Tellico Plains,TN Ultimate DS Ride (by Python)

[Yankee Dog]

Originally Posted by halmc

Mucho thanks. Any estimate of how much of it is dirt?

315/30 and 68 are nice twisty pavement. most of the East/West connecting them are are insanely twisty dirt.

Witt road is dirt with water crossing. becareful on the southern most. the others are easy peasy.

Also be careful on trail 81. it is built on the side on a rather steep hill. if you get off trail you are in a hurt.

The Oswald dome section is a lot of fun. We just rode it last week as well.

[halmc]

Originally Posted by Yankee Dog

315/30 and 68 are nice twisty pavement. most of the East/West connecting them are are insanely twisty dirt.

Witt road is dirt with water crossing. becareful on the southern most. the others are easy peasy.

Also be careful on trail 81. it is built on the side on a rather steep hill. if you get off trail you are in a hurt.

The Oswald dome section is a lot of fun. We just rode it last week as well.

For me and for one of my buds, the issue is whether to ride knobby-shod KtM EXC's, or non-knobby-shod 650 DS's (he a KLR and me a Dakar.) All are street legal.

Which is the better choice, and thanks for helping me out on this proposed ride.

[Yankee Dog]

I like my knobbies, but the guy I rode with had trials tires. He did just fine, even through the water crossing. The roads are for the most part good gravel roads. Even the creek bottoms are gravel. I might change my opinion if you ride during or just after a hard rain. but otherwise I think you will be fine.

YMMV and all that

[Laura0107]

Originally Posted by halmc

I'm considering riding the area in June with some fellow once-upon-a-time juvenille delinquents. A few questions, please:

1) Are these trails pretty much still open?

2) Are any permits required on any part of the route for street legal bikes?

3) Is "python ulitmate02" (presented here) the latest iteration of the routes and tracks?

4) In order to do trail 81, one would jump off Part 3 (track) and do an out and back?

5) There's mention of trail 82 . . . is trail 82 part of 'part 2' of the tracks?

6) The route is laid out for CW riding. Any downside of riding it CW one day, and CCW the next?

TIA, for any & all answers. BTW, will try to keep in mind the "how not to cross the creek" video!


Looks like a good way to spend a June day or two when the temp and humidity in Tallahassee are fliriting with 100. Much thanks to python for laying down the trax!

Python423's tracks are great, aren't they?! But his "ultimate02" file has only a fraction of the great dirt/gravel around Tellico Plains. Keep looking at his other posts and nab all of his GPX files. I must have 7 or 8 of them.

Here are some highlights that are not on the tracks in his ultimate02 file:

Citico Creek area - just gorgeous. Doublecamp Creek/Cold Spring Rd loop off of Citico Rd - highly recommended.

Go bald hopping to beat the heat: Waucheesi (at the end of Lookout Tower Rd), BeaverDam Bald, and Whigg Meadow (5,000'). I picked huckleberries at Whigg last July (yum) but I'm not sure if they'll be in season in June. You'd probably appreciate knobbies on the climb up to Waucheesi.

FS81 & N. River Rd (FS217) - the "Gravelhala"

Bald River Rd, Old Furnace, Davis Creek Rd ... I could go on and on. It is hard to narrow this stuff down to a day or two of riding! You'll see some waypoints in Python423's files east of the northern part of Davis Creek Rd but those aren't open to motorized traffic any more (OHV area that got closed).

I'd recommend knobbies on Trails 81 & 82 also, especially on 81. Trail 81 does not have to be an out & back as you mentioned, the north trail head is on McFarland Road and the south trail head is on Smith Mountain Rd. Check with Mike at Tellico Motorcycle Outfitters (Minimike on ADV) to see if any trees are down on those two trails the day before or morning of your ride.

Have fun!

[Yankee Dog]

Originally Posted by Laura0107

..........................
Go bald hopping to beat the heat: Waucheesi (at the end of Lookout Tower Rd), BeaverDam Bald, and Whigg Meadow (5,000'). I picked huckleberries at Whigg last July (yum) but I'm not sure if they'll be in season in June. ................................................!

does the road go all the way through to Whigg Meadow or do you have to hike the last part. I was thinking of heading over that way over Memorial Day but chickened out since I wasnt sure.

