Best 1000 Mile Motorcycle Ride You’ll Ever Do

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Wayne Busch

If you’re looking for that epic ride this is one of the best ever!

Enjoy an overlook in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

When you link these mountain roads together you’ll spend almost all your time on 2 lane roads, most of it National Parks or on scenic parkways, and you’ll experience some of the best motorcycle rides in the USA.

Skyline Drive – 105 Miles
The Skyline Drive runs the crest of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. It starts at Front Royal and runs seamlessly into the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway – 469 Miles

Blue Ridge Parkway in NC

The Blue Ridge Parkway follows the highest ridge lines of the Blue Ridge Mountains through Virginia and North Carolina. It ends at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – 47 Miles
The most visited National Park in the nation, ride across on US 441 passing from North Carolina into Tennessee at the crest, then turn west on Little River Road. Follow through to the Foothills Parkway.

Foothills Parkway – 17 Miles
Continue west on the scenic Foothills Parkway to reach US 129

The Dragon – 15 Miles

Springtime motorcycle ride on the Cherohala Skyway

The Cherohala Skyway in TN

Turn south on US 129 to enter the Dragon. Pass through and back into North Carolina. Continue south to Robbinsville, NC to head west again on the Cherohala Skyway.

The Cherohala Skyway – 52 Miles
Climb back up into the mountains and return to Tennessee near the mid-point of the ride. Turn south on 68 when you reach Tellico Palins, TN and follow this wonderful road into Georgia.

GA 60 – 23 Miles
Work your way east on GA 60 to Blue Ridge, GA, then continue on one of Georgia’s best motorcycle roads.

The Gauntlet – 133 Miles

The Gauntlet ride in GA

Wrap it all up with a loop around the Gauntlet. You may continue on GA 60 or veer north on Skeenah Gap Road to start the loop.

Of course, this is just an overview. It’s a great introduction to riding in the Blue Ridge Mountains, still it only scratches the surface. It’s pretty straightforward to navigate, but you’ll want to do some planning. There are many variations and additions to make it even better.

You’ll find this region covered in detail with America Rides Maps. In addition to these well known roads, almost 500 more are highlighted on a series of easy-to-read durable maps that will fit in your pocket with the info you depend on like out-of-the-way gas stations, mileage, and how to best link them all together.

The are more great motorcycle rides in the Blue Ridge Mountains than anywhere else. Any one of America Rides Motorcycle pocket ride maps is a vacation adventure in itself. With the full set you’ll have the freedom to point your wheels in any direction and know you’re on the best rides. Take a look here and see how easy it is – http://shop.americaridesmaps.com/Full-Southeast-Package-All-9-Maps-SE9.htm

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Wayne Busch

– 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

Georgia Motorcycle Rides Map Updated

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Wayne Busch

Georgia Motorcycle Rides Map Updated

America Rides Maps “#9 – The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains” motorcycle ride map has just been revised and updated for 2012. This pocket map identifies the best biker roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia and good secondary roads to connect them all together.

Other Motorcycle Ride Maps –

Blue Ridge Parkway

This Georgia motorcycle ride map is the 9th map in a series that covers the best motorcycle rides in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Maps 1-6 of the series detail the Blue Ridge Parkway end-to-end. Maps 7 & 8 focus on the south and north sides of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and both include The Dragon at Deals Gap (Tail of the Dragon) and the Cherohala Skyway. Maps overlap and connect for easy navigation.

Scope – Area Covered on the Georgia Motorcycle Ride Map –

The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains starts north of Jasper, Dahlonega, and Taccoa and extends across the border into North Carolina as far north as Murphy, NC. On the west edge, it’s bounded by 5 / 515 / 76 and the towns of East Ellijay, GA, McCayesville, GA, and Copperhill, TN. The East side of the map traces US 441 north through Tallulah Falls, Clayton and Dillsboro just clipping a tiny piece of South Carolina.

Georgia motorcycle rides map – Best roads are shown in red, good ways to connect them and other suggested roads shown in blue.

More than 60 roads are highlighted for Georgia motorcycle touring riders. Best Motorcycle Rides are shown in Red. Good Connecting Roads are shown in Blue. Roads are selected based on the challenge of the ride, low traffic flow, scenic views and attractions, and have to stand out from surrounding roads to be considered. Emphasis is on finding the ways to stay off the 4-lane and major roads and connect the best rides together with the best ways to reach them.

