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CHOOSING YOUR MAPS

Touring The Blue Ridge Parkway

The most important information you need to know is not
" What's on the Blue Ridge Parkway?",
but
What IS NOT on the Blue Ridge Parkway, and where to find it!

• How far is it to the next exit?
• Where is the nearest gas station?
• How close am I to a town?
• Which points of interest are near me?
• Am I missing out on something great? (YES!)

These are some of the most common questions and concerns that Blue Ridge Parkway travelers have. America Rides Maps provide the answers.

The Blue Ridge Parkway follows the high ridges and mountain passes through remote and wild sections of the Appalachian Mountains. This National Park is a fabulous and classic ride that draws millions of visitors every year to enjoy it's pristine beauty and scenic overlooks.

What few people realize as they stand at the overlooks pondering the long range views of mountains which stretch to the horizon is that you are "overlooking" thousands of miles of great two lane mountain roads which lie waiting for you! (They don't call them "overlooks" for nothing!)

Of course our maps include the Blue Ridge Parkway. But I focus on the information you don't find on other Parkway maps, and in particular, the fabulous roads that lie adjacent to and crisscross it along the way.

While our maps have the information you need to enjoy a Parkway tour, you don't need to pay for it. You can download and print your own Blue Ridge Parkway maps from web sites like this one - (http://www.virtualblueridge.com/maps/).

But as soon as you leave the Parkway, like when that low fuel light comes on, they leave you high and dry. America Rides Maps pick up where they leave off.

Once you've made that fabulous 469 mile drive
from one end to the other,
What then?

• How about those thousands of miles of great roads you've missed?
• Maybe a few side trips along your way back?
• Wouldn't it be great to see what's out there?
• How can I make my trip longer, better, more spectacular?
• Now that I've reached the end of the road, what should I see next?

America Rides Maps open the doors and expand your opportunities to enjoy riding the Blue Ridge Parkway in the southern Appalachians like no other maps. We expand that narrow ribbon of parkland to encompass all the eye can see and more. These maps add another dimension to your riding and give you the freedom and confidence to get the most out of your travels and discover places and sights others will never see.

I've bundled seven maps into a Blue Ridge Parkway package that trace it's course from the start in Virginia to beyond the southern end at Cherokee. They include:

1. Great Rides Near the Start of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia
2. The Roads of Roanoke and Beyond
3. North Carolina / Virginia Border Rides
4. Great Roads Near Boone, Banner Elk, and Blowing Rock
5. The Best Rides North and South of Asheville
6. East of the Smokies, West of Asheville, All Around Hot Springs, NC
7. Maggie Valley to Deals Gap and the Cherohala Skyway

Package Price: $30.00 - Save 15% ($5.00) by ordering the value pack!

The maps overlap and link together to make navigation between them seamless and detail more than 3000 miles of great roads through the mountains which surround the Blue Ridge Parkway. They open the entire range of the mountains for your enjoyment and turn the Blue Ridge Parkway into A Great Appalachian Adventure!

ALSO Available at a discounted bundle price -

The Blue Ridge Parkway Series
- North Carolina (4 Maps)

1. Maggie Valley to Deals Gap and the Cherohala Skyway
2. East of the Smokies, West of Asheville, All Around Hot Springs, NC
3. The Best Rides North and South of Asheville
4. Great Roads Near Boone, Banner Elk, and Blowing Rock

Why just North Carolina?

Because these maps describe almost 2000 miles of great two lane back roads.

Because the mountains are higher, broader and more expansive in North Carolina, there's enough here to keep you satisfied for years! No need to buy maps you may never reach. Hundreds of these North Carolina packages have been sold.

Package Price: $18.00 - Save 10% ($2.00) by ordering the value pack!

