# Skyline Drive -loose gravel advisory-



## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

Those morons have paved (tar and chipped?) some fierce loose gravel from Elk Wallow to Route 211 entrance/exit.

Not feeling like getting more rock chips on my bikes paint, I kept it under 18 mph.

It looks like the paving operation will continue north past Elk Wallow given the location of the warning sign.


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

Thanks for the heads up. I am heading there this week. I hate chip seal almost as much as loose gravel. Eats up race tires


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

homebrew said:


> Thanks for the heads up. I am heading there this week. I hate chip seal almost as much as loose gravel. Eats up race tires


I estimate as of yesterday, it was 5 miles worth.

When it does finally clear off, it still isn't smooth like the old stuff there .. 

It's got some of that vibration bumpy in it.

Always the best to hire the cheapest contractor. Fools.


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## mtnpat (Mar 8, 2002)

I think they do it to keep bikes off the drive (and waste money), I can't think of any other reason.

I plan to ride end to end (North to South) in about two weeks with some friends who have never seen the drive. Hopefully the sucky parts won't be too long.


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## KWL (Jan 31, 2005)

mtnpat said:


> I think they do it to keep bikes off the drive (and waste money), I can't think of any other reason..


And if that doesn't convince anyone, check out the full road width rumble strips on Rt 211 heading up to (or down from) Skyline Drive. Not really bike-friendly.

Well, one is the Feds and the other the Commonwealth of Virginia ("300 years of history unhampered by progress"), so it really isn't a concerted effort to keep us in our place. Just seems that way.


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## Big T (Feb 4, 2005)

I was on Skyline from Front Royal to the top of the next climb past Thorton Gap/211 over the weekend. The gravel is pretty much gone but I must admit that section of pavement isn't as nice as it used to be.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

Big T said:


> I was on Skyline from Front Royal to the top of the next climb past Thorton Gap/211 over the weekend. The gravel is pretty much gone but I must admit that section of pavement isn't as nice as it used to be.


Thanks for the update!

Did they pave past Elkwallow rest stop? When I went - it was a mile after ElkWallow to 211.

Yes - it didn't look like it'd be any type of good pavement underneath.


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## Big T (Feb 4, 2005)

From what I recall, the new paving seemed to just be from Elkwallow to 211. I went for about 5-6 miles past 211 and think it was all the older, better surface.


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## MarcelDuchamp (Jan 22, 2004)

I rode Skyline for the first time today. Went from Front Royal to Skyland and back, and the chip seal starts pretty soon after the tunnel (heading north) and continues past Elkwallow almost to Hogback overlook. On my Aluminum Forte with Specialized Armadillos it was 45 minutes of teeth-jarring, muscle exhausting torment. Other than that, the road was pretty decent.

On an unrelated note, I saw about 20-30 other people riding on Skyline today, and all but two of them were on TT bikes with aerobars and everything. WTF?!


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

MarcelDuchamp said:


> I rode Skyline for the first time today. Went from Front Royal to Skyland and back, and the chip seal starts pretty soon after the tunnel (heading north) and continues past Elkwallow almost to Hogback overlook. On my Aluminum Forte with Specialized Armadillos it was 45 minutes of teeth-jarring, muscle exhausting torment. Other than that, the road was pretty decent.
> 
> On an unrelated note, I saw about 20-30 other people riding on Skyline today, and all but two of them were on TT bikes with aerobars and everything. WTF?!


so the loose gravel/stones were swept up?

The road was smooth before those morons did that.


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## MarcelDuchamp (Jan 22, 2004)

There was still a little loose gravel on the edges of the road at spots, but I don't remember there being much else. Not enough to alter the ride in any event. I had assumed that the chip seal was old stuff they hadn't bothered to repave, the fact that the opposite is true is pretty depressing.


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

MarcelDuchamp said:


> There was still a little loose gravel on the edges of the road at spots, but I don't remember there being much else. Not enough to alter the ride in any event. I had assumed that the chip seal was old stuff they hadn't bothered to repave, the fact that the opposite is true is pretty depressing.


I just went yesterday.. They definitely swept up all the loose gravel/stones. Before was so nasty and dusty, I was picking stones out of my socks/shoes.

The road is the same type as the rest of the north end now. It make take some time for it to flatten out, as it has a little too much vibration in parts.

We had a black bear cross on the drive yesterday.. did north to 211 W - down the hill, and return. about 10,000 ft of climbing. Saw a deer on the return up 211 .. just thankful he didn't come out to play while were were barreling down at road at 41 mph.


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