Road & Bike trip: Skyline Drive and Shenandoah! Pics and details inside

Matticus91 · 06-12-2017, 06:52 PM

This past weekend I took the 1er on a nearly 1,000 mile road trip from Maryland to western Virginia (not WV). For pics, skip to the bottom, for the details, read on!

For my birthday my fiance rented a cabin for us way out in Damascus, VA. The main draw of the town is an old railroad that has been converted to a bike trail, named "Creeper Trail" after the train that used to run it. The train was named the "Creeper" for how slowly it would run the line, due to the many turns and steep incline, it was shut down in 1974 after it had not turned a profit since the Great Depression.

The cabin we rented was literally right on the trail at mile 14, a place called Laurel Run Cabins. They have just 4 cabins and the owners are extremely friendly and accommodating. Despite their rule, they allowed us to bring our dog, Apollo, which we were very grateful for.

Now on to the drive; the drive one-way is around 400 miles down RTE-66 West and 81 South coming from the DC area. The moment my fiance told me about the trip she'd planned I mapped out the route to see what fun could be had on the way. Sure enough, Skyline Drive, which runs the entire length of Shenandoah, was right along the route down 81. Taking Skyline drive the whole way would have added over 4hrs to our already long journey, so I plotted a trip that took us halfway on Skyline Drive and skipped back onto 81. We loaded the car with gear, bikes, and dog and left DC around 11:30am, en route to the Skyline Drive entry point at Front Royal.

We arrived at Skyline just over an hour later and paid the seemingly steep entry fee. A quarter mile later I didn't even remember there was a fee. The views quickly became well-worth the detour, and the roads were a ton of fun! Doing the drive at noon on a weekday meant VERY few people were on the road, so I had some "creative liberty" with how I handled the corners.

After having fun for a bit, we stopped at one of the many turn-offs for some pictures...

20170609_141713 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

Feat. Fiance & Apollo

20170609_141702 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

The views kept getting better!

20170609_142554 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

We enjoyed lunch on one of the scenic overlooks and got back on the road.

20170609_142611 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

Once we reached the end of our run on Skyline drive, I put the radio back on and headed down the not-so-exciting 81 South. Apollo served as my primary co-pilot while my fiance napped - how she manages to sleep through my driving/the 1er's exhaust, I'll never know

20170609_163351 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

After another few hours, totaling around 8.5/9hrs with our stops and Skyline detour, we arrived at our humble abode for the weekend.

20170609_203351 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

Shortly after arriving, I made way too many cheeseburgers and we watched the sun set over the treeline.

20170610_205935 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

The next day we rode our bikes into town, took a shuttle to the top of Creeper Trail, and rode down the awesome trail. When we eventually made it back to the cabin we still had time to load the pup in the 1er and go for some ice cream, followed by beer at the local Damascus Brewery, just to completely undo any healthiness of riding 21ish miles

Sunday we packed up and headed home, stopping at a couple wineries on the way. I only have one pic from Sunday, which shows the usual theme of me driving, dog spotting, and fiance PTFO as we cruise at completely acceptable speeds.

It was an awesome trip and I'm happy to say the 1er performed very well, averaging 25.5mpg for the whole weekend. I had a SES light pop on a few days prior that had me concerned, so I ran with the JB4 off and everything seemed ok and the SES light has not returned. I'll be bringing it in to the dealer this week just to make sure everything is tip-top.

So, whoever said the 1er isn't practical has never taken one on a roadtrip with supplies for a weekend, 2 people, a dog, and bikes on the roof!

20170611_151736 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

Almost forgot the final shot! After arriving home, the poor car was not nearly as clean as when we left! A serious detailing will hopefully happen on Wednesday

I also want to add that Stoners Glass Cleaner is a lifesaver. I always keep a can in the car with a MF towel, and I'm so glad I had it. I cleaned the bugs collected on the windshield each evening and it made a world of difference in visibility.

20170611_204112 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

nacaruh · 06-12-2017, 06:55 PM

I Want Your Dog!!!!!!

jemfff · 06-12-2017, 08:45 PM

Good to see the car back and running again, looks great with the 1M bumper!

