About Wayne Busch

Wayne Busch has introduced thousands of motorcyclists to the best two lane mountain roads in the US helping them get the most enjoyment and adventure out of their travels. His easy to use pocket maps focus on the most exciting and memorable rides. Maximize your valuable time and expand your experiences. There are thousands of miles of undiscovered two lane treasures. Wayne searches them out and gathers them in a format that is comprehensive, easy to use, and inexpensive. His maps include the best rides near the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Georgia, the Smokies, West Virginia, and beyond. Wayne has been featured in Western North Carolina Magazine, the Smoky Mountain News, Full Throttle Magazine, and worked with Speed TV / Speed Channel, promoting the great riding found in the mountains. He’s your online resource helping you get the most out of your precious travel time and find what others miss.

Good Motorcycle Rides near Waynesville and Maggie Valley, NC

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Wayne Busch

The last place I want to be riding a motorcycle is the 4-lane highway when there are so many good 2 lane back roads in North Carolina.

Turn off the highway onto Candlestick Lane

For most motorcycle riders, covering the distance between Waynesville and Sylva means a relatively pleasant ride on four lane divided NC Highway 74 (The Great Smoky Mountains Expressway). As far as highways go, it is a nice ride winding down from Balsam Mountain and it rarely gets enough traffic to be annoying.

Lately though, I’ve been covering the relatively short distance on a few nice little back roads which I’ve grown very fond of. Since so many motorcycle touring riders pass through and stay in this area, I think they should know about them. If you’re riding near Cherokee, Maggie Valley, Waynesville, or Sylva, these roads may come in handy.

Next turn onto Cabin Flats Road.

Both ends meet the Highway (US 74). The Waynesville end starts near the Blue Ridge Parkway Exit for Waynesville (MP 443.1) where it intersects US 74. Pass under the parkway then exit left onto Candlestick Lane. It’s an obvious intersection, well marked, look for the signs to Balsam, Balsam Mountain Inn, Moonshine Creek Campground.

Candlestick Circle is just a short loop off the highway, turn right onto Cabin Flats Rd. Cabin Flats Road winds along the railroad tracks a short distance, then makes a hairpin turn across them. Balsam Mountain Inn sits on the hill above.

The Balsam Mountain Inn – historic, good food

It’s been a long while side I last visited, but the historic inn (1905) is both scenic and the food used to be very, very, good. You can imagine it’s heyday when it was a stop on the tracks in the middle of nowhere.

Cabin Flats Road will morph into Dark Ridge Road and start a twisting course alongside a stream through the mountain passes. The railroad also follows this narrow valley and you’ll often see it off in the woods crossing the stream on bridges and trestles.

Dark Ridge Road – more fun than the 4 lane

Dark Ridge Road, the railroad, the highway, and the stream cross each other several times on the way to Sylva in a twisted mountain mess. You go under the highway, under the railroad, over the stream several times on the ride.

Dark Ridge Road meets Skyland Road at a stop sign just after you cross the railroad tracks. Turn left (the road quickly peters out if you go right).

Under the tracks on Skyland Rd

The first part of Skyland Road is nice and there are several good spots to stop and get a look at the now rushing whitewater stream.

The second half looses it’s appeal as it draws near Sylva and the suburbs of the town. You can follow the road all the way into Sylva. You may note the prominent fork right onto Chipper Curve Rd – it will bring you closer to downtown.

Whitewater Creek along Skyland Rd

You can hop on-off this ride at 2 points and get back on the highway. One of them is obvious, a mile or so after you get on Skyland Rd. The other, Steeple Road, is closer to Sylva and is the best way to get back on the highway without going into town. Precision Cycles and a BP station mark it at the highway.

