ORF Tour

This is a Peachtree MG Registry event.  GTA members participation is welcomed.  Please be sure to let Tom Nadelhoffer know if you are going to join the tour.

ORF TOUR WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18, 2023

During the ORF on Wednesday October 18 we will be driving one of the most scenic routes in North Georgia. We will be covering approximately 135 miles, 800+ curves, two loops, 8 gaps, and endless views stretching over mountain ranges, some with peaks in ex-cess of 4,000 ft. Yes, some of us have made this run on previous October ORF’s. It’s al-ways an enjoyable route and the beer/food/service at the Hofbrauhaus is usually great. If the curves and elevation changes listed above are not to your liking, please use your GPS for a more direct route and meet us at the Hofbrauhaus for lunch!!!

Some call the route “Dragon Eyes”. See:

https://gamountainsguide.com/scenic-drives-in-the-georgia-mountains

Other’s call it Six Gap. See:

http://tailofthedragonmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/SixGap_2016.jpg

The Fall is the perfect time to travel Dragon Eyes. Depending upon the month and weather conditions, the leaves are either “turning or falling”. In either case, the view is improved. The prior improves the range of color with the later improving the range of view!!! We will have to wait until the day of our journey to see what conditions we’ll experience.

There are numerous points to begin Dragon Eyes, but for this trip we will be starting at the Dawsonville, GA IHOP and heading North on GA400/19 towards Dahlonega GA. After com-pleting the 67 mile first loop on Dragon Eyes we will be eating lunch in Helen, GA. After lunch we will complete the second loop of Dragon Eyes on the way back to Dawsonville, GA (69 miles). See the proposed schedule below:

8:00am – 9:15am: Breakfast at Dawsonville IHOP

4117 Dawson Forest Rd E

Dawsonville, GA 30534

9:15am - 9:30am: Tire checking, story telling and drivers meeting in the parking lot

9:30am – 10:50am: Departure for first loop drive to bio-break @ Sunrise Grocery, 7568 Gainesville Hwy, Blairsville , GA

Sunrise Grocery: www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g34775-d7204234-Reviews- _Grocery-Blairsville_Georgia.html

10:50am – 11:20am Bio-break and shopping at a cool country store

11:20am – 12:00pm Departure for drive to lunch in Helen, GA.

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Peachtree Registry 2023

12:00pm - 01:30pm The location for lunch is:

Hofbrauhaus Restaurant and Pub – 9001 N Main St, Helen:

https://www.hofbrauhaushelenga.net/location/helen/

1:30pm - 03:15pm Departure for Dragon Eyes second loop, drive back to Dawsonville

If we discover we have had our fill of curvy roads, German food & beer, there is a shorter route available for the return to Dawsonville. It’s about 1 hour.

If you plan to attend or want to join the ORF along the route, please advise

Tom Nadelhoffer at: blueb@bellsouth.net

or

404-402-3004

Please advise no later than Friday October 13, 2023!!

See Directions attached and make copies to carry on the ORF Tour. GPS’s do work in the mountains, and they normally don’t follow these routes!!!

Dragon Eyes!!!!

Directions IHOP Dawsonville, GA to Helen, GA (mileage is approximate)

START: Dawsonville IHOP 4117 Dawson Forest Rd E, Dawsonville, GA 30534

North on GA 400/19 for 9.7 miles

Continue straight onto GA 115 Long Branch Rd for 4.8 miles

Continue straight onto Long Branch Rd for 2.0 miles

Continue straight onto Copper Mines Rd for 1.5 miles

LEFT onto Cavender Creek RD for 2.8 miles

RIGHT onto Porter Springs Rd (Cavender Creek Baptist Church) for 6.0 miles

LEFT onto US19 for 1.1 miles

At the traffic circle take the first RIGHT onto HWY 60 7.3 miles

RIGHT onto State Route 180 (Wolf Pen Gap Rd) 11.2 miles

LEFT onto US 129/19N for 1.8 miles

Sunrise Grocery Store 7568 Gainesville HWY, Blairsville, GA is on your left.

LEFT out of Sunrise Grocery on US128/19 N for .6 miles

RIGHT onto State Route 180 .9 miles

RIGHT onto GA 348E (Russell Scenic HWY) for 14.0 miles

LEFT onto GA 75 Alt S 2.3 miles

RIGHT onto GA17 S/GA75S/Unicoi Turnpike/ N Main St 1.0 miles

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Peachtree Registry 2023

Lunch: The Hofbrauhaus Restaurant & Pub, 9001 N Main St

NOTE: Restaurant is on the right, but park on the LEFT across the street in the

Schautzie’s Café parking lot and use crosswalk to cross the street to Hofbrauhaus!

Return Route Helen, GA to Dawsonville, GA IHOP (mileage is approximate):

Head north on GA17 N/GA75N/N Main St/Unicoi Turnpike for 11.4 miles

LEFT onto State RTE 180 for 12.6 miles

LEFT turn onto US129 S/US19 S for 18.6 miles

Lynda’s Chevron 5001 US129, Cleveland, GA is on your RIGHT

RIGHT out of Lynda’s onto US 129S for .2 miles

RIGHT onto Adair s Mill Rd for 3.2 miles

RIGHT onto Town Creek Rd for .1 miles

LEFT onto Town Creek Church Rd for 4.3 miles

LEFT onto Cavender Creek Rd for 1.1 miles

RIGHT onto Copper Mines Rd for 1.5 miles

Continue onto Long Branch Rd for 6.8 miles

Continue into GA 400S/US19S for 9.7 miles

Welcome back to the Dawsonville IHOP!!!!