Rising early, as is our custom when on the road, we scarfed down a tasty breakfast at the Copperhead Lodge, before rolling out to challenge this route called “The Gauntlet” that we had heard so much about. It was a brisk and foggy 42-degree morning and I was really enjoying this taste of true fall weather.
Now, when it comes to riding mountain roads, my standards for what makes a good ride are pretty high. As most of you Dear Readers know, I make a semi-regular habit of this mountain-motorcycling thing. As a result of all those trips north I have experienced the best of what those verdant hills have to offer. I have slain the Dragon that stalks US 129 north of Robbinsville; I have traversed the above-the-clouds pathways of the Cherohala Skyway twisting toward Tellico Plains; I have challenged that not-yet-cooly-named stretch of NC 80 that rises up from Marion to the scenic heights of the Blue Ridge Parkway; I have braved the unforgiving undulations of NC 226A, a road so twisty legend says it makes NASCAR drivers squeal like little girls; and, I have repeatedly stomped upon “The Snake” that slithers across the mountaintops from Shady Valley to Mountain City. And it would be those experiences that would form my basis of comparison for this ride they have dubbed, “The Gauntlet”.
Within minutes of leaving the Copperhead Lodge we were riding southbound on GA 60 toward the community of Suches. The road between here and there is a tasty medley of mountain meadows, sweeping curves, and a nice sprinkling of twisty turns to hold your attention.
This stretch of the Gauntlet also offered up some beautiful vistas of open fields giving way to mountains rising in the distance, farmland, and natural scenes that were as impressive as they were foreign to this born-and-raised flatlander.
No sooner did I find myself enjoying the scenery and the curves than a pair of useless forest rats (aka, deer) ran across the highway about a hundred yards ahead of me. Well, at least they had the decency to cross before I got to them! This little reminder that lots of forest rats call this part of the country home was all I needed to adjust my riding habits accordingly.
At the bottom of the hills we arrived in Suches, where we pulled off into a school parking lot to let the slower riders (Eddie!) catch up. In fairness to the slower riders (Eddie!), it's tough to sling Battlestar Galactica around those tight curves.
The next left turn put us onto Wolf Pen Gap Road and I knew from past experience that we were in for a nice stretch of challenging twisty bits over the course of the next few miles. Back in 2005, the same three riders traversed this road on our way to the Honda Hoot in Knoxville, TN. That brief encounter with this road some eight years ago had implanted lasting memories of serpentine goodness that I was eager to refresh.
The first few miles of Wolf Pen Gap Road are pretty sedate from this side of the run, but after a few miles and one really hard left turn onto a narrow bridge, you arrive at the gateway to motorcycling goodness. That bridge is located adjacent to Lake Winfield Scott, so we took a bit of time to stop for photos.
Back on the bike and rolling eastward once again, the curves tightened and the road began to demand more and more lean angle from me and my Triumph. Yes, my memories were honest ones; this is a challenging and enjoyable stretch of road. My riding buddy, Mr. Sarcasm, made the most of it as he rode his Triumph through these demanding curves with an ease and grace second only to mine. (Note to Mr. Sarcasm: Let it stand without rebuttal in consideration of that which happened next which goes unmentioned herein.)
All too soon Wolf Pen Gap Road came to an end as it intersected with US 129.
From Wolf Pen Gap Road, The Gauntlet turned south to follow US 129 down to GA 75A, which is used to pickup GA 348, also known as the Richard B. Russell Scenic Highway. The “scenic” in this highway’s name is accurate and this stretch of the Gauntlet would prove to be one of my favorites. Between the views, the sweepers and the twisty curves -- and some freshly laid asphalt -- GA 348 was motorcycling bliss.
At the end of GA 348, we followed The Gauntlet easterly onto another section of GA 180. This stretch of riding brought us to the entrance to Brasstown Bald, a national park that encompasses the highest point in all of Georgia.
We took the twisty, steep road up to the park, paid our $5 per person admission, and took the tram ride to the top.
At the top of the mountain sat a large complex that included a museum and a large observation deck affording 360-degree views of the mountains of northern Georgia. The views from atop Brasstown Bald, at 4,784 feet above sea level, are nothing short of spectacular. We were especially fortunate to visit on a clear day as we could see the skyline of Atlanta out on the horizon some 70 miles away!
Leaving Brasstown Bald we turned northerly from the terminus of GA 180 at GA 17/75 and continued our trek along The Gauntlet. On this leg of the route we enjoyed a mix of open country and more developed areas; every mile of it good riding in one way or another.
The final leg of the Gauntlet routed us around Nottely Lake on GA 325. Once again, the road and the scenery were topnotch. Catching a glimpse of the lake with mountains as the backdrop is always an inspiring sight, and there was no shortage of inspiration on this final section of The Gauntlet.
Very conveniently, the last leg of The Gauntlet returned us to the Copperhead Lodge where we dismounted after a full and satisfying day of riding. We had rolled out at eight o’clock in the morning to start a ride that returned us to our starting point at five o’clock in the afternoon, with 150 miles showing on the trip odometer.
Back at the Lodge, we sat down to a hot and tasty dinner of mushroom Swiss burgers and cold beers. We closed out day two of riding by enjoying dinner and conversation next to the fireplace in the Copperhead Lodge’s main dining room.
After dinner we strolled the short distance up the hill to our cabin where we all retired for a goodnight’s rest while dreaming of the roads we would challenge come sunrise.
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1 comment:
I really like the Lake Winfield Scott photo. It is "card worthy".
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