Cherohala Skyway

[humantic]

Driving to Duke University for a meeting on Wednesday. My plan is to cruiseThe Cherohala Skyway on Thursday morning enroute to Blacksburg, VA. Does anyone have suggestion?

[humantic]

I meant in terms of things to see along the way.

[StormFront]

I like that road a lot, hate to say it but more than the Dragon. At the end take a left and head towards the Dragon. Just before the Dragon starts (from the NC side), take a right on 28 aka Hellbender. Another great road. Follow 28 when it turns right just past Fontana Village and follow it out to the main road where you can only turn left or right. Hang a left and that road will take you to I40 :)

[humantic]

Thanks for that, I'll try to follow those directions. Will I have any trouble using a map app on a cell phone along the route?

[jtmdmd1]

There is virtually no cell coverage up there so GPS needed, especially around Tail of the Dragon /Fontana area. We stayed at the Fontana Village & there were 2 parking place size areas with 1 bar coverage in about a 30 mile area. As Patrick said, the Tail of the Dragon & 28 are at the eastern end of the Skyway (its a beautiful drive if weather is good)- all of these roads are really fun especially without other traffic. The Blue Ridge Parkway is about halfway back to I40 from where 28 hits 74/19.

[StormFront]

Yeah don't count on cell phone signal at all. There is WiFi at the grille at Fontana Village which is a great pit-stop place to eat. They also have Verizon repeaters so you can get calls and text messages if you are on Verizon. The BRP is a nice drive but the max speed limit is 45mph and it's usually 35mph so it feels as though it takes forever. You would probably be better off taking 74 up to I40 then heading east.

[jtmdmd1]

Yeah, the BRP would definitely be a lot slower than going directly on to I40. The times we were on the BRP there was so much fog that you could barely see, we also had a good bit of fog/clouds on the Skyway.https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif

[StormFront]

here's what you can expect to see...

the rockwall on 28:
http://jpmcgphotography.smugmug.com/Cars/Fall-Z-Dragon-Run-09/i-qRHcgQV/0/XL/_MG_1066-XL.jpg

the skyway:
http://jpmcgphotography.smugmug.com/Cars/Fall-Z-Dragon-Run-09/i-9zxpCJX/0/XL/_MG_1082-XL.jpg

plenty of overlooks on the skyway:
http://jpmcgphotography.smugmug.com/Cars/Fall-Z-Dragon-Run-09/i-LZ7Bssb/0/XL/_MG_1153-XL.jpg

you can drive across fontana dam for some cool pictures:
http://jpmcgphotography.smugmug.com/Cars/ZdayZ-13-Friday-51713/i-CX2LC9J/0/XL/IMG_5140-XL.jpg

the fontana village grille:
http://jpmcgphotography.smugmug.com/Cars/ZdayZ-13-Friday-51713/i-C4FGvpP/0/XL/IMG_5066-XL.jpg

[alrightroad]

oh, stop it.

[StormFront]

oh, stop it.

once i get a Beast, we'll have to do a weekend road trip!:incar:

besides, there's not many places on earth better for photos!