2011 North Carolina Trip

Overview Map

As always, most rides are scaleable ...

Date

Week Day

Ride Profile & Route Map

Climbs (Category*)

Length

Max Grade

Average Grade

Climb Start

Climb Finish

Climb Total

Difficulty

Total Ride Climb

Daily Update

Weather
7/26/11 Tuesday Drive to House North Carolina from Groton 802 Miles, 13 Hours 33 Minutes Journal  
7/27/11 Wednesday Drive from House to Linville NC, 49.9 Miles, 1 Hour 11 Minutes Journal Linville

Ride Linn Cove Viaduct 41.5 Miles

 Viaduct Climb 8.75 6% 2% 3675 4462 912 31.07

 

2,835 ft
BRP Maintenance 2.3 11% 5.4% 3366 4035 659 38.61
Green Cemetary 1.25 14% 6.1% 3435 3829 387 35.24
Viaduct with Grandfather Mountain Option 45.8 Miles Blowing Rock 2.4 6% 3.2% 3501 3904 400 22.24
Rt 221 12 6% 1.5% 3465 4370 955 35.82
Grandfather Mountain 2.1 16% 8.3% 4318 5279 925 66.36 3,599 ft
Drive from Linville NC to House, 50.5 Miles, 1 Hour 10 Minutes
7/28/11 Thursday

Drive from House to Blue Ridge National Heratage Area / Visitors Center 47 Miles, 54 Minutes

Blue Ridge Visitor Center

 Journal

Asheville

Mt Mitchell
Ride Mt Mitchell West 66.5 Miles Craven Gap 4.6 9% 4.3% 2175 3274 1053 38.64 6,253 ft
Craggy Dome South 11.8 10% 3.9% 3146 5735 2418 70.60
Unnamed BRP South 2.7 9% 4.2% 5085 5728 600 36.34
Mt Mitchell West 4.5 19% 4.5% 5171 6562 1309 61.26
Unnamed BRP North 3.2 10% 3.7% 5144 5726 633 34.82
Craggy Dome North 2.1 9% 5.3% 5138 5728 591 41.76
Drive from Blue Ridge National Heratage Area / Visitors Center to House 45.5 Miles, 55 Minutes
7/29/11 Friday Drive from House to National Park Mineral Museum , 29.7 Miles, 48 Minutes Journal Little Switzerland
Ride Little Switzerland Loops 50.3 Miles Little Switzerland Town 3.5 7% 4.2% 2802 3530 771 32.68 4,669 ft
Buck Creek Gap RT 80 4 9% 4.9% 2907 3963 1037 43.68
RT 226 9.8 7% 3.9% 1440 3491 2024 56.19
Drive from National Park Mineral Museum to House, 29.7 Miles, 47 Minutes
7/30/11 Saturday Drive from House to Brasstown Bald Ride, 173 Miles, 3 Hours 16 Minutes Journal Helen, GA

Ride Tour of Georgia Loop 44.2 Miles

 Unicoi Gap 2.6 miles 9% 6% 2175 3012 830 42.84 5,249 ft
Hogpen Gap 7.1 17% 5.1% 1598 3497 1906 61.96
Brasstown Bald 3 20% 10.7 2979 4738 1699 107.72
Drive from Brasstown Bald Ride to House, 172 Miles 3 Hours 22 Minutes
7/31/11 Sunday Drive from House to Paris Mountain State Park 77.9 Miles, 1 Hour 54 Minutes Journal

Greenville SC

US Pro Circuit Ride 47 Miles

 Paris Moutain North 2.3 10% 3.1% 1161 2037 827 44.32 3,556 ft
Paris Moutain South 5 10% 4.3% 1161 2037 827 24.68
Drive from Paris Mountain State Park to House 92.6 Miles, 1 Hour 55 Minutes
8/1/11 Monday Drive from House to Peasant Garden Elementary School 20.1 Miles, 34 Minutes Journal

Marion

Mt Mitchell
Ride Mt Mitchell Marion 56 Miles Buck Creek Gap 8.3 20% 4.3% 1434 3415 1900 56.22 6,086 ft
Green Knob South 4.2 12% 5.8% 3435 4751 1283 57.01
Mt Mitchell East 8.3 19% 5% 4252 6562 2178 76.23
Green Knob North 2.4 10% 4.7% 4295 4865 591 35.75
Drive from Pleasant Garden Elementary School to House 20.1 Miles, 33 Minutes
8/2/11 Wednesday Drive from House to Starbucks, Hendersonville Road Asheville, 50.7 Miles, 59 Minutes Journal Asheville
Ride Blue Ridge Parkway, Mt Pisgah 66 Miles Mt Pisgah North 15.3 9% 3.6% 2018 4944 2877 75.17 5,791 ft
Devil's Courthouse 4.4 10% 4.8% 4273 5482 1125 49.76
Mt Pisgah South 8.8 7% 2.1% 4272 5145 961 34.18
Drive from Starbucks Hendersonville Road Asheville to House, 50.1 Miles, 1 Hour
8/3/11 Thursday   Drive from House North Carolina to Groton 800 Miles, 13 Hours 56 Minutes Journal  
 