So Whats NEW?

The original map had about 25 roads, this one has expanded to more than 60 nice motorcycle rides.
Road segment mileage is now shown to help you find the turns onto these hidden gems.
More out-of-the-way gas stations have been added, additional motorcycle friendly places and service providers have been added.
The Gauntlet Motorcycle Route is now indicated with arrows which show the turns from one road to the next.

Georgia Motorcycle Rides Map – The reverse side of the map gives descriptions of the highlighted roads to help you find which ones you want to ride most

Why are these maps IDEAL for MOTORCYCLE TOURING?

They focus on the best Georgia Motorcycle Rides and make them easy to find
These maps are done from the seat of a motorcycle – every road is ridden and experienced on 2 wheels.
Designed for function – 11 inches x 17 inches means they fit in your pocket so they are always right there for you to use, not stowed in a pack or saddlebag. Easy to fold, even with gloves on. High contrast, easy to read.
At $5.99 for the water and tear-resistant version, it’s THE BEST VALUE out there. No other maps are this comprehensive, this detailed, and this cheap.

How do I get one?

Order Online and get free shipping through the America Rides Maps Secure Online Store – Just click this link to start shopping:

http://shop.americaridesmaps.com/main.sc

– Maps are sent via 1st Class or Priority Mail, typical delivery in 2-3 days.

Maps are also available at:

The Biker Barn – http://www.thebikerbarn.com/

The Lodge at Copperhead – http://www.thelodgeatcopperhead.com/

Click here now to get this map —> http://shop.americaridesmaps.com/9-The-Best-Rides-in-the-North-Georgia-Mountains-GA007.htm

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Wayne Busch

Learn Total Control

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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Motorcycles Celebrate Anniversary at The Lodge at Copperhead

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Wayne Busch

The Lodge at Copperhead near Blairsville, GA sits on the Gauntlet Motorcycle Ride

While riding through north Georgia on our motorcycles, Jackie and I stopped in at The Lodge at Copperhead in Blairsville yesterday. It was their anniversary and quite a celebration – a car show / bike show, poker run, live music, loads of prizes, and a healthy turnout.

Jackie and I had lunch in the dining room. It was after 2, the crowd had thinned.

We’d spent the morning riding the great motorcycle rides that surround the lodge and planned to make it our lunch stop. Probably not the best day to come for lunch, the place was packed with bikers. It’s one of my favorite biker friendly stops when in north Georgia.

Jackie makes the turn onto GA 60, one of our favorite motorcycle roads in Georgia.

I’ve recently added nearly a dozen roads to my motorcycle maps of this area and we had a great motorcycle ride as I toured Jackie through a half dozen or more roads she’d never seen -they are there if you know where to find them. Of course, we also hit a few old favorites we never tire of as well.

Riding across the Nottely Dam in North Georgia

Spring is early and the motorcycle riders have been enjoying it! Maybe it’s the high price of gas, but there seem to be less cars on the road – all the better for us on two wheels. It’s a great time to make a trip to the enjoy the fabulous motorcycle rides in north Georgia.

Georgia holds great riding, historic spots, and wonderful scenery for the motorcycle rider

If you’ve ridden the Blue Ridge Mountains in north Georgia before, you know it’s time to come back. If you haven’t been there yet, it’s worth the effort to get on your bike and ride a day to get here and experience it for yourself.

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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Motorcycle Friendly Places – The Lodge at Copperhead, GA

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Wayne Busch

The Lodge at Copperhead - motorcycle friendly, motorcycle centered

The Lodge at Copperhead near Blairsville, Georgia is THE motorcycle friendly gateway to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains.

Located on north Georgia’s premier motorcycle ride, The Gauntlet, The Lodge at Copperhead makes for an ideal base camp to experience the outstanding motorcycle rides in the surrounding mountains in a posh and relaxing setting where everything is focused on the biker’s needs and wants. It’s all here.

While there are many motorcycle friendly places along the road, few rise to the caliber of The Lodge at Copperhead. The entire resort is centered on bikers and their needs.

photo- great room at the Lodge at Copperhead

Quality and comfort wait for you at The Lodge at Copperhead

Motorcycles and riders come first here. Michelle and her crew at the lodge are riders. They know what you like and deliver it.

