A motorcycle ride through the scenic Ocoee River Gorge in northeast Georgia takes you on a winding road with views of the lakes and the rushing river which cascades into it.
A series of dams control the flow on the river. During the daytime the dams increase the water released and the river rises allowing rafters and kayakers time to enjoy the whitewater rapids. When the floodgates open the boaters will ride along on the wave of water that pours down the canyon.
One of the best places to see this dramatic event is from a footbridge spanning the river above the Ocoee Whitewater Center where Olympic competitions were once held. we stopped one morning on our motorcycle travels to watch.
You’ll find the Ocoee River Gorge and the Whitewater Center on America Rides Maps –
How many times have you suffered through a GoPro video online that’s overwhelmed with loud and distracting wind noise? They are really hard to watch.
You can turn off the audio on your GoPro when recording or mute the audio from the captured video, but you really lose the feel for the experience, the sounds of the bike engine, the sense of movement, the atmosphere that makes for a good video. You’ve probably also enjoyed videos narrated from the bike while riding. Again, you can dub in narration later but you lose the spontaneity of the experience, the live response to what’s happening, and it sounds artificial.
Basic VLOGGING Gear with GoPro
The answer to these problems is a Vlogging setup. You need three main components – the camera, a microphone, a microphone adapter for the camera, and of course a variety of mounts to position the camera correctly on your helmet (how to do that will be covered in another article). The video quality of the newer GoPro cameras is quite an improvement over the earlier ones, I’m using a GoPro 7. You will need to remove the little door over the microphone / power sockets on the camera, it can be reinstalled later if the camera is needed for other uses. You don’t need a high quality microphone. I use very inexpensive Chinese flexible boom mics that come in packs of 3, 10, etc. It’s no big deal when I lose one or it succumbs to the environment, I carry spares and just pop on another. The rub is the microphone adapter for later model GoPros – you can’t plug a microphone directly into the camera. The adapter is big and unwieldy, they cost $50 or more, you don’t want one of those going missing.
Using Rubber Bands to Mount the Microphone Adapter
The crux of this article is how to deal with that bulky GoPro microphone adapter. Until recently the simplest solution I found was to use rubber bands to strap it to the back of the camera. While it works, it’s an awkward remedy.
GoPro Microphone Adapter mounted with rubber bands covers the rear touch screen
Mounted with rubber bands the adapter covers the view screen on the rear of the camera, you can’t see it. That makes it tough to insure the camera angle is correct or access the touchscreen camera functions. You can’t see if the camera is turned on. The rubber bands don’t last long out in the weather, they are prone to fail, hence I use two and replace them frequently. Rubber bands also look ugly and cheap.
Ulanzi V2 Vlogging Case for Gopro Cameras
Ulanzi V2 Vlogging Case for Gopro Cameras
The Ulanzi V2 Vlogging case for Gopro cameras solves this problem.
Standard GoPro case / Ulanzi Case
The Ulanzi case replaces your standard GoPro housing. There is a slot under the case for the microphone adapter, it slides in snug and secure. Pass the cable through and it is easy to plug it into the camera port. The other end of the slot is open so the microphone plugs right in.
Ulanzi GoPro case on the helmet
The Ulanzi case is taller due to the added adapter slot. In my case it raised the camera case away from the helmet which gives more more flexibility and range of movement for positioning the camera. This is a much cleaner, more secure, professional look.
Ulanzi Gopro Case rear view
The new case also brings the rear camera screen more into my line of sight which is helpful. There is a removable shoe atop the case for mounting a microphone or other accessories, I leave that home. The rear door of the Ulanzi case slides on with a simple click lock instead of the hinged door of the standard case.
I’m pretty happy with this Ulanzi V2 Gopro Case. I found it online from Walmart for about $15 though the link below has it listed on Amazon for $9.95. Ulanzi also makes the V3 housing which is aluminum and has more features for about $45. https://www.ulanzi.com/products/v2-protective-housing-case-ulanzi
I don’t remember much, it was almost 40 years ago. My first thought when I regained my senses was to find the piece of the bike which had the key in it – didn’t want somebody stealing it. Obviously, I was still rattled a bit. That was the last ride for that Honda CB 450.
