Watch for coming details, and seize this opportunity to enjoy many smiles to the mile on this extended pre-planned worry-free motorcycling trip. If you have never been to this area, see this Blue Ridge Parkway Travel Planner for a sneak peak.

Wayne, Carol & Blue

​

 

[ron203]

Awesome!!! Great opportunities to meet new people along the way. When are you arriving in Cherokee NC? (Definitely watch for wildlife)

 

[2andblue]

Awesome!!! Great opportunities to meet new people along the way. When are you arriving in Cherokee NC? (Definitely watch for wildlife)

@ron203 edit arrival time: With the expansion of the trip to include more Smoky Mountain favorites the arrival in Cherokee will be ~12:00 Tuesday June 5th.

Regarding meetup opportunities:

1. We will look to keep the lunches primarily for the registered tour group for that day's ride event, thus keeping this extended RIDERS trip moving, on plan and on schedule. There is a lot to see and do that will become rushed if we fall off track.
2. Dinner locations will be communicated in the overall trip package where timing is more conducive for meetup opportunities.

Wayne

 

[ron203]

RTE to meet the new ED?

 

[2andblue]

RTE to meet the new ED?

Will publish the route and meal locations, should be a fun trip!

Wayne

 

[2andblue]

By request we are extending the trip and adding some popular routes and points of interest to the ride, will be modifying dates and itinerary accordingly.

Very likely the ride will now be the first full week of June and we'll keep it like that moving forward. Dates will be firmed by this week's end and accommodations / start and stop times shared.

Stay tuned, this will be a fun full week ride. Blue Ridge Parkway will have many pull offs and amazing sites to be seen - such as:

• Scenic Overlooks
• Waterfalls, stretch your legs for a few minutes:
  • Linville Falls Visitor Center, easy walk to a observation deck. More adventurous take the steps down to the base
  • Looking Glass Falls (just 10 miles off the parkway) - will make both these waterfalls stops on the ride.
• Exhibits - such as Mabry Mill, definitely worth a stop and walk through
• Clean Rest Stops plenty of picnic tables for a quick grab & go sandwich or a restful view of the scenery off the bike
• Drive up Mt. Mitchell (tar road) highest peak east of the Mississippi River, views are breath taking and cool crisp air inviting

Couple day addition, to the Blue Ridge Parkway ride includes (not limited to.. ).

• Cherohala Skyway - (Most beautiful views in the area, perfect road conditions)
• Hellbender 28 - Northern NC Hwy 28 (Fun road, in places roller coaster like roads, beautiful, forests, rivers)
• The Dragon - NC / TN 129 (Twisty, low speed limit road with challenging curves)
• Foothills Parkway - (Great Views, nice road conditions)
• Newfound Gap Road - US 441 (great road, elk all but guaranteed to be seen from the road)
• Wayah Road - (Twisty road, whitewater river rapids, picturesque mountain top lake, observation tower available / amazing views)
• Moonshiner 28 - Central/Southern NC Hwy 28 (Twisty roads, forests, mountain views)
• Waterfall Byway - NC Hwy 64 (Section of NC Hwy 64 - easily accessible falls visible from road or only need few minute walk)
  • Walk behind Dry Falls (awe inspiring walking behind / underneath this waterfall
  • Picturesque Bridal Veil Falls
  • LOOK at Bust Your Butt falls (no busting allowed!)

More to come,
Wayne, Carol & Blue

 

[connie_rider]

Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

 

[2andblue]

Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

A National warm-up for you, maybe the southern half?

Wayne

 

[gsjay]

Wayne,
this looks like a very nice trip. you've spent some time planning it!
jason
32

 

[2andblue]

Wayne,
this looks like a very nice trip. you've spent some time planning it!
jason
32

Thanks Jay - if you’re interested it will be an epic week. Registration coming shortly.

Wayne

 

[2andblue]

COG the dates are now solidified, first full week of June - registration will be required and will be opened by April 20th.

2024 tour dates will be Sunday June 2 - Saturday June 8.

The tour beginning / final ending location will be the Northern most access point of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Waynesboro, VA .

