Seneca Rocks, WV - Ultimate Autumn Tour - Oct. 2023

What is the best motorcycling season of the year? 

Many touring riders are convinced that it is Autumn, especially in regions that experience the milder weather and changing foliage colors associated with that season. It has been a few years since we offered an Autumn tour through the Appalachian states. So, we feel like we're overdue for one of these adventures. 

This trip follows a similar plan to our most recent Autumn tour that we last offered in 2023, but with a few very nice updates and enhancements. The Ultimate Early Autumn Motorcycle Expedition is one of our longest duration trips, at 13 total lodging nights and 12 total riding days, and also includes four (4) Free Days/Nights, where we spend two consecutive nights at the same scenic and attractive locations. We are also using a brand new starting/ending location (Wheeling, West Virginia), and have a couple different lodges that we will be visiting. Last but not least, we are calling this an "Early" Autumn tour because we have scheduled it to commence right at the official start of Autumn -- in late September -- to provide us with what should be some milder, more pleasant riding days with more total daylight hours 

The overall plan of this trip will allow us to explore a vast, incredibly scenic region of the western/central Appalachian Mountains, from the Mountaineer State, known as West Virginia, to the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains states of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. 

If you are interested in joining us for this trip, you may want to consider sending in your deposit before too long, because as always, our spaces are limited, and sometimes these trips can fill up quickly. Deposit information is listed further below. We are using slightly reduced hotel room blocks on this trip, but if our hotel rooms should become sold out, we will create a Stand-By List, as we've done in the past.

Overview/Itinerary

Here is a quick overview and itinerary of the The Ultimate Early Autumn Motorcycle Expedition 2026 tour plan:  

Arrival Day - Saturday, Sept. 26th - Wheeling, WV - We have an excellent, full-service resort that will be our starting and ending point for this tour, conveniently located not far from a major interstate highway. Wheeling is also a short distance from Pittsburgh, which features a major airline hub and motorcycle shipment/delivery locations. Our resort offers nearly every amenity (more than we will ever use!), including onsite parking for anyone who needs to park a toy hauler there during the tour. This resort is also an ideal destination with interesting activities that might prompt you to arrive a couple of days prior to the tour, or stay a couple of days after it concludes.

Day 1 - Wheeling, WV to Snowshoe, WV - We'll explore many miles of scenic, WV back-roads on our way to the well-known Snowshoe Mountain ski resort, where we'll spend two nights at a modern lodge right on the nearly 5,000' summit! 

Day 2 - Free Day at Snowshoe, WV - This will be the first of four (4) Free Days we are planning for this tour. Today we get a full day to explore some great routes in the scenic mountains and highlands surrounding Snowshoe. Our lodge is located in the midst of the ski village, offering shops and restaurants to check out for some nice, off-the-bike experiences. Maybe even take in the scenery from one of the Snowshoe ski lifts? 

Day 3 - Snowshoe, WV to Natural Bridge, VA - This day takes us eastbound into Virginia, where we will connect with the famous Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) at its northernmost point. We will follow the Parkway southbound for quite a ways before hoping off of it to reach a wonderful lodge in the famous Natural Bridge area. If you've never experienced it before, the BRP may be the very best motorcycling road in the world. It seems like it was built just for motorcycle touring!

Day 4 - Natural Bridge, VA to Blowing Rock, NC - We get the privilege of spending a full day riding our motorcycles (and trikes, Spyders, sidecar rigs, etc...) heading southbound on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Hundreds of scenic overlooks and not a traffic light or stop sign the entire way. We'll end up in Blowing Rock, where we will spend two nights at an amazing (new for us) lodge that is nestled right in the center of the village of Blowing Rock. 

Day 5 - Free Day at Blowing Rock, NC - This will be the second Free Day on this tour, and we have some excellent riding options available today. Plus, there's plenty to see and do right in the Blowing Rock village or in the nearby town of Boone, NC. Or... Maybe just kick-back and relax at our beautiful resort? 

Day 6 - Blowing Rock, NC to Fontana, NC - We get another full day of southbound riding on the BRP, taking it to its southernmost point at Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We'll continue a short distance beyond the park to our wonderful and historic lodge in Fontana Village, just on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, where we will spend the next TWO nights. 

Day 7 - Free Day at Fontana, NC - The location of our lodge gives us easy access to some of the top motorcycling destinations in the eastern U.S.A., including Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the famous Dragon/Deals Gap route (318 curves in 11 miles), the fabulous Cherohala Skyway, and so much more. This is our third Free Day of the trip!

Day 8 - Fontana, NC to Bristol, VA - Some of the best motorcycling on this tour happens today, as we tackle many secluded mountain back-roads, including one route that, like the Dragon, has its own cool nickname: The Snake. When you ride it, you'll know why! We'll spend the night right in the town of Bristol at a cool, classy lodge that has become one of our favorites; we hope you'll like it too. 

Day 9 - Bristol, VA to Roanoke, VA - Another great riding day flows northbound on roads that most motorcyclists never experience, including endless miles of mountain and valley roads through southwestern Virginia. We end this day at another of our favorite locations, an amazing, historic hotel in the heart of Roanoke, VA, where we'll stay for TWO nights. 