I remember the dog that shot out of nowhere as I rode home, I may have been coming from high school. It came running out of a cow field and right into the bike. Almost went down, but found myself riding along the sandy shoulder of the road. Hardly suited to off-road riding, I was rolling on the throttle to keep the front wheel of that heavy Honda from washing out in the soft sand, picking up speed.
I remember thinking I was doing pretty good on this bike in those conditions, heck, I’d saved it, but making the coming curve meant I needed to be back on the pavement. I picked my spot only to find there was a deep gully where so many cars had run wide and a mound of patch built up in a futile attempt to fill it.
I remember the loud bang as the front wheel hit the asphalt.
I remember looking straight down at the pavement as the now vertical bike landed on the front wheel and for an instant it seemed to balance and roll along in control. Then the bars were jerked violently from my hands as the front end buckled, and it was slow motion silence as I floated through the air doing a somersault.
I remember thinking“This is going to be a bad one”.
Looking at my helmet my head probably contacted first. Considering my injuries, I then laid out on my back and slid down the road and into the pasture. The bike probably took out the barbed-wire fence just before I went through it, no deep cuts or lacerations.
I remember walking along the road thumbing for a ride. I knew there was a fire station nearby, if I could get there they could help me.
I remember the cars slowing down, I looked fine from the front, then taking off when they saw the bloody mess where all the skin had been taken off my back. The light cotton shirt and blue jeans I was wearing in the summer heat of Florida might as well have been paper. No protection at all. Last time I would ever ride without at least a jacket.
I spent the next few weeks lying face down on the fold-out couch as my wounds healed. Most of that was in a codeine stupor. Seems every joint in my body had donated some flesh. A few scars remain, but the years have faded most of them. There would be more to come before I learned the value of leather and then textile gear.
I don’t often tell this tale. There are others. So why bring it up?
I spent a few hours this weekend at a rally. Don’t really like doing events, it can be pretty boring. You end up doing a lot of people watching.
Many of the riders were from out-of-state, groups from Georgia, Florida. Standard biker attire, blue jeans and a t-shirt. Some wore shorts. Slip on shoes. Many of the passengers wore only jeans and a tank top. Some pretty ladies. Not even wearing gloves. The smallest skid lids that would keep you from getting pulled over.
I went through my recent photos. All too common attire. Photos of riders on some of the most challenging roads they will ever see, for the first time. You can often see the look on their faces that tell the ride is demanding something from them.
WAKE UP PEOPLE. Riding in the mountains is some serious sh*t. RESPECT IT.
Go off the road up here and road rash will probably be the best of outcomes. We’ve got rocks and trees right up to the roadside. You’ll probably be plunging over a steep hillside or worse yet a rocky cliff. It takes hours to get a rope team out to haul your inured body up to the ambulance.Show some freakin’ respect for it.
Word to you “easy riders” – watch the video – You know who you are. Low and slow and always in control. Too hot to wear gear. I like the feel of the wind and the sun, yadda, yadda, gonna work on my tan. Gotta look the part with the right biker attire – blue jeans, your biker t-shirt, the tiniest helmet you are forced to wear – I never planned any of the motorcycle accidents I’ve had. Most happened relatively close to home. Just a short ride, a commute, running to the store, work, school, going to hang out with my buds, etc. Almost all have been under 30 mph. Just riding along minding my own business, taking it easy, la-la-la. If there was skin exposed, it was skin in the game, skin lost.
PS – I’m not just posting this for you flatlanders – it’s pretty common up here as well. As if that big fat bike is going to protect you. Gotta look the part, dress like everyone else, feel the freedom! WAKE UP. Think about all those times you’re rounding a curve and there’s a car half in your lane coming at you. All those times some old geezer pulls out at 10 mph in front of you. It’s always the worst of curves where the cars slip off the inside edge and kick gravel and rocks onto the road. You KNOW it happens. You KNOW what I’m talking about.
Forget the blue jeans. Useless. Repeated personal experience. You’ve got 2 choices – textile or leather. If you can get some armor in there it will help keep bones from breaking. Respect the ride. If you don’t need it, at least respect your rider and get her the right gear. She’s trusting in you, do her right.
