Franklin, NC

[trkcpa]

I will be in Franklin, NC in November. I recall some of you were planning on being there in the Spring of 2012--at the Carolina Hotel. How was the hotel/motel? Thanks, tom

[Tourmeister]

We were there at the end of May. We wound up not staying in Franklin. The Dad of one of the guys that went with us lives just East of there in Balsam Grove on NC 215. It's just a few miles North of US 64 and was central to a LOT of great riding. It was also free!

The place were were going to stay is the Franklin Motel. It is old (maybe built in the 60s/70s?), but when I last stayed there in 2005, the rooms were clean and nice. For $50 a night, they were impossible to beat! It was also within easy walking distance of several good eating places. The people that own it now own several other hotels in Franklin. I do not know the names of them and have never stayed at any of them. If you Google the Franklin Motel, I think the site that comes up also has links to the other hotels. I remember looking at them and thinking they looked about the same as the Franklin Motel in terms of age, condition, parking room, etc,...

[trkcpa]

Thanks, Scott. I remembered that the plans were to stay there. I did not know that they had changed. tom

[WoodButcher]

I"ve stayed at the Franklin Hotel too and it was perfect for me. Parked right outside my door, swam in the pool and walked to dinner.

[Hotboot]

Cafe Rel. French Bistro attached to the Exxon station. Strange but good. 28 is awesome to CROT. Enjoy.

[Tourmeister]

Check the map and look just to the NW of town. Right off 28 is Airport Rd., which as expected runs out to the airport. It connects with Burningtown Rd., which head Westerly to Lower Burningtown Rd. This runs North up to Tellico Rd., where you can cross back over the river to Hwy 28. This brings you out right where the REALLY good part of 28 starts and most of the local traffic related to Franklin on 28 has dwindled. I just rode these roads last May and the pavement was superb! Very twisty and fun, and you are less likely to get stuck behind slow moving cagers.

If you will be on Dualsport bikes, hang a left on Tellico Rd., and run up over Tellico Gap. It's mostly dirt and fun. On the West side of the ridge it becomes Otter Creek Rd.. and drop out on Wayah Bald Rd. Wayah Bald heading back South to US 64, comes out just West of Franklin. It too is an excellent road with low traffic. Also, as you come down off the West side of the ridge, there is Briartown Rd., that runs NW and hits Winding Stairs Rd. We tried to come up Winding Stairs from Hwy 19 in May, but it was closed. It is worth running to the top end to see if it is open because it is a cool ride (unpaved once you pass Queen's Creek Lake). If it is closed, no biggie, just run down Camp Branch Rd., to Wayah Bald and go from there. Briartown and Camp Branch are paved.

Look South on Hwy 28 a few miles for Elijay Rd. It is on the East side of 28 and runs roughly NE all the way back up to Hwy 107 near Cullowhee, becoming Tilley Creek Rd., somewhere along the way. The whole stretch might also be shown as NC 1001 all the way across. VERY twisty and fun. Rarely any traffic except for fat turkeys. You can come back down Hwy 107 and look for Pine Creek Rd., on the North side of Thorpe Reservoir. It will be on the West side of 28. It runs West and at the high point (Walnut Gap) becomes Walnut Creek Rd., which then continues back over to 28. Just a stone throw to the South on 28 you will see Buck Creek Rd., heading back the East. Where it meets Cold Mountain Rd., it makes a sharp right turn and heads South. This gets seriously fun. There are some very tight corners. It is paved and eventually drops out on US 64 Just East of Highlands. From Highlands, you can just run US 64/NC 28 back to Franklin. All that is paved and is a blast.

When you are on Hwy 107 and you reach Tukasegee, watch for Hwy 281. This is now paved all the way down to US 64 and is a really fun ride. About 8-1/2 miles from the 107/281 intersection there is Charley's Creek Rd. It runs roughly to the East and hits NC 215 just North of Balsam Grove. It is paved all the way across. LOTS of fast elevation changes and tight curves. Good pavement. Just South of Balsam Grove is Tanasee Gap Rd., and it runs back West to 281. Paved and fun! You could run 281 down to US 64 and head back toward Highlands, or head back to 107 on 281 and pick up the route I described above using Pine Creek, Walnut Creek, and Buck Creek.

28 South of Highlands, all the way down into South Carolina, then back up 107 to Cashiers is all excellent riding. Good pavement. Usually very little traffic. Right before 107 crosses back into NC, there is a highway running East over to 281. A mile or so North of where that road comes out on 281, there is a nice park where you can view Whitewater Falls. These are pretty high falls going down several drops. It's a cool place to stop, get off the bike, walk a bit and enjoy the scenery. Then you can just backtrack to 107 and keep heading North to Cashiers.

If you get the urge to run up US 441 through the Smoky Mtn NF to Gatlinburg, expect a lot of traffic, particularly RVs overcooking their brakes. It is a very nice ride, but only if you don't get hung up behind traffic because there are not a lot of safe places to pass.

Both NC 215 and US 276 between Waynesville and US 64 are really good rides. They run North to South over the Blue Ridge. If you find yourself East of 276 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, look for the Pisgah Inn. It's a good place for lunch/dinner. It also has a gas station. Then, just a few more miles East of there, look for NC 151 on the North side of the BRP. It is super twisty and steep. It drops down off the ridge. I like to run it down until it starts to flatten out and straighten out, then turn around and run it right back up to the BRP. It takes maybe 15 minutes but is WELL worth the side trip!!

I'll stop now as I am sure you already have routes in mind. I could go on and on about all the fantastic roads!! However, some of my more favorite roads are further to the North and East from Franklin and would make for some long days (300-400) miles. There are just so many incredible roads, and even moreso if you are riding dualsports!

[trkcpa]

Scott, thanks for the listing of roads. I was there last fall and rode lots of them. Or, so I thought until I saw your listing.

It is a great riding area. Fortunately, I have a work seminar there this November. What terrible luck.

[hcope1]

The Franklin motel has been demolished. Try the Sapphire Inn. Looks ok at $60 per night. Let me know next time you come this way, Scott. You guys look great in that family photo.

[Tourmeister]

Originally Posted by hcope1

The Franklin motel has been demolished.

WHAT!? Are you sure? I just talked with them back in April and had reservations for our May trip. We wound up not staying there. Was there a fire or something that destroyed the place recently?

Let me know next time you come this way, Scott. You guys look great in that family photo.

Oh, that family photo is about 4 years old Rachel, the baby in the shot will be four day after tomorrow. Daniel just turned six. Sarah, the one Beth was pregnant with when we visited you guys at your home will be EIGHT in Dec!! Time sure does fly!

Still got the GS?