Blue Ridge Offroad Adventures, Georgia

Explore the hidden gem of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Northern Georgia. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to the Polaris Adventures Podcast. I'm your host, Jared Christie. Picture this mountain rides, scenic views, and year-around riding. Sounds like somewhere out west, but get this? I'm talking about northern Georgia. We're headed to the south. Please welcome to the show Jeremy Farenbach, owner and self-proclaimed chief janitor of Blue Ridge Off-Road Adventures in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Jeremy, how are you? I'm doing well. How are you? I'm doing fantastic. I love your title, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:31

You know, there's no job that I don't do. I get that. Jeremy, how's your summer going so far?

SPEAKER_00 0:35

It's going well. It's a little bit wet right now. You know, we've had quite a bit of rain here of late, but all in all, it's doing well. You know, we've had a pretty, pretty good start to the year, so I can't complain about that.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Let's set the stage for everyone. You guys are up near the Tennessee border, but you're also pretty close to North Carolina, and Alabama isn't that far away. Tell me where Blue Ridge is located.

SPEAKER_00 1:01

Well, it's really considered North Georgia. It's actually Northwest Georgia is where we're at. We're about about a hundred miles northwest of uh Atlanta. So uh the city folks, this is a playground for the city folks to come there. The lakes are beautiful here, you know, the scenery is, you know, second to none. So everybody comes here to relax and enjoy just the the nature that we have here.

SPEAKER_01 1:30

You butt right up against the Chattahoochee National Forest, but as you said, this is not Atlanta. No, absolutely not. You know, there's there's not a lot of concrete out in out in the forest. From what I've read, the area is really an outdoor playground. You've got camping everywhere, endless hiking trails, world-class trout streams. Even the Appalachian Trail starts right in that area.

SPEAKER_00 1:53

It does. And, you know, we have uh the rafting is uh phenomenal here too. You know, they did the Olympics in 96, just right outside of of Blue Ridge and Tennessee there, which is you know just a few miles away from us. So that's a a a real big draw to people, you know, coming to Blue Ridge area as well. I didn't know that. Tell me about the town of Blue Ridge, because I hear it's pretty cool. Well, it's a it's a quaint little town, or it was. I mean, it it's still quaint and it still is little, but you know, we have you know fine dining, you know, multiple, you know, there's multiple different locations to do horseback fishing guide, and uh, you know, there's it's anything outdoors is pretty much done up in this area.

SPEAKER_01 2:41

On top of all that stuff, they call your area the Switzerland of the South. That must mean you've got some pretty good mountains, and if there's mountains, there must be some good trail riding.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

Yeah, I mean, the you know, the Blue Ridge, you know, it's the start. So, I mean, they only get bigger the further north, you know, you go. But uh, you know, the views are spectacular. And it's not like just one big giant mountain, it's a bunch of rolling mountains. They're layered, you know. So when you you get up high enough, you're looking down and up, and you know, you can see for miles.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

Are people surprised when they get up there for the first time that it looks that way?

SPEAKER_00 3:23

I would say, you know, the people that live in Atlanta know. Now the people that come here from Florida, you know, they're used to looking at flatland. So basically, yes, they they are taken by the natural beauty. I mean, it it's it's just phenomenal. You can't look just one place and in, you know, you're in awe because it's just you know, when the spring comes around, the the leaves are so bright here. It's it's it's like magnetic. It's just awesome. Very cool.

SPEAKER_01 3:55

Now, you guys actually have two locations, one in Blue Ridge and the other in nearby Blairsville. Let's start with Blue Ridge. Give me the details. I'm showing up for a ride. What can I expect? Where are we gonna go? What are we gonna see?

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Well, the thing is, is the Blue Ridge location is basically built on a very beginner-level, scenic, you know, natural beauty. You know, we do a lot of, you know, we go to the top of the mountain, you'll be able to um do several water crossings. We stop, you know, your kids can play in the water, the adults can get in the water, you know. It it does get pretty warm here in the middle of July. It's pretty hot. So that creek water is is wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 4:40

Jeremy, is it like some of the other parts around the country where maybe Atlanta is a hundred plus degrees, is it a little cooler up where you're at if you're in the mountains?

