Fall Camp-N-Ride...October 16,17 2015

On a crystal clear Friday afternoon, six riders (Larry, Scott, Dennis, Mel, Dave, and John) met in Ball Ground for our fall overnight ride to Suches. The warm afternoon was just beginning to give way to blustery north winds as we headed through Jasper and the Burnt Mountain area. After passing the Amicalola Falls area along 52, we stopped for a breather at Nimblewill Church off 52.

From there, Larry and Dave took the direct route to Suches (forest service!) while the rest of the gang continued on the traditional route, 52 to Dahlonega, then “twisty 60” up over Woody Gap to Suches. Both groups thought they had the best ride!

What Suches lacks in size, it makes up for in beauty – and this fall day didn’t disappoint. The color change was underway and the mountains looked stunning across the blue lake. A bright yellow plane seemed to float motionless above the blue lake and green grass of Georgia’s highest airport (well, airstrip) at High Valley, elevation 2800’.

 We set up tents along the creek, then as the light dimmed, headed into the lodge at TWO (the original motorcycle campground in the SE). The steaks were good and the fellowship even better. Dave couldn’t stay and headed home while the rest enjoyed a warm campfire and visiting with other moto travelers, like Daniel from AL. As we headed to bed, that clear sky we enjoyed earlier meant we’d have a cold night – about 35 degrees!

Everyone fared well thru the night, but it did make TWO’s renowned breakfast all the better. Tad rode up from Duluth and met us at 10 (brrrr!), We headed to our first stop just down the road at High Valley to see a yellow plane which kept taking off and landing. We were surprised to find a large fly-in of “Carbon Cubs” from all around the SE (almost all painted yellow!) – nearly twenty planes.

It was fun to see them and meet a few pilots, but we had our own piloting to do, so we continued on Wolf Pen Gap (GA’s “Dragon”) to 75, then down toward Helen. From there we ran up the Richard Russell SCENIC highway, then down 129 thru Neels Gap, sampling some of the very best motorcycle roads in GA.

After a quick lunch at Turners Corner, we headed down to Dahlonega and its Gold Rush Days festival traffic – ughhh. Tad routed us around, then it was down 400, then 369 back to Cherokee County where we all peeled off toward home. Total miles for both days was about 240, and a great 240 they were! Join us next time.