A Journey of 1,300 Miles
Your map to getting back to the outdoors
There’s nothing like traveling over 1,300 miles to get back in touch with the wilderness, but where do you start and what do you need to truly get away for a while?
History buff and outdoorsman Tim made a round trip from his home state of Ohio, through a stretch of the Great Smoky Mountains, and back on his motorcycle, taking the time to learn some regional history and getting in touch with the great outdoors along the way. Follow his path or use it for inspiration on your next excursion.
First, the essentials: his camping necessities include a hammock, easy-to-setup tent, and not much else since he needs light and compact gear that won’t add bulk to his bike. We’re going for minimalism here.
Second, the route:
Tim left Ohio for White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia, a town in the New River Gorge known for its dandelion display and a national fish hatchery.
Then, he camped in the Greenbrier State Forest, where he visited the historic Greenbrier Resort and its declassified bunkers that were carved deep in the mountainside during the Cold War.
Staying at motorcycle campgrounds along the way, Tim spent two days riding along the Blue Ridge Parkway, a federal highway built to put men back to work after the Great Depression, before reaching the Great Smoky Mountains for a couple more days.
This stretch of his journey wasn’t picture perfect though. While camping along the Parkway, Tim hit heavy winds and storms that could have put a real damper on his trip (pun intended). Instead, he was able to set up the Combat tent in 10 minutes and stayed completely dry inside for two days, just him, his headlamp, and a good historical literature book.
After that pitstop, Tim made the scenic ride to Asheville, North Carolina, before heading back to Ohio, enjoying the last stretch of time in nature and away from people.
Since it’s never too soon to get back outdoors, Tim is already planning the next time he can get on the road.
His next stop? Pikes Peak in Colorado–all 14,115 feet of it.