Smiling Skull Saloon
The Smiling Skull Saloon at 108 West Union Street in Uptown Athens is the unofficial riders' bar for the Windy 9 system, cited consistently in Rider Magazine, Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine, and the Athens County Visitors Bureau as the go-to stop for motorcyclists passing through. The dive bar opened in Uptown Athens and has operated 365 days a year since. It's equal parts college bar and biker bar — cheap beer, no pretense, moto décor, and a staff accustomed to large two-wheel groups. Athens (home of Ohio University) sits at the geographic center of the Windy 9's nine routes, making the Skull a natural base camp for overnight Windy 9 weekends.
All nine Windy 9 routes start and end in Athens, so this is the de facto end-of-day decompression stop for a full Windy 9 run. The saloon is in Uptown (walkable from most Athens lodging), open late, and bikers are regulars — not novelties. The SR-33 / US-50 approaches into Athens from any direction are pleasant final miles.
Shot by the riders who've run it.
Riders upload photos to their profile and tag the road or stop — tagged shots show up here automatically.