Bradley Falls, Another Secret Waterfall Motorcycle Destination

   If you are looking for a fun motorcycle ride or peddle bike ride, here it is.  Bradley Falls in Saluda, North Carolina.  The dull boring way to get to Saluda is to take Interstate 26 to exit 59.  The fun way to get to Saluda from Asheville or Hendersonville or Tryon or Landrum or Spartanburg is to take U.S. 176..  I hope you read my earlier article about that.  Here is a link.  http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2016/02/ride-your-bike-to-pearson-falls-on-us.html  If you do ride your bike up the steepest grade in the eastern United States on U.S. 176, when you get to the top, turn right on Holbert Cove Road.  Cross Interstate 26.  Stay on Holbert Cove Road for 3.7 miles. 

Bradley Falls is huge.  If you are near Saluda, see it.

      You will see a parking area beside the road just before a small bridge.  Park here.  It is about a 40 minute walk to Bradley Falls to your left.  Little Bradley Falls is to your right. Bring hiking shoes and tote some water with you.  This is a huge waterfall.  It is worth the walk.  It is dangerous.

     You may want to have a guide.  As you left Interstate 26 on Holbert Cove Road, you passed The Gorge.  They lead hikers all the way to the falls.  http://thegorgezipline.com/    

After you finish your hike, continue on Holbert Cove Road.  It ends at Silver Creek Road.  A right turn will take you to Mill Spring, North Carolina and Hiway 9.  North on Hiway 9 will take you to Black Mountain.  South on Hiway 9 will take you to Spartanburg.  Don't turn right.  Turn left on Silver Creek Road.  It is about a mile to Silver Creek Baptist Church. From there turn left on Green River Road.

Be aware that Bradley Falls is a dangerous hike

     If you liked twisty turney Holbert Cove Road, you will love Green River Road.  It is twistier, turneyer, and a lot more scenic.  It follows the Green River.  You can stop most any place and take a a dip in the river. Bring a picnic lunch.  After you pass Fishkill Landing, Green River Road is extremely twisty and turney.  There are curves that will almost require you to slow down to 5 M.P.H.  Be extremely cautious or turn around and go back the way you came.  When you come to the stop sign after the extreme turns, it might look familiar.  That is because you are back at the intersection of I 26 and Holbert Cove Road.

     The fun is not over.  Cross the interstate.  Right in front of the BP gas station on the west side of I 26 is Howard Gap Road.  If you are headed back south to Spartanburg or Charlotte or Greenville, take Howard Gap Road back to Tryon.  It is twisty and turney and scenic.  It ends on Hiway 108.  A left takes you to I - 26 and Columbus, North Carolina.  If you have not ridden White Oak Mountain, read this.   http://rondclimer.blogspot.com/2016/02/a-waterfall-motorcycle-destination.html  A right takes you back to Tryon and U.S. 176.

     Enjoy our western Carolina roads.  Ride safe    www.ronclimer.com   www.climerconsulting.com   

    

Free Motorcycle Safety Class in Carolina, Bike Safe

     If you have not attended the North Carolina Department of Transportation's FREE safety program,Bike Safe, you are missing a fabulous opportunity to learn from world class experts on how to ride your motorcycle more safely.  Your first question is probably," Did you say free?"  IT IS FREE. 

     I attended the free Bike Safe class at the Concord Police Department with Motorcycle Officer Clark and Motorcycle Officer Rodriquez.  Both of these guys ride their own bikes when they are not riding their police issue Yamaha.  Their enthusiasm for biking reflected in the whole class.  Their knowledge of motorcycle safety was evident. 

Bike Safe program will make you a safer rider

     You may be concerned that a motorcycle safety program,Bike Safe, is boring.  There was not one boring minute from 8 A.M. to 4 P.M.  We started with an hour long classroom session in the morning.  Then we went out and rode. The officers observed each of us and gave us a very helpful,intense critique of some areas that could use improvement. 

     We had lunch at Brooklyn Pizzeria.  If you want to know where the good food is, go where the cops go.  After lunch, we went back to the classroom for another short hour.  Then we rode for another fifty miles.  We rode on back roads.  We rode on the interstate.  We rode on bad roads.  We rode in heavy traffic.  We rode through crazy intersections.

      You may wonder who takes this class.  I took it.  I benefited very very much.  I also had fun.  One of my classmates was a young lady that had only been riding for fifteen months.  She had attended an introductory class when she bought her first bike.  She told us that she was certified to ride in a parking lot.  She was riding a Harley Davidson Heritage.

If you are new to riding attend Bike Safe

     Another classmate had been riding since 2010.  He had just graduated from a 750 cc bike to a new Victory.  How do you spell good looking bike?

      Another classmate was a retired motor policeman from New York.  He had a brand new Indian.

This Bike Safe program was fun and interesting

     Then there was me.  I have been riding since a rear view mirror was a paid for accessory.  I rode 110 miles to get to the Concord Police Department.  This day was fun, interesting and definitely worthwhile.

     I asked Officer Clark if a student could bring a passenger to the class.  He said yes.  Everything that we learned would benefit a passenger.  Many bikers hardly ever ride solo.  If you are a perennial passenger, encourage your husband to attend this class.  Go with him.

     Do not wait until a guard rail is is coming at you at fifty miles per hour, to start learning about safety.  Go take this FREE North Carolina Department of Transportation Bike Safe class.  If you wife has recently started riding her own bike, you go and take her with you. You will both benefit. If you are a member of a motorcycle group,  have you whole group sign up for the same class.  http://www.bikesafenc.com/   Bike Safe has a website.  There is a class near you.

Officer Clark and Officer Rodriquez were great

     If you have already had a Bike Safe class, please leave a comment here and verify or clarify what I have said.  This is a good day motorcycling.  Carolina's twisty turney curvy roads are a lot of fun. They are also dangerous with a capital D. This training class will diminish your personal danger.   An accident that could be avoided with a fun day of training, is no fun.

     Check out Bike Safe.  You will enjoy the day.

     www.ronclimer.com      www.fullthrottlemagazine.com