After six months of planning, our trip from Wisconsin to the Blue Ridge Parkway is finally happening. This video series brings you along on every mile of the trip, prep to completion. Learn about planning your next trip by watching ours.
About the Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway runs for 469 miles from Virginia to North Carolina. Built in the 1930s, this is an incredibly scenic route with 200 scenic overlooks and 26 tunnels. The longest tunnel is just over 1/4 mile long. Elevation ranges from 649 feet to 6,053 feet. Along the Parkway you’ll find Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain peak in the eastern United States, Linville Gorge, the deepest gorge east of the Grand Canyon, many waterfalls, sweeping curves and amazing vistas. It’s a dream destination for a motorcycle ride. Learn more about the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Our trip
We’ll head from Hammond, WI to Illinois, then east to Waynesboro, VA where we’ll jump on the Parkway and head south. From the south end we’ll cut over to Nashville, then up into Ohio, culminating in a ferry ride across Lake Michigan to get home. It looks like about 3,000 miles, but who knows what side trips might happen along the way.
We planned the entire trip using Google Maps and a Garmin Zumo XT. Check out the gear we took on the trip to learn what was helpful, and what wasn’t.
Our Harley baggers are packed and ready to go. Whether you plan on also riding the BRP, are thinking about a similar trip and want to learn from ours, or just want to experience the BRP by watching over our shoulders, you’ll enjoy this series.
Blue Ridge Parkway Harley Trip – Meet George and Charlie
After many months of planning Charlie and I are in the final stages of getting ready for our trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Planning the trip
My first idea was to head from Canada to Mexico. After a few hours of staring at a map of the U.S. in Charlie’s office we changed the trip to make the BRP the bullseye of the trip. It looks like it’ll be 3000+ miles.Our route
We’ll take off from Hammond, Wi and head south to Illinois. From there we’ll head nearly straight east toward Waynesboro, KY, where we’ll get started on the Blue Ridge Parkway. We plan on riding it end to end, terminating at Cherokee, NC.Along the way…
Charlie and I are both self-employed, and finding two weeks in which we could be COMPLETELY off work wasn’t easy. In fact, it was impossible. So, we have a few work commitments we need to take care of along the way. A teaching gig for me, and a couple of equipment shows for Charlie.Our riding history
Charlie has been riding for over 20 years, starting out on a 1995 Ultra Classic he still has.That bike has over 100,000 miles on it. The bike he’ll ride on this trip was totaled (not by Charlie). Charlie restored it and it’s ready to go. I bought a basket case bike while in college, put it back together, and used it to pop around town. I was away from motorcycles for a while but have been back in the saddle for the last five years or so and will be riding an Ultra Classic on this trip.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: George and Charlie’s Bikes
As we get ready for our Blue Ridge Parkway trip Charlie and I thought we’d do a Harley Davidson Review, filling you in on the bikes we’re taking on the trip.
The bike style
Charlie and I are both riding baggers. A bagger is typically defined as a bike with a fairing along with side bags and/or compartments to hold stuff. Planning on 15 days on our bikes, we’re definitely going to have stuff.My bike
I’m riding a 2009 Harley Davidson Ultra Classic with 40,000 miles. I bought the bike used a few months before the trip. What a great ride!! I’ve tried a number of other brands and styles of bikes, and can’t get over how well the Harley handles.Charlie’s bike
Charlie is riding a 2019 Road Glide. He admits that it took him a little bit to get used to the Road Glide compared to his older Ultra Classic, but he loves it. He purchased the bike with only 200 miles on it as a salvage bike and redid A LOT of the plastic on the bike, including doing a black cherry pearl paint job. It looks amazing in the sun. Charlie is also working on a salvaged 2009 Street Glide. It needs a lot of cosmetic work, which he’ll spend the winter months working on. If you’re looking for a project bike check out auction sites such as Crashed Toys.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Installing Cameras on the Harleys
Not everyone is capturing video content from their trips for a website like Charlie and I are, but it’s still great to have a camera on the bike. You might be interested in viewing those memories later or, worst case, you might want a video so you can review what led up to an accident.
The INOVV K3
We installed the INNOVV K3 system on our bikes. It provides front and rear facing cameras that record full HD 1080P at 30 frames per second using a 120-degree lens. When I start the bike, the camera starts recording. When I stop the bike it stops recording. A 128GB micro SD card provides about 19 hours of video recording, then it’ll start recording over the video you already have. Final setup is done by Bluetooth connecting your phone to the system. I set our systems for three minute video files.How do you find your footage?
The remote control, mounted on your handlebars, includes an event save button. Press the event save button and the video being shot at that moment will be bookmarked so you can easily separate it from other video files later. You can also use the event save button to shoot still pics.Data
The unit includes GPS. Every video clip includes time, speed and GPS coordinates. The time stamp is very handy when you’re sorting through video files later.Install
You need basic mechanical skills to install INNOVV K3 cameras on your bike. You need to thread cables from the DVR to the cameras and GPS, connect to the battery and mount the cameras. It wasn’t difficult at all for us to install this on our Harleys.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 1
Charlie and I are geared up, tooled up and ramped up for our BRP trip!! After many months of planning it’s FINALLY go time. Hammond, WI to Galena, IL on Day 1.