If there is skin exposed, it is skin in the game, a game you are forced to play every ride.
—————————————————————————–
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
Great Motorcycle Rides North Carolina – The Rattler Motorcycle Map
Great Motorcycle Rides in North Carolina - NC 209, a.k.a. "The Rattler". Do it as an out-and-back or make a nice loop ride - one of many ways to go on this great biker road
You’ve already tasted the Tail of the Dragon (if it didn’t take a bite out of you), and probably enjoyed the sweet curves of the Cherohala Skyway.
By now you realize there must be a ton of biker roads out there – “So, WHAT’S NEXT?”
Great Motorcycle Rides in North Carolina - NC 209, a.k.a. "The Rattler" - This is some of the best motorcycle riding you'll find in the world. These riders are looping back to NC 209 on NC 63.
Not one, but two motorcycle rides immediately spring to mind, so I flipped a coin. The Rattler won.
For years, this great motorcycle ride was well known amongst locals (and those in-the-know) as “209” or “Hot Springs”. It’s one of the default, always-good motorcycle rides that you can do over and over again and enjoy it every time. A few years back, it got named “The Rattler“. I don’t know who started that, but it stuck, and you can buy T-shirts along the route – I guess it’s official.
The Rattler motorcycle ride takes you on a 30+ mile jaunt through the mountains and valleys north of Maggie Valley and Waynesville to the tiny town of Hot Springs near the Tennessee border.
Great Motorcycle Rides North Carolina - The Rattler; Nice valley rides coursing along rushing streams, climbs over several mountain passes, and tight-tight twists as you approach Hot Springs
It’s a great “lunch ride” or “afternoon spin” as it only takes an hour or less to ride the twisty two lane. It’s also a “warm up” for those motorcycle touring fans who really know the area.
One you get to Hot Springs, you are surrounded with good motorcycle roads to choose from if you know where they hide.
Great Motorcycle Rides in North Carolina - NC 209 The Rattler - pastoral views of mountain farms and creeks, winding passes through forests, and some of the most challenging tarmac you'll ride wait for you in North Carolina on The Ratterl
Ride Guide – 36 miles to Hot Springs – About 1 hour ride to hot springs.
98 miles to do loop ride shown – 1/2 day ride.
Route:
Start:Exit 104 on Highway US 74. Lowes store at this exit. Pass under US 74. Follow NC 209 north.
3.7 miCross I-40 at Exit 24. It’s an easy ride through the valleys for a few miles.
11.9 mi Turn Right onto Betsy’s Creek Road to continue on NC 209. Ferguson’s store / gas marks this corner. Lots of signs.
22 mi Junction NC 63. Note and pass through. – Store and gas at this junction. Popular spot for a break, loop returns here.
36.6 mi NC 209 ends at Hot Springs. Return as you came or continue on loop ride.
To continue on loop ride –
Pass through Hot Springs. Cross the French Broad River and follow US 25 for 5 miles. US 25 will reach a stop sign.
41.7 mi Turn right @ stop sign to continue on US 25 / 70 towards Asheville.
50.9 miVeer right into Marshall on Main Street. Follow into town.
61.6 miTurn right at the traffic light in the center of Marshall and cross the bridge over the French Broad River.
You are now on Bailey Branch Rd. It will become Meadows Town Road. Meadows Town Road ends in 10 miles at NC 63.
71.5 miTurn Right @ stop sign and follow NC 63 to return to the mid point of NC 209.
85.5 miTurn left @ stop sign onto NC 209 and follow back to Junaluska to finish the ride.
98.4 mi End of ride
Here’s a 10 minute video that takes you through the ride step-by-step
– 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
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.
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!
– 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. 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
Great Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Rides discussed live online @ Map Chat
I’ve kicked off a new series of live online interactive webinars discussing the best motorcycle rides in the Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountains called Map Chat.
– 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. 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
This year, I spent the peak of the leaf season riding my motorcycle on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I photographed the scenery and captured other riders on their motorcycle vacation as they roared past. I selected some of the better ones and a few video clips to share memories with those of you who made it this year and to show those of you who are coming next what they’ve missed out on.
