Blue Ridge in Oct

I have time off from work Oct 19-22. Would it be too cold for a DS ride with my sons on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Cherokee to Asheville during that weekend? Anyone know what temps to expect at that elevation? The latest I've ever done it was Sept, and I don't really want to trailer bikes from Arkansas if the weather is likely to be really bad. Anyone have suggestions on where to stay? Maggie Valley?

DAH

There is going to be a large group of KLR riders at the Blue Ridge Motorcycle Campground that weekend. It's south of Waynesville on 276. Look us up.

David

way way too cold

there'll probably be snow on the BRP measured in feet by then :eek1

temps at 5000 ft probably below 30 deg F





or

it'll be in the 70's sunny and dry


























I bet I'm as close as any weather forecaster


oh yeah

don't forget that the roads are all crooked and stuff, the trails have untidy rocks and creeks and trees and stuff, the people are unfriendly, the food sucks, the places to stay are all closed by then. the place is full of leaf-peepers from FL who can't make a single corner without braking and you'd be much better off going to ....






say .....













AZ or CA or Oz

that far south should be fine. it'll be chilly, but nice watch out for the tree peepers.

Dude...
Are you high?
I couldn't have made that up if I tried...

"temps at 5000 ft probably below 30 deg F
or
it'll be in the 70's sunny and dry"

[Carl]: Yup, pretty good description. So, keep an eye on the weather guesses two days before you depart.
Got on the BRP at Ashville headed north one April. Hit snow at Craggy Gardens. Proceeded so as to get off at the next exit but it was aleady locked. Had to turn around. Luckily, I was in the "Vererable Volvo".

Electric heated gear is always a "Good Thing" when headed for altitude in the Fall and Spring. It's light, warm and may be a life saver.
Carl in Bethesda

why yes, thanks for asking

Hmmm... I was on the Northern VA BRP (Tween Roanoke and Charlotesville) last year in late October. Damn cold in the AM (mid 30's) but warmed into the high 40's by noon and was pleasant in the sunshine.

The Gerbing was much appreciated in that kind of skitso weather.

I live a few miles, as the crow flies from the BRP and get on it a lot on 2 wheels.

Last October we had many days in the 70's. I live at 2250 above sea level so as the temp. drops about 3.5 degrees for every 1000 feet, this means that at 5000 feet it would be 3.5 x 2.75 = 7.625 degrees cooler than at my house.

Go for it, the colors alone are worth it, take some decent clothing and all should be well unless of course it gets a freaky spell.....check the weather before you leave. Simple or what?

It ain't far from Cherokee to Asheville any way. The Pisgah motel on the Parkway may still be open then, or you might camp there as well.. if you have a good 4 season sleeping bag etc....now that could be adventurous for an ADV rider.... :huh

Let me know the outcome, I might even meet up with you to say Hello!

Regards.. Fred

When is leaf watching season on the southern end (Cherokee to Asheville) of the BRP? I've ridden that section 4 times in the last year, and it is a spectacular road - one of my all time favorite motorcycling roads.

The Pisgah Lodge closes 10-31 I think

as to the weather .....

ya takes what ya gets
wait a while and it'll change
there ain't not no predicting what it'll be that far off in the future

I've camped Pisgah in Oct, it can be nice daytimes, but it WILL get chilly at night

you can go down 276 and camp Davidson River or one of the NFS sites lower down if it's too chilly

colors

well hell, every year they're at a different time

how much rain, how hot the summer, how fast it cools off, lots of variables

changes in altitude can put you in the color zone or out of it

some years a storm comes thru right before the peak and blows the leaves off before the peak

bring some warm clothes and some cooler ones
bring raingear and some sunscreen

I think that between mitchell and linville is some of the best riding since it is not usually as crowed up there. Linville to Blowing Rock can get really busy. Leaves work from top to bottom and that time of year, you will find pretty leaves somewhere! Weather changes every few minutes so you will find some you like. Check out KLR650.net look at south east forum for tour de pisgah. You get a place to camp, guided tours by us locals since you will be here anyhow, take advantage of us having this thing so well thought out and planned :huh

That is a perfect time of year to ride it. Days will be in the low to mid 70's.

Camp?

One February, back in my single Navy days, probably 1983, I was living in Newport News and had a bad case of cabin fever. I had a Honda Ascot (500 single) as my only means of transportation at the time. So on one unseasonably warm and sunny February day, I and a couple of riding buddies decided we wanted to ride the BRP. We knew the weather would be colder there, but we were tired of winter and wanted to ride. We got to Waynesboro that evening and were absolutely freezing our asses off. I think it was around 20 F there. We got an upstairs room at a motel built on a hillside where the second floor faces an upper parking area in back (Skyline Motel?). Imagine three guys AND three bikes in one small motel room for the night.

Being young and stubborn, we DID ride the parkway some the next day. I remember coming through one tunnel with a huge icicle hanging down from the far entrance and a matching puddle of ice on the road under it. The good news is there was zero traffic on the road that day, and it was a very good road. It was fun, but cold enough that it didn't take long before we were ready to quit and head for home.

Hell, I remember Freak's post Turkeyday ride a couple years ago (2003), it was freaking cold, the puddles at the Afton Inn were frozen over and it was blowing like a sumbitch.

We took off southbound after breakfast and before we even got to Wintergreen it started to snow

It was a great day.

Yup, ice



And windy, but a great view



All thanks to Charles "Buddy" Manson

I was up in Burnsville last wekend and on the way there at some altitude I saw some leaves changing already.

Last year the fall was 3 weeks later than normal. Therefore I predict that it will be ealier this year. On the BRP weat of Asheville I suspect it will peak in about 3 to 4 weeks from now.

Regards.. Fred

I know that guy sitting beside the Freak (not phreak), he rode his GS down Stairstep with Sherpa, Louge, Dingledork and myself last Rendezvous, but being who and what I am/is/was .... I cannot for the life of me remember either his name or his handle.

WHO he be, eh?

Freak?

yer messing wit me, huh?

ok

NOT Freak

on the left side of the picture
wearing a blue overshirt

here

let's eliminate any cornfuzion

I live at the bottom of the mountian,I can leave my house and the temp might be 80,get to the BRP and it might be 60 and raining.The locals have a saying,it goes like this........"if you dont like the weather.....wait a few minutes".I think they are right.

EVIL