Weekend Ride Report - Sapphire Valley Run

Southern Curisers Riding Club

  Spartanburg, SC Chapter 313

   September 3rd, 2011

    250 miles - 8 hours

Well, the SCRC 313 finally got The Sapphire Valley Run under its belt. After a year and a half of making attempts and being rained out, we beat the rain and had an awesome run!

We began the ride from the Waffle House at 9:23 a.m. with Mike "Doc" Driscoll, Raymond "Ray Dawg" Nyhart, and Mike "Hoss" Hosom.

As we headed down 176 into Inman, we were ambushed by Carl Briles and Diane on the beautiful Black Beauty (Carl's '08 black & chrome Goldwing).

We followed 176 into Camp Pueblo, bared left on 11 and headed for Echo Valley in Cleveland for our first stop.

From there we turned off 11 in Pickens onto 178 for Rosman, NC.  We had an awesome ride up 178, with no cars ahead of us or behind us!  We made our second stop at Jarrett Bros Gas Station in Rosman to top off our tanks and rest our butts.  Because the weather was way too nice, we made our stop very short and headed to 64 for Sapphire Valley. This was a bit slower going as we got behind a few carpet baggers that had apparently never driven through mountain curves...  They held us at 20 mph under the posted speed limit...  Not to worry, as it is a short 16 miles from Rosman to Sapphire, and we were still making good time.We arrived right at noon to the Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company, which is tucked away nicely within the beautiful Sapphire Valley Golf Club.  We got a great table out on the covered deck out back with an outstanding view!  See next pg...

  

After a really good lunch, we headed back out on 64 towards Cashiers and hung a right onto 107.  Hwy 107 proved to be a gorgeous path, as we rode along Lake Glenville for a few miles, the hung another right onto 281 to cut back towards 215 and the BRP.  Hwy 281 turned out to be an even prettier ride with 1/4 mile long sweeping curves, and up/down rollers all through pastures and Christmas tree farms!  After 9 miles, we then turned left onto Charley's Creek Rd for a hair-raising 10 miles.  This road was equally beautiful, but the curves were much sharper and there were twice as many.  Doc loved them, of course, but the rest of the group was glad to be off that road.  It's actually the only cut-through to Hwy 215 and the BRP, so we had to do it.  ;^)

We turned left onto 215 for a several miles, then another left onto the Blue Ride Parkway, where we pulled off at the 3rd Overlook for another butt break and to take in the view from Devil's Courthouse.

From there we headed to the Pisgah Inn at Mt. Pisgah for a restroom break, and got to take in a bike show.  It wasn't an organized show, just about 300 other bikers who decided to make the same stop!
We originally planned to take 276 off the BRP and into Brevard/Flat Rock/Saluda, but the group made a unanimous vote to ride to 74-A and into Bat Cave / Chimney Rock for our last stop of the ride.  Aside from the usual, pesky carpet baggers poking along, it was an enjoyable ride!

We made our last stop at Heavenly Hoggs in Chimney Rock, where Hoss took off for home, and Ray, Mike D, Carl and Diane had some refreshments at the picnic table and observed the strange wildlife roaming the shop filled street of The Rock.

We continued down 74-A to Hwy 9 past Lake Lure and all headed for home.  Carl and Diane kept on 9 while Ray Dawg and Doc headed through Horse Country down Hwy 14 to Landrum, where Ray jumped on I-26E and Doc headed for Tryon.

End of our ride was at about 5:30 p.m.  We all covered 220+ miles together.  I personally covered 250 miles when I got home to Tryon.

It was an outstanding day with temps in the high 60's to mid-70's (up in the high elevations), and an amazing ride on some new roads with incredible views.  Not too bad for a first run on the new route.

We hope the rest of you will be able to make this ride the next time it is scheduled.  Definitely a successful route.

Until next ride,

"Doc is out!"

Mike "Doc" Driscoll

SCRC 313 2nd Officer