TheSamba.com :: View topic - NW Ga./SW NC/NE Tn. Trip Jan. 18-20

Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:06 am

Some of us from the metro Atlanta area want to invite regional bus owners on a road trip in January. Since school is out for the MLK holiday we have a trip planned. This is a family, dog friendly group. There will be some young kids along.

We will leave Cartersville in NW Georgia at 9:00am Saturday January 18th, and head up US Hwy. 411 to Vonore Tn. We will then head south on US Hwy. 129 along the little Tennessee River/Chilhowee Lake to the notorious Dragon's Tail. Then on to the Cheoah Dam ( where the Fugitive Harrison Ford jumped off in the Movie of the same name) then along the Cheoah River to Santeela Lake and on to the Cherohala Skyway with its long views and mile high Blue Ridge Parkway like driving experience.
We plan to camp along the Upper Tellico River Saturday night and linger through the day Sunday and Sunday night. This will be primitive camping, merely a parking space at the river's edge for two nights. There will be a stretch of good graded gravel forest service road involved at the end of Saturday's drive. Anticipated driving time Saturday will be approximately 7 to 8 hours.

Monday morning we will drive out of the forest to Tellico Plains Tn. and south on Tn. Hwy 68 through Copper Hill and on down to Blue Ridge Ga. After a layover in Blue Ridge we will head down Ga. Hwy 515 through Ellijay, Canton and on back to the metro Atlanta area.

This time of year is typically cool in the daytime, 50 degrees or so and temps below freezing at night. Bring your propane and enough fire wood. There will be no opportunity for supplies in the area of the camp, so plan accordingly.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Jeff

Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:11 am

We hope to make it to this one. I've always wanted to drive my bus up through these areas and my Wife and I are really excited!

Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:23 am

Sounds like a good time! We have a cabin on the south side of Chilhowee dam, just across from the river from the Harley t shirt gas station. Maybe we can meet up with you folks.

For those who have never driven on the dragon's tail and have small kids-bring a few barf bags.

Wed Dec 18, 2013 9:15 pm

I plan to be there for this!

Thu Dec 19, 2013 6:05 am

PM sent...

Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:12 am

Aww man! I would have loved to do this route with you guys! I took my bus up 411 and on the Dragon back in September. Spent the night up there and then rolled back. I should have made the complete loop.

Unfortunately, I will be heading North that weekend and won't get to play. Have fun. Take lots of pictures.

Fri Dec 20, 2013 6:41 am

I made a map based on the description of the trip, looks like a lot of fun!

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zHs4PcyC1bIw.ktuzFQwyW9X4

Fri Dec 20, 2013 7:30 am

Thanks for doing that!

Fri Dec 20, 2013 9:23 am

These pictures were taken at the same spot we will plan to camp for the trip this year.

This was the 2011 MLK Trip. Like I mentioned already, pretty much just a parking spot along the Tellico River. No water faucets or rest rooms, our kind of camping!

Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:31 am

Sounds like a fun trip. I'm going to pencil it in and see where I fall around that date. Sounds like a good use of the three day weekend.

Fri Jan 03, 2014 12:43 pm

...regarding this trip, I have decided to add about 10 miles of graded gravel forest service road to the route. The trip will follow TN 143 Cherohala Skyway like originally planned, but we will turn left off of the Skyway onto N River Rd. and make a downhill run to the camp site. This will eniminate a 30 mile stretch of the Skyway and get us off the road sooner Saturday afternoon. See the new route between points B and E on the map posted in the link above.

This will be my last call for anyone that wants to join us for the trip. If you are planning to make this trip PM with your contact information. We will be glad to keep in touch and meet you anywhere along the way.

Mon Jan 06, 2014 8:17 pm

Hey "pop" this is Reece if you remember me. (Next to the far left in this picture) And I was at the chili run last week. Sounds like a lot of fun but I don't know if the beetle will be driving by then or not, if beetles are even allowed lol.

Tue Jan 07, 2014 4:53 am

I remember you alright, missed seeing you and your dad Wednesday. My crew had a great day on the river, hope you did too.

Of course beetles are welcome on the upcoming trip, heck, we welcome any make vehicle.

The weather is looking good for next weekend so far, and we are leaving in less than 11 days...

Tue Jan 07, 2014 7:45 am

Our group had a great, safe run down the river. 11 Days is gonna be close lol, i'll let you guys know if it's gonna work out. Kinda doubt it, but it's possible.

Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:01 pm

Do you guys plan to use an FRS channel for communication on the road?

Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:14 pm

lostorbit wrote: Do you guys plan to use an FRS channel for communication on the road?

I've got a pair of FRS radios I plan to bring along. Now we just need to choose a channel

Fri Jan 17, 2014 10:41 am

I found this cool map of the loop we will be doing this weekend:
http://www.tailofthedragonmaps.com/maps_outlet_loop.html

Looks like sunny skies and nice weather this weekend. We can't wait to get out there!

Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:21 pm

I know I said back on the 3rd last call, but one more post...

I want to let lostorbit and schoolie know everything is a go, there will be 5 of us total.

Regarding firewood; we will have a couple of chain saws, so we will harvest local downed trees for firewood. I will bring enough wood for a couple of hours so we can warm up right when we arrive at camp. Hopefully we can filch some roadside wood on the forest service road on our way down to the river when we leave the Skyway. No need to haul in wood, there will be much elevation gain so we can keep the buses as light as possible.

Regarding water; there will not be a potable water source where we will be camping, so bring enough to last two nights and a day. No picnic tables, no toilets. This particular camping venue is back by popular demand. The best part is that it is free.

Sunday there will be two impressive waterfalls about 5 miles down river, WW kayaks will be plunging off of one of them, the other is walking distance away.

This should be one of the more scenic routes we have taken in the last several years, the river gorge to begin, up and down the Dragon's Tail, then along the Cheowah River gorge then up, up, up to some mile high vistas. The drive out Monday is not too shabby either.

Pictures of the adventure will be posted in my gallery Tuesday.

Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:22 pm

Ran into some problems with wiring in the bug, not gonna make it :(. Have fun everyone!

Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:24 pm

I'll see you in the morning!