Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine

scenery

Looking for shamrocks in Southwest Virginia’s ‘Burgs

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I am fortunate enough to live in Southwest Virginia, where great motorcycling roads surround me, so I thought it would be fun to explore my backyard with a St. Paddy’s Day cloverleaf of four loops to the southeast, southwest, northeast and northwest of sister towns Blacksburg and Christiansburg in Montgomery County, just west of Roanoke. Blacksburg has 45,000 residents but … [Read more...] about Looking for shamrocks in Southwest Virginia’s ‘Burgs

Historic Switzerland Inn Reopens

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Beloved Swiss-Inspired Western North Carolina Hotel Welcomes Guests Back for an Extended Season “Each new season at Switzerland Inn is special, but this one carries even more meaning,” commented Switzerland Inn General Manager Whitney Ledford. “Our team has worked hard to prepare this year, knowing that we’re not just reopening our doors—we’re helping revive the tourism … [Read more...] about Historic Switzerland Inn Reopens

Star City of the South: Roanoke, Virginia

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Surrounded by the ancient peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains and buffering the hustle of Interstate 81, Roanoke, Virginia (pop: 100,011) is a cultural and outdoor gem in Southern Appalachia. Once a large-scale railroad hub, the city itself remains an economic beacon for much of the bucolic, rural landscape in Southwestern Virginia. Nowadays, the metro-area has transformed into … [Read more...] about Star City of the South: Roanoke, Virginia

Blue Ridge Parkway: Touring the region’s most famous scenic byline

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I wasn’t always a motorcycle enthusiast, but I’ve always been intrigued. Maybe I can blame Marlon Brando in “The Wild One” or Steve McQueen in “The Great Escape” for starting the itch that needed scratching. My first foray was in Kauai, Hawaii, as a marine on a Kawasaki Ninja 1990 ZX-11. That bike was stupid fast, and I was just stupid. I had some gateway bikes afterward, … [Read more...] about Blue Ridge Parkway: Touring the region’s most famous scenic byline

Notes from the road: Adventure is a just an unpaved mountain road away

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Some days, tarmac just doesn’t suffice when you’re an adventure rider. On a quiet Monday with nothing on the calendar, I headed into the lush wilderness of the Pisgah National Forest to escape the heat of summer and find that connection between earth, motorcycle and man that often gets lost navigating through heavy urban traffic. I needed the tonic of the wilderness, to borrow … [Read more...] about Notes from the road: Adventure is a just an unpaved mountain road away