– 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. 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
As you make that Blue Ridge Parkway motorcycle ride this year you will encounter one major detour near Doughton Park just south of the Virginia border in North Carolina. Within this stretch of road, the beautifully crafted stone walls which line the shoulders of the Blue Ridge Parkway are being restored and foundations added to insure they endure long into the future. Originally built by master stone masons brought from Europe, descendants of the original craftsmen now labor to re-craft the work done by their grandfathers. This video shows the care being taken to preserve the historic legacy of the national park insuring each stone is returned to its original position.
While the park service has routed traffic north on a detour which takes you through Sparta, I’ve identified another more challenging and scenic detour route that will take you on a ride that gets you away from all the other traffic and takes you to sights those others miss seeing. This video shows you the details of what I believe is a better detour route for motorcycle travelers –
Use this link to download a map of this detour route you can print at home and take with you on your journey. goo.gl/pCRdP
– 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
There is a Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center nearby, a campground, hiking trails, historic sights, and a picnic area. Set on a small lake in the bowl between two of the three peaks that give the area it’s name, the views on every horizon are stunning and often mirrored in the still waters of the alpine pond. A gentle trail offers a 20 minute walk around the lake to admire the hollow from all perspectives.
Extra points for having a nice bar
The Lodge does stand above the other parkway inns in it’s rich and welcoming appearance. The gift shop is attractive, and the bar is such a welcome touch after a hot days ride. The restaurant overlooks the lake with captivating, at times enchanting views of the natural panorama. Unfortunately the restaurant is where the Peaks of Otter Lodge fell short for us.
Captivating views from the dining room
The food does not hold a candle to the that served at the Pisgah Inn, the Blue ridge Parkway Lodge south of Asheville, NC. Service was great, pleasant and attentive wait staff insured we got what we needed. The setting is outstanding with the views but the musak was some sad mix of nursing home dirge and “One Flew Over the Kukoo’s Nest” which distracted from the atmosphere. A place this nice deserves a chef, not a cook and a new set of CD’s for the player – please throw the Victrola in the deep part of the lake.
Rooms are clean and comfortable
The facilities are well maintained and spotlessly clean. The grounds were manicured with precision and care. The rooms were comfortable as were the beds, and quiet. It makes for a peaceful and relaxing stay.
ADD – I have one big request from the Park Service: It’s the 21st century, how about a little catch up? I don’t mind not having TV, it makes the rooms quiet and draws you out of them to embrace the natural experience and beauty. Cell service comes and goes with the breeze, and the wind rarely blows – you’ll be chucking quarters into the pay phone to reach the rest of civilization. Isn’t it time to embrace our new reality and offer a wireless network?
– 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
I’ve been shooting a lot of video from my motorcycle recently to prepare for the launch of a new program where you can get short videos about motorcycle riding in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains delivered via email. It’s pretty cool, I think you’ll like it a lot. It’s something you choose to sign up for, and you can cancel it at any time. There’s no spam or advertising, no sharing your name or info, it’s all private and secure.
I’ll be featuring motorcycle friendly places to stay (especially those that offer you a discount), sharing some of my favorite Smoky Mountain motorcycle rides, telling you about great motorcycle products I’ve tested (like my GoPro HD video cameras, Liberty Sport Motorcycle Sunglasses, etc.) and showing you different sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway to help you plan your motorcycle vacation travels and make the best use of your precious motorcycle riding time.
Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Rider - It's All Here
I’ve got 8 videos in the works now and plan to launch the Smoky Mountain Rider Motorcycle Video Ride Guide in about a week. (you can sign up for it now at www.smokymountainrider.com)
I’ll be doing a more thorough review of the GoPro Hero HD cameras in one of those videos, but if you want to know more about them now go to http://gopro.com/products/ . If you want to buy one, I urge you to get the motor sports package – (not the helmet package), you’ll get more mounts for your bike.
I’m really excited about the Smoky Mountain Rider Motorcycle Video Ride Guide, I’ll be putting a lot of effort into bringing you the most useful info I can about motorcycle riding in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. Go ahead and sign up now.
PS – I sent this video to GoPro and they’re sending me the part I lost at NO CHARGE! They’ve have always provided me great service.
– 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
Posted by Wayne Busch, America Rides Maps
