[bush]

EDIT: This post updated 4/28/08

I was going to wait until I had most of my route figured out before creating a thread, but I thought more about it since Wakey brought it up in my ride report thread and thought it would be better to do it now. That way I'd have more time to collaborate with members and try to meet up with a few people along the way.

The name Surf and Turf was decided because I'll be riding mountains from Pennsylvania to Tennessee (turf) and coastline from Florida to Delaware (surf). I'm so creative it hurts sometimes. I'll be camping as many nights as possible along the way, and at this point it looks like I'll be traveling alone, so the Kat will be loaded to capacity.

I'll start day before dawn and hit the slab from Williamsport to State College PA to get a good start. I'll get on PA 26 south in State College and immediately begin the scenic tour to the Maryland border.

I'll be cutting through one of the skinniest sections of Maryland via Green Ridge State Park, then onto WV 29. Follow 29 south until it meets WV 55, then travel east into Front Royal VA where I'll jump onto Skyline Drive and begin the trek down the Blue Ridge Parkway.

This is where the itinerary is thrown to the wind. I don't know how far I'll make it down the parkway before stopping for the night, which basically makes every day after questionable as far as time or destination.

Anyway, I'll travel the entire parkway to US 441 in North Carolina, follow US 19 to SC 28, into US 129 to ride the Dragon. Up the Dragon into Tennessee, follow 129 > 72 > 441 > 360 > 165 > 143 (Cherahola Skyway Loop) and back onto US129 in Robbinsville, NC.

I'll be following US129 into GA180 int GA348 to ride the Richard B. Russel Scenic Highway, and onto GA75 to hook up with US129 once again. Then I'll follow US129 again until it meets up with US441, then it's a long ride into Florida.

That's what I have so far.

I'll more than likely be spending a night in Orlando then heading up the coast. I don't have that part planned out yet.

EDIT: Plans have changed a bit, so I'll be heading as far south as Ft. Myers FL to visit family along the way. That will probably be the southernmost point of the trip.

If you're along my route and want to meet up for some turns and lunch, and/or you have suggestions for this part of the trip, let me know! I'll update this post with more info as I figure it out.

Right now I'm looking for resources that list campsites, cost, ameneties, etc. because I have no idea where I'll be stopping. I have a good idea of available campsites along the parkway, so that won't be a problem, as well as the coast of NC and SC.

I've managed to get another week off work, so the trip is actually extended until June 15th. If the trip ends up being 4,000 miles, I can average 400 miles a day and still have 2 days along the way to stop for a day and just relax.