SPEAKER_00 4:50

It's only about five degrees cooler than what Atlanta is, you know. I mean, it's colder here in the winter a little bit, but it's not that much cooler in those in the summer, you know. But the lakes, the lakes are a big draw up here, you know. The water's real pretty. It's clear, you know, Lake Blue Ridge is a very big draw.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

Aaron Powell, Jr. What are some of the major destinations or points of interest that you take people on the Blue Ridge ride?

SPEAKER_00 5:16

On our rides, as far as the destination part of our stuff, you're just gonna get to experience something that you're gonna be able to take home. And our guides do a phenomenal job, a phenomenal job of the photos and stuff. So you know, when you have a family and you have kids, it's something that the family does together. It's kind of like camping, you know. When you go camping, you bond with your f family, and this is a way that you know the whole family just gets to to spend time together, and it's not the normal day in and day out. It's like they go home and they're like, Man, we had such a great time, we want to move here. Or we've had such a great time, and by the way, how can I buy one of these machines? Because that's that's what they say. I mean, they enjoy the fact that, you know, it's just well done.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

We should let people know that all your rides in Blue Rid are guided, but for good reason. It's more of a scenic tour, like and a family-oriented ride, like you mentioned. You're coming up to the mountains to relax and see the sights, and so you've got it set up that way.

SPEAKER_00 6:28

Yeah, I mean, the thing is, is you know, we get a lot of people that have never even sat in a side-by-side. So the thing is, is this gives you a a a lot of peace because you don't have to worry about being lost. I mean, all the machines have GPS in them and stuff, but the thing is, all you have to do is keep yourself, you know, at pace with the guide, and it's real simple. So, you know, at first we really people are like, uh, you know, I don't know, I don't know about this guide thing. It's like, you know, the guide's there for your safety, for one. You know, I mean, we are in the woods, and the thing is, is there are animals. I mean, there are bears, there's deer. I mean, the deer are harmless, but there are bears, and there are cubs, and mother bears are not real friendly when their cubs are around. So, I mean, you know, obviously, you know, the whole guided thing is just the experience because you know what? They don't know where they're going. We know where we're at, and then we get to explain to them where we're at, and and you know, they get a little bit of history of where we're at.

SPEAKER_01 7:36

Now, if we hop over to your other location in Blairsville, just 30 minutes away, that's primarily self-guided. So it's different. What's the riding like in Blair?

SPEAKER_00 7:47

Well, the riding in Blairsville is a what I call a legit for real off-road experience. You know, I mean, it's it's got, you know, different kind of terrain, you know, it's up, down, it's not gradual, you know, it it's it's doable. We have first timers come do it, you know, because we do offer guided stuff here as well. But for the person that, you know what, hey, I just want I just don't want nobody to bother me. Not that the guides are bothersome, but you know, the thing is, is I don't need anybody. And if that's how you want to roll, we're we're here to to service that for you.

SPEAKER_01 8:25

So if someone wants to go and do their own thing in Blairsville, do you point out points of interest? Do you tell them where to go, destinations?

SPEAKER_00 8:34

Well, absolutely. I mean, we have a trail map that we go over in the in the office when they check in, and all the machines have the mapping on on the machine. So, you know, we set a waypoint for them, they trace, you know, we've given them a map and an idea where they're at, how the terrain is, you know, we have like the first loop is an easy loop. Get familiar with it before you, you know, move on to the next level. You know, obviously, if if you're unfamiliar with the the terrain, you need to at least stop, get out, take a look at it before you go doing doing it, you know, because uh obviously safety is the number one deal here. We we don't want anybody to get hurt, you know.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

So Jeremy, do people go to both your Blue Ridge and your Blairsville locations?

