Being local to this area, Deal's Gap and Cherohala Skyway are places we usually avoid on weekends. Traffic, police, and lots of testosterone in the mix can turn a great day into a horrible one pretty quickly.
I was thinking of setting up a couple of day rides around the Harmon Den Wildlife area, located along the I-40 corridor at the TN/NC state line. (
http://g.co/maps/g6gzy ). There are a lot of great roads around there, both paved and not paved, as well as a few good double tracks. We could base ourselves out of Townsend, TN or Maggie Valley, NC. Both offer multiple hotel/motel options, camping, and restaurants.
The other option I was looking at was Bryson City. I've stayed at the Ridge Top Motel quite a few times. (
http://www.ridgetopmotel.com/ ). The rooms are clean and basic, and there is camping right next door. There's some good riding south and west of there including a great road up to the Wayah Bald fire tower.
What is the general consensus... are most of you thinking of camping or renting a room? Is there a greater preference for dirt or twisty street riding? I was assuming this would be a Saturday and Sunday event, with people arriving Friday night and leaving Sunday night.
Let's hear your thoughts. I can't accomodate everyones preferences but we can at least try to go with a general consensus.
