Official web site of Country Roads Group Riding

2012 Ride Schedule

Last Updated - 05/08/12 09:50 AM

Trips listed on this schedule are organized by Country Roads Group Riding.

Day Rides are now listed in our "Forums" section.

Rides depart from Knoxville, Tennessee unless otherwise stated. Specific meeting location is given with each ride's information.

Important information about all of our overnight rides.

Each of our rides is organized by the Road Captain (RC) to include his or her accommodations. You can see this information by clicking on the "RIDE DETAILS" link at the bottom of each Ride's description. Once you know where the RC is staying, decide if that hotel suits your taste. If not, stay where you wish just be at the RC's hotel parking lot the next morning.

If you cannot meet the group at the designated starting point then please meet them at one of the hotels where they will be spending the night. Asking the RC to give you a specific place and time where the group will be mid-day is asking them to alleviate impromptu stops or possibly rush the group if they are running behind. This is a common request but is difficult to do.

This is your vacation and the social aspect of a ride is yours to select. You can be a part of the group from daylight to dark or you can meet in the morning, ride with us all day and then split off on your own each evening.

Ride schedule by month: Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

JANUARY

January 7th - COOKOUT - Join us for a lunch at CRGR member Paul Medley's home near Seymour, TN. Salmon, Baked Potato and Mixed Veggies are the main menu items. Cobbler/Ice Cream for desert. Please RSVP Dan Harvey by January 5th for directions.

January 21st - 27th - LOOP FLORIDA RIDE - ESCAPE THE COLD (YEAH!) - The schedule on this ride should allow you to travel from your home on the 20th and 21st using whatever means of transportation you desire....ride or trailer. If you trailer you can store your rig at a RV resort where I am staying. It is roughly 15 miles South of Gainesville and I understand cost is less than $30 a week. It is in a rural area with security guards.
We will depart the meeting point at 10AM on the 21st (Saturday) and head over to Cedar Key for lunch. Afterwards we will turn South down the Gulf Coast in search of a Manatee sighting. Somewhere around Crystal River, we will turn inland to avoid all the traffic associated with the Tampa area. We will cross to the East Coast via the Tamiami Trail. Then up the Atlantic Coast with a overnight stay somewhere on the Atlantic Coast. (Oceanfront hotel.) We will return to the RV Park by 2PM on the 27th (Friday).
The whole theme of this ride is enjoy the sunshine. Total travel distance is 1,000 miles which works out to less than 200 miles a day. There will be a lot of stops for scenery and attractions. Expect to go on a Airboat ride, walk on the beach and visit at least one National Park.
RIDE DETAILS Link Live on 12-24. Check it often for updates. RC-Dan Harvey

FEBRUARY

MARCH

March 11 - Cataloochee (GSMNP) - We suggest this as a DRIVE (as in your SUV or Pickup) but certain bikes will be just fine on this long gravel road. It is up to you but come either way.

Depart at 9:30 AM from McDonalds on I-40, Exit 407 in East Knoxville and drive to Newport for a quick stop at KFC where CRGR will buy a bucket of chicken. Then drive on to Waterville, N.C. where we will leave the Interstate for a back road drive over to Cataloochee. (We will take a bathroom break at Big Creek.) The road over to Cataloochee is gravel and not very bad HOWEVER, your car needs to have a reasonable amount of ground clearance. Most SUV's, Pickups and Vans should be fine. I doubt I would try it in Janet's Camry.

Once we get there, we will have a picnic lunch and then see if there are a few Elk around. We will also tour the area and visit one old homestead. The drive back to Knoxville will be all Interstate.

http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/cataloochee.htm

We need Bread, Veggie and Dessert if you can bring one let me know.

APRIL

Impromptu rides are common. Check out our FORUMS section for information.

MAY

May 26th - 28th - Natchez Trace - This is Memorial Day weekend so the 28th (Monday) is a holiday. We will leave Natchez, MS. on the 26th (Saturday) at 9AM to start our trek North up the entire length of the Trace arriving in Nashville mid-afternoon on Monday. RIDE DETAILS RC=Dan Harvey

JUNE

June 3rd - 8th - Captain Rob and Little Debbie Bike Week - Rob and Debbie are two friends that are going to visit us for a week. Since this is a great time of the year to be riding, we are going to take the week off from work and organize several rides. These will all be day rides with the exception of an overnighter on Tuesday and Wednesday. All rides will depart from the BP in Walland, to include the overnighter. The BP is on Rt. 321 next door to the Walland Post Office. Heading from Maryville on Rt. 321 towards Townsend it is on the left and just before you get to the Foothills Parkway. The activities are all listed below and may change as we approach the dates :

June 2nd (Saturday) Cookout at Dan's place 5-7 PM - I will furnish the Burgers and Dogs with chips and drinks (Soda and Water). RSVP by EMAIL.

