Planning Your Motorcycle Vacation Trip – What Will The Weather Be Like?

Photo - Rain clouds swirl over Waynesville, North Carolina

Rain clouds swirl over Waynesville, North Carolina

The weather on your motorcycle vacation trip will probably be better than you think or what the weatherman says, – or not. I swear that guy drinks. I know I would be hitting the old mason jar if I had his job. Predicting the weather in the Smoky Mountains is tough. Sometimes, there’s little question about taking that great ride. When there’s a massive front coming through or some system stalls for a while, you can pretty much go with what’s obvious.

In the Smoky Mountains each little valley has its own weather. It can pour down rain all day in one spot, ride your motorcycle over the hill, and the sun is shining. If I had a dollar for every time they’ve predicted rain and I’ve spent a dry day riding the great roads…

My advice – if there’s any question, get on the bike and go for it and always have some rain gear and a warm jacket or fleece in the bags. The highest elevations, like the Blue Ridge Parkway, see the most intense weather. If something’s going to happen it’s going to happen up high first. Coming down, or staying low when planning your motorcycle rides on the iffy days will often do the trick.

Weather also stalls when it hits the mountains and can’t quite make the climb over them. Try heading in the opposite direction and you can often avoid it. Bottom line, when planning your motorcycle vacation, be ready for anything.

Useful Web Resource:

One of the best resources for weather in North Carolina is Ray’s Weather site -http://www.raysweather.com/

Planning Your Motorcycle Vacation Trip – Do I Need Reservations?

Photo - Motel sign, motorcycles welcome

Make sure the Welcome Sign is On for You

If you’re visiting the Smokies on your motorcycle vacation trip during the fall, particularly at peak leaf season, I strongly urge you to plan ahead. Rooms on or near the Blue Ridge Parkway go quickly and people reserve them a year in advance at the popular places.  Even if you don’t want to make reservations now, or only have a general idea of where you might end up, it’s worth doing a little research to be sure your motorcycle vacation plan goes well.

Here’s a tip that may save you some headaches on that motorcycle vacation trip – call ahead to a couple of potential lodgers and ask about room availability during your visit. Just because you checked for motorcycle or Blue Ridge Parkway events doesn’t mean the rooms aren’t all booked for the Wooly Worm festival, the Trout Fest, or some other local folk celebration. Mountain resorts are popular places for conferences and meetings who sometimes try to book rooms when other events are not scheduled. Don’t forget Chambers of Commerce and Visitor Centers (easy to find online) are great resources and will often send you free visitor guides.

A few extra moments planning your motorcycle vacation trip can greatly improve your enjoyment.

Here’s a couple Chamber links you might want –