Kingston to Tampa Fall of 2023 Update.

[guzzirider]

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Leaving about Sept. 11th.
9500 km of mostly 2 lane blacktop with some 4 lane.
25 days riding with rest days about every 5 days (one has to do laundry)
2.2 km (optional) of known non-pavement.
Includes Skyline Drive, Blue Ridge Parkway, Tail of the Dragon (both directions)
and any other "must" rides I could find.
Options for return trip are, stay in Florida or move over to Mexico for the winter.
Fly back and store motorcycle for return trip (this sucks) or fly and have bike shipped home. (this sucks even more)
I have posted photos of possible route (because some roads are closed in winter there are a few glitches).
Everything is open to discussion if you are interested in joining me on this adventure.

 

[shanekingsley]

Looks like a fun ride and although it's hard to tell from the images, it also looks like you have lots of great roads to explore on the way down.

If it helps, last year I rode down to Deal Gap with the intention riding a bunch of the less publicized twisty roads, because in my previous trips, I seem to keep riding the same popular twisty backroads over and over and over.

Ride Report - 2022 Smoky the Dragon

Time for another Deals Gap Ride Report! Rode down between May 7-18 for 12 days of twisty madness. The goal this time was to ride down to the Ironhorse Motorcycle Lodge and meet up with a bunch of fellow VStrommers. Ideally I would spend 5 days getting there on mostly new-to-me twisty backroads...

www.gtamotorcycle.com

This is an older ride report with the more popular ones mapped out.

Ride Report: Another rip into the Smoky's

I know lots of folks have been down to Deals Gap before, but like all good long rides - here's a ride report. Last time I had a chance to go down to Deals Gap was in 2015. That was a fun trip with a couple folks off this forum, but it rained almost every single day for that trip and I also had...

www.gtamotorcycle.com

Here's a collection of the better twisty roads sorted by state, but have lots more to add since my recent trips down there last spring.

Stateside Roads - the twistier the better!

Given how many of us so frequently head south to ride good roads, I'm putting this thread together to help you plan your routes. The roads below are the ones I have been on and they are sorted by state (especially once I add more states). If you know of some amazing road that I have missed in a...

www.gtamotorcycle.com

Safe trip!

 

[guzzirider]

Thanks for the info.
I checked your maps and I have included most of the roads in my trip already.
The consept was to include the best of the best in a given time frame.
The Blue Ridge Parkway has always been a dream but living 47 years in Alberta put it out of reach.
I am only doing the Tail of the Dragon just to say I have. Sounds too busy for my liking.
If I had the money & time I would spend a month each in Tennessee, the Virginia's, the Carolinas and Kentucky.
At 71 time & money is starting to become an issue.
In the spring of 2019 I had arranged to fly my bike and myself to Paris for the start of a 3 month 25,000 km trip.
Covid-19 put an end to those plans.

 

[timtune]

I've been to Paris more than once. I'd rather ride the Smoky Mountains.

 

[sburns]

Looks like a great run. But the last part looks rather uninspiring. I would veture to some road next to the coast line.

 

[Green Meenie]

Not a bike or route related suggestion but ... if you end up in Tampa and can manage it, go to the Ybor area (Cuban area of Tampa) and go to the Columbia Restaurant for dinner (7th Ave; Ybor) - it's a must! The place is incredible and the oldest Spanish restaurant in Florida. I had the absolute best meal ever there a year ago. This place is a gastronomical & visual delight! Large parking lot right across the street too. Be sure to have a drink in their bar first. This was the original restaurant area and they've expanded the place a lot since then. The whole place is steeped in history, really incredible! They even bake their own bread there and it's out of this world good.

 

[Lightcycle]

I've been to Paris more than once. I'd rather ride the Smoky Mountains.

He's only starting in Paris where I assume the bike is being shipped to. From there, a 25,000 km road trip puts him well in touch with the best riding roads in Europe, from the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Dolomites, as well as great off-roading in the Balkans, Morocco and Iceland.

I like the Smoky Mountains as well, but the mountain roads and scenery in the old continent are on a different level.

 

[guzzirider]

Looks like a great run. But the last part looks rather uninspiring. I would veture to some road next to the coast line.

I have spent time in Florida (driving a car) and A1A alone the Atlantic coast is a long skinny parking lot with the view blocked by houses and condos. I may stay in in Tampa for several months so everything in Florida is a day trip from there. I was fortunate to do hwy 101 & 1 from Victoria BC to San Francisco back in the early 80s. My last trip I found a lot of development blocking the view of the ocean.

 

[sburns]

I have spent time in Florida (driving a car) and A1A alone the Atlantic coast is a long skinny parking lot with the view blocked by houses and condos. I may stay in in Tampa for several months so everything in Florida is a day trip from there. I was fortunate to do hwy 101 & 1 from Victoria BC to San Francisco back in the early 80s. My last trip I found a lot of development blocking the view of the ocean.

That makes some sense. For me I always just enjoy riding next to the water any chance I can get.
I few years ago I did a trip from Sarasota to Tampa in the car, and it was just gorgeous once I got on the coastline.
Also saw a sport bike doing a wheelie while racing with a gold mercedes. ah... Florida

 

[guzzirider]

I've been to Paris more than once. I'd rather ride the Smoky Mountains.

I see your Smokey Mountains and raise you
Col du machina in France.

 

[timtune]

That I'd take a piece of. Paris not so much.

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