Day 1 - North approach
Going from home in Waynesville, NC to Lewisburg, WV, this route focuses on some of the best unknown riding between. Nothing really new on this route, we've gone this way before, it showcases some roads we love and ride often. It's also pretty darned efficient a covering the distance.
Ft Lewis Lodge to BRP to Home
While our goal was to take the Blue Ridge Parkway home as much as is possible, contsruction and delays between Grandfather Mountain and Doughton Park will likely slow down an already long ride. I've devised this route to keep us on the empty two lane backroads on a Sunday and drop us onto the Parkway below the work areas.
Lewisburg to Ft. Lewis
200 Miles - I designed this route to show off some of the really tiny and obscure paved roads I love as we move from the historic Lewisburg Motel in Lewisburg, WV to the pastoral and remote setting of the Ft. Lewis Lodge in Virginia. Some noteable atrractions were avoidided as we'll visit them tomorrow on a group ride and I've focused on not riding the same roads again. We'll see two covered bridges, a natural hot spring, a number of nice overlooks, and eat lunch in Snowshoe, WV. The roads are soetimes single lane, unmarked, with pavement of low quality at some points, but the scenery is superb.
Ft Lewis Loop
206 Miles - The focus of this ride is to avoid the primary roads and enjoy the little secondary roads that weave through the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia. There are several stops along the way to see sights unique to the area and ample gas stations if needed though you'll do better to fill up the night before on your way in to the Ft. Lewis Lodge. The first couple hours are pretty tight and twisty, beautiful valleys and curvy climbs and descents with lots of wildlife. Watch for deer! Foxes, eagles, turkeys, and bears have greeted me previously. The first rest stop is at the Liberty Mercantile store, a nice place for coffee with restrooms about 1.5 - 2 hours in. The next stop is at the Greenbriar Astronomic Observatory, one of the largest radiotelescopes in the world. No facilities here, they will probably be closed. From there will will head south to Marlinton for lunch on the river. After lunch we start working our way back taking a south plunge to take in Falling Springs Falls then reverse north again. We return to the Ft Lewis Lodge on some nice small curvy roads, again, watch for deer (and bears). As the weather has been doing weird things, I've designed this loop to allow us to make a reasonably quick retreat to the Ft Lewis Lodge if things fall apart. If we find we are having a great time and want more, it's easy to add on riding or sights. On the way in we will fill up before heading to the lodge so everyone has a full tank in the morning.
