Motorcycle Alabama

The planning and background for this is in Ride Planning but I thought it would be better to put all the info here in Dual Sport Rides.

So here's the plan:

Dates:  Thursday - Sunday 22-25 October.

Place:  Cherohala Mountain Trails Campground:  https://cmtrails.com/

The Plan:

I plan on heading up Thursday, setting up camp and doing a half day ride.

Friday will be another day of riding

Saturday will be the main ride and the day I expect most people to be there.

Sunday:  Probably a morning ride and then head home but subject to change.

I called CMTC and the cabins are booked for that weekend but there is no limit on camping.

There is also a street ride scheduled out of Tellico Plains and I hope to hook up with those guys for dinner one night.  The thread for the street ride is here:  http://www.motorcyclealabama.com/rides/index.php?topic=3925.0

Attendees.  Here's who is coming as far as I know:

Me - klaviatior
@2372ighost
@thinwater
@Pepperlady
@terryrussell1  & coworker.
@Jwwr
@norton73  & Lynn  (maybe)
@SoloRider73

The riding will be on legal forest service roads as well as some paved roads.  Nothing really hard planned but there is some single track in the area that is legal.  There will be some really twisty roads, paved and unpaved and some great scenery. 

I haven't really posted this ride anywhere other than this forum but I'll put it on ADV so we may pick up a few more riders.  I'm not really looking to make this a huge event, just a fun dual sport ride.

Saturday will be the main ride.  There are several routes we could do.  I was planning on riding Farr Gap,  the gravohala, the gravel dragon and over the snowbird mountains but depending on what everyone wants that could be changed to a route including Farr Gap, and some stuff on the Tellico Side of the mountains to include the UFO landing site, Trail 81 and Joe Brown Hwy.

Lynn and I are tentative.


We were up that way a couple weekends ago. While we were there, a couple friends rode trail 82 and 81. They reported 82 had a few washouts and downed trees from Joe Brown Highway to Buck Bald. Doable, but challenging. Buck Bald to hwy 68 was open, we rode down it with no issues, just a couple short wet spots.

They said 81 had a big tree across it, they did a sketchy ride around the root ball, that about did them in. Rumors are that plans are afoot to go cut it out soon.

Bald River Road is being worked on. Signs said it was closed M-F 9-5 for work. From Smithfield Rd to Lookout Tower Rd was covered in deep loose gravel, not much fun. After Lookout Tower Rd, it was fine.

Bear hunters were everywhere, be sure to stay right on blind turns.

Gravel on Bald River Road;

I'm planning on being there. Want get there till late Friday.   :(, Really looking forward to this! I know it's going to be good!

Looking at the campground website and it appears you can buy meals there correct? Curious if it is still open bc of covid.  Be nice not to have to pack much food.   

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Quote from: terryrussell1 on October 15, 2020, 09:02:13 PM
Looking at the campground website and it appears you can buy meals there correct? Curious if it is still open bc of covid.  Be nice not to have to pack much food.   

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I have stayed at this campground many times before.  It's a great place and the owner really goes out of his way to help out his guests.  Generally he does offer breakfast and dinner on weekends.  I have eaten there before but mostly I just eat dinner in Tellico Plains which is about 5 miles away.  I do often eat breakfast at the campground.  Lunch will be somewhere out on the road. 

I did call the campground to make sure they are open.  I stayed there earlier this year.  They were open when I called a couple of weeks ago and they expect to be busy the weekend we will be there.

Thanks for the info looking forward to the trip. Chris and I decided to take an annual leave day on Friday so we can leave right after I drop off the kids to school. Maybe we can get there early enough and get some Friday riding in.

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I plan to be there.  Still TBD on the bike.  I will for sure be there sometime Friday, but fingers crossed I might be there Thursday.

I am going to try and make this if its ok with you? I will be on my TW.

Quote from: TWJohn on October 19, 2020, 10:01:43 AM
I am going to try and make this if its ok with you? I will be on my TW.

Looking forward to seeing you.  When are you planning on getting there?

Quote from: klaviator on October 19, 2020, 10:17:48 AM
Looking forward to seeing you.  When are you planning on getting there?

I would hopefully leave work early on Friday and be in that evening.

I will most likely end up going to Tellico on Wednesday.  I just put a new rear tire on my KLX.  I might as well wear some of it away ;D

You all have fun.  I was up at Tellico in May so I decided to go to Big South Fork this coming weekend.  When I am done finding new roads, or a few years have passed, or I'm on a new bike I start repeating riding areas.   ???

Yes, I'm weird.   :)