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Destination: Deals Gap

Maggie Valley to Deals Gap and the Cherohala Skyway

Price: $5.00

Of all the roads in the Appalachian Mountains, the most notable (after the Blue Ride Parkway) is the section of US 129 which crosses the North Carolina / Tennessee border popularized as "The Tail Of The Dragon" at Deals Gap. Infamous for its challenging collection of 318 curves within its 11 mile stretch through the Gap at the southwest corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, both motorcyclists and car enthusiasts make the pilgrimage to enjoy the challenge. It would hardly be so well known if it were not worth the trip.

Once you've conquered The Dragon, then what? It can be an awful long trip just to ride 11 miles of fun road. Most people go on to make a loop ride which includes the beautiful 51 mile Cherohala Skyway, the Tennessee version of the Blue Ridge Parkway. So now you've killed half a day. If only there were more -

America Rides Map "Maggie Valley to Deals Gap and the Cherohala Skyway" gives you so much more! As the title indicates, it details both Deals Gap and The Cherohala Skyway. Additionally, the map describes three more fantastic loop rides to make your pilgrimage last for days instead of hours. While the focus of the map is on Deals Gap, the area is so remote and isolated I include directions to and from the nearest place where a variety of lodging and activities is found, Maggie Valley, NC. Home to the "Wheels Through Time" motorcycle museum, you should plan to visit - it's worth the trip.

Also included on this map is the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway at historic Cherokee, home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina, and a loop ride through and around Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Explore and experience native American culture at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, learn their history through one of the longest running live outdoor dramas - "Unto These Hills", then ride through our nations most visited National Park which preserves the lands in which they lived.

It's obvious why this is one of our most popular maps. It is included in the 7 map bundle "The Blue Ridge Parkway Series" and the 4 map bundle "The Blue Ridge Parkway Series - North Carolina".

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Looking For The Waterfalls

The Best Roads South of Great Smoky Mountains National Park - EAST

Price: $5.00

The Best Roads South of Great Smoky Mountains National Park -WEST

Price: $5.00

The Carolina mountains are full of waterfalls, though many of them require hiking gear and the persistence of a mountain goat to see them. Since my boots aint made for walkin', I've located 20 or so which can you can view from the roadside or require only a short stroll on an easy path reach the overlook.

A dozen of them are listed on America Rides map "The Best Roads South of Great Smoky Mountains National Park - EAST". The remainder are described on "The Best Roads South of Great Smoky Mountains National Park - WEST".

If you like waterfalls, pack your camera and enjoy days of riding found on these two maps which reveal the locations and details about each. They include the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi, several of the most photogenic, a few overlooks where two falls converge, one or two falls you can walk behind - even get a photo of you on your motorcycle behind one!

Honestly though, the waterfalls are really just icing on the cake. The meat of these maps are the fabulous roads which climb to cross the Blue Ridge Parkway, trace the course of whitewater rivers, and lead you on long deserted serpentine two lane roads through vast tracts of wild National Forest lands. These maps include what I consider the best sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway, some of my all-time favorite roads, some fairly well known, others locals rarely discover. These are the roads I head to first when I go out to renew my spirit and enjoy the purest essence of mountain riding.

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First Time Visitors

If this is your first visit to the southern Appalachian Mountains, these are the maps I recommend to give you the best introduction to motorcycle paradise. I warn you though, once you've tasted the ambrosia you'll be hooked to come back for more! People have been known to quit their jobs, sell their homes, and make a new life here - I did!

Price: $5.00

5 Days Of The Best Local Rides

This map will introduce you to some of the most popular and scenic rides surrounding the mountain town of Maggie Valley, NC, the hub of great riding in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

It includes such favorites as The Tail of the Dragon, Hellbender 28, Thunder Road, Hot Springs, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Devil's Triangle.

Price: $5.00

You need only read the Destination: Deals Gap description above to understand why this is our most popular map and one I highly recommend as an introduction to the region.

This map includes the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Deals Gap, home of the "The Tail Of The Dragon" , historic Cherokee, and enough great rides to make your first visit and introduction to the mountains one of your most memorable trips ever.

The Blue Ridge Parkway may end here, but the fun and great riding are just starting!

