Bumpy Roads Worth Riding
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2006 6:11 pm
Borrowed this from the Goldwing Riders and added my own comments.
Bumped for 2007 season
This is for Virginia, USA
Good Roads to Ride:
Blue Ridge Parkway
One lane each way, only a few park rangers, wide easy curves that start to tighten as you approach north carolina. Connects to Skyline Dr in the north. Waynesboro to Va / NC Border
CamComments: A speeding ticket is a Federal Offense in the confines of the BRP. $500 and up fines. True there are few rangers, but assess your risk wisely. Best ridden early spring (March-April) and high summer months during Monday-Wednesday mornings. Avoid September-November leafer season if you like to set your own pace. Take the time to study your map and explore the numerous side roads (6xx and 7xx numbered county roads) that intersect the BRP. Highlight - unlike the Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway was engineered to be driven well at 45 mph. You can do this without needing to brake for corners or worry about curves (well many riders can). No need to speed.
Route 250
Route 250 from Staunton VA to Monterey VA. Tons of curves over 5 mountain ranges. Go on a weekday, and have the road to yourself.
CamCom: Properly called US 250 West. Avoid Staunton by getting onto VA 42 north or south of there and riding into Churchville to intersect US 250. This road was engineered and built by Napoleon's Engineers as France's military support during the US-British War of 1812 (Napoleon's troops were busy in Prussia). Every slope is graded just so; every curve is angled just right. There is an absence of VA DoT warning signs (yellow background/black curve arrow/ speed recommendation) for reasons I cannot determine. But it is an easy road to read. Follow this road into West Virginia, it is worth the next two mountains along the route. Go to Elkins along US 250 or turn south to Green Bank and see the big dish.
State Route 311
Great 2-lane road through the Jefferson National Forest (52 miles, total). Very little traffic, even fewer turnoffs. Very scenic with many challenging sections, i.e. short straights, followed by tight turns. Changes altitude very often. Most turns are blind because of Trees/Hills. Biggest problem - Wildlife. Roanoke(I-81 exit 141)-I-64(exit 183 WV)
CamCom: It's all true. Proper name is VA 311. Watch for the STOP sign in the short West Virginia section when WV Rte 3 takes priority. And again where VA 159 cuts off from VA 311. (Don't ask me how I know.)
Colonial Parkway
From Jamestown to Yorktown start on the James River at the site where British America was born. You finish on the York River at Yorktown.
CamCom: Don't waste your time.
Route 7
Start at Leesburg or I-495 & Georgetown Pike in McLean and ride through Route 29 / 211 & I-66
CamCom: They're joking. This runs through the 3rd most congested metro area in the country and unless you prefer Shopping Center and Cookie Cutter MacMansions, don't bother. No good food either.
Mount Weather Road
On Rt. 50 just west of Paris, Virginia the Mount Weather road runs parallel to the Snickersville Turnpike. The road follows the ridgeline and has several slow sweepers, one honest-to-goodness 10mph turn, and several scenic views.
CamCom: Passes through heavily guarded Federal lands. Use caution. Good road. Fun. If traveling southbound, the STOP sign at US 50 and the limited sight distance will challenge you - blind, downhill, 15 mph curve to a complete stop with no warning sign. US 50 is a 65-70 mph road, heavily policed.
Piedmont Area
From Arlington take I66 west to Gainesville. Get on 55W to Haymarket, follow it to the edge of Front Royal and turn left at 522S. Follow 522S [16+ miles] to where it hits a divided highway (still 522) and bear right. Stay on this stretch for about 8 miles then take the first right turn onto Route 231. Stay on 231S, cross Route 29 and go to Route 20. Turn left onto 20. When you get to Orange take 615 and head north. Follow 615 to 522N and then get on Rt 29N back to 28N.
CamCom: They mean well but are geographically challenged. It's not the Piedmont but it is the foothills of the Blue Ridge (east face) and the Northwest Mountains and the Southwest Mountains. VA 55 is good, not great. Lots of hidden driveways. The US 522 S and VA 231 S split is after the town of Sperryville - those directions above might leave you confused. At Sperryville, stay on VA 211 (the road that US522 joined 8 miles back) and cross Thorton Gap into Luray and return....great mountain twisties!!!! When VA 231 gets to VA 20 (Somerset) stay on VA 231 into Gordonsville (another 6 miles) Trust me. It is worth that stretch. Then return to VA 20 North.
Rt. 734 Snickersville Turnpike
Snickersville Turnpike starts on Rt. 50 at the south and ends at Rt. 7 to the north and runs for 14 miles of twists and turns.
CamCom: YES!
Rt. 678, Powell's Fort Road
Powell's Fort road is also a historically significant road, fought over during the Civil War and as the site of one of the first 1930's Civilian Conservation Corps camps. This road winds along the base of the steep Massanutten Mountain ridges through several small scenic towns and is a superb leaf-watching road. The north end starts at Rt. 55 just west of Front Royal in the hamlet of Waterlick, and the southern end at Rt. 211 in Luray (after turning into Rt. 675.)
CamCom: Yes also....worth it.