Click on photos and map for larger views

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Wayne Busch – Cartographer

Learn Total Control

– Wayne Busch lives in Waynesville, NC, where he produces the most detailed and comprehensive and up-to-date motorcycle pocket maps of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains to help you get the most of your vacation experience. See them here – AmericaRidesMaps.com

Wayne is an advanced motorcycle instructor for Total Rider Tech teaching Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Rider Courses. Isn’t it time you looked into advanced rider training to ride more confidently and safely? It can transform your mountain riding experience. Total Rider Tech

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Misleading Blue Ridge Parkway Sign should come down

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Wayne Busch

There was a time when the “No Gas for Next 50 Miles” sign at the US 74 exit on the Blue Ridge Parkway (MP 443.1) was an accurate warning, but it no longer serves the purpose.

This sign is a legacy to when gas was available on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It should now read "No gas next 400 miles". There is no gas on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Years ago, there were gas stations on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This sign warns next gas was once available at the Pisgah Inn after a long lonely stretch with no convenient access to fuel. That’s no longer the case.

You’ll also see the remnants of a gas station at the Crabtree Meadows Visitor Center (MP 339.5).

The Country Store at the Pisgah Inn was once a gas station. Now it's just a break spot and service for the campground.

The Park Service removed the gas stations yeas ago. There is no longer gas available on the Blue Ridge Parkway nor are there any signs directing you to the location of the nearest gas at an exit.

The only place you’ll find a gas station visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway is at Raps’ Deli at Orchard Gap (MP 193.8) in southern Virginia.

With the limited range of motorcycles and long stretches of isolated road, knowing where the gas stations are is one of those things that takes a lot of the worry out of a Blue Ridge Parkway trip.

You'll find the closest gas to each Parkway exit listed on each of my Blue Ridge Parkway maps and descriptions of the best roads nearby.

It’s one of the most useful features I’ve included on my maps – closest gas to each exit along the 469 mile ride. Sometimes it’s just a few miles, other times it can be quite a distance. Knowing which way to go can keep you from getting stranded and help you make the best use of your time.

In keeping with the park service’s ethic of minimal signage, this legacy warning sign should be removed.

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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Motorcycles and Gravel on the Road – Relax

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Wayne Busch

If you clench your teeth and death-grip the bars at the sight of gravel in the road, you’re asking for trouble.

Yesterday, Jackie and I took a winter motorcycle ride to the Blue Ridge Parkway via NC 215. I’ve been riding NC 215 about every 2 weeks through the winter to monitor the road condition. Since it was paved with a ‘tar and chip” coating this fall, the surface of this outstanding climb through the national forest has been strewn with loose gravel. (See Map of this section)

The loose surface of NC 215 can make you a better rider if you relax.

It’s certainly not as much fun to ride this classic motorcycle ride in this condition, but it shouldn’t be an exercise in terror either. One of the worst things you can do when riding a road like this on a motorcycle is to tense up, fight it, and over-react to slips.

Face up to it – on a loose surface, the bike is going to slip a bit now and then. Expect it. Accept it. You can’t prevent it. You just need to manage it smoothly as it happens and allow the bike to do what it needs to do. Almost every instinctive reaction we have makes the situation worse – hitting the brakes, cutting the throttle, and aggressive or stiff inputs at the bars only reduce traction further. Relax. Use the lightest touch you can and maintain your throttle so there are no abrupt weight changes on the tires.

Motorcycles function very well in loose conditions if you let them move about as they need to do to maintain stability. The wheels will come back into alignment when they find traction and the bike will self correct. Anyone who’s ridden a dirt bike knows the wheels are moving all over the place, the harder you fight it, the less control you have. You just keep it guided in the general direction and let what happens happen as you go.

It’s a delicate situation when a tire slips. You need smooth and gentle input on the controls but if you are all tensed up, you can’t react quickly and smoothly. If you panic, you’ll apply your controls too harshly or change them too quickly and buy a ticket to crash-land. Chop the throttle and you get an express ticket to trouble. Practice being relaxed and accepting whatever is happening. Respond softly, gently, and maintain your throttle application through turns.