The Rhododendron Tour will be similar to a ‘rolling rally’ that will be organized with 7 unique daily registrations.

This 7 day registration format will allow participants to signup for all days, or only certain days as the tour goes through your region or segments of the tour. Each registration day will have start and end points, points of interest, roads to be traveled an evening dinner location and our planned lodging.

Registration will also be used for ensuring adequate dinner reservation space is secured.

Stay tuned for the Open Registration.

Wayne

 

[MotoWojo]

Hello Everyone,

The First Annual Rhododendron Tour June 2 – 8, is on the COG Event Calendar (and the COG Event Map) and is open for registration. Each day of the tour has its own registration page. Register for the day (or days) that work for you, or register for all seven days.

Rhododendron Tour – Day 1 – Sunday, June 2

Rhododendron Tour – Day 2 – Monday, June 3

Rhododendron Tour – Day 3 – Tuesday, June 4

Rhododendron Tour – Day 4 – Wednesday, June 5

Rhododendron Tour – Day 5 – Thursday, June 6

Rhododendron Tour – Day 6 – Friday, June 7

Rhododendron Tour – Day 7 – Saturday, June 8

TCARS!

Mark

 

[2andblue]

COG see below the daily planned lodging and evening restaurants for the 2024 Rhododendron Tour. Sign-up at the individual day registrations.

If you need assistance with booking lodging please PM or email me. Request all that plan to attend be signed up for days planning to attend by 24-May, 2024, this allows time for critiquing space needs for dinner. Don't wait too long on lodging, although there are other accommodations available at each overnight stop area the area rooms can book quickly. Note: We have used each of the specific lodging sites previously and all was more than satisfactory.

As date nears full GPX files will be provided. Daily a paper map of planned route will be provided as a back-up.


For those of you who love to ride, enjoy scenery, hate traffic and stoplights, seek day after day all-day long twisties, and especially have never had a multiple day ride - THIS IS FOR YOU!

Sign-ups are just starting, if you are interested get signed up.

Hope to see you soon, otherwise watch for the pictures and plan for next year as you'll definitely go then!

Wayne, Carol & Blue

 

[COG-528]

COG see below the daily planned lodging and evening restaurants for the 2024 Rhododendron Tour. Sign-up at the individual day registrations.

If you need assistance with booking lodging please PM or email me. Request all that plan to attend be signed up for days planning to attend by 24-May, 2024, this allows time for critiquing space needs for dinner. Don't wait too long on lodging, although there are other accommodations available at each overnight stop area the area rooms can book quickly. Note: We have used each of the specific lodging sites previously and all was more than satisfactory.

As date nears full GPX files will be provided. Daily a paper map of planned route will be provided as a back-up.

View attachment 38691
For those of you who love to ride, enjoy scenery, hate traffic and stoplights, seek day after day all-day long twisties, and especially have never had a multiple day ride - THIS IS FOR YOU!

Sign-ups are just starting, if you are interested get signed up.

Hope to see you soon, otherwise watch for the pictures and plan for next year as you'll definitely go then!

Wayne, Carol & Blue

If you need someone to test ride the route in advance, I will be making a ten day trip down the BRP and back North through TN, KY, WV, MD starting 05/18.

 

[2andblue]

@COG-528 certainly any surprises please PM me. Carol, Blue and I have ridden the route and surrounding Smokey Mountain area round-trip 6 years running. You may encounter some more construction / seasonal repairs just before the Memorial Day holiday.

Enjoy the ride, it’s a beautiful route - too bad you can’t make the planned dates - trip is going to be a winner!

Wayne, Carol & Blue

 

[2andblue]

COG - TWO WEEK NOTICE: This Rolling Rally is quickly approaching - YAY!


This worry-free, pre-planned trip is for you IF you want to experience:

1. A multi-day, multi-region trip
2. Endless mountainous views
3. Constantly changing landscape of wild blooming flowers, trees and shrubs
4. The best continuous collection of high quality, twisty roads the eastern US has to offer
5. Riding with Wayne, Carol & Blue (priceless)

To ensure we are covered for evening dinners space, Sign-up <-- At the each day's registration prior to 24-May.