Extra/Alternate Rides
 
TBD TBD Drive from House to Cherokee Journal Weather
Ride Blue Ridge Parkway, Higest Point 77 Miles Balsam Mountain Campground South 10.9 8% 5.6% 2018 5299 3199 100.12 10,072 ft
Waterrock Knob South 4.5 10% 5.8% 4357 5807 1385 62.87
Highest Point BRP 11.7 11% 4.2% 3432 6135 2618 78.30
Waterrock Knob North 7.6 9% 5.4% 3383 5656 2182 77.38
Balsam Mountain Campground North 3.1 12% 5.9% 4350 5299 958 51.64
Drive from Cherokee to House
TBD TBD Drive from House to Cloudland Highschool, Roan Mountain 61.5 Miles, 1 Hour 31 Minutes Journal

Beech Mountain

Roan Mountain
Ride Tour du Pont Ride 67.6 Miles Beech Mountain South 4.4 17% 7% 3435 5066 1617 74.67 7,290 ft
Beech Mountain North 4.2 20% 8.1% 3428 5249 1791 89.15
Roan Mountain North 12.6 9% 4.3 2562 5515 2854 81.57
Drive from Cloudland Highschool Roan Mountain to House, 61.5 Miles, 1 Hour 28 Minutes

* Note: Definition of Categorized Climbs

Category 4 - the easiest which is typically less than 2 km (1.24 mi) long and about 5% grade, or up to 5 km (3.1 mi) at a 2-3% grade.
Category 3 - can be as short as 1.5 km (.93mi) with a very steep grade, perhaps 10%; or as long as 10 km (6.2 mi) with a grade less than 5%.
Category 2 - can be as short as 5 km (3.1 mi) at 8%, or as long as 15 km (9.3 mi) at 4%.
Category 1 - can be anything from 8 km (5 mi) at 8% to 20 km (12.4 mi) at 5%.
Hors Categorie ("above category") rating is given to exceptionally tough climbs. This could be a Category 1 whose summit is also the finish of the stage, or one that is more than 10 km (6.2 mi) long with an average grade of at least 7.5%, or up to 25 km (15.5 mi) long at 6% or steeper

Category
Easy
Medium
Hard
 Extreme
Day Ride Length
< 30 Miles
30-50 Miles
50-70 Miles
> 70 Miles
MaxGrade
<5 %
5-10 %
10-15 %
 > 15 %
Average Grade
<4 %
4-8 %
8-12 %
 > 12%
Difficulty
< 50
50-100
100-150
> 150
Ride Climb
< 2000 ft
2000-4000 ft
4000-5000 ft
> 6000 ft

 

Option 1: Drive to Asheville and Use as a Base

Click to see ride map

 Notional Miles

Ride Information Links

Other Data from various sources

Day 1: Drive to Asheville NC

     Drive from Tiverton to Asheville (14 Hours 896 miles)

Day 2: Ride Mt Mitchell West

66.5 Miles

1. Mt Mitchell Climb - good discussion w/pictures

2. Mt Mitchell Photos

 

 

  

Day 3: Ride Mt Mitchell Marion

 60.1 Miles

 

Alternate up/back BRP (tunnels)

 
Day 4: Ride Paris Mountain Loops 47.7 Miles

Mulitple passes over Paris Mountain outside Greenville South Carolina

I think thsi ride is at about a 1:00 ride from Ashevile.

 
Day 5: Ride Tour of Georgia Loop 44.2 Miles

The ride that Tom and I did in 2007 when we visited Tour of Georgia. Unicoi Gap, Hogpen Gap and Brasstown Bald.

Is about 2:30 drive from Asheville.

 
Day 6: Ride Beech Mountain/ Roan Mountain Loop 67.6 Miles

Beech Mountain was a finish spot for Tour DuPont. The big climb on this route is Roan Mountain.

This ride starts at about a 1:30 drive from Asheville

  
Day 7: Blue Ridge Parkway, Mt Pisgah 66 Miles

Blue Ridge Parkway form south of Asheville. Crosses Mt Pisgah, Wagon Road Gap, Graveyard Fields and peaks at Devil's Courthouse before returning back to Asheville.

The ride is scaleable by starting further along or not going all the way to Devil's Courthouse

  
Day 8: Blue Ridge Parkway, Higest Point 77 Miles

Ride out of Cherokee NC,Soco Gap, Balsam Gap, and stops at the Higest Point on Blue Ridge Parkway at 6053 feet.

The ride can be shortened by starting further in.

 

Day 9:

 

 

Drive from Asheville to Tiverton (14 Hours)
 
Other Rides:
Day 7: Balsam Mountain    
Lake Logan 45 Miles  
Climgmans Dome    
Spivey Mountain