The Best Rides in the North Georgia Mountains

If you're approaching the mountains from the south, there's a good chance north Georgia is where you'll begin your climb. While not as high and rugged as further up the Appalachian chain, these most southern peaks have long been a playground for those looking for two wheeled fun. It was these hills that first lured me to future explorations. With no shortage of great roads, some every bit as challenging as any found further north, this comprehensive map will lead you to the best of them.

I've yet to came across any map, book, guide, or web site which details as many of the great roads in the Peach State. This map includes both the great roads highlighted in red, and good roads which connect them highlighted in blue. There are so many great options I let you decide your own loop rides rather than suggest I could do better! Should you be passing through Georgia to reach points further north, this map will lead you to the sweetest means of motoring through.

Price: $5.00

I must recommend the map which holds my favorite roads. This map includes what I consider the best sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway, long wonderful rides through National Forests, long range views from high elevations, pleasant rides through picturesque valleys, and a dozen roadside waterfalls.

The area described is that which lies south of Interstate 40 bordered by Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the west and Asheville, North Carolina, in the east. It extends south across the South Carolina border as far as Pickens.

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For Seasoned Explorers

I'd be surprised if you don't find at least one or two roads on any map that you're not familiar with regardless of how many visits you've made to the mountains. Still, a few maps reveal roads through areas that are rarely ridden, roads that will reward you with miles and miles of fun and new discoveries. Here are a few I recommend -

Price: $5.00

The ride to Hot Springs is a popular one and it is well known. Few visitors ever explore the wealth of roads which course through the remote hills along the North Carolina / Tennessee border, roads devoid of traffic and full of fun. This map reveals hundreds of miles of two lane twisties where you can enjoy the solitude of private discovery and experience places most never see.

This map is bordered on the east by Interstate 26 as it runs from the Tennessee border in the north, through Asheville, North Carolina, then south to Hendersonville, North Carolina. Interstate 40 crosses the center of the map. The western edge shows the beginnings of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Brevard, North Carolina lies near the southern edge.

Price: $5.00

Most folks enjoy the riding south of Asheville, though this map will help you discover a few of the roads less traveled. The real gold though is found in the mountains north of Asheville where hundreds of miles of empty two lane roads wind through the tallest peaks and deepest valleys in the east. You can spend days enjoying fabulous back roads where you can count the others on the road on one hand.

This map includes as it's western border Interstate 26 from Asheville, North Carolina, north to Johnson City and Elizabethton, Tennessee, includes Lake Lure, North Carolina, on the southern edge, and extends to Marion, North Carolina in the east.

Great Roads Near Boone, Banner Elk, and Blowing Rock

Price: $5.00

Most riders simply pass through this area on the Blue Ridge Parkway or make it a stop for the evening missing the jewels that lay hidden along the borders of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. It is too easily bypassed on the Interstates. For those who hunt for hidden gems, this is a treasure map to great rides.

This northern border of this map includes the portion of Interstate 85 as it passes through Bristol, Tennessee and Abingdon, Virginia, is centered on Boone, Blowing Rock, and Banner Elk, North Carolina, and is bordered on the south by Interstate 40 as it traverses through Marion, Morganton, Lenoir and Hickory, North Carolina.

Price:$5.00

The fact that this map contains so many roadside waterfalls is a hint at the quality of the terrain it covers. Still, few riders ever seem to venture off the couple of traffic clogged main roads in this area around Highlands, Cashiers, and Franklin, NC.

Extending into South Carolina and Georgia, discover some truly great roads through extensive National Forests where the only good reason to venture here is the fun of enjoying the great rides and scenery.

Get away from the traffic and enjoy these wonderful mountain rides.

North Carolina / Virginia Border Rides

Price:$5.00

I never expected to discover so many great roads in this area making this one of the most extensive and comprehensive maps.

With 100 Miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway and more than 40 great roads described, you'll enjoy days and days of exploring in this fun and scenic area.

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