There are more, better, secret roads. But you must come to the Bash!
Bumped for 2007 season
This is for Virginia, USA
Good Roads to Ride:
Blue Ridge Parkway
One lane each way, only a few park rangers, wide easy curves that start to tighten as you approach north carolina. Connects to Skyline Dr in the north. Waynesboro to Va / NC Border
CamComments: A speeding ticket is a Federal Offense in the confines of the BRP. $500 and up fines. True there are few rangers, but assess your risk wisely. Best ridden early spring (March-April) and high summer months during Monday-Wednesday mornings. Avoid September-November leafer season if you like to set your own pace. Take the time to study your map and explore the numerous side roads (6xx and 7xx numbered county roads) that intersect the BRP. Highlight - unlike the Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway was engineered to be driven well at 45 mph. You can do this without needing to brake for corners or worry about curves (well many riders can). No need to speed.
Route 250
Route 250 from Staunton VA to Monterey VA. Tons of curves over 5 mountain ranges. Go on a weekday, and have the road to yourself.
CamCom: Properly called US 250 West. Avoid Staunton by getting onto VA 42 north or south of there and riding into Churchville to intersect US 250. This road was engineered and built by Napoleon's Engineers as France's military support during the US-British War of 1812 (Napoleon's troops were busy in Prussia). Every slope is graded just so; every curve is angled just right. There is an absence of VA DoT warning signs (yellow background/black curve arrow/ speed recommendation) for reasons I cannot determine. But it is an easy road to read. Follow this road into West Virginia, it is worth the next two mountains along the route. Go to Elkins along US 250 or turn south to Green Bank and see the big dish.
State Route 311
Great 2-lane road through the Jefferson National Forest (52 miles, total). Very little traffic, even fewer turnoffs. Very scenic with many challenging sections, i.e. short straights, followed by tight turns. Changes altitude very often. Most turns are blind because of Trees/Hills. Biggest problem - Wildlife. Roanoke(I-81 exit 141)-I-64(exit 183 WV)
CamCom: It's all true. Proper name is VA 311. Watch for the STOP sign in the short West Virginia section when WV Rte 3 takes priority. And again where VA 159 cuts off from VA 311. (Don't ask me how I know.)
Colonial Parkway
From Jamestown to Yorktown start on the James River at the site where British America was born. You finish on the York River at Yorktown.
CamCom: Don't waste your time.
Route 7
Start at Leesburg or I-495 & Georgetown Pike in McLean and ride through Route 29 / 211 & I-66
CamCom: They're joking. This runs through the 3rd most congested metro area in the country and unless you prefer Shopping Center and Cookie Cutter MacMansions, don't bother. No good food either.
Mount Weather Road
On Rt. 50 just west of Paris, Virginia the Mount Weather road runs parallel to the Snickersville Turnpike. The road follows the ridgeline and has several slow sweepers, one honest-to-goodness 10mph turn, and several scenic views.
CamCom: Passes through heavily guarded Federal lands. Use caution. Good road. Fun. If traveling southbound, the STOP sign at US 50 and the limited sight distance will challenge you - blind, downhill, 15 mph curve to a complete stop with no warning sign. US 50 is a 65-70 mph road, heavily policed.
Piedmont Area
From Arlington take I66 west to Gainesville. Get on 55W to Haymarket, follow it to the edge of Front Royal and turn left at 522S. Follow 522S [16+ miles] to where it hits a divided highway (still 522) and bear right. Stay on this stretch for about 8 miles then take the first right turn onto Route 231. Stay on 231S, cross Route 29 and go to Route 20. Turn left onto 20. When you get to Orange take 615 and head north. Follow 615 to 522N and then get on Rt 29N back to 28N.
CamCom: They mean well but are geographically challenged. It's not the Piedmont but it is the foothills of the Blue Ridge (east face) and the Northwest Mountains and the Southwest Mountains. VA 55 is good, not great. Lots of hidden driveways. The US 522 S and VA 231 S split is after the town of Sperryville - those directions above might leave you confused. At Sperryville, stay on VA 211 (the road that US522 joined 8 miles back) and cross Thorton Gap into Luray and return....great mountain twisties!!!! When VA 231 gets to VA 20 (Somerset) stay on VA 231 into Gordonsville (another 6 miles) Trust me. It is worth that stretch. Then return to VA 20 North.
Rt. 734 Snickersville Turnpike
Snickersville Turnpike starts on Rt. 50 at the south and ends at Rt. 7 to the north and runs for 14 miles of twists and turns.
CamCom: YES!
Rt. 678, Powell's Fort Road
Powell's Fort road is also a historically significant road, fought over during the Civil War and as the site of one of the first 1930's Civilian Conservation Corps camps. This road winds along the base of the steep Massanutten Mountain ridges through several small scenic towns and is a superb leaf-watching road. The north end starts at Rt. 55 just west of Front Royal in the hamlet of Waterlick, and the southern end at Rt. 211 in Luray (after turning into Rt. 675.)
CamCom: Yes also....worth it.
There are more, better, secret roads. But you must come to the Bash!