Day 10 - Free Day at Roanoke, VA - There's great riding to be found in the surrounding mountains and highlands near Roanoke, which is on the western flank of the Blue Ridge. Roanoke itself is a great place to spend some free time strolling around, being a great, southern "city" with a small town feel. Maybe you'll spend our fourth Free Day doing a combination of riding and exploring the town? 

Day 11 - Roanoke, VA to Shenandoah National Park, VA - Continuing northbound, more scenic and secluded mountain and valley motorcycling roads connect us with Shenandoah National Park's famous Skyline Drive, the northern sibling and extension of the BRP. Another road seemingly designed for motorcycles riding, Skyline Drive brings us to a wonderful, rustic Shenandoah National Park lodge, where it feels like we've gone back in time. The night sky views and gazing out at the distant valleys below our lodge are unforgettable. 

Day 12 - Thursday, Oct. 8th - Shenandoah N.P., VA to Wheeling, WV - Aiming our machines westbound, we'll roll down the slopes of the Blue Ridge, then climb back up into the western/central Appalachian Mountains and highlands of West Virginia. Awaiting us back at our excellent starting/ending point resort in Wheeling is the fun and fellowship of our farewell dinner reception. 

The Ultimate Early Autumn Motorcycle Expedition 2026 - Reservations

We are accepting reservation deposits to hold spaces on this tour. The deposits are $500 per person ($1,000 per couple) and are generally fully refundable up to a few months before the start of trip (see below for payment details, pricing and mailing address). Please be advised that your deposit is ultimately what will hold your space on this tour, and we allocate spaces first come/first serve based on the date that we receive your deposit. 

Additional Notes About The Ultimate Early Autumn Motorcycle Expedition 2026

The Ultimate Early Autumn Motorcycle Expedition is for experienced motorcyclists only. Many of the roads on this tour are challenging. You need to be comfortable with and capable of riding on twisty, lower speed mountain roads that will require your full attention. Additionally, your machine needs to be properly prepped and maintained for use on this tour. 

Motorcycle Rental & Shipping and Vehicle Parking:

Motorcycle Rental - We recommend and have used EagleRider, which

is one of the largest motorcycle rental companies in the world. Visit: www.eaglerider.com for rental locations and more information. However, feel free to research and utilize any other rental company that you wish. 

Motorcycle Shipping - We recommend and have used Federal Motorcycle Transport. They are the premier motorcycle shipping company in the U.S.A., and they have shipped dozens of motorcycles used on our tours. They can be reached at: (800) 747-4100, x2217, or visit: www.funtransport.com. Federal can suggest various motorcycle pick-up and drop-off locations that are suitable for your specific needs. You can also research and utilize any other shipping companies that work best for you. 

Vehicle Parking in Wheeling, WV - Our starting hotel in Wheeling offers ample, free on-site parking for your motorcycle hauling vehicles/trailers.

Your Tour Includes:

Hotels - 13 nights of accommodations.

Breakfasts - 12 breakfasts, which are a mix of buffets and plated breakfasts.

Dinners / Other Meals - The following five (5) dinners are included in the price of the tour: Arrival night in Wheeling, WV; first night in Snowshoe, WV; first night in Blowing Rock, NC; first night in Fontana, NC; first night in Roanoke, VA (appetizer/social hour); final night in Wheeling, WV.th, NS. Note: Additional group dinner events will be planned for several other evenings during the tour, but Tour Members will pay for whatever menu items they choose to order on those occasions. 

Trip Resources - Professional tour leaders, custom-designed Official Tour Packets, state/provincial highway road maps, selected travel literature, and commemorative apparel are all included in the cost of this tour. Your tour leaders will handle all applicable lodging and meal arrangements, as well as evening dinner meetings and ongoing communication of trip information to participants. Chase vehicles are NOT available on this tour.

Tour Pricing:

Single Occupancy Room - $4,885 per person.

Double Occupancy Room - $3,345 per person.

Reservations:

We are currently accepting reservation deposits. A $500 per person deposit is required to reserve a space on all FC Tours. Spaces on this tour are limited, and are available first come, first served. The date we receive your deposit is when your reservation is locked-in. Once the tour is filled, we will have a Stand-By List (note: deposits are not required for people who are on the Standby List). Please send deposit checks or money orders payable to Frank Covucci Tours to:

Frank Covucci Tours, P.O. Box 158 Pickerington, Ohio 43147. 

All payments are fully refundable if you should need to cancel through: June 24, 2026. Please note that tour plans, dates, accommodations, meals and tour prices may be subject to changes due to circumstances beyond our control. Our tours are structured so that each rider must purchase their space for the ENTIRE length of the tour. Sorry, partial tour bookings cannot be accommodated.

Come Ride With Friends:

We hope you can join us this September as we explore the beautiful Blue Ridge and Smokies Appalachian regions in early Autumn! Meet up with friends from our previous trips, or make new friends.

Please contact us with any questions, via frank@fcmototours.com or call us at: 614.218.9467. You can also check us out on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61562536116637

Until we meet on the road, Ride Well!