Inspiration for road trip...sending this to the wife! hahaha

Ric in RVA · 06-12-2017, 09:40 PM

doG is my co pilot.....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Once we reached the end of our run on Skyline drive, I put the radio back on and headed down the not-so-exciting 81 South. Apollo served as my primary co-pilot while my fiance napped - how she manages to sleep through my driving/the 1er's exhaust, I'll never know

20170609_163351 by Matt Steele, on Flickr

Esteban · 06-13-2017, 02:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lecaf

I Want Your Dog!!!!!!

I want him too! We can share him. You can have him Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll take him Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Matt can have him on Sunday. lol

chadillac2000 · 06-13-2017, 08:06 AM

Looks like a fun trip! I'm spoiled here in North Carolina with quick access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, but no matter how many times I go, those views don't get old.

I'm all too familiar with the hot breath of a canine on the left side of my neck while driving. That is my border collie Winston's preferred position when riding, especially when the windows are down.

The 1M front looks great on your car with the exposed CF hood and I love how you're utilizing this car to the max. The 1er may be small, but it can do big things on road trips!

Bimmer TV · 06-13-2017, 08:27 AM

Looks like you had a blast!

Matticus91 · 06-13-2017, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lecaf

I Want Your Dog!!!!!!

Come visit him with your 1er!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jemfff

Good to see the car back and running again, looks great with the 1M bumper!

Inspiration for road trip...sending this to the wife! hahaha

Thanks! Feel free to use this as proof of an enjoyable time haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric in RVA

doG is my co pilot.....

It took me longer than I care to admit to figure this out lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esteban

I want him too! We can share him. You can have him Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll take him Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Matt can have him on Sunday. lol

Woah hey do I get any say in this?? Lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by chadillac2000

Looks like a fun trip! I'm spoiled here in North Carolina with quick access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, but no matter how many times I go, those views don't get old.

I'm all too familiar with the hot breath of a canine on the left side of my neck while driving. That is my border collie Winston's preferred position when riding, especially when the windows are down.

The 1M front looks great on your car with the exposed CF hood and I love how you're utilizing this car to the max. The 1er may be small, but it can do big things on road trips!

The Blue Ridge pkwy is an amazing drive, I wish I was a bit closer. One of the guys I met out there said his friend is actually able to commute on it, how lucky is that!

A road trip wouldn't be the same without my furry buddy.

Thanks for the compliments on the hood. I am STILL debating whether or not to paint it... maybe I'll do a poll thread lol. And yes I'm definitely using this car for everything it's worth. A car is meant to be driven in my eyes!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chunky Osiris

Looks like you had a blast!

For sure! We'll be doing it again sometime without a doubt.

Esteban · 06-13-2017, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matticus91

Woah hey do I get any say in this?? Lol

Nope! Already been decided. He's too cute for just one person (plus fiancé). The cuteness must be shared. Haha

baca135 · 06-13-2017, 12:04 PM

Nice pics

Matticus91 · 06-13-2017, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esteban

Nope! Already been decided. He's too cute for just one person (plus fiancé). The cuteness must be shared. Haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esteban

Nope! Already been decided. He's too cute for just one person (plus fiancé). The cuteness must be shared. Haha

To be fair, there are still times that the two of us just sit and stare at him lol

Esteban · 06-13-2017, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matticus91

To be fair, there are still times that the two of us just sit and stare at him lol

Perfectly understandable. You guys are lucky... and so is he.

Gray_Panther · 06-13-2017, 01:52 PM

Looks like a blast!

nacaruh · 06-13-2017, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esteban

I want him too! We can share him. You can have him Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll take him Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Matt can have him on Sunday. lol

I must request the dog for Saturdays... only for my weekly Cars and Coffee

Speaking of which, Matticus91 you need to come out to Katies!

