2016 Blue Ridge Camp Daily Recap Posts (1 thru 4)
Day One Recap
The 2016 Blue Ridge Camp is on! Our fifth year in the Blue Ridge mountains promises to be epic -- from custom jerseys to Snake Mountain and more than 15 returning campers...this was the real deal!
We set off with one of our better first rides -- 81 miles for the A group and 71 miles for the B group. Most folks earned over 7,000 feet of climbing today when it was all said and done!
We started with a nice warm up on the backside of the infamous Tater Hill followed by direct trip up Snake Mountain. For the uninitiated out there, no it's not infested with actual reptiles. It is a windy hill that has enough turns and gain to make you hate cycling for a few minutes.
Until you reach the top...and you are friggin pumped about what you just accomplished.
We did this climb early so everyone could feel confident and enjoy the rest of their day. And they most certainly did.
We ended up with some fantastic weather, despite the early forecast. Everyone was smiling as they did we continued on the picturesque roads, taking in several more climbs. Not only was it beautiful; many of the roads were newly paved as well! The pictures and the videos simply do not do justice.
Traveling through Mast Gap we were able to stop at the Mast Gap General Store. If you're ever in the area, this is the place to go. It's a trip back in time. A place where you can get a Coke and an Ice Cream sandwich for two dollars isn't easy to find!
After the break, it was off to Shulls Mill Road -- one of our favorite places of the entire camp. Freshly paved for 2016, it was a fantastic experience for everyone. Bonus that I remembered to create the proper GPS course so nobody got lost!
With a final trip down the Parkway to enjoy the massive use including a thunderstorm off in the distance, they won was complete. There was literally something for everyone and everyone at a blast.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's assault on Mount Mitchell an epic ride full of lactic acid and energy bars.
The Blue Ridge Camp is our annual cycling expedition to build early-season fitness and have a great time. Between riding bikes we also have fun and drink lots of beer. Interested in joining us? The doors will open in early May for early bird registration. You can learn more online here.
Comments
Day Two Recap - Mount Mitchell
The second day of our annual Blue Ridge Training Camp it is devoted entirely to the ascent of Mount Mitchell. Mt Mitchell is the highest point on the Eastern seaboard and represents an incredible achievement for a cyclist.
But Blue Ridge Campers are anything but ordinary! Our campers "softened" their legs by climbing over 7,000 feet on Day One, making the trip to Mount Mitchell is that much harder!
We awoke to find another beautiful day awaiting us. Sunshine with temperatures in the low 70s all day and a slight breeze. Considering the weather that we've had here in the past (snow anyone?), the sun was a welcome visitor on the ride.
We left together as a group from Linville Falls. We look forward to the quite Parkway ride every year, and 2016 was no exception. This is due partly in fact to an unexpected road closure heading north on the parkway. As such, we had minimal traffic all day for the ride.
But of course the group split up -- as the road went up things simply got harder.
Given just how much fatigue the campers had from the first day, there was only so much left to give to Mitchell.
As we discussed at our pre-ride meeting: pacing is critical for success today. Success being defined as reaching the top of Mount Mitchell, of course! This means better fluids, better nutrition, and more.
Everyone who made the climb received a commemorative sticker to mark the occasion!
Outside of celebrating the climb, the top of the mountain is also a great place to refuel and get ready for the descent. Nothing makes all that hard work worthwhile like some food and some fast descending!
The return trip was really split into two groups: those doing the full ride back to the start and those stopping at mile 56. In either way, campers were able to reach the summit and getting some phenomenal riding.
Then it was time for an incredible dinner at, where else, the Pedalin' Pig!
Stay tuned for tomorrow's update on the final route selection.
Day Three Recap
The day after the Mount Mitchell ride is always an interesting one. Some folks feel inspired and are ready to suffer...others just want to get out for a ride and not worry about climbing 10,000+ feet on the day.Being the super accommodating and incredibly attractive Camp Leaders that we are, we decided to give the campers BOTH options.
Ride Option 1 = Beech Mountain (Map Here) + Plus Schulls Mill
Clocking it at "just" 26 miles, this route has 4,000 feet of climbing on it. Do that math.
Beech is an epic climb, not just because of the mountain itself, but of what it takes to get there. The ride out 194 from Valle Crucis to Beech Mountain is as beautiful as it is painful.
There were quite a few folks out on this road today, so at least no one suffered alone!
The hearty folks regrouped at the Mast Gap Annex and headed over to ride Schulls Mills Road as an out and back. This added another 19 miles to the total as well as another 1,000 feet of gain.
Ride Option 2 = BSG 50 Miler (Map Here)
For those looking for another option, we pulled an old ride out of the Camp Ride Grab Bag. We last did this route in 2014, and it's a good one.Just as much flat as there is hills (or so it seems), this route include the winding climb of George's Gap. Just an incredible and fun route with multiple SAG options.
Lead by the inimitable three of the four remaining horsemen of the apocalypse -- apparently Pestilence couldn't attend -- this group had a great adventure. And what ride is complete without a stop at the Mast Gap Annex for recovery food?
After our return there was time for the hot tub and an early dinner at Galileo's of Boone.
Only one more day left!!!
The Blue Ridge Camp is our annual cycling expedition to build early-season fitness and have a great time. Between riding bikes we also have fun and drink lots of beer. Interested in joining us? The doors will open in early May for early bird registration. You can learn more online here.
@Paul, for the record you wanted to head right up to the Parkway as well!!!! You're a beast!