Planning
My first iteration of this trip was to ride from Canada to Mexico on I-35. Charlie and I talked about that trip, and he quickly pointed me east to the Blue Ridge Parkway. That looked like a great idea, so six months later we’re on our way to the BRP.Navigating
The entire trip was planned out in Google Maps with each day as an individual leg. Once I had each BRP leg mapped I was able to export the individual legs to my Garmin. Having the Garmin along added a lot of peace of mind, knowing that even if we got sidetracked by something cool we could easily wind our way to the hotel.Where are we staying?
Charlie and I both own motorcycle campers and we considered taking those on this trip. In the end we decided that considering the length of the trip, getting a really good night’s sleep (and a complimentary breakfast) was a good idea. So, we opted for hotels. Most of the hotel reservations were made before we left, so we have a distinct target for each day. The BRP trip hotel addresses were mapped in the Garmin.We were escorted
Charlie’s three daughters and their boyfriends are avid motorcycle riders, so they rode with us for the first part of the day. What a great send off.The River Road
A bunch of today is spent on the Great River Road. If you’re ever in western Wisconsin be sure you spend some time on this amazingly scenic route along the Mississippi River.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 2
Today’s leg: Galena, IL to Champaign, IL, about 4 hours. We’re on two lane roads part of the day,and freeway part of the day. The day started out very cloudy with intermittent rain drops. Hopefully we’re riding ahead of the rain…
Talking about the trip
Having a mic in my helmet that’s connected to the bike video camera is WONDERFUL. It lets me talk about what we’re seeing as we’re seeing it. I love that!Rain, rain go away
Argh! With weather typically moving northwest to southeast and today’s ride taking us southeast we were hoping to stay ahead of the rain. But, not so much. We weren’t too far into the day’s ride before we ended up in a complete downpour. We stopped to put our rain gear on BEFORE it started to come down hard. Charlie and I both have very dependable rain gear that kept us nice and dry. Full fairings on the bikes help, too. You end up in a “bubble” behind the fairing and windshield that’s pretty rain-free. Like Charlie says, be smart about riding in the rain.Lunches
Our intention is to stop halfway through the ride each day for a road side lunch. We filled a soft-sided cooler with sandwich fixins, and I’ve got a backpacking stove I can use to boil water for coffee or dehydrated meals.Mixing work with pleasure
Since Charlie and I are both self-employed it was impossible to find two weeks in which we could both be completely off work. Part of the reason Champaign ended up on our tour was because of a teaching gig I had there. Work factors in a few times on this trip.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 3
Our longest day so far, we’re planning on driving 420 miles from Champaign, IL to Ashland, KY. The morning forecast calls for rain, but we’re hoping to drive out of it. But, not so much… We were in rain A LOT on this leg.
So, when it rains…
…what does a motorcyclist do? Pick your comfort level and do what works for you, but Charlie and I rode through the rain. We both had great rain gear with us, so we suited up and kept on keeping on. I was amazed by how comfortable the ride was, even in a significant rain. Part of that comfort level comes from knowing your bike and making sure it’s ready for the trip. We were both driving on new tires, and the bikes had been given a complete once over before the trip.Great change in scenery
One of the benefits of covering a lot of ground is seeing a lot of scenery changes. The topography change from Illinois to Indiana to Kentucky was incredible.How’s the ride going?
One reason we wanted to get the trip on video was to show that this can be done. I’m 60, Charlie is 54, and we’re both surviving the trip just fine. On this leg we broke 1000 total miles. Neither of us are sore or feel like they don’t want to get back on the bike. That’s a testimony to the Harleys and how comfortable they are, and also part of being smart about planning your trip, long days and short days. Stopping to stretch your legs, get off the bike and get rejuvenated is part of making the ride enjoyable and safe.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 4
About 220 miles in front of us today, and we’re starting in rain. Taking advantage, again, of having good rain gear (and good tires).