After a long day on the road you want a nice place to come home to. The The Lodge at Copperhead delivers in spades. Motorcycles get the best parking, right up front. Walk in the front door and you’re immediately struck by the quality of the resort. The great vaulted room with it’s fireplace and comfortable accommodations invites you in, but the huge wrap-around porches soon draw you back outside to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the mountains.

photo - cabin at the Lodge at Copperhead

We stayed in the newest cabin - it was great!

After a quick look around, Jackie and I rode over to our cabin to get settled in. Michelle had put us in the newest of them and we loved it. The bikes went into the garage – how nice – covered and dry! The pine log cabins give you that rustic mountain feel with all the modern comforts you need, ideal for an extended stay. Enjoy the privacy, have a place to get away and just be together. Relax on the screened in porch, sit out on the large deck out back, or pull up a chair on the porch out front to watch the setting sunlight filter through the trees.

photo - Brad Betters tends the bar at the Lodge at Copperhead

Brad betters from The Biker Barn - imagine coming in from a tour and your guide morphs into your bartender. Sweet!

Once settled in, we walked back to the lodge to start the evening at the outstanding bar. Weekends mean entertainment at the lodge and tonight was the Halloween party. There’s always something going on, live music either inside or at the outdoor stage, and costumed characters already stalked the halls.

Brad and Lori Betters from The Biker Barn soon appeared, and Brad, fresh from a guided tour, slipped behind the bar to keep the libations flowing and the glasses topped. As most everyone has something in common, it’s a friendly place where it’s easy to meet others, talk bikes and rides, and enjoy the company of like-minded people. We braved the chill out on the porches for a while where several small groups clustered to share more intimate times with friends, but as it grew dark they migrated inside to join the festivities and a meal.

photo - dinner at the Lodge at Copperhead

Tonights special - a slab of fresh swordfish.

The menu is well rounded with a great choice of fresh seafood. Jackie had the swordfish special, a huge steak, while I went with one of the beef variety. It came cooked to order, and the meals were superb. Service was attentive and quick, without being intrusive – like it should be.

After dinner the Halloween party started in the great room of the lodge. We danced, enjoyed the costume contest, and when we’d had enough retired to the quiet privacy of our cabin the the woods.

Sunday morning brought a heavy frost. We left the warmth of our cozy cabin and enjoyed breakfast in the dining room at the lodge, then headed out to ride the best sections of The Gauntlet once the morning sun warmed things up. The sun was bright, the skies blue, and the last of the fall leaves made the fabulous riding on Georgia’s best motorcycle roads the perfect cap to our weekend.

photo - halloween at The Lodge At Copperhead

Dolly Parton (a.k.a. Michelle) judges the Halloween men's costume contest.

The Lodge at Copperhead is ideally located and easy to get to. It sits at the heart of my map of the Best Motorcycle Roads in the North Georgia Mountains. You’ll feel welcome, well taken care of, be surrounded by people who are excited and enthused about motorcycles and riding.

The resort gives you a feeling of community and belonging. It’s entertaining and relaxing. All your needs are anticipated and met. Whether your looking for a vibrant social experience, a place your group can enjoy time both together and apart, or would like a private couples weekend on the bike, The Lodge at Copperhead delivers.

The Lodge at Copperhead

The Biker Barn

The Gauntlet

Get the map here – http://shop.americaridesmaps.com/9-The-Best-Rides-in-the-North-Georgia-Mountains-GA007.htm

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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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You’ll find The Lodge at Copperhead and all the other good biker roads on America Rides Maps #9 The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains

Good Biker Roads – US 76 in Georgia – Motorcycle Map change

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Wayne Busch

US 76 in Georgia between Clayton and Hiawasse is a good biker road.

It’s not one of “the best motorcycle roads” in north Georgia,

– but it’s a good motorcycle ride that rates high enough that I’ve decided to upgrade it on America Rides Maps #9 The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains to the “good connector” category.

US 76 is now shown as a "good connector" on America Rides Maps (blue highlight). You can see there are other great rides which link to it along this section. I show you which roads are worth riding!

How I show the roads: I list “good connector” roads on my America Rides Maps highlighted blue to help you find the best ways to link together the best motorcycle rides which I show in red. There’s no way I’ll ever rate this section of US 76 in Georgia as a great biker road (shown highlighted red on America Rides Maps) as it carries too much traffic. That’s what usually disqualifies or downgrades what would otherwise be great motorcycle rides – too much traffic.