Practice getting a little out of your comfort zone when conditions change. The skills you learn may save your butt on the pavement when you least expect it.

As you gain more riding experience, you’ll learn many techniques to help you manage traction better while riding your motorcycle. None of them will be effective if you don’t relax and perform them smoothly.

The next time you find yourself on a road with a loose surface, remember to relax and accept it. Recognize what it has to teach you –

You’ll learn how to gauge the limits of your traction and how to react when you exceed them.
Because you’re more familiar with riding at the edge of traction, you’ll have a better feel for knowing when you’re getting close to the limit.
You may not intend to ride at the limit of your traction on a nice clean road, but when the unexpected happens and a wheel slips on a slick spot, the reactions you’ve learned will be old habits.

NC 215 will improve with time. Rumors are it may get more paving in the spring, but I wouldn’t count on it. The next time you find yourself riding a road with a loose surface, appreciate the opportunity to hone your skills and learn how to deal with things when they get a little out of your comfort zone.

Occasional rides on gravel are a learning experience. Just take it easy and avoid a crash course. You'll gain skills that will help you react better and be more comfortable when things get loose.

Tip – Where are your elbows? If your elbows are above your wrists, you’re not relaxed.

Read what other riders have to say about NC 215

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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Scenic Motorcycle Rides – Dry Falls, NC

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Wayne Busch

The beautiful region south of Great Smoky Mountains National Park is often called “The Land of the Waterfalls” and is one of the most popular areas to ride on a motorcycle. More than 20 nice waterfalls are located close to the roadside, another 40 or so require more serious hiking than most bikers are willing or equipped to tackle.

A path leads behind Dry Falls so you can pass beneath it without getting wet.

Dry Falls is one of the most unique though it’s an easy one to miss on your motorcycle ride despite being well marked. It’s easy to miss as it’s not directly visible from the road so you’re not tempted off the wonderfully curvy section of US 64 as it snakes through the spectacular Cullasaja Gorge between Franklin and Highlands.

This section of US 64 can be a very enjoyable ride on a motorcycle, though it’s too often hampered by other traffic drawn to see the sights and wonders. On those typical days when there is a good amount on traffic on the road, it’s definitely worth the time to stop for a break and make the short walk from the parking area to admire Dry Falls.

Dry Falls got it’s name because you can walk beneath the falls without getting wet. A large cavern beneath the rock ledge at the top of the falls has a path where you can pass behind the cascade to emerge on the other side. It has the largest and best improved parking area of all the falls in the area, so it’s an easy place to stop and enjoy.

Find more than a dozen roadside waterfalls on America Rides Maps map #7 – The Best Roads SOUTH of Great Smoky Mountain National Park

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

Wayne is an advanced motorcycle instructor for Total Rider Tech teaching Lee Parks Total Control Advanced Rider Courses. It’s time you looked into advanced rider training to ride more confidently and safely, it will change your mountain riding experience. It worked so well for me I became an instructor! Total Rider Tech

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Just minding my own business? Not on a motorcycle!

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Wayne Busch

Minding your own business while riding a motorcycle is a recipe for disaster!

“I was just riding along, minding my own business, when this cager came over into my lane and nearly hit me!” How often do you hear this said?

When riding in traffic, ride to be seen.

Too often, if you ask me. It’s usually followed by a rant on how cars don’t look out for bikers and how stupid drivers are for not being more aware of motorcycles and tales of kicking doors, breaking mirrors, and other aggressive retaliation schemes by “some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet”.

Fault is always assigned to the auto driver, and it is with some justification, drivers should be more aware of their surroundings and pay more attention. But the saying is “it’s a two way street” and fault goes both ways. I never hear the motorcyclist taking any responsibility for what occurred. They were just riding along “minding their own business”.

“Minding your own business” on motorcycle is a recipe for disaster. If you’re not minding everyone else’s business out on the road, and actively working to insure you are always seen, that recipe can bake you some humble pie and a big plate of hurt.

