The Great Eastern Divide Expedition

The overall plan of this trip will allow us to explore a vast, incredibly scenic region of the Appalachian Mountains that are often overlooked by mainstream travelers. When most folks think of theses endless, eastern mountains, that stretch from the Maine to Georgia, they often envision places such as the Great Smoky Mountains, Shenandoah National Park, the Blue Ridge, and the Green and White Mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire.  Our new Great Eastern Divide tour mostly avoids all of those places.  And by us running this trip during what is still technically late summer, we also avoid the busier autumn foliage tourist season. 

The Great Eastern Divide Expedition gets its name from the highlands in the Central and Western Appalachian Mountains that divide the watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.  You may be familiar with the more famous Continental Divide which is located in the Western region of North America.  It forms the dividing line between the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean watersheds.  The Eastern Divide is not as well known, but it is the backbone of a huge, multi-state area of exceptional motorcycling. And that's exactly where we're going!

Daily Overview

Arrival Day - Tuesday, September 7th - Newark, Ohio - We will meet for our opening dinner night together at a wonderful lodge in central Ohio, just minutes east of Columbus.  Yes it's true... For the first time in 12 seasons of business, FC Tours will begin and end a tour right in our own backyard.  We're very excited to show our tour members that Ohio has excellent motorcycling!  The Columbus area is conveniently located at the crossroads of several major interstate highways, has a major airport hub, offers motorcycle rental through an Eaglerider location (Iron Pony Powersports), and is home to a motorcycle shipping/delivery warehouse operated by Federal Motorcycle Transport. Columbus is also the location of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.    

Day 1 - Newark, Ohio to Morgantown, West Virginia - We'll head East through some of the best motorcycling roads that you haven't heard about, unless you live in the Buckeye State.  Eastern and Southeastern Ohio is covered with the rolling terrain of the Appalachian foothills, and our route will twist and turn us all the way across the Ohio River and into West Virginia.  We will introduce you to what we consider to be our very own motorcycling playground.  Pretty scenery, extremely curvy roads, and very lightly traveled.  Need we say more?

Day 2 - Morgantown, West Virginia to Shepherdstown, West Virginia - From Morgantown, we'll head northeast into Pennsylvania past beautiful farms, and check out a couple of well-known historic destinations along the way.  Included during this day is even a section of the famous Lincoln Highway, America's first intercontinental roadway, and remnants of the old Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.  By afternoon we will cross into western Maryland before re-entering West Virginia, and end the day at one of our all time favorite lodges.

Day 3 - Shepherdstown, West Virginia to Snowshoe, West Virginia - Escaping historic Shepherdstown, we will begin a Southwesterly push into the big mountains of the "Mountain State." In between the ridges, we'll dive through long, secluded valleys where we'll have the roads to ourselves.  West Virginia is motorcycling nirvana, with enough curves and elevation changes to give us and our motorcycles a great workout.  This evening's lodge will be at the summit of Snowshoe Mountain, and we'll be there for two consecutive nights.

Day 4 - Free Day at Snowshoe, West Virginia - This will be one of three (3) Free Days on this tour, where we stay at the same lodge for back-to-back evenings. Maybe you'll use this day to relax at Snowshoe Mountain Village.  Perhaps you'll consider a ride on a nearby scenic railway. Or maybe you'll decide to take advantage of one of our amazing, optional Free Day rides.  If you think our Free Day riding options will allow you to really see West Virginia, you're only partially correct.  That's because there is way too much of this great state to see and do in just one day.  

Day 5 - Snowshoe, West Virginia to Blowing Rock, North Carolina - Today will be one of our longer riding days, and it will be packed full of great roads from start to finish.  We'll explore more of southern West Virginia on our way southbound into one of the most scenic sections of Virginia; it's Westernmost region.  We will then cross into North Carolina and take some amazing backroads into Blowing Rock, which straddles the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We'll come in for a landing at another long-time favorite lodge, that has proven to be one of the most popular lodges of our tour members, going back many years.  We will spend two nights in Blowing Rock.

Day 6 - Free Day at Blowing Rock, North Carolina - This will be the second of the three Free Days on this tour, and once again, there is plenty to see and do right in the Blowing Rock area. And although the Blue Ridge Parkway is not the focal point of our Great Eastern Divide Expedition, its location near our lodge allows it to be among one of the Free Day optional riding destinations.  In fact, Mt. Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain, two of the highest peaks East of the Mississippi River, are within short rides on the BRP from Blowing Rock.

