Georgia trip - any suggestions for roads and points of interest are welcome | GTAMotorcycle.com

Georgia trip - any suggestions for roads and points of interest are welcome

DemonPig

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I will be trailering this time. Want to focus on the south part of the Appalachians. Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and both Carolinas.
Staying in Gainesville.

Drafted 5 loops plus a visit to Barber museum. If anyone wants to take a quick glance and let me know if I'm missing something great or if I should skip anything, that would be much appreciated.
Some routes are deliberately short to give me time to hike or visit local attractions.

https://goo.gl/maps/Vquk2jvMfkv
https://goo.gl/maps/8hsbUwyNHmk
https://goo.gl/maps/4dVCLheXti32
https://goo.gl/maps/C3KznSmaNb92
https://goo.gl/maps/bRUixB6mwLm

https://goo.gl/maps/fqChmVWsbiM2


(I do realize I did not include the Tail of the Dragon. I've already been there and don't find it all that exciting personally (traffic, cops, poor visibility, no elevation changes))
 
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If you going to be that close to Barber Museum in Birmingham AL, I would suggest spending a full day to go and check it out.

Are you willing to ride on hard packed trails/gravel or is this a paved only thing? If yes, I can give you some amazing routes that I did on my V-Strom on Anakee3 tires - so very easy going but very remote and different than the paved roads just nearby.

The area east of Cherokee (just east of your 4th route) including NC281, NC215 and NC276 are incredible and not highly travelled, so those would be really good additions somewhere and not too hard to turn into a sweet loop of the best sections.

Also your 2nd route could have much better choices of roads within the north Georgia mtns.
 
Road Atlanta!!!!! Go do a trackday!

We have a track trip on the books for early July, so excited to go visit this track. Everyone who I know that has been raves about it.

For what it's worth be careful with the cops there too. My last road trip would have had me and the bike impounded.

"You speeding in my state?" assuming he saw Ont plates. He laughed like heck when he realized I was female. Definitely saved my bacon, and bank account.
 
If you going to be that close to Barber Museum in Birmingham AL, I would suggest spending a full day to go and check it out.

Are you willing to ride on hard packed trails/gravel or is this a paved only thing? If yes, I can give you some amazing routes that I did on my V-Strom on Anakee3 tires - so very easy going but very remote and different than the paved roads just nearby.

The area east of Cherokee (just east of your 4th route) including NC281, NC215 and NC276 are incredible and not highly travelled, so those would be really good additions somewhere and not too hard to turn into a sweet loop of the best sections.

Also your 2nd route could have much better choices of roads within the north Georgia mtns.

Have to stay on pavement Shane. We'll all be on street tires. Honestly, when I had the KLR, I really wanted to explore more but don't know enough DS type people.
Did some really cool riding with Mike around Pembroke last year but the KLR is too fat for that. That's why I bought the Husky.

I'll look into the Barber Museum, sounds interesting.

Day 2? Really? That is composed of what Internet told me are some of the best roads in Georgia. :(

Day 4 I can definitely work on, I want to avoid the roads I've already done and I have stayed in Cherokee before, just don't remember which ones I did.

Thanks!
 
Road Atlanta!!!!! Go do a trackday!

We have a track trip on the books for early July, so excited to go visit this track. Everyone who I know that has been raves about it.

For what it's worth be careful with the cops there too. My last road trip would have had me and the bike impounded.

"You speeding in my state?" assuming he saw Ont plates. He laughed like heck when he realized I was female. Definitely saved my bacon, and bank account.

I've read a bit about the cops there. You being a female is indeed amusing as I have also thought you were a guy. I've never been on a track so I would probably die or even worse, destroy the bike.
 
I've read a bit about the cops there. You being a female is indeed amusing as I have also thought you were a guy. I've never been on a track so I would probably die or even worse, destroy the bike.

Lol. 2wheeljunkie by heart, I've never worried much about gender.

Enjoy your trip. As you know it's beautiful country.
 
Have family in Georgia. Definitely spend time near or in Dahlonega. Very cool old town and the roads around it are amazing. Looks like you have that covered but make a small stop in the town and enjoy it.
 
When heading to the US southeast I always cross at Buffalo and take US 219 south from Buffalo.
It's an interesting ride with enough twists and turns to make it interesting. There are also some nice little towns in both NY and PA.
By the time 219 peters out you have plenty of other secondary roads going through the mountains to keep you amused.
Not nearly as fast as the interstates but much more fun.
 
I live in Georgia and have ridden throughout the area extensively for the past 2 1/2 years that I've been here. I only took a quick look at your maps but here's what you should consider:

- Route 1 has too much Interstate where you will run into traffic - stay off I85 and I20....actually, stay off all of the interstates whenever possible
- The first thing people here warn you about is the traffic. It's on par with the GTA if not worse. The I75 is 5-6 lanes at some parts and is stop and go through much of the day. Avoid riding anywhere near Atlanta during rush hour
- There are so many traffic fatalities in the state that they have overhead signs that tell you what the tally is to date - usually hits just under 2K vehicle deaths each year
- People here like to text and drive and once you add the curvy roads it is VERY common to see oncoming vehicles crossing the center line onto your side so be alert

Happy to look over the rest of your routes if you'd like. I live in Canton, which is an hour west of where it looks like you'll be based, so the routes I ride will be very similar.

p.s. if you wanna see what some of the scenery is like here follow me on Instagram: livefastrideharder
 
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When heading to the US southeast I always cross at Buffalo and take US 219 south from Buffalo.
It's an interesting ride with enough twists and turns to make it interesting. There are also some nice little towns in both NY and PA.
By the time 219 peters out you have plenty of other secondary roads going through the mountains to keep you amused.
Not nearly as fast as the interstates but much more fun.

That I'm aware of, however not riding south this time. Taking a trailer. :) I would be still amused but I doubt the truck towing 6 bikes will be.
 
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Thanks JB! I modified the day 1 and day 5 routes a bit to get rid of most of interstate and stay away from Atlanta. If you have any other pointers, I'm all eyes and ears.

Stone Mountain is only interesting for people who don't leave the city - I wouldn't waste my time as you'll see way better mountains on your rides.

I modified your 2nd route slightly to near the top end - https://goo.gl/maps/U3zDC2Tkvr92
I just rode part of that route last weekend and it's a ton of fun.

Your 1st route is the one I'd be least excited about. I know that Google Maps makes shows a mountain range near Talledega but it's not great and the roads down that way are less curvy and often fast moving 4 lane roads.

I need to build more routes for myself over the next few weeks so I can send you some of what I'm putting together if you'd like. Just shoot me your email as I'm not on this site often - chenner1 at hotmail.

When are you doing this trip?
 
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