Havocsteve · 06-13-2017, 02:14 PM

Reminds me of going out East to PEI with the 1er. We fit camping/luggage/cooler and a bunch of stuff for the trip out from Toronto. It was roughly 4,000km of driving. Glad to see the car looks great after getting the repairs done.

Matticus91 · 06-13-2017, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Looks like a blast!

For sure!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lecaf

I must request the dog for Saturdays... only for my weekly Cars and Coffee

Speaking of which, Matticus91 you need to come out to Katies!

I know I know! I need to get out there one day, I'm just not a morning person lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Havocsteve

Reminds me of going out East to PEI with the 1er. We fit camping/luggage/cooler and a bunch of stuff for the trip out from Toronto. It was roughly 4,000km of driving. Glad to see the car looks great after getting the repairs done.

I still have yet to be let down by the 1er's carrying capacity haha

06-12-2017, 06:52 PM	#1
Matticus91 Brigadier General 3475 Rep 3,722 Posts Drives: 2013 135i Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Washington DC iTrader: (6)	Road & Bike trip: Skyline Drive and Shenandoah! Pics and details inside This past weekend I took the 1er on a nearly 1,000 mile road trip from Maryland to western Virginia (not WV). For pics, skip to the bottom, for the details, read on! For my birthday my fiance rented a cabin for us way out in Damascus, VA. The main draw of the town is an old railroad that has been converted to a bike trail, named "Creeper Trail" after the train that used to run it. The train was named the "Creeper" for how slowly it would run the line, due to the many turns and steep incline, it was shut down in 1974 after it had not turned a profit since the Great Depression. The cabin we rented was literally right on the trail at mile 14, a place called Laurel Run Cabins. They have just 4 cabins and the owners are extremely friendly and accommodating. Despite their rule, they allowed us to bring our dog, Apollo, which we were very grateful for. Now on to the drive; the drive one-way is around 400 miles down RTE-66 West and 81 South coming from the DC area. The moment my fiance told me about the trip she'd planned I mapped out the route to see what fun could be had on the way. Sure enough, Skyline Drive, which runs the entire length of Shenandoah, was right along the route down 81. Taking Skyline drive the whole way would have added over 4hrs to our already long journey, so I plotted a trip that took us halfway on Skyline Drive and skipped back onto 81. We loaded the car with gear, bikes, and dog and left DC around 11:30am, en route to the Skyline Drive entry point at Front Royal. We arrived at Skyline just over an hour later and paid the seemingly steep entry fee. A quarter mile later I didn't even remember there was a fee. The views quickly became well-worth the detour, and the roads were a ton of fun! Doing the drive at noon on a weekday meant VERY few people were on the road, so I had some "creative liberty" with how I handled the corners. After having fun for a bit, we stopped at one of the many turn-offs for some pictures... 20170609_141713 by Matt Steele, on Flickr Feat. Fiance & Apollo 20170609_141702 by Matt Steele, on Flickr The views kept getting better! 20170609_142554 by Matt Steele, on Flickr We enjoyed lunch on one of the scenic overlooks and got back on the road. 20170609_142611 by Matt Steele, on Flickr Once we reached the end of our run on Skyline drive, I put the radio back on and headed down the not-so-exciting 81 South. Apollo served as my primary co-pilot while my fiance napped - how she manages to sleep through my driving/the 1er's exhaust, I'll never know 20170609_163351 by Matt Steele, on Flickr After another few hours, totaling around 8.5/9hrs with our stops and Skyline detour, we arrived at our humble abode for the weekend. 20170609_203351 by Matt Steele, on Flickr Shortly after arriving, I made way too many cheeseburgers and we watched the sun set over the treeline. 