Give yourself a break and go on a motorcycle road trip along the longest rural parkway in the United States, the Blue Ridge Parkway. The parkway runs 469 miles that connects the Great Smoky Mountains in southern North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in northern Virginia and stretches across the southern Appalachian Mountains. That fact alone makes for a very promising scenic motorcycle road trip.
To get the most out of the beauty of Blue Ridge Parkway, you will need about four days for this motorcycle road trip. Take the time to stop and explore nearby towns that have existed since the first settlements in America.
Starting from North Carolina, the beginning of your ride is set in a movie-like setting as the mist from the Smoky Mountains is so visible. Head off to Boone, also known as the Firefly Capital of the World. Stop by at Boone's major attraction, the Tweetsie Railroad for a little old time fun. Moving along to Asheville, take in some cultural and or historic attractions. In Asheville, you will find the famous Biltmore Estate, the most technologically-advanced home during the time it was built. If you are a fan of the Wild West, continue your motorcycle road trip with a stop at Maggie Valley. Here you will find the Ghost Town in the Sky theme park that stages street gun fights back in the day. Explore more attractions through your Blue Ridge Parkway ride as you head to Humpback Mountain. Deep inside, you will find Linville Caverns. Take the time to stop and look around the rooms in Linville Caverns and find oddities after oddities in each.
Leaving North Carolina, you get a chance to see Native American culture in such towns as Cherokee. Approaching Virginia, stop for a live entertainment as local actors in costumes give life to the 1800's Appalachian skills, customs and traditions performed at the Humpback Rocks. The same kind of entertainment lies ahead at Mabry Mill as performers also demonstrate old Appalachian lifestyle. In Mabry Mill don't miss a bite of the town's specialty, the fresh apple butter.
As dramatic as the Smoky Mountains mist has provided for the beginning of your motorcycle road trip, the roaring sound of the Crabtree Falls is a fitting scene for the ending. Take one more stop before finally concluding your trip at the Blue Ridge Music Center and listen to some old folk songs dating back from the time of the early settlers.
A four-day excursion via Blue Ridge Parkway will make you realize that there really are so many beautiful places in the United States. This journey encourages you to explore more of the country's four corners to see its natural beauty with a motorcycle road trip.
Oh boy would I love to go on a road trip like this! Me, my ol' yamaha 1100, and a couple buddies. I've always wanted to go through the mountains on a bike. Stopping in a western town would also be a site to see!
Posted by: Tom Stark | January 04, 2011 at 02:49 PM