Hard to beat a Sena 20s. @RidersDiscount can hook you up with the best deals on Senas. I am running a Sena 10U and really like it, but you gotta have a specific helmet.
550 is also a route for State Troopers going from the Athens Station to the Marietta Station. Still a good road though. Sharpsburg hill is probably one of my favorite set of corners in SEO. 676 is definitely more technical and less forgiving for someone who does not know the road.
Stunters + congested traffic = what could go wrong?
I will happily stay down south in hillbilly land. I don't have the patience for big city traffic, plus our roads are better
I had friend's with "advice" like that too. But then I realized their idea of a ride is 30 mile round trip for ice cream. I put more miles on my bike in a weekend than they have all summer.
It's always nice to hear about someone getting their first bike. I always recommend BRC first thing, makes the endorsement hassle much easier, plus it helps new riders in the right direction.
Surprisingly, I have been experiencing the opposite recently. I have had cars and bikes pull over or wave me around them several times in the last couple weeks. I always give a courtesy wave back and give them plenty of room.