Whenever I hear those “he came into my lane tales” I first wonder “Why did you let that happen?” You ride in a drivers blind spot and then get all bent out of shape when he doesn’t see you?

DON'T ride in the blind spots.

The remedy is to ride to be seen and pay attention to where you are positioned. Don’t ride in the drivers blind spot. Either fall back and give him room or roll on a little throttle and move ahead so you are clearly visible.

Assume and expect you are not seen, that other traffic will behave like you’re not there and ride accordingly. Mind what that driver nearby is doing. Watch their mirrors, where they are looking, the movement of their head as they glance up to check the review mirror or glance left or right. It can signal their intentions and alert you something is about to happen. You should always be watching for it.

Also keep an eye on what’s going on ahead of both you AND the car nearby. Slower traffic ahead in their lane or a flash of brake lights in the vehicle ahead of them means they may take quick and evasive action that involves the space you are occupying.

Above all, stay out of those blind spots. Recognize when you are in these danger zones and move out of them as quickly as possible. Minimize your time at most risk. When you find yourself alongside another vehicle you should be taking action to move out of the situation – that is what minding your own business should mean on a motorcycle. Drop back or move ahead.

If you’re going to ride in traffic you’ve got to both ride to be seen and assume you’re not.

Ok, so this is “Motorcycling 101”, everybody knows this stuff. Yet on any day you can visit a forum or social networking site and read scores of posts about how “some car came into my lane”. Knowing it is one thing. Apparently applying that knowledge is something we need to work on. Don’t let it happen to you!

Here’s a great site for more detailed review. http://www.motorcyclebasics.com/blind-spots.html

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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Motorcycle Riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway – in January?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Wayne Busch

I should be in Vegas – luck is with me today. Although the weather has been unseasonably warm here in the Smoky Mountains this week, it’s also been wet. Not that “Old Testament” deluge kind of wet, but a wintery wet with light but persistent rains.

A winter view of Cold Mountain from the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mt. Pisgah.

In a normal year we’d have a bit of white on the ground, and I did see a rare patch or two today. It’s not the ideal season for motorcycling the Blue Ridge Parkway. In fact, the Blue Ridge Parkway is normally closed to traffic through this season due to the frigid conditions.

When I saw the sun this morning I knew a motorcycle ride was in order. There’s a weather front passing over with a few hours of blue sky before the snow moves in tonight. I wrapped up the mornings work and fired up the bike.

The weather looked great to the south, what a difference the other direction.

I just wanted a nice little ride. The threatening clouds on the northern horizon foretold this break in the weather was temporary, so I chose to just head south from Waynesville on US 276 and ride up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and back after running a few errands in town.

US 276 is a well know road to motorcycle riders and part of a classic loop called the “Pisgah Triangle” south of Waynesville. US 276 forms one leg of the triangle, the Blue Ridge Parkway the second, and NC 215 the third. It’s a “must do” fun ride if you’re in the Waynesville / Maggie Valley area.

Winter riding in the Smoky Mountains can be as beautiful as the summer, just in a different way.

It takes about 25 minutes to ride out across Bethel Valley then follow the Big East Fork of the Pigeon River in the Pisgah National Forest and make the steep and twisting climb to the heights of the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Wagon Road Gap. The ramp to the Blue Ridge Parkway leads to the large parking area overlooking Cold Mountain (MP 412.2).

The overlook is accessible year-round. The parkway is gated on either side. The south gate (towards Cherokee) was closed, but the north gate to Mt. Pisgah was open so I took advantage of the opportunity to snap a few photos.

By the time I turned back, those clouds had swallowed up everything.

The blue skies didn’t last long, and by the time I had turned around nearing Asheville, the clouds were swallowing the views. The wind was gusting and I started to hit some wet stuff on the way back. Some of it was white.

It was a rare treat this time of year. Next time you’re passing through, take a motorcycle ride on the Pisgah Triangle. I had a great time on just one leg of it, and the other two are better!

