The Long Loop +

Larry, Frank, Mike, Mark and Bob S. met in Ball Ground in the predawn light to start the ride north. The plans called for the group to ride together until they stopped in the tiny settlement of Dial to have coffee and breakfast at Van Zantz's store. This place has opened and closed a number of times in the past  but the lady behind the counter told the guys she just signed a twelve month lease so they should be there for a while. There are few alternatives available locally so they were glad to hear it will be there for a welcomed stopping point.

At Dial the group split with Mike, Mark and Frank heading up Aska Road to Blue Ridge, then down Ga 60 to Suches while Larry and Bob headed into the National Forest to take the dirt and gravel Forest Service roads to Suches to meet the others. Surprisingly everything went smoothly and the group reformed at the "biker stop" at Ga 180 and Ga 60. From there they headed over in the direction of Wolf Pen Gap, stopping at the 180 Diner for lunch. If you stop there sometime, order the hamburger but skip the fries, as it will be too much to eat. Their hamburgers stand about six inches tall and really fill you up. Good too.

From the lunch stop the group headed through Wolf Pen Gap, carefully negotiating the hairpin turns that hug the side of the mountain in many places. This is not a place to lose one's focus as the drop offs can be severe if one leaves the pavement.

After exiting Wolf Pen Gap at Vogel State Park the group headed over to the Richard Russell Scenic Parkway that heads over toward Helen. The group wisely chose to bypass Helen and instead stopped at the Smithgall Woods Conservation Center. From there it was a non stop ride home mainly on back roads in White, Lumpkin and Dawson counties.

It was another great ride. The weather couldn't have been better.

Since they got back around 3:30 p.m. a later start could have worked and given a chance for the sun to warm things up. Something to remember for next time. Here's a video of the ride: