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Motorcycles, Travel & Adventure |
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Motorcycle TourMagazine |
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About Big City Getaway Looking for a simple day trip? Just a neat destination to give you an excuse to ride? We bet some days you are. That is what Big City Getaway is all about. There are great roads and interesting destinations all around. Every month we’ll give you one in Big City Getaway. |
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11 Edwards Way, Mount Jackson, VA • 800-294-SPUD |
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Rip & Ride • Route 11 Chips 11 Edwards Way, Mount Jackson, VA 22842 • 1-800-294-SPUD Start: Morton’s BMW 5099A Jefferson Davis Hwy, Frederiscksburg, VA Left onto Harrison Road Left onto Big Ben Blvd Left onto Route 3 West Left onto Revercomb Rd Right onto Batna Rd Straight onto Algonquin Trail Right onto Route 522 North Through Culpeper Onto Route 229 Left onto Route 729/Eggbornsville Rd Left onto Castelton Ford Rd Left onto Hope Hill Rd Right onto Whorton Hollow Rd Straight onto Rock Mills Rd Left onto Rudasill Mill Rd Right onto Fletchers Mill Rd Right onto Route 522 Left onto Route 211 Through Shenandoah National Park Left onto US 340S Right onto Mechanic St Straight onto Bixlers Ferry Rd Left onto N Egypt Bend Rd Right onto Route 675 Left onto Moreland Gap Rd Right onto Route 11 North Left onto Wissler Rd Left onto Industrial Park Rd Right onto Edwards Way Grab a bag of chips and come on back Return to Route 11 and head south Left onto Route 211 East Right onto US 340 South Left onto US 33 East Left onto Route 230 North Left onto US 15 South Left onto Route 20 East Right onto Mine Run Rd Right onto Dulin Lane Left onto Catharpin Rd Right onto Robert E Lee Dr Left onto Route 208 Back to Morton’s and eat your chips |
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Inspiration is strange: during Spring Break, we were having breakfast at the Picadilly Diner in Winchester when I spied a lone bag of potato chips boldly displaying the sign for US Route 11. I remembered having Route 11 Chips and recalled that not only were they excellent, but that they were made nearby. Suddenly, the day’s ride crystallized around a tasty destination.
In four days, these two motorcyclists, along with 33 employees working two shifts, turn a 55,000 lb truckload of ‘taters into 4 truckloads of tasty kettle-style chips of 13 varieties. Betsy favored the Lightly Salted and Sweet Potato, while I liked the Dill Pickle and Mama Zuma’s Revenge habanero chips, although the latter required purchase of a grape soda from Freda & Rochelle in the factory store. Route 11 chips are as healthy as any can be, because they’re hand-cooked in ½ peanut and ½ sunflower oil. Route 11 is environmentally conscious too: not only does the factory recycle packing material and steam from the cookers, peels and other organic waste are fed to the cows down the road!
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Before interstates, Route 11 was the main highway connecting Lake Champlain and New Orleans. Today, slower traffic glides past abandoned service stations, old motels, and the charming little town of Mt. Jackson, VA, home of Route 11 Potato Chips. The business was started in 1992 by her father, but is now run by President Sarah Cohen and VP/business partner, Mike Connelly. It’s a motorcycle-friendly destination, as not only is Mt. Jackson in the middle of prime riding country, but both Mike and Sarah ride, he on a BMW K1200S or Kawi KZ1 and she on a KZ650.
Are these chips really good?
If you don’t want to make the trip, don’t worry: they ship nation-wide. Check their excellent web site for a local retailer or order for yourself online. Route 11 chips are also featured in Cracker Barrel Restaurants, but I recommend you make the short trip to the factory, in the heart of some of Virginia’s best riding. Here’s a 200 mile rount trip starting from Morton’s BMW in Fredericksburg, VA. Check ‘em out then go hang with your “best spuds” from Route 11.