Sunday, October 14, 2007

Parsons Branch Loop

I've done some version of this ride several times in the last month. So i thought I'd take the camera today and post it for all those folks who venture to 2WheeledTN. Who knows it may hit double didgits by 2010. LOL
It all starts with an awesome backroad ride from the house to Townsend where you enter the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. From the Park entrance follow the signs to Cades Cove, I'll do a post on Cades Cove later it's a pretty cool place but October traffic can push you to the edge. The one lane one way loop was brought to a sudden stop when we had a deer sighting, you would think most folks have seen a deer before, hell they eat the bushes in my front yard, but i don't want to rant to much on the tourist. A couple good raps on the DRZ throttle (FMF pipe is LOUD) and the three little deer went scampering and traffic was moving again. About midway around the loop you hit the gravel road that takes you over to Parsons Branch, the road has just reopened after being closed for several years and I'm sure it took a bunch of your tax dollars to get the job done, anyway it's now a nic e hard packed dirt road that has all kinds of grip and concrete in all the creek crossings. loads of fun to ride and about 8 miles long and ending at US 129 aka "The Dragon". The DRZ is a hoot going up the Dragon and today it was more fun than ever cause I got behind this kid on a new R6 doing his best Valentino Rossi imitation and stayed within 10 feet of his fancy LED tail all the way up.

Stoped at the store for a smoke and to see what was in the parking lot.

Then on through Joyce Kilmer Forest to Santeetlah Gap where you pickup a nice gravel road that kinda parallels the Cherohala Skyway and runs all the way to Tellico Plains.
Really nice elevation changes.




I Pulled off the gravel road to run up to one of the high spots on the Cherohala http://www.cherohala.com/




And took a little side road that Blue showed me last week, It's hard to tell fro this pix but it is very steep and about as nasty a place that i would take the DRZ on.
224 miles




Comments:
Nice ride report Nubbie. Good pics too!

My DRZ say's that we are coming that way sometime this winter and you can be the tour guide.

That is the truth too about those pesky damn tourists in Cade's Cove. Ask Sam sometime about me wearing a bunch of idiots out in the Cove one time.....
 
"That is the truth too about those pesky damn tourists in Cade's Cove. Ask Sam sometime about me wearing a bunch of idiots out in the Cove one time....."
I'd like to here that story!!

You'll come anytime..
 
Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]





<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?

Subscribe to Posts [Atom]