SPEAKER_00 9:27

Yes. So we we have a real loyal following. I mean, we get people that come here every year, and they they've done the the two or three different things that we can do in Blue Ridge for them, and now we have this in Blairsville, which you can you know experience, you know, you can you can you're growing with your off-road experience. Even if you don't own one, you're basically now you're able to like go to that next level. So what what I'm hoping, you know, as we go is people will come up here, try this, let's do it the first time guided, but then when they come back at that next summer, or you know, we get quarterly people, so they can come do a guided one, and they bring their friends, you know. So it it's got a lot of different unique stuff for the Blairsville location because, you know, you can also have your own machine if you come here. So you bring your own machine, and then your friend doesn't have one, but they're here with you, and it's like, well, we need we need a an extra four-seater or an extra two-seater. We can provide that for your friend, and you guys can ride together, you know, guided or unguided. So it it has a lot more uh flexibility in the Blairsville location.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

You mentioned people coming from Florida, but with all the nearby states, do you guys have people coming from all over the south to your location? Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 10:56

I mean, we get people from Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky. We we have, you know, South Carolina, you know, North Carolina, which is real close, but I mean, we get people, you know, from all over the southeast come to Blue Ridge, you know, and and you know, it's it Blue Ridge is like a destination for people to come visit. You know, even though a lot of the South is kind of like this, but it's it's you know, it's mainly Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, right around the tri tri-state area, it's it's all the train is rural, sim, you know, similar. So, but it's just a an awful good way to enjoy beauty because you know what, not everybody's a hiker, you know, and not everybody wants to ride a horse. So the thing is, this gives, you know, we've we've had it where, you know, it's a family and you got a father and son, and mom and the daughter don't want to do it, but the son and and father will do it. And it, you know, you know, we got spas and stuff for the ladies, you know. But I mean, we have a lot, a lot of uh lot of the uh mothers and stuff, you know, we encourage them to drive. I mean, it's it's like the you will have a good time. You don't have to be a professional driver to do this. If you can drive your car down the road, you can drive one of these. So it's we we enjoy that because they they are definitely at the end of the day, when mom gets to drive, she is just smiles. It's you know, smiles for miles, you know.

SPEAKER_01 12:32

You guys are open year round. Is there a best time of year to run? You know what?

SPEAKER_00 12:38

To be honest with you, it is good year round. It it has its differences from season to season. That's the one nice thing. You know, it it's just like snowmobiling. You don't go snowmobiling with a t-shirt on, you know. So the thing is, is yeah, it's a little bit cold up here in in you know, January. But if you have the right clothing on, you know, you know, it's fun. It's still outside. And the thing is, is when there's no leaves, you know, the visual, you know, you can see further, you can see actually see the actual terrain, you know, at the root level, because you know, as soon as spring comes, the leaves kind of well up along the edges of the trails. You know, you can't see see as as much, but I mean, obviously the beauty doesn't go away, but you know, I mean it gets a little bit warm in August. I'm not gonna lie. You know, it's it's warm, but that's why we got them treats that are ice cold. That's right. When did you guys join Adventures? We joined uh at the beginning of 26. I guess we were working on on it right there at the end of 25, and uh we we actually got started, you know, for the 26th year. So this is our our I mean we're we're five months in now, I guess. Things are good. I I'm pretty sure that everybody's happy. You know, it's it's been a a for sure learning experience for sure. Complete different system, you know, and with the way the network is with the empower, it's it it's a lot more than just the normal check-in, check out. We have so much access that it's it's a lot. I mean, it it's you know, we have several different people, you know, that handle different stuff because the parts, you know, damage stuff is you know, it's it's like a dealership thing. And it's it's it to be honest, it's it's kind of tough, you know. Takes a takes these young guys to be able to to handle all the software because it's not as easy when you tried to get away from computers. And no, that's interesting feedback.

SPEAKER_01 14:43

I I appreciate that. Well, Jeremy, thanks so much for being on the show. I understand recently it was your 13th wedding anniversary, so congratulations on that. Have a great day and enjoy the rest of your summer. Thank you so much. It was a pleasure. Be sure to like and follow the Polaris Adventures podcast wherever you listen to your podcast, and we will talk to you again soon. Remember, you belong out here.