Good routes to go for a drive in Atlanta area

HSSS427 · #1 (**permalink**) 09-07-2006, 07:10 PM

Every time I'm out in the Cobra it seems I just spend more and more time in traffic regardless of when and where I go. It's the north Atlanta sprawl disease in high gear.

Wanted to see if we could start a thread of places / routes in the area that make for a good Cobra run.

I've done a loop north of Cumming before on Matt Hgwy over to Byers Road and down to Bethelview Road. Ronald Regan parkway can be a fun little blast as it's 4 lane and not usually crowded and there's not much built on it yet.

Other than that, I feel like I'm just putting around in suburbia. Ideally would like this thread to continue and be a place for people to make posts when they find a cool route to drive in the local area.

I know SVOBUD and some of you others have a route you often take, but I haven't been along yet. Where do you usually go?
Thanks!
Scott

Commander · #2 (**permalink**) 09-07-2006, 07:13 PM

The highway out to Gainesville is a nice drive.

Take the exit for the Gainesville library (south of the highway) and all the roads down in there are nice rolling/twisting 2 lane tree-shaded drives.

patrija · #3 (**permalink**) 09-07-2006, 09:12 PM

I've moved my Cobra to our place in Hartwell for this exact reason. It's definitely now a weekend only car, but the mountain and country drives are MUCH more enjoyable!

excelguru · #4 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 07:06 AM

Hey guys. Haven't posted here in a while.

Do a mapquest search for Amicalola falls. There are some nice winding roads up that way. You may or may not visit the falls themselves. They have speed bumps at the base of the falls and the hill to get to the top is rather steep. The real trick is simply getting away from the sprawl entirely. There are a lot of wonderful roads when you head north. Way north. Dawsonville area also comes to mind. Hey Jason, isn't there a runway up there somewhere?

Head up I-575 until it "becomes" 515 towards Jasper. Then head north from there or turn off to other destinations. Traffic on 575 will become much lighter as you go north of Canton. Fuel gets much more expensive north of Jasper, so be sure to fill up in Canton or Jasper.

marcocsx3121 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-08-2006, 09:27 AM

Take 400 to GA 53 west to Dawsonville. Left at the stop sign onto GA 9 south,then the first right off the court house circle onto Shoal Creek Road. Shoal Creek feeds onto GA 136, which briefly joins GA 183. About a mile after they join, 136 takes a left. Follow 136 up into the mountains. Between this point and Jasper, there are 19 miles of great views, challenging curves, good pavement, and not much traffic. You can hook up with 515/575 in Jasper for the ride home.

Cracker · #6 (**permalink**) 09-09-2006, 09:20 AM

Marco's hit on a good route.

Scott - From our area of town take Crabapple Road till it turns into Hwy 372 (go past my house) and continue north following signs to Big Canoe to Hwy 53. Take a right onto 53 heading East and it's a very twisty drive over to Dawsonville. Take 400 down home.

Great drive.

Our old group did this once and it worked out great. JO and I took the drive across 53 - great memories!

svobud · #7 (**permalink**) 09-11-2006, 12:40 PM

I haven't been taking my FFR out very much - everyone started getting lame here and never took their cars out for a DRIVE! That and I'm actually considering the idea of selling it. BUT - if you want a nice route to drive and don't mide putting 200 miles on your car, then I'd say shoot for these North Ga locations ...

Amicalola State Park - someone mentioned already. (Hwy 52, West of Dahlonega)
Unicoi State Park (just heads towards Dahlonega - Hwy 19 and 129 are a MUST)
Moccasin State Park (Hwy 197 is the Bomb-diggady)

If it were ME - I would find one of those BackRoads maps of Georgia and point my ride towards Hwy 60 @ Hwy 180 in Suches, Ga. All those State parks are near Hwy 60. Trust me - it will rock your socks - you won't be disappointed.

TRIG · #8 (**permalink**) 09-11-2006, 04:12 PM

I agree with SVOBUD. I've done the drive up through Suches and back which is about a 4hr trip from cherokee county. We used to run that route on our motorcycles... they call it the "triangle" When I was done my arms and shoulders were sore from cranking the wheel back and forth. Sure missed power steering. We took 369 to 400 just passed Dawsonville the hung a left. I forget all the road #'s, I just remember when I'm there. It is an awesome ride.

Trig2275

HSSS427 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 05:07 PM

Bud,
You were right on the route you suggested above. I ended up going to Dahlonega and then set the GPS for Suches and man that is one twisty road. But it was beautiful to look off into the valley on the rare occassions you could glance away from the road. Great day and the car ran great the whole time - yee ha!

Thanks!
Scott

Tony Radford · #10 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 07:23 PM

Tail of the Dragon would make a nice drive.

svobud · #11 (**permalink**) 03-11-2007, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HSSS427

Bud,
You were right on the route you suggested above. I ended up going to Dahlonega and then set the GPS for Suches and man that is one twisty road. But it was beautiful to look off into the valley on the rare occassions you could glance away from the road. Great day and the car ran great the whole time - yee ha!

Thanks!
Scott

Must have missed you somehow Scott - I rode up to Suches today as well (Sunday), but I was on the Triumph. Ended up with a screw in my tire and limped it home. I did see a blue w/white stripes Cobra in Kennesaw later in the evening - around 6pm or so. Didn't recognize the driver (wearing a black ballcap).

GeorgiaSnake · #12 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007, 04:32 PM

Traffic is one of the main reasons I sold the Cobra this past Saturday.

Got something that is just as fast or faster and it has AC

I can still make short trips, spend the night, lock the car up, not worry about rain and the list goes on and on.

John Owen · #13 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007, 08:18 PM

That SUCKS! Have you become a Geezer that values comfort above adrenalin? Oh well - Cracker said he was organizing a lunchon for four - we shall see... Maybe we can get in for the cocktail hour at the Holiday Inn

Bud - are you out there?

Back to my Boys...

GeorgiaSnake · #14 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Owen

That SUCKS! Have you become a Geezer that values comfort above adrenalin? Oh well - Cracker said he was organizing a lunchon for four - we shall see... Maybe we can get in for the cocktail hour at the Holiday Inn

Bud - are you out there?

Back to my Boys...

It supplies ample doses of adrenalin

Send me an email and I'll send a pic or two

svobud · #15 (**permalink**) 03-12-2007, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Owen

Bud - are you out there?

Back to my Boys...

Yup-yup. Was out last Sat night in it when it was 30 deg. Me and GF about froze. I was out in it all day today - made it home around 11pm. Ran like a champ.

HSSS427 · #16 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 06:55 PM

Just a thought, but Panoz track day at Road Atlanta May 5-6. $275 for Sat, $375 for Sun, $600 for both. 3 classes on Sat - A, B, C and just A and B on Sunday. They do some lead follow, and then let you run with the usual passing zones and point bys required.

Would be fun to have a hand full of Cobras, and we could also see just how fast GA Snake's new ride really is

Of course, we could then go mooch all of Rob's beer off him afterwards as well!

I'm signing up, so post if you can join in. Will probably just stick to one day or the other as I got all the track time I could handle doing just Sunday the last time they had it.
Thanks!
Scott

GeorgiaSnake · #17 (**permalink**) 03-14-2007, 06:10 PM

Anybody going to the NASA race at RA? The weather looks better for Sunday - but I now have a roof so that is not an issue

Edit - just checked the weather and it looks good for both days - roof or no roof.

HSSS427 · #18 (**permalink**) 03-15-2007, 06:48 PM

I'm out of town this weekend so won't make it.