Ok, here are the details for “Spyders on the Skyline”, or a Saturday Skyline Drive ride. The date is 20 October 2012. I’m choosing this date because 1) colors should be pretty good by then and 2) the week earlier when I would rather do it my wife will be out of town and she wants to be on this ride too.
The Skyline Drive is 105 miles end-to-end. The ride will start at the south gate (I 64) mile marker 105 and end at the north gate (I-66) mile marker 0. I’m proposing heading north out of the gate at 9:30 AM. I’m figuring with time spent stopping at the various overlooks, Spyder photo ops, and general taking our time we should be able to make “Big Meadows” (mile marker 51) around noon. Big meadows has a restaurant, store, gas station, rest rooms and picnic areas. The Byrd Visitor Center is also located there. So it’s a good place to stop and socialize for a while. Head back out by 1:30 PM and again stopping at various overlooks, Spyder photo ops, and general taking our time make it to the Front Royal gate sometime between 4:00 and 4:30 PM.
Wife and I will be spending Friday night in Waynesboro and having breakfast Saturday prior to getting on the Skyline Drive. There is a Waffle House 6 miles west of the south gate. The address is 901 Lew Dewitt Blvd, Waynesboro VA. This is just off exit 94 of I-64. We should arrive there about 7:30 or so.
Skyline Drive is in the Shenandoah National Park and Appalachian National Forest and is managed by the national Park Service. There is a $10 entry fee for motorcycles. It’s good for 6 days from date of purchase. I have an annual pass that cost $20.
Anyone not up to making the entire drive or driving to the south gate can try and meet up with us along the route. We’ll be the ones riding on 3 wheels. Pack a lunch, charge your camera batteries and come join us.
I’m open to recommendations and ideas to make this a great outing.
Last edited by DR Buck; 10-11-2012 at 08:13 AM.
Reason: Finalize details
Just to add a point.............. We will most likely ride down the night before and get a hotel room and have dinner as it's 80 miles from home to the south gate and the wife does not like to get up early.
Greetings from a new ryder, as I will be flying to Winston-Salem on Sunday to pick up my new RT Limited. Something else to consider, UVA has a home football game in Charlottesville that day, and speaking as a season ticket holder, traffic will be difficult, at best around C-ville. I live in Culpeper, and while I can't ride on the 20th, please keep me posted on any other ride ideas!
Doug
Skyline Drive is a marvelous, easy ride. We rode it on the way home from Maggie Valley. It should be spectacular in the Fall colors. I wish we were closer so we could come along.
Greetings from a new ryder, as I will be flying to Winston-Salem on Sunday to pick up my new RT Limited. Something else to consider, UVA has a home football game in Charlottesville that day, and speaking as a season ticket holder, traffic will be difficult, at best around C-ville. I live in Culpeper, and while I can't ride on the 20th, please keep me posted on any other ride ideas!
Doug
Hey, welcome aboard. I live 30 mi south but go to Winston a lot to Honda Can Am dealer; thats where you're getting your new RT I assume? Pretty good folks to deal with. Bring your rain gear...long range wx looks iffy.
Just found your post, and have been wanting to ride Skyline Dr. We live in Va Beach, but we have relatives in No. VA, not very far from Front Royal. I have the time off, just waiting for the wife to assure me she can get that weekend off as well. Looking forward to the ride and the wonderful sights...especially the colors!!!! 'Til then..."Ride Safe, Ride Long, and Ride Often...Be Free on Three". ValCruzSpyder
Skyline Drive is a marvelous, easy ride. We rode it on the way home from Maggie Valley. It should be spectacular in the Fall colors. I wish we were closer so we could come along.
Scotty...Were you at the car show in Marshall yesterday?...Cindi saw a red RT there as she was getting gas at Loves...
I plan to go down Shenandoah Parkway in the morning 9/29.
