Valkyrie Riders Cruiser Club

Out early combat ride down I95 down South to Fredrickburg VA to hook up with fellow Interstate rider friend.  Then out West through beautiful Spring countryside farm, horse and cattle land in green rolling hills and forests.  (Straight) up the VA 211 approach to Skyline Drive is the most challenging ride in NoVA and maybe the whole state, real tight switchbacks with mountain rock on one side and drop offs on the other.  We started early in leathers, but the temp came up to mid and hi 70s, so off with some gear.  Skylike Drive is elevated and the spring comes later up there, except for a profusion of White and Cherokee coral dogwood and Red Bud just everywhere along the road, and up the mountains.  Even all the fresh green weeds looked good.

I think the Cherokee Dogwood is the most beautiful tree bloom in the forest.  And bright sun.

(https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-d13ckrom23/images/stencil/500x659/products/6091/5903/dogwood-cherokeebrave1_-fb__58301.1708381886.jpg?c=1)

Whites are nice too (2 in my yard, though Korean and bloom later after leaves are in)

(https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-2lqvsr5/images/stencil/640w/products/871/954/white_dog__26726.1631040607.jpg?c=2)

And redbud.
(https://d4c5gb8slvq7w.cloudfront.net/eyJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjcwMH19LCJidWNrZXQiOiJmaW5lZ2FyZGVuaW5nLnMzLnRhdW50b25jbG91ZC5jb20iLCJrZXkiOiJhcHBcL3VwbG9hZHNcLzIwMjBcLzAxXC8yNzEzMDU0MFwvRkcxOTJXRUZHMTkyLVdFLUNlcmNpcy1jYW5hZGVuc2lzLXN1YnNwLi10ZXhlbnNpcy1UcmF2ZWxsZXItMDA1LUpDUkEtMy0yNS0wOF9DdHN5LW9mLUpDLVJhdWxzdG9uLUFyYm9yZXR1bS1hdC1OQy1TdGF0ZS1Vbml2ZXJzaXR5LTcwMHg0NzAuanBnIn0=)

I had not been on that 211 uphill approach for several years, and was a bit rusty and careful, for awhile.  Then it came back to me.    YeeHaw!

Skyline drive and the Blue ridge Parkway are a special ride.   Imma go back soon.  :)  I only did a small part of it, but it makes a great most-of-the-day ride from me casa.
(https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/images/20230414_SkylineDrive_Spring_Mile2_NDL9590_nl.jpg?maxwidth=1300&maxheight=1300&autorotate=false)

(https://assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/c_fill,h_810,q_75,w_1080/v1/clients/virginia/SV22031003P_029_96664290-c5af-414a-a8e0-ff1524bae2fb.jpg)

(https://preview.redd.it/the-view-along-skyline-drive-in-shenandoah-national-park-v0-it4t9qyntiwa1.jpg?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=ae77f319e41f61fb40e9201b3dcb16c66f3c4e65)

Most beautiful, thanks for sharing.

It was probably a different road and about fifty years ago but your description reminded me.  I had recently returned from Iwakuni and with friends we had gone up to Skyline Drive.  My young wife was riding with friends in a four wheeled vehicle while I and my two friends were On Honda CL450s headed home to Temple Hills, Maryland.  We ere probably coming down from Front Royal but it seems to my memory it was short (maybe south) of there.

As we began the descent we were "caught up by" a Honda 750 riding double.  My two friends let the 750 go.  It wasn't in me.  I overtook and passed him.  Tight switchbacks all the way down.  They required slowing into and pulling out before a shore stretch of straight before the next sequence.

I outran the 750 and waited for my friends at the bottom.  We waited for our wives.

It was for me a very rewarding ride.  I was a bit aggressive, maybe crazy or irresponsible in those days.  I was a sergeant, E5.  It instills certain qualities.   :)

Oh, it was likely the best ride of that year.   ;)