A postcard from Haywood County, North Carolina shows the Pisgah Triangle

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

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Great Motorcycle Ride Rivals the Tail of the Dragon

Posted on January 8, 2012 by Wayne Busch

You hear a lot of folks say “I know of roads better than the Tail of the Dragon“, but I, like you, am often doubtful of such claims.

The Dragon at Deals Gap is pretty much the benchmark motorcycle ride to measure and compare to. There are darned good reasons the Tail of the Dragon is legendary. But what about those other roads?

This abandoned gas station/store on Banner Elk Highway (SR 194) alerts you to the start of the ride. The road is just beyond it.

Here’s one I really enjoy, Beech Mountain / Flat Springs Road. I won’t claim it’s better than the Dragon, but it ranks right up there.

The pavement is not as good in places. There are connecting roads and driveways so you’ve got to ride alert, watch for gravel and sand at those connections and in tight turns. There are no motorcycle resorts at either end. Still, Beech Mountain Road is an excellent, challenging , and fun ride.

View of what I think is Roan Mountain. It's not the rare views that make Beech Mountain / Flat Springs Roads good, it's the ride.

This great motorcycle ride is labeled as Beech Mountain Road on the south side of Beech Mountain, then becomes Flat Springs Road once you start descending the north side of the mountain.

Grades are steeper than the Dragon but generally mild. It’s a bit longer. Best of all it’s a road I use to bypass traffic and avoid going through large towns and the city of Boone.

I use it often when I’m headed up to Tennessee and Virginia to ride The Snake and the great roads nearby, and it’s also in the neighborhood of Roan Mountain and the Murder Mountain Ride. It’s a good one to know about and add to your list of great back roads.

Image - Map shows location of Beech Mountain Road

Beech Mountain / Flat Springs Road help you avoid all the traffic to the east.

So how does it stack up?

I was going through my video files one day and found two that were nearly identical. Same camera angle. Same bike. A complete ride through both roads. So I matched them up side by side to see how the roads compare in a contest. The outcome was surprising!

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

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Nice Motorcycle Ride Near Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Wayne Busch

The locals know this good biker road well. Shouldn’t you?

Hard to believe Jan 1, 2012, and we’re out for a spin on the bikes. Unusually warm, the day also brought some showers so we kept our ride short and local. As we’re pretty much surrounded by great motorcycle rides here in the Waynesville / Maggie Valley area, even those short rides can be a lot of fun.

Jackie welcomes the New Year with a ride on Rabbit Skin Road. Nice curves, nice views, it’s a local favorite.

Rabbit Skin Road is easy to find. From Waynesville / Maggie Valley, head north on US 276 across the broad expanse of Jonathan Valley as it skirts the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The top of the ridge line to the west is the park border. To the north you’ll see more impressive mountains including 6000 Max Patch Bald. Even though it’s a long straight stretch of 4 lane, US 276 is a scenic and relaxing ride and a good chance to get settled on the bike before the challenge that is soon to come.

US 276 ends at the intersection with Interstate 40 at Exit 20. Pass under the Interstate as if you are continuing north to Tennessee and look for Rabbit Skin Road on the right before you head up the ramp to the highway.

This video includes some shots of the bridge where the roads meet

Rabbit Skin Road is one of several very challenging and scenic motorcycle rides through the mountains which lie north of Waynesville / Lake Junaluska / and Maggie Valley. It’s only 3.5 miles in length, but it doesn’t really end, it just continues on as Iron Duff Road for another 4.1 miles before it connects to NC 209 (a.k.a. The Rattler) near Exit 24 on Interstate 40.

The junction of Rabbit Skin Road and Iron Duff Road occurs at a bridge which crosses the Pigeon River. Across the river, are two more good motorcycle rides, Riverside Road and Panther Creek Road. Still more good motorcycle rides link to them.