Day 7 - Blowing Rock, North Carolina to Natural Bridge, Kentucky - Let's get on our bikes and roll northbound, again on many roads that are often overlooked by typical tourists.  Daniel Boone first discovered the Cumberland Gap in the late 1700s as a passage through the lower central Appalachian Mountains.  On this riding day, perhaps you'll discover it too.  We'll twist and turn our way into the eastern half of Bluegrass State, and spend two nights at a lodge in the Natural Bridge and Red River Gorge region of Eastern Kentucky.  

Day 8 - Free Day at Natural Bridge, Kentucky - My friends and I have motorcycled through Eastern Kentucky many times, and it's a shame that it took us so long to plan an FC Tour that goes there.  This is the third of the three Free Days on our tour, and it gives us the perfect opportunity to discover this beautiful, friendly and lightly traveled region of Eastern Kentucky. Like many parts of West Virginia, coal is what helped establish Kentucky.  And the roads we'll ride were originally created to reach the mines, deep in the forested mountains.  You'll get a chance to explore those roads, or perhaps stay closer to our lodge and visit the nearby amazing geological formations found in Natural Bridge State Park, and the adjacent Red River Gorge. 

Day 9 - Thursday, September 16th - Natural Bridge, Kentucky to Newark, Ohio - Even though this is the final riding day of our tour, the fun is far from over.  Riding north through Kentucky, and then crossing the mighty Ohio River will put us back into the exceptional motorcycling region of Southeastern Ohio.  Like many of the areas we've traversed during this expedition, you'll find yourself on so many countless, twisting, up-and-down, sparsely used roads, that you'll want to tell all your friends back home how great they are.  But please don't, we want to save them for ourselves !  

Note: Total trip mileage including Free Day options is approximately 2100 miles, with the longest riding day at approximately 300 miles.  Daily mileages of 200-250 miles are typical. 

Additional important facts about this tour:  The Great Eastern Divide Expedition is for experienced motorcyclists only.  Many of the roads on this tour are extremely challenging. You need to be comfortable with and capable of riding on twisty, lower speed mountain roads that require your full attention.  Your machine needs to be properly maintained prior to its use on this tour.  

Motorcycle Rental & Shipping, and Vehicle Parking Information:

Motorcycle Rental - We recommend and have used EagleRider, which is one of the largest motorcycle rental companies in the world, and has a location in Columbus, Ohio at Iron Pony Motorsports. 

Visit: www.eaglerider.com for 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.  They operate a warehouse in Columbus where shipped bikes can be delivered - and dropped off for return shipping. Feel free to research and utilize any other shipping companies that work best for you.  

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

The price of this tour includes:

Hotel Rooms - From Tuesday night, September 7th, through Thursday night, September 16th (10 nights).  Although this is not considered to be a "luxury tour," our selection of lodges includes unique, scenic and convenient locations, with a range of modern, full service properties.

Full Dinners - Tues. 9/7, Fri. 9/10, Sun. 9/12, Tues., 9/14, and Thurs. 9/16.  Included dinners are either multi-course or complete buffets.  Note:  Except for the three Free Day evenings, and any other designated nights, group dinner reservations are scheduled for most evenings, even when the cost of the dinner is not included in the tour price.  

Breakfasts - All mornings from Wed. 9/8 through Fri. 9/17.  Included breakfasts are either cooked to order, buffets, or good continental. 

Trip Resources - Professional tour leaders, custom-designed Official Tour Packets, state 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.

Your Tour Costs:

One tour member in a room 

- $3475 per person.

Two tour members in a room

- $2605 per person.

To Reserve Your Space on this Tour:

A $500 per person deposit is required to reserve a space on all FC Tours (note: deposits are not required for people who are on the Standby List if a tour becomes sold out).  Please send deposit checks or money order to:

Frank Covucci Tours

13705 Nantucket Ave.

Pickerington, Ohio 43147

All payments are fully refundable if you should need to cancel through:  JUNE 6, 2021. 

Reservations are first come, first served, and spaces are limited. If this tour becomes filled to capacity (sold out), we will establish a Standby List. No deposit is required if you are on the Stand By List, and you will be assigned a confirmed space on the tour as spaces become available due to cancellations. For those who have already placed reservation deposits and have a confirmed space on the tour, we will be in touch to provide additional information about ongoing tour plans and the final payment schedule.  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.

Additional Tour Information:
 

If you would like to discuss any element of our tours with us directly, please feel free to email: 

frank@fcmototours.com, or call/text Frank at:  614.218.9467 (mobile).  We always enjoy hearing from and speaking with our incredible Tour Members! Thank you for entrusting FC Tours with your motorcycle touring excursions. We certainly hope you'll put our Great Eastern Divide Expedition on your 2021 calendar!

Ride well, and God bless!

Copyright © 2020 Frank Covucci Tours - All Rights Reserved.

For Questions and Reservations call 614-218-9467 or email frank@fcmototours.com