I started Sunday morning after breakfast at Waffle House, which was conveniently just down the hill from the ramp to the parkway.
The next 18 miles kicked my butt. I had seen the elevation profile, and knew it would be a challenge, but all I saw was that I was starting with a climb for a long stretch. I ignored how HIGH I would be climbing. I climbed 3200 feet, to an altitude of 5500 feet. I was fine up to the last mile or so, then I started to feel it. I wasn't gasping for air, but I think the thin air was getting to me.
I rode mostly rolling hills for the rest of the day and made it to camp at Crabtree Falls by 3:00. I averaged 8mph for the day, mostly because of that first climb where I was under 5mph uphill.
Crabtree Falls was a ghost town. Normally, I meet people at night, but there was no one there when I chose my campsite. By 6:00 a couple took a site on the other side of the restrooms, buy they kept to themselves. I was beat and called it a night after I made my chicken paprikas and strawberry cheesecake dinner. I eat well when I camp.
ThrillCam Video of the day. There are a pair of tunnels, one after another, about 30 miles north of Ashville. they are referred to as the "Twin Tunnels." i strapped the camera on the handlebars just before I went through them. I particularly like the lining of the second, northern of the two, and was worried that you wouldn't be able to see it in the video. these were typical of the size of most tunnels throughout the ride. A couple of hundred feet at most.
The next 18 miles kicked my butt. I had seen the elevation profile, and knew it would be a challenge, but all I saw was that I was starting with a climb for a long stretch. I ignored how HIGH I would be climbing. I climbed 3200 feet, to an altitude of 5500 feet. I was fine up to the last mile or so, then I started to feel it. I wasn't gasping for air, but I think the thin air was getting to me.
I rode mostly rolling hills for the rest of the day and made it to camp at Crabtree Falls by 3:00. I averaged 8mph for the day, mostly because of that first climb where I was under 5mph uphill.
Crabtree Falls was a ghost town. Normally, I meet people at night, but there was no one there when I chose my campsite. By 6:00 a couple took a site on the other side of the restrooms, buy they kept to themselves. I was beat and called it a night after I made my chicken paprikas and strawberry cheesecake dinner. I eat well when I camp.
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| Cindy Dropped me off on Tunnel Road at the entrance to the Parkway in Ashville and took this farwell shot. I had this jersey made up for me just for this ride. On the northbound side of the jersey is has the Skyline Drive logo... |
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| ...and on the southbound side of the jersey is the Blue Ridge Parkway logo. |
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| About an hour into the day I took a breather for my first overlook. I still have over 2200 feet of climbing to do in the next hour. |
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| Wallpaper shot |
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| Decevious view seen over and over for the next 9 days. You come around a corner, thinking you've reached the top, only to find more hill ahead. |
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| I was 17 miles into the ride at this point and stopped on the other side of the tunnel wondering what I had gotten myself into. I was climbing a 7% grade at 5000 feet. I just didn't know it until I reached the top. |
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| Craggy Gardens overlook. Done climbing, for now. |
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| After 18 miles of climbing to 5500 feet, this was my reward. I really didn't get to enjoy it. I was having a hard time STANDING. |
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| Hey Cathy, punch-buggy cream! |
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| 43 miles for the day. 8.8 MPH average. |
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| There is a reward for all of the climbing.. Note the 36MPH max speed. |
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| Crabtree Falls Campground. One of the nicest places I camped on the trip. |
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| Preparing dinner. My ultralight setup is a soda can alcohol stove and a K-Mart grease pot. Save even more weight by using foil as a lid and windscreen. |
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| Chicken Paprikas. |
ThrillCam Video of the day. There are a pair of tunnels, one after another, about 30 miles north of Ashville. they are referred to as the "Twin Tunnels." i strapped the camera on the handlebars just before I went through them. I particularly like the lining of the second, northern of the two, and was worried that you wouldn't be able to see it in the video. these were typical of the size of most tunnels throughout the ride. A couple of hundred feet at most.
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