While none of these roads is very long, all of them are scenic and fun to ride, and they interconnect. They are good toknow about when you have only a short time available to get in a motorcycle ride or are darting out for a cruise between rainy spells. If you know where they are, you can just keep linking roads together and spend a couple hours looping through the mountains and never leave the county nor ride the same one twice.

Rabbit Skin Road and Iron Duff Road – Local Favorites

All Roads Lead to Maggie

The Rattler

America Rides Maps Map #6 – The Best Motorcycle Rides EAST of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Wayne Busch – Cartographer

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A Great North Carolina Motorcycle Ride near Franklin

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Wayne Busch

Here’s a nice motorcycle ride west of Franklin, NC most riders never see. It’s easy to ride right past it onUS 64 between Franklin and Hayesville.

West view from US 64 looking towards Hayesville, North Carolina.

US 64 has long been a favorite motorcycle ride as it makes a lazy climb through the mountains of the Nantahala National Forest. It’s a popular way to travel from Franklin to Murphy, or approach the great rides found just across the border in north Georgia.

Scenic US 64 is an easy motorcycle ride with gentle climbs and descents, the curves are broad and sweeping, the road wide and well maintained, and there are a couple nice overlooks.

US 64 is an easy ride, well maintained, wide and sweeping, but it can carry a good amount of traffic at times.

Near the middle of this section of US 64 you’ll find West Old Murphy Road winding into a mountain pass to the east. It’s a nice motorcycle ride that loops back to connect with US 64 closer to Franklin in 8.6 miles.

As much as I enjoy riding US 64, I don’t give it a top rating on my maps. US 64 is the primary east-west connector across the southern border of western North Carolina. Because of this, you’ll rarely have the road to yourself to enjoy. Local, commercial and tourist traffic use US 64 and chances are you’ll run in to at least a little of it.

West Old Murphy Road let’s you escape if you do get caught behind a string of slow traffic crawling up the grade. If you’re looking for something more challenging and entertaining, you’ll find it on West Old Murphy Road.

One of my favorite break spots, a small cemetery on W Old Murphy Rd.

This great motorcycle ride circles around the south side of the mountain US 64 skirts to the north. It’s devilishly twisty in places, the pavement is decent, and there are a few nice views though it’s another one of those roads you’ll be watching the twisty pavement more than the pretty scenery.

West Old Murphy Road is easy to find at either end. Nearest Franklin, it’s near the point US 64 goes from two lanes to the four lane section which circles south of the town. Near the mid point of US 64 look for signage on the east side of the road for Standing Indian campground in the National Forest.

Not far in from the mid point is one of my favorite spots for a quick break. You’ll see a pull-off near a small embankment. Atop the rise is an old graveyard. There are some good places to sit and enjoy the reverent solitude.

You can see W Old Murphy Road is a twisty little bugger, but a lot of fun to ride.

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Wayne Busch – Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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West Old Murphy Road and many other roads in the surrounding area is found on America Rides Maps #7 – The Best Motorcycle Rides SOUTH of GSMNP
The start of it is also shown on America Rides Maps – Map #9 – The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains

First Day of Winter – Let’s Ride the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Wayne Busch

So here it is, winter is officially upon us today and I spent the best of it on my motorcycle on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I couldn’t stand it any longer. It was so warm when I took the dog out this morning I knew I was going to HAVE to get on the bike. The weatherman says rain is coming to the Smoky Mountains so I knew I’d need an early start.

I would have settled for a nice short ride - (if you believe that, you don't know me very well)

“Just a short ride” I told my wife.

If nothing else I’d top up the near-empty tank and make a short spin of it. Thinking of someplace close I could get a photo, I headed to the dam at Lake Junaluska. Sure looked like rain was coming. Got my photo, then where?

It’s been so unusually warm lately, I decided to ride over to Maggie Valley and see if the Blue Ridge Parkway was open. Slim chance of it, but just maybe….

Photo-Wayne-celebrates-at Waterrock-Knob

Made it to Waterrock Knob! Enveloped in clouds, raining, but totally unexpected at this time of year. That would have been enough for most riders - it just goaded me to push on.