20170610_205935 by Matt Steele, on Flickr The next day we rode our bikes into town, took a shuttle to the top of Creeper Trail, and rode down the awesome trail. When we eventually made it back to the cabin we still had time to load the pup in the 1er and go for some ice cream, followed by beer at the local Damascus Brewery, just to completely undo any healthiness of riding 21ish miles Sunday we packed up and headed home, stopping at a couple wineries on the way. I only have one pic from Sunday, which shows the usual theme of me driving, dog spotting, and fiance PTFO as we cruise at completely acceptable speeds. It was an awesome trip and I'm happy to say the 1er performed very well, averaging 25.5mpg for the whole weekend. I had a SES light pop on a few days prior that had me concerned, so I ran with the JB4 off and everything seemed ok and the SES light has not returned. I'll be bringing it in to the dealer this week just to make sure everything is tip-top. So, whoever said the 1er isn't practical has never taken one on a roadtrip with supplies for a weekend, 2 people, a dog, and bikes on the roof! 20170611_151736 by Matt Steele, on Flickr Almost forgot the final shot! After arriving home, the poor car was not nearly as clean as when we left! A serious detailing will hopefully happen on Wednesday I also want to add that Stoners Glass Cleaner is a lifesaver. I always keep a can in the car with a MF towel, and I'm so glad I had it. I cleaned the bugs collected on the windshield each evening and it made a world of difference in visibility. 20170611_204112 by Matt Steele, on Flickr __________________ "Tobias" 2013 135i ///M-Sport 6MT • Pure Stage 1 • XDI 35 HPFP • 404whp/440wtq IG: msteelio91 Last edited by Matticus91; 06-12-2017 at 07:05 PM..
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06-12-2017, 06:55 PM	#2
nacaruh FOUO 415 Rep 873 Posts Drives: E82 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: LA iTrader: (5)	I Want Your Dog!!!!!!
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06-12-2017, 08:45 PM	#3
jemfff New Member 12 Rep 19 Posts Drives: G01 X3 M40i l F20 118i Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: New Zealand iTrader: (0)	Good to see the car back and running again, looks great with the 1M bumper! Inspiration for road trip...sending this to the wife! hahaha
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06-13-2017, 08:06 AM	#6
chadillac2000 Major 1220 Rep 1,372 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW M3 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Asheville, North Carolina iTrader: (7)	Looks like a fun trip! I'm spoiled here in North Carolina with quick access to the Blue Ridge Parkway, but no matter how many times I go, those views don't get old. I'm all too familiar with the hot breath of a canine on the left side of my neck while driving. That is my border collie Winston's preferred position when riding, especially when the windows are down. The 1M front looks great on your car with the exposed CF hood and I love how you're utilizing this car to the max. The 1er may be small, but it can do big things on road trips! __________________ 2008 BMW 135i Single Turbo Build Thread HERE 2016 BMW M5 Competition Build Thread HERE 2015 BMW M3 Build Thread HERE
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06-13-2017, 08:27 AM	#7
Bimmer TV 1Lover 125 Rep 190 Posts Drives: 2008 135i M Sport PPK Join Date: May 2017 Location: Worcester, MA iTrader: (0)	Looks like you had a blast! __________________ Monaco Blue/Coral Red \| MHD BE Flash \| RI M1 Bumper \| VRSF 7" FMIC \| aFe DCI Intake \| AR Catless DP \| ER CP & Tial Q BOV \| H&R Springs \| VMR 18" \| Black Gloss Grills \| aFe Air Intake Scoops \| MFactory SMFW \| 335is Clutch \| Blacked Out Side Markers \| Carbon Fiber Deck Spoiler \| LUX LED Angel Eyes \| BMW Aluminum Pedals \| BMS OCC \| Mishimoto OCC \| RB Turbo External PVC Kit \| JB4 w/ Wireless \| PR Stage 2 Fuel Pump \| BMS SSK
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06-13-2017, 12:04 PM	#10
baca135 Registered 2 Rep 4 Posts Drives: bmw 135i Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: North Carolina iTrader: (0)	Nice pics
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06-13-2017, 01:52 PM	#13
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06-13-2017, 02:14 PM	#15
Havocsteve Second Lieutenant 82 Rep 276 Posts Drives: 2011 E82 135i Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (0)	Reminds me of going out East to PEI with the 1er. We fit camping/luggage/cooler and a bunch of stuff for the trip out from Toronto. It was roughly 4,000km of driving. Glad to see the car looks great after getting the repairs done.
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