piper_chuck

My god, yes. I had read somewhere that the first two miles was the worst and that the rest wasn't bad. That was true until that last half mile. But I just kept on grinding out the pedal strokes and made it to the top.

Nota

Congrats! We look forward to seeing your pic's.

...I started to take my camera with me, but I didn't really have a good place to put it on the bike. Would have loved to have gotten a few pics of going over the Linn Cove viaduct; that would have been cool.

piper_chuck

I ended up wearing a small backpack for the ride, so I had room for the camera. The backpack also came in handy for holding the tights once it warmed up, the wind breaker that I needed to wear on the descents, and the various things I brought to eat.

Nota

It "warmed up"? Hmmph - I was cold ALL day; for both Saturday's & Sunday's ride. I kept expecting it to warm up, but in never did. It was only during some occasional fleeting moments along the Pkwy, when I'd get a small stretch of road that wasn't tree-lined obstructed, that I actually felt its rays.

I've got a small digi camera, one with a 10X zoom lens and video capability, that'd I've been toying with trying to rig up somehow to attach it to either my helmet or handlebars, so I can video parts of my rides.

The handlebars would probably be easier to attach it to, and would make me look like less of a freak, but I'm worried that the vibration on the bike would make for annoying footage (ie..like a "Blair Witch" cameraman, only with Parkinsons disease). At least if it were on my head, my body would dampen out the road vibration and shocks, while allowing me to "pan & tilt" to where ever I happened to be look.

Glad you had an enjoyable and safe ride. Let me know when you're ready to do it again, and maybe I'll join you.

Cheers!

wolfpack 

it was great riding weather up in sylva this past weekend! cool start on saturday, wore arm/knee warmers & vest. arm warmers off & vest unzipped once i started the 10mi brp ride. kept knee warmers on all day and had to put arm warmers back on while CLIMBING waterrock. guess the combination of the wind and being sweaty makes for being chilled. sunday was shorts/jersey/arm warmers. warm enough to sit out in the river afterwards.

Nota

I thought I might spot you there at Sylva, likely festooned in your "signature" pink lycra-wear, but I didn't; you musta been up front runnin with the big dogs all day, way out in front of me

I enjoyed the ride immensely, even if the temp was a bit too chilly for my comfort level. I certainly wished I'd had some arm/leg warmers.

I know I was really looking forward to doing that 40+ miles portion of the ride up on the Pkwy -- little did I know, about 35 of which were seriously UP HILL The views from all those scenic overlooks along the Pkwy were incredible, though.

I thought the worst was over after we left the Pkwy, but that beastly little stretch on 215 was downright rude and uncalled for! Not having wanted or needed for it until then, my bike decides at that time that it doesn't want to go down into my granny-gear. Uggh! Added to that, my legs started cramping up something fierce in that, fortunately short, but steep, climb(something I've never experienced before from bike riding...but I'm a newbie); I just gritted it out in my middle CR while hoping not fall down from cramps.

All in all, in spite of being what I'd deem the toughest century ride I've encountered thus far, it was fabulous ride filled with fabulous scenery. I really liked how they had volunteers at every intersection, directing you which way to turn. I'm terrible for making wrong turns and getting lost.

My only real lament was, as I rolled in and proceeded to get checked in for my time - they looked for my rider # on my back, but it was gone; it must have fallen off. I know it's probably kinda cheesey, but I save those things from each of the rides I do (along with the ride T-shirts)...as souveniers and reminders of my accompolishments. Not only did I lose my rider#, apparently, I registered for the ride too late and didn't get a T-shirt, either I've got a closet full of, mostly ugly, ride T-shirts that I'll likely never wear, but still like having 'em. My s/o told me she could cut them up and sew me some kind afghan throw blanket thingy out of 'em. That'd be kinda kewel.

As recent as last Sept/Oct, I was a 275lb couch-potato fat slob, one who couldn't even ascend a simple flight of stairs without getting winded - let alone complete not one but TWO 105 mile long mountain century rides in the same weekend. I've lost 110 lbs since last Sept, and am probably in better shape at 44 y/o than I've ever been. At least I got my rider # & shirt from the B2B ride yesterday.

Well, enough of my drivel mucking up this thread. I'll see you somewhere down the road, at another century ride.

Cheers!

TexasVol

Reply and we can discuss details, did it solo in 5-days unsupported shipping overnight supplies to each stop on the way. Worked out PERFECTLY.

Would love to do it again next summer, if training, work, family, etc align again. Trying to motivate friends to try it, flatlanders have some ridiculous fear of 5-straight days of 9000+ feet of elevation gain.

Texasvol

Nota

I take it you're talking about having done the entire BRP on a 5-day bike sojourn? Did you do it North to South, or South to North? I read somewhere that the S2N route is much more difficult - a lot more climbing involved.