Passing the man made snow at Tony’s Tube World as I left the valley, I started to consider alternatives. If snow could linger down low, it would sure be too cold up high for the parkway to be open. If it wasn’t, I could always cruise over to Cherokee.

I turned onto the ramp to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Soco Gap, and sure enough, the gates towards Cherokee were closed when I reached the top. Oh well.

motorcycle-at-fork-ridge-overlook-1st-day-of-winter

I stopped for a photo when I came down to the mile-high Fork Ridge overlook. You can see the cloud ceiling a few hundred feet above me and the clouds in the valleys below.

As long as I was here, might as well ride over to see if the gates were closed heading south though the chances were even slimmer as the parkway climbs to some of the highest parts in that direction.

Surprise, surprise, the gates were open and I rolled on the throttle!

I didn’t think I’d get far, but I might at least get a photo from one of the lower overlooks. As I climbed, I came nearer and nearer to the cloud bank that socked in the mountain tops. Still, the road was clear.

Photo-first-day-of-winter-on-blue-ridge-parkway

It was a good day for riding so long as you stayed down low. At 4000 feet, the Woodfin Valley overlook shows it's fine at the lower elevations. I couldn't resist going higher.

I was stoked when I reached Waterrock Knob. Totally enveloped in thick clouds and peppering light rain, I stopped for another photo. This was awesome and a rare occasion this far into the cold season.

I was happy as I continued towards the next exit at US 74 in Waynesville, dropping back below the ceiling of clouds and out of the rain.

I almost left the parkway at Waynesville (see my video of Waynesville), as the next section of the Blue Ridge Parkway leads to the highest point on the road. No way it would be open. Still, I was curious as to how far I would get and amazed to find the gates open as I crossed over the highway.

photo-wayne-rides-his-motorcycle-to-the highest-point-on-the-parkway

Can't believe it! I rode to the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway on the first day of winter. Same day last year we got a snow that covered the yard until well into march.

I began climbing again, and before long was back in the wet cloud bank. Except for a few stray cars, I had the road to myself and enjoyed it with enthusiasm.

It was windy and poor visibility when I reached the high point, but it was another unexpected treat. Took another photo to remember it by.

I rode the rest of the way to Beech Gap and NC 215 in heavy wet fog (here’s a wicked ride nearby). No views to speak of, and lots of rocks and debris from the small slides that occur where rocky faces run close to the road. Winter thaws and freezes cause a lot of little slides during this season but it’s not much of a problem as no one is there to be affected by them.

photo-fall-on-nc215-great-motorcycle-ride

Road condition has improved marginally since this fall photo of NC 215 following the resurfacing. Still plenty of loose gravel and slippery corners to negotiate. Not for the faint-of-heart. It will improve, but how much?

The ride home via NC 215 (see my video of NC 215)is unchanged from my last visit – the road is till a mess. If riding sharp turns on loose gravel isn’t your thing, you will want to avoid it a while longer until things clean up.

Same day last year, we got snow so deep it laid in my yard for 3 months. This year I’m riding. I think I like this year better!

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Rider

The Best Motorcycle Rides in the Mountains

Author Archives: Wayne Busch

About Wayne Busch

Good Motorcycle Rides near Waynesville and Maggie Valley, NC

Misleading Blue Ridge Parkway Sign should come down

Motorcycles and Gravel on the Road – Relax

Scenic Motorcycle Rides – Dry Falls, NC

Just minding my own business? Not on a motorcycle!

Motorcycle Riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway – in January?

Great Motorcycle Ride Rivals the Tail of the Dragon

Nice Motorcycle Ride Near Maggie Valley, North Carolina

The locals know this good biker road well. Shouldn’t you?

A Great North Carolina Motorcycle Ride near Franklin

First Day of Winter – Let’s Ride the Blue Ridge Parkway!