We live maybe three miles from the parkway. Might well join up with you.
Western NC Drives 2018
When: April 21, 2018 - Meet at around 11:30a, roll out at 12:00 noon for the drive
Where: Ingles on Smoky Park Highway (153 Smokey Park Highway, Asheville, NC 28806)
Roads: Blue Ridge Parkway, US276, US215
As I'm getting settled into my Exige and warmer weather coming, I will be out on the roads of Western NC most weekends. Anyone is welcomed to join me any time but I do hope to post up a monthly lunch and drive in hopes others a little further out can plan ahead and make it. Ideally after a few months a consistent spot and time will be determined for meeting up. But if the roads I plan to drive are a little further than usual, then I'll change the meeting spot to be closer to the road.
With all that being said, my first drive I'm looking is to meet up in Enka/Candler area just west of Asheville - there are many places to grab a quick lunch and gas before we roll out. From Ingle, we will head West on Smokey Park Hwy to Pisgah Hwy (NC 151) to Blue RidgeParkway to US 276 to Brevard NC to Rosman NC / US 215 then back up to the parkway then back to Asheville.
Link to Google Map of Route
According to Google Maps, the route should take about 2 hrs on a good day - but knowing traffic, it will probably be about 4 hrs or so of driving with stops. I tend to stop after each leg of the trip for a few min to stretch, grab a drink, regroup and reorder cars if needed. So it's not a straight through drive, just nice relaxing cruise.
I'll be at Ingle around 11a to grab a sub from the deli and be available for folks who show up a little early. Feel free to come to all of the trip, part of the trip, or just meeting up. Also plenty of places to meet in Brevard mid-drive if that works for your schedule.
Where: Ingles on Smoky Park Highway (153 Smokey Park Highway, Asheville, NC 28806)
Roads: Blue Ridge Parkway, US276, US215
As I'm getting settled into my Exige and warmer weather coming, I will be out on the roads of Western NC most weekends. Anyone is welcomed to join me any time but I do hope to post up a monthly lunch and drive in hopes others a little further out can plan ahead and make it. Ideally after a few months a consistent spot and time will be determined for meeting up. But if the roads I plan to drive are a little further than usual, then I'll change the meeting spot to be closer to the road.
With all that being said, my first drive I'm looking is to meet up in Enka/Candler area just west of Asheville - there are many places to grab a quick lunch and gas before we roll out. From Ingle, we will head West on Smokey Park Hwy to Pisgah Hwy (NC 151) to Blue RidgeParkway to US 276 to Brevard NC to Rosman NC / US 215 then back up to the parkway then back to Asheville.
Link to Google Map of Route
According to Google Maps, the route should take about 2 hrs on a good day - but knowing traffic, it will probably be about 4 hrs or so of driving with stops. I tend to stop after each leg of the trip for a few min to stretch, grab a drink, regroup and reorder cars if needed. So it's not a straight through drive, just nice relaxing cruise.
I'll be at Ingle around 11a to grab a sub from the deli and be available for folks who show up a little early. Feel free to come to all of the trip, part of the trip, or just meeting up. Also plenty of places to meet in Brevard mid-drive if that works for your schedule.
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I don't have anything planned right now. So I'll probably be able to make it.
Just a FYI for anyone traveling west along I-40 to Asheville. There is construction from Exit 119 to Exit 113 at night. They are grinding the asphalt off the concrete base and not doing a good job sweeping up afterwards. I can hear the small stones hitting the front bumper of the Mustang in the mornings when I go in to work. It you want to protect the paint on the front clam of your car, use US70 for that 6 mile stretch.
Update on 4/18:
Asphalt Ground off from Exit 119 to 105. It is probably going to be loud and bumpy in the Lotus. No loose rocks until you get to ~107 and they will probably be gone by Saturday.
Not sure where they will start tearing the asphalt up next at since construction just finished at exit 105 last year. Will update by Friday.
Just a FYI for anyone traveling west along I-40 to Asheville. There is construction from Exit 119 to Exit 113 at night. They are grinding the asphalt off the concrete base and not doing a good job sweeping up afterwards. I can hear the small stones hitting the front bumper of the Mustang in the mornings when I go in to work. It you want to protect the paint on the front clam of your car, use US70 for that 6 mile stretch.
Update on 4/18:
Asphalt Ground off from Exit 119 to 105. It is probably going to be loud and bumpy in the Lotus. No loose rocks until you get to ~107 and they will probably be gone by Saturday.
Not sure where they will start tearing the asphalt up next at since construction just finished at exit 105 last year. Will update by Friday.
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this was just before we made our pass through the gap...
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Construction was up to Mile Marker 102 today. They will probably be up to Exit 100 in the morning. There are really no decent alternate routes - Exit 105 through 100 are the city of Morganton. 15 minutes on NC18 and US70 bypass 6 miles of interstate. The rocks were still getting thrown up a little around 106/107 this morning.
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few more...
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