Leaving Buckingham around 6:30 AM going up 15 going through Culpepper and Orange and Sperryville
Entering from the Front Royal entrance around 9 -9:30 AM
Plan on eating Lunch at the Big Meadows and finishing up at Interstate 64
AccuWeather -Sep 29 Sat Fog in the a.m.; partly sunny 70°Lo 50° -( Front Royal) Wunderground -in a Saturday, 2966 | 50 °F Partly Cloudy Chance of Precipitation10%-( Front Royal)
I plan to go down Shenandoah Parkway in the morning 9/29.
Leaving Buckingham around 6:30 AM going up 15 going through Culpepper and Orange and Sperryville
Entering from the Front Royal entrance around 9 -9:30 AM
Plan on eating Lunch at the Big Meadows and finishing up at Interstate 64
AccuWeather -Sep 29 Sat Fog in the a.m.; partly sunny 70°Lo 50° -( Front Royal)
Wunderground -in a Saturday, 2966 | 50 °F Partly Cloudy Chance of Precipitation10%-( Front Royal)
Made it to the entrance at Shenandoah Parkway around 9:15 AM
it takes about three hours for me to get to the entrant from where I live.
Found out that yesterday was National Public Land Day and it was free
no fee to get in.
The temperature was around the low 50s throughout the whole trip
mostly sunny throughout the whole day the air was crisp and extremely
clear at least for the two first hours. Was a bit breezy later on and the
it got a little misty looking.
The trees have really not started to drop leaves yet and are just now turning
you could see a few that are changing colors now but it should be perfect
for that around the 20th
One thing I did discover, I never had these on any previous bike never
really thought they were necessary but I was wrong heated handgrips
sure felt good.
One unusual thing very few bikes no Spyders at all,really right now
this is one of the the best times to ride up on the Parkway if you
can stand a little cold don't let that stop you these are the rides
you remember the most.
Ended exiting at 64 around 1:30 it's around 105 miles from Front Royal
to the 64 entrance. Went down the Blue Ridge Pkwy. for a while and
ended up back at the house around 4 o'clock around a 320 mile loop.
Definitely want to do this again plan to be there if possible with you
on the 20th.
Glad you had a great ride. I think you've shown that you can do the entire 105 miles in less that half a day even with the leaf peekers slowing you down. However, my thoughts for the Saturday ride taking as whole day are to include ample "social" time with each other. With the colors expected to be near peak I know I'll want to make a fair number of the overlook stops and take pictures. I hope others feel the same. If you never been to the Skyline, the visitor center at Great Meadows has some nice displays and a short movie as well.
I will be there for part of the trip. Have to be back in Richmond for my daughter's first dance at Hanover high school. I am looking forward to meeting other spyder owners.
I definitely will try to make this ride. I had plans for that weekend but I'm going to see if I can change them to attend this event.
This will be my first ride with other Spyder riders and skyline drive. I may have to meet you guys at Big Meadows if I can't get of off work that Friday to drive down and spend the night.
For those going and those still deciding if they want to go on this ride, I've attached links to information about the Skyline Drive and current activities.
Brochure - With schedlues and events from Sept thru November
Are we still trying for Saturday? I'm running a horse show on Sunday so I definitely can't do that date. If it's still a go for Saturday I need to ask for the day off.
Gah, you just had to start from the SOUTH end, didn't ya?
Might do the overnight thing down there, or might just meet folks at Big Meadows for lunch... but one way or the other, I'll try to make it!
If you do go down perhaps we could meet up somewhere near the 495/95 exit? This would be my first real trip with the Spyder and I'd be thankful for company!
Yes..... still on for Saturday 20 October. Also the reason for starting on the south end is the sun! This time of the year with the sun lower on the horizon riding north to south we (read that me) would be dealing with it flashing through the trees and glaring on my glasses. So call it selfish, I'd rather enjoy the ride and not have to content with sun blindness.
Spyders on the Skyline - Saturday 20 october 2012
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as it's 80 miles from home to the south gate and the wife does not like to get up early.
Originally Posted by daveinva
