Although it's long been on my bucket list, it's been scary for me as a new rider to think about going up onto Skyline Drive in my area (state of Virginia, USA). Like many people, heights make me nervous. I have visions of my skidding the bike out in a corner, or stalling it and it just falls over. There could be a sudden meteorite strike or a hidden volcano that erupts within the long-dormant mountain range.
See what I'm dealing with here?!
The problem is that the closest point for me is up a road that has a few hairpin turns to get to Thornton Gap. (Switch to Satellite image and zoom in. The scary part is Route 211 from Sperryville VA to Luray VA. Thornton Gap is in the middle and is an entrance to Skyline Drive.)
Now, you folks who ride in the Alps and the Rockies and South America can chuckle and click on to the next post if you want. I won't be offended.
But for a flatland Georgia native like me, this is intimidating. Bike & car traffic moves fast on this mountain crossing, there's gravel, wet leaves, lions, and tigers and bears, oh my....
So I had made this into a terrifying journey, in my mind.
Then I discovered a gentler entrance farther south, the Swift Run Gap entrance via Route 33 traveling west from Stanardsville. You can see there's only one hairpin curve on this route. (Swift Run Gap is about halfway between Stanardsville VA and Elkton VA.)
I decided at 1300 yesterday to just go for it, because riding Skyline Drive on a motorcycle has been on my bucket list for ages. But first I needed to conquer that ride up the mountain.
I'm happy to say that I DID IT via the southern route, from Stanardsville to Elkton VA! The ride was not nearly as terrifying as I had expected. I rode the speed limit, did outside/inside/outside, and there were just no issues.
(Pics or it didn't happen!)
Rode back down the mountain and decided on a whim to jump onto Skyline Drive. I hadn't planned on doing it that day because it was getting late, but WTH.
Rode the 34 miles (at the speed limit of 35mph!) along Skyline Drive from Swift Run Gap to Thornton Gap/Sperryville and decided to tackle *that* really scary ride up and down the mountain. It was definitely more challenging than the first one. Here's a sign posted at the entrance:
(photo copied from online)
After doing it twice, I decided to call it a day and head for the barn.
I was freezing by that time, with the 3000-foot elevation and the below-average temps we're having. I was happy to have heated grips, but I sure wanted my long-sleeved fleece shirt.
Partial GPS track of my ride. I didn't have it on from my start point)
Got home 6-1/2 hours after starting out. I learned that 6-1/2 hours was about 2 hours too long for my experience level, the challenges I was tackling, the cold, and the late start in the day.
But overall it was a fantastic ride! I've finally started to understand why guys get all het up about cornering in the twisties. I'm not expecting to become a knee-dragger, but leaning into a corner just feels...great!
Thanks for reading this newbie's post!
See what I'm dealing with here?!
The problem is that the closest point for me is up a road that has a few hairpin turns to get to Thornton Gap. (Switch to Satellite image and zoom in. The scary part is Route 211 from Sperryville VA to Luray VA. Thornton Gap is in the middle and is an entrance to Skyline Drive.)
Now, you folks who ride in the Alps and the Rockies and South America can chuckle and click on to the next post if you want. I won't be offended.
But for a flatland Georgia native like me, this is intimidating. Bike & car traffic moves fast on this mountain crossing, there's gravel, wet leaves, lions, and tigers and bears, oh my....
So I had made this into a terrifying journey, in my mind.
Then I discovered a gentler entrance farther south, the Swift Run Gap entrance via Route 33 traveling west from Stanardsville. You can see there's only one hairpin curve on this route. (Swift Run Gap is about halfway between Stanardsville VA and Elkton VA.)
I decided at 1300 yesterday to just go for it, because riding Skyline Drive on a motorcycle has been on my bucket list for ages. But first I needed to conquer that ride up the mountain.
I'm happy to say that I DID IT via the southern route, from Stanardsville to Elkton VA! The ride was not nearly as terrifying as I had expected. I rode the speed limit, did outside/inside/outside, and there were just no issues.
(Pics or it didn't happen!)
Rode back down the mountain and decided on a whim to jump onto Skyline Drive. I hadn't planned on doing it that day because it was getting late, but WTH.
Rode the 34 miles (at the speed limit of 35mph!) along Skyline Drive from Swift Run Gap to Thornton Gap/Sperryville and decided to tackle *that* really scary ride up and down the mountain. It was definitely more challenging than the first one. Here's a sign posted at the entrance:
(photo copied from online)
After doing it twice, I decided to call it a day and head for the barn.
I was freezing by that time, with the 3000-foot elevation and the below-average temps we're having. I was happy to have heated grips, but I sure wanted my long-sleeved fleece shirt.
Partial GPS track of my ride. I didn't have it on from my start point)
Got home 6-1/2 hours after starting out. I learned that 6-1/2 hours was about 2 hours too long for my experience level, the challenges I was tackling, the cold, and the late start in the day.
But overall it was a fantastic ride! I've finally started to understand why guys get all het up about cornering in the twisties. I'm not expecting to become a knee-dragger, but leaning into a corner just feels...great!
Thanks for reading this newbie's post!
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that we "Eskimo's" 
wouldn't even notice.