PS. How is the Sprint doing?

[Laura0107]

Originally Posted by Yankee Dog

does the road go all the way through to Whigg Meadow or do you have to hike the last part. I was thinking of heading over that way over Memorial Day but chickened out since I wasnt sure.

PS. How is the Sprint doing?

Hey YD,

It's only about 1,000 feet or so of a walk. I do not "hike" due to knee arthritis and I made it OK.



It's a magical place. It was foggy/cloudy when we were there and we couldn't see anything really, but it was still beautiful. The below is looking back towards the parking area, taken about 1/4 of the way down from the bald.



The Sprint is its usual growlin', bad-a$$ self. I love that bike but just don't ride it much after getting dual sport fever a few years ago. I've lusted after an 800XC but don't NEED one since my DR650 is fairly close to one in function & displacement. We all know how those internal arguments turn out, though, don't we?

[/hijack off]

[Yankee Dog]

[hijack on]

Originally Posted by Laura0107

...................... I've lusted after an 800XC but don't NEED one since my DR650 is fairly close to one in function & displacement. We all know how those internal arguments turn out, though, don't we?

[/hijack off]

the thing that will turn you off about the XC for dual sporting is the weight. I just dont want to haul the extra pounds through the woods and mud. I also down want to drop something that pretty in a creek.

I have been trying to talk myself into the regular 800 as a 2up road bike. I love the weight for that, but I also want more horse power. Cant have everything it would seem.

[Laura0107]

To anyone riding the Citico Creek area, beware that 10 or more large trees are down and blocking Cold Spring Rd not far from its terminus on Citico Rd. We rode Doublecamp Creek Rd today and were doing the loop but had to turn back after completing appx 80% of it. From the weevil activity, it looks like the trees have been down for a good while.

[Minimike]

Since the tornado. Tom talked to a few folks at the Ranger station and they are in no hurry to get it down. The FS is waiting on subcontractors to clear it.

I'll post when it's open again. Meanwhile, have you noticed how sweat Trail 82 is?

We'll be on Trail 81 working this Thursday. Go slow for the guys in the hard hats.

minimike

[Laura0107]

We so very much appreciate the work you and your crew do on the trails, Minimike! At the 2011 Scream'n Beaver, I was so pumped to get to ride Trail 82 for the first time, made possible by the work you did after a storm earlier that same week.

[Minimike]

Glad you liked the trail. It means a lot to all of us that work on it. It's also one of my favorite walking trails with our dogs. There's so much more to the trail that you see at a foot pace than you see from the seat of a motorcycle. Kinda helps you pick out lines when you ride.

[Jagermeister]

This looks fun!

I'm looking forward to my first DS ride in the area, starting this Sunday. We've ridden the area many times on the FJR, but never off road.

I'd like to really get off-road - have ridden a fair amount of woods in the past - but this may not be the trip for that, since my wife will be riding the XT (intermediate skills).
It looks like Trail 81 is serious single track - a not really DS material, but 82 should be doable. Any words of wisdom?

[Minimike]

Trail 82 is easy if the rider is used to slow speed maneuvers. There's a couple "s" curves on slopes & one curb sized rock to climb over. It's been done by an airhead street bike. Just a matter of knowing your bike.

[Jagermeister]

Originally Posted by Minimike

Trail 82 is easy if the rider is used to slow speed maneuvers. There's a couple "s" curves on slopes & one curb sized rock to climb over. It's been done by an airhead street bike. Just a matter of knowing your bike.

Thanks Mike,

Is your shop open Monday? It seems I've always ridden by on Sundays in the past, and never had a chance to meet you.

[Minimike]

We're open 7 days a week during season.

Monday thru Thursday's 9am to 5pm

Friday and Saturday 9am to 6pm, or when the last customer rides out

Sunday's 10am to 4pm.

Unless I have to go to the post office, I'm actually at the shop an hour before my posted times. Like to put a pot of coffee on & get organized.

minimike