June 3rd (Sunday) - Cades Cove, Little River Rd., Roaring Fork Nature Trail and Parrot Mountain - Depart from the BP in Walland, TN. at 9AM. This ride will be an easy day and will include lunch in Townsend and dinner in Sevierville.

June 4th (Monday) - The Dragon X2- Depart from the BP in Walland, TN. at 9AM then ride over Foothills Parkway and the Dragon to Robbinsville. Then continue on to Rt. 74 where we will turn back to Rt. 28 past Fontana Dam (where we will stop) and then ride the Dragon the opposite direction back to Walland.

June 5th (Tuesday) and 6th (Wednesday) - Overnight ride to Jack Daniels and George Dickel distilleries, or the "If you know Jack, then you don't know Dickel" ride. - Depart from the BP in Walland at 7:30AM and ride to Hardees in Maryville (across from the Hospital) where we will stay until 8AM. Then ride to Lynchburg via Fall Creek Falls for lunch. We will spend the night in Tullahoma, TN. so make your reservations where ever you want to stay. I will be staying at:

Jameson Inn
2113 North Jackson St.
Tullahoma, TN. 37388
(931)455-7891
(800)526-7736

The ride is just under 200 miles each way it will be a leisurely pace. There will be a lot of stops for breaks.

George Dickel

Jack Daniels

Gallagher Guitars Optional if time permits

June 7th (Thursday) - Cherokee, Highlands, Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, N.C. - Depart from the BP in Walland, TN. at 9AM for this ride through numerous mountains and waterfalls. This is a longer ride and will involve returning to Knoxville between 6-7 PM but the spectacular scenery will make it worth your while.

June 8th (Friday) - Virginia to include Roan Mountain State Park - Depart from the BP in Walland, TN. at 9AM for this ride that will take us along the lakes and mountains of East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. This trip will involve about 70 miles of Interstate riding as we return home.

Roan Mountain State Park

Maybe a little early but with the early Spring and Summer we might just have blooming Rhododendrons

Rhododendron Garden

JULY

July 7th - August 5th - National Park Tour - The planning for this ride will continue right up until we mount our bikes and hit the road. As I type this on February 10th, we have a list of 16 National Parks that we will be visiting. The planning includes a four night stay in Yellowstone and three nights at Glacier National Park. There will be numerous side-track attractions to include a visit to Oatman, AZ (pop. 200) where several movies have been filmed. We will spend one night in Winslow, AZ. and YES, we will take a group photo of us "Standing on the Corner". You will visit the Crazy Horse Memorial and ride the famous Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Rd. Expect to ride along side Buffalo on the highway with NO FENCE between you and them. See Elk and Grizzly Bears in the wild, again with NO FENCE. You will ride beautiful mountain roads to include "Going to the Sun Road" in Glacier National Park and "Beartooth Pass" near Yellowstone. You will see natural wonders like Devil's Tower and the Badlands just to name two.
Thirty days is a long time to spend with anyone, especially people that you may or may not be familiar with and whom you might not mesh with very well. Consider visiting us in the Smokys and maybe ride with us some weekend before you decide on this longer ride. If that is not feasible, give me a call and we will talk about who is going and what kind of personalities that will be your traveling companions.
This is just another ride for some of you but for others it is a trip of a lifetime. I think it is a ride that everyone will enjoy. RIDE DETAILS RC=Dan Harvey

Who is going? Ron (Tennessee), John (North Carolina), Ken (New Jersey), Dan and Janet (Tennessee).

Who wants to go but not committed? Duane (Tennessee), Don and Denise (New Jersey), Ned (Indiana)

AUGUST

August 1st - 5th (See National Park Tour in July)

August 31st - September 3rd - Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway - This is Labor Day weekend so Monday (September 3rd) is a holiday. We will depart from Knoxville, TN. on August 31st (Friday) around 5PM. Hopefully, everyone will be able to work and literally get on their bike and coming to the meeting spot. We will spend the night near Roanoke, Va. and then head on up to Front Royal on the 1st (Saturday) where we will get on Skyline Drive. We will ride the entire length of Skyline Dr. and the Blue Ridge Parkway. RIDE DETAILS will be posted soon. RC=Dan Harvey

Get ride information by Email when you sign the Guestbook.

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

Ride dates in this month cannot be planned due to unpredictable weather. Dates will be posted on the scrolling marquee found on the very first page of this web site. Contact Dan Harvey with your questions about upcoming rides.

Top