Description of this section of US 76: The blue highlighted section of US 76 shown on the map is flatter and more open to the west, dotted with houses which thin out as you head east. It then enters a section of National Forest and makes a gentle climb over a mountain with a nice section of curves – nothing extreme, but a lot of them and they can be fun if you’re not caught behind slow traffic. Houses, then businesses start appearing as you near Clayton, the road is more twisty at this end.

Where can I get this map? #9 The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains

PS – current map owners may have noted something else – the purple highlighted roads. They are part of “The Gauntlet” motorcycle ride in georgia’s blue ridge mountains. (Trying something new, if it works out you’l see more of it – you know I’m constantly changing and improving America Rides Maps.

Comments? Did I make the right choice?

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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You’ll find US 76 and all the other good biker roads on America Rides Maps #9 The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains

Georgia’s Premier Motorcycle Ride & The Biker Barn

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Wayne Busch

The Biker Barn - The Gauntlet Headquarters

I’ve long had an affection for the motorcycle rides of north Georgia and now some of the best of them have been linked into a 133 mile long loop ride known as “The Gauntlet“. As it has gained notoriety, visitors from across the nation, even around the world have begun to flock to enjoy this serpentine romp through the hills and mountains of the Peach State.

Conceived and promoted by The Lodge at Copperhead and The Biker Barn near Blairsville, The Gauntlet strings together such notable rides as GA 60, GA 180, US 19 / 129, and others, routing you near or through Suches, Helen, Hiawasee, and Blairsville on roads which have long been favorite destinations for the two wheeled tourist.

The Biker Barn is easy to find with gas nearby

For those approaching the Blue ridge Mountains from the south on their way to such legendary rides as the Cherohala Skyway and the Dragon at Deals Gap in Tennessee and North Carolina, The Gauntlet adds another classic and outstanding adventure to their touring itinerary. For those who come to play in the Smoky Mountains from the north, the Gauntlet gives them ample reason to make the quick hop across the southern border into Georgia’s motorcycle playground.

Yesterday, I took a ride down meet Lori and Brad Betters at The Biker Barn near Blairsville, the headquarters for your Gauntlet memorabilia and and souvenirs and purveyors of motorcycle gear and supplies. Located at one of the junctions on The Gauntlet loop marked by a traffic light with a convenient gas station nearby, The Biker Barn is one of those must-do pit stops on the challenging ride.

The Biker Barn has what you need and what you want

This popular rest stop at The Biker Barn is one of several gathering spots along the ride. There’s a “hang out” for bikers around the back side of the store where you can write your name on the wall with those who have come before you and leave your mark along with others from as far away as Alaska and beyond.

The well equipped store includes several versions of some very nice Gauntlet T-shirts, as well as leather wear, helmets, gear, and supplies. They also have an assortment of quality motorcycle trailers on hand if you’re looking for options to haul your bikes.

Ride the Gauntlet and add your name to the wall at the Biker Barn

Of course they have maps and other info, and work in partnership with The Lodge at Copperhead which offers outstanding accommodations in the area.

The Biker Barn

The Lodge at Copperhead

Download a map of The Gauntlet here – http://www.gauntletga.com/downloads/Gauntlet_printable_map.pdf

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Wayne Busch - Cartographer

Learn Total Control

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You’ll find the roads of The Gauntlet and many more of north Georgia’s finest rides on America Rides Maps #9 – The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains

Smoky Mountain Motorcycle Rider

The Best Motorcycle Rides in the Mountains

Tag Archives: the gauntlet

Best 1000 Mile Motorcycle Ride You’ll Ever Do

Georgia Motorcycle Rides Map Updated

http://shop.americaridesmaps.com/main.sc

Motorcycles Celebrate Anniversary at The Lodge at Copperhead

Motorcycle Friendly Places – The Lodge at Copperhead, GA

The Lodge at Copperhead near Blairsville, Georgia is THE motorcycle friendly gateway to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Lodge at Copperhead

The Biker Barn

The Gauntlet

Good Biker Roads – US 76 in Georgia – Motorcycle Map change

US 76 in Georgia between Clayton and Hiawasse is a good biker road.

It’s not one of “the best motorcycle roads” in north Georgia,

Georgia’s Premier Motorcycle Ride & The Biker Barn

The Biker Barn

The Lodge at Copperhead