The terrain
The ride has gotten progressively prettier as we go east. The mountains are amazing, and the cuts we’re riding through the mountains are great. You can see at our lunch break on I-64 the incredible mountains in the background. We started the day at 550’ and climbed to about 2500’, ending at about 1300’ in Waynesboro.Temp swing
We started the day with a lot of clothes on (including rain gear) because it was chilly. By lunchtime we were peeling layers off as it hit 80-degrees. This is a good lesson in keeping your gear accessible, because shortly after lunch we were putting rain gear back on. Our hotel-related clothes were in our tailbags, but we kept our bike jackets and rain gear in the trunks of our bikes. Easy on, easy off. When we’re riding in heat it’s often too warm for a full-blown motorcycle jacket, but I want more protection than a t-shirt offers. That’s when I switch to my motorcycle shirt. It’s mesh, so it is cool to ride in, but has long sleeves and pads in important places.Bike accoutrements
Don’t underestimate the value of heated hand grips. On these cool, rainy days my grips were turned on, low heat setting, more often than not. Cruise control is a wonderful thing, and a big part of what’s keeping us comfortable on this trip. Being able to swap hands on the handlebar is great. Set it and forget it.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 5
We definitely paid our dues with lousy motorcycle riding weather on this trip, but we received the payoff today. The weather for our first day on the BRP was amazing!! Today we’re riding from Waynesboro, VA to Roanoke.
Get yourself some help
While researching this ride, a couple things popped up. There are no gas stations on the BRP, and there may be spots where you won’t have a cell signal. This is part of the reason I bought a Garmin for my bike. Satellite-based GPS always works, even when cell tower-based navigation doesn’t.
I also highly recommend the Blue Ridge Parkway app. It provides detailed info about the BRP. The Parkway has mileposts, starting at zero at the north end, and is divided into four regions. The app tells you what milepost overlooks and other attractions are at. We used the app to plan what major points on the Parkway we wanted to stop at. So, if we got separated, we knew we’d see each other at X milepost.
Short Hops
The BRP speed limit is 45 mph, and we planned on making a lot of stops. As a result each of our days on the Parkway are pretty short in terms of miles. You definitely don’t want to feel like it’s a footrace each day to get to your end point.
Traffic
There was none! Or very little. It turns out that this time frame, September, is one of the lowest traffic times of the year. If you want to ride the Parkway without being tire to bumper with a bunch of other traffic, do some research before deciding when you’ll go.
Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 6
Today we’re heading from Roanoke to Galax, VA. We had planned on overnighting in Roanoke and that worked out great because a section of the BRP near there was closed, so we had to jump off the Parkway and detour through Roanoke anyway.
Unexpected Benefit
We got off the BRP north of Roanoke and got back on south of the city. Our entry point was Bent Mountain. What a great ride getting from Roanoke, elevation of about 1000’, to Bent Mountain, elevation of 2600’. The 3-½ mile long sidewinder road going up was a blast to ride, with amazing views.Weather Report
We were so lucky with weather while on the Parkway. Cool and clear with no rain. You should definitely explore average BRP weather conditions before planning your trip. It’s easy for parts of the Parkway to hit 80-90 degrees in the summer. That kind of heat, especially if there’s a lot of traffic, wouldn’t be much fun.Lover’s Leap
We did a very nice side trip off the BRP to get to Lover’s Leap. With an elevation of almost 3000’ the view from Lover’s Leap is amazing. It’s a short run off the Parkway, and definitely worth seeing.North to South, or Elsewhere?
As you’re planning your BRP trip, think about the direction you want to ride. We’re going north to south, and have been told a number of times that views to the south keep getting better. (Which proved to be true.) But you can ride it in either direction, or not ride it end to end but instead spend time off the Parkway exploring areas more intensely.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 7
This is our third day on the Parkway. Admittedly we kinda lost track of time and were surprised by how much additional traffic there was, until we figured out it was Saturday.
We met Frank!
At one of the overlooks we met Frank, who gave us GREAT advice on some roads to drive and places to see. Meeting folks along the way was a really wonderful part of the trip, and both Charlie and I would encourage you to do the same. Take the time to shake a few hands, talk to people about their experiences and get a feel for local flavor.The Falls
There are quite a few waterfalls along the BRP. On this leg we made stops at two of them; Cascade Falls and Linville Falls. Both require a little bit of a hike, but are worth it. Cascade Falls, milepost 272, are about 100’ high and a 1 mile round trip from the parking lot. It’s an easy hikeThe Linville Gorge was the country’s first officially designated wilderness area. Linville Falls, milepost 316, consists of an upper and lower falls. The hike to the lower falls is easy. The hike to the upper falls is more strenuous.
Change our minds
When we talked to Frank we had intended to get off the BRP around Boone or so and start heading for our next stop, Sevierville, TN. But we decided, in for a penny in for a pound. We had the chance to ride the BRP end to end, so chose to keep heading south on the Parkway. Sorry, Frank.A great spot to stay
Our change in plans meant we wouldn’t be at our designated stopping point for the day, but we found an amazing spot, the Linville Falls Lodge and Cottages. If you’re going to be in the area it’s worth checking out for a stay.Blue Ridge Parkway Trip: Day 8
Day 8 of our trip, Day 4 on the BRP. This is our last day on the Parkway. So many people told us the views keep getting better and better as you travel south, and they were right.
Share tips, start a discussion or ask other students a question. If you have a question for the instructor, please click here.
Already a member? Sign in
No Responses to “Ride & Rally w/ Fix My Hog - Blue Ridge Parkway”