Next month I'll be staying in Fontana and want to run down to Suches, Wolf Pen, etc. Far as getting down there from Fontana - rather than taking Wayah Rd. to Franklin & hopping on 64, which I'm assuming is mostly slab (?) or 129, what about this: Take Dick's Creek Rd. off Wayah, which becomes Big Choga Rd. & Tuni Gap Rd. (or National Forest Rd.) & Tusquittee Rd. and ends up down at 64 on the GA border? Anybody done this? Is it paved? Is the road decent?
I'd take 129 out of Fontana to the Cherohala Skyway(Tellico Plains), then hit 68 down through TN until you hit 60 in GA. You can take 60 all the way to Dales's store and T.W.O. in Suches. That's a damn good route pretty much the whole way. I've ridden Wayah, which is a good road, and all around the area, but I don't know about the other roads you listed. The Cherohala Skyway willl be the best road you take. You can thank me later. :biggrin:
Yeah, you might go through a couple little towns like Tellico Plains and Cleveland, but it's mostly great roads the whole way. Tellico Plains has some good eats anyway. That's part of our Tater Run Loop, which ends up being about a 400 mile loop....give or take. We'll hit 129N > 180(Wolf Pen Gap) > 60 > Ga 5 which turns into TN 68 at the state line > Tellico Plains for lunch and then hit the Cherohala > 129 > 28 > Franklin/64 > Highlands > Warwoman Rd to Clayton, GA > 76 > 197 > 356 > Helen > 348 > 129 and 180 Int > 180 > 60. I'll try to remember to download a GPX file off my GPS and send it to you, but it's hard to beat this ride. You're tired, but you had a blast on some of the best riding in the world, and you didn't even hit the Dragon Parkway, lol. I emphasize the PARK in parkway this time of year. The route in my first post is, IMO, your best option. Cherohala, 68 and 60 are as good as it gets. I gave you the other stuff because you could do the other half of the loop going back to Fontana. I guess it all depends on the type of riding you want to do, and the bike you're riding. I usually leave ths unknown roads up to the GS. Something I can take off and on road.
Thanks JB. Sounds good. Yeah, we'll likely run the Gap some on Wed. evening & Thursday, then go south to Suches & maybe run down to Highlands & Brevard on Friday & Saturday Our group is pretty much into pretty fast sportbike rides. We'll have a mix of sporty bikes. My Super Hawk, an Aprilia Mille, Triumph 675, 636 streetfighter, Z1000, a few SV650s, a ZX10R, Bandit 1200, CBR1000RR, etc. Probably take your advice & go Cherohala, 68 & 60 down & back. But may take 294 to get from 68 to 60. Ever done that? Once we get down there we'll run the Loop & head back the way we came.
294 is fun, but 60 sucks, North of 515. 68 is great until you get to Ducktown and the intersection of 64. Much like 60, it's pretty slow going through residential areas, but I still like it better. Actually, when we're riding North on 60, and get to 515, we go straight across, but instead of following 60, we veer off to the N/NW and intersect with 68. I can't remember the name of the road, which is why I want to get my GPS route. I don't think you can go wrong either way. We just usually take 60N and cross 515, then intersect with 68. You have to expect slow areas when you're covering that kind of ground. Yeah, if you like running a good pace, 60 from 515/Blue Ridge to Suches is great. GA5/TN68 from Ducktown to Tellico Plains is great. I like the Cherohala much better than the Dragon. I love the fast sweepers and much lighter traffic. Police presence is usually minimal on 60, 68 and Cherohala, but that's not written in stone. If you can do this on a weekday, the Cherohala can be your own personal playground. If you want, PM me when it's gets closer to your trip, and maybe we can meet up. EDIT: After zooming in closer on Google Maps, I see 60 N crosses 515 and splits into 2 60's, lol. The one we take is also Mineral Bluff Hwy and meets Hwy5 at the state line, just South of Ducktown. This is where it becomes 68. State Hwy 60 turns NE and runs into 64 and 294.