If you need assistance with booking lodging please PM or email me.

This is the ride your Connie has been waiting begging for - do not miss out on this motorcycle dream trip!

Wayne, Carol & Blue

 

[2andblue]

First annual Rhododendron Tour Days 1 & 2 have been completed. Hit and miss some rains, mostly non-issue but still a dampening to contend with.

Rhododendron blooms much less than expected, early for species and late for others - however see some beautiful shots below.

Roads have been great. About 60 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway was closed for maintenance, this led to some great side roads that were new to us.

Came upon a black bear today with 2 cubs - see the photos below - awesome sight to see.

Meeting new folks, riding great roads, finding some flowers and already some great wildlife photos.

More to come -
Wayne, Carol & Blue

 

[2andblue]

Rhododendron Tour Day 3 started off with bright skies, more blooms and scenery.

Continued on next post some more wildlife photos - these were some of the elk seen, others seen further out and deeper within the woods.

Then the next post some familiar looking motorcycles sporting their smiles.

Note: Black C-14 lost a fuel pump today, although running very lean the rider was able to limp to the hotel. We’ve got a fuel pump being overnighted to the hotel and will get the rider going tomorrow morning. Join for the Bike, Stay for the People!

Wayne, Carol & Blue

 

[2andblue]

 

[2andblue]

 

[2andblue]

So…. For dinner tonight (with the Black 2012 down) the below teaming up shows the love COG members have for each other.

Join for the Bike, Stay for the People!

Wayne, Carol & Blue

P.S. Watching this mounting and dismounting ‘exercise’ this evening, I have a renewed respect for how easily Carol jumps on and off of Blue!

 

[ron203]

I’ll be curious if it turns out to be a pump failure or a dirty filter “sock.” (I don’t know much about this but I recall this sort of discussion over the years. How about posting the results of the fuel pump surgery?

 

[andydude]

So…. For dinner tonight (with the Black 2012 down) the below teaming up shows the love COG members have for each other.

Join for the Bike, Stay for the People!

Wayne, Carol & Blue

P.S. Watching this mounting and dismounting ‘exercise’ this evening, I have a renewed respect for how easily Carol jumps on and off of Blue!

View attachment 39087

I knew Dave was going there to take it easy and smell the flowers !

 

[2andblue]

I’ll be curious if it turns out to be a pump failure or a dirty filter “sock.” (I don’t know much about this but I recall this sort of discussion over the years. How about posting the results of the fuel pump surgery?

Quantum fuel pump shipped in over night was defective - yeeks, their tech said the one way valve was defective in the pump. Quantum is overnighting another.

However @ron203 - the new fuel sock (from the Quantum Fuel pump kit, with old pump back in and she’s 90%. So it appears that the sock, which was replaced 10K miles ago was a contributing factor.

Machine has about 50 clean miles with no hesitation, bucking, or stalling.

Hotel was awesome to give us a small lay down, covered area. I’m

 

[2andblue]

Rhododendron Tour Day 4 - prior to the needed replacement fuel arriving other riders rode Wayah Road and the Cherohalla Skyway in both directions.

Wayah road was like Wayah River earlier in the day with heavy storms. The remaining say was beautiful.

After the fuel pump was installed, tested, found to be a dud and new one ordered and old pump put back in with new sock the group rode the Hellbender to for a test rip and dinner.

Tomorrow’s plan - loop around the Smokey Mountain National Park, installation of new replacement fuel pump then if time allots a waterfall run.

Wayne, Carol & Blue

 

[laker9142]

I knew Dave was going there to take it easy and smell the flowers !

Yes there was some of that and other entertainment. But mostly good riding with good coggers. I left the tour yesterday to return home for an appointment, otherwise I would have stayed on for another day or two.

 

[2andblue]

Yes there was some of that and other entertainment. But mostly good riding with good coggers. I left the tour yesterday to return home for an appointment, otherwise I would have stayed on for another day or two.

300 miles off mountain riding today, teeeeerific!

More rhododendrons in bloom and view from atop Mt Mitchell on this clear day stellar.

More pics and other coming soon.

Wayne, Carol & Blue