The BRP is like driving in a dream. Last year I did 360 miles in one day, and when the late afternoon sun filtered through the dappled leaves it was the closest thing you can get to heaven on 4 wheels. No traffic signals, no trucks, few eediots, just you and the wide-open road in front of you as you glide through the gears. I try to time my sojourns on the thing to weekdays after the kids (and thus vacationers) have gone back to school, and pray for sunny weather. I’ve tried it a couple of times in the rain and fog and that is a dicey proposition at best with all of the blind turns-came across a bunch of roadkilled animals once-when one died others tried to feed on it, but kept getting hit in turn.
I’ve been on a portion of the AT in New York. I was a Boy Scout at the time and the Trail went through the center of our town.
Bumping this because I was reading this from the Bitter Southerner today - it’s about biking the length of the BRP. Made me think of this thread. 
Outstanding story of the bike trip, excellent photography, and lots of new facts to know about the road and the area. Thanks much, Lsura!
FWIW, Bitter Southerner makes me think of The West Virginia Surf Report! and the humorous side of things. Fun reading, but not so much about our main topic(s). Just a mini-hijack.
I’ve been on Skyline Drive in VA and hiked a part of the Appalachian Trail.
I’ve ridden a motorcycle the length of the Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway end-to-end twice. I’ve ridden bits of it many more times. It’s a lovely ride. The side roads are great too.
And, like Dorjan above, I’ve ridden U.S. 129, the Dragon’s Tail, at Deal’s Gap.
The AT also goes straight through Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, a town also famous for John Brown’s attempted slave revolt. It’s a day trip distance from the Washington, DC area.