Spyders on the Skyline - Saturday 20 october 2012

[DR Buck]

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.