Anyone know of any group rides in Asheville NC area?
08-09-12, 11:23 AM
#1
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Anyone know of any group rides in Asheville NC area?
Im headed up to Asheville NC area next Monday and leaving either Thursday or Friday. So far my Google searching and phone calling has only come up with one ride on a Thursday.
Bad thing is, GF wants me back home Thursday night, but since I am from Florida and our closest thing to a mountain is a bridge, I am desperate to get some kind of riding in! I might just end up leaving a day late then coming home a day late just to keep her happy
Im willing to drive up to an hour or so away from the Asheville area....
Bad thing is, GF wants me back home Thursday night, but since I am from Florida and our closest thing to a mountain is a bridge, I am desperate to get some kind of riding in! I might just end up leaving a day late then coming home a day late just to keep her happy
Im willing to drive up to an hour or so away from the Asheville area....
08-09-12, 12:02 PM
#2
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There should be plenty of rides in Asheville to do. Better have your climbing legs with you. Check Motion Makers Bike shop. They will probably be able to help you with finding a group ride. I'm about 1.5 hrs away in Bristol but know Johnson City which is a little less than an hour from Asheville has a good Thursday pack ride. Their average is pretty high though. They really hammer.
08-09-12, 12:08 PM
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not familiar with any group rides, but there are a lot of good palces to ride. One good ride is up past the Grove Park to Town Mountain Road, then north on the Parkway(bring lights for the tunnels, small blinkies are enough). From there to the Visitor Center is one almost continuous climb of 30 miles. You can go further and turn up Mount Mitchell.
There's a ride that starts up the same way, then drops down Oxbow, and makes a loop along the French Broad River, which is a good 30-40 miles.
Find the book Road Bike Asheville, and there a number of routes.
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Bike-Ashe.../dp/1889596000
There's a ride that starts up the same way, then drops down Oxbow, and makes a loop along the French Broad River, which is a good 30-40 miles.
Find the book Road Bike Asheville, and there a number of routes.
https://www.amazon.com/Road-Bike-Ashe.../dp/1889596000
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08-09-12, 12:10 PM
#4
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If the LBS's can't hook you up, check out Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, https://www.blueridgebicycleclub.org/. They publish printable cue sheets of rides all around the area that have the nice feature of including elevation profiles - so you know what you're getting yourself into before its too late.
08-09-12, 12:54 PM
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don't try this at home.
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The Blue Ridge Parkway is great for bikes. The speed limit is 45 mph, and sharp corners are rare, so downhills don't need braking.
A solo route:
This is a great route on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville. It starts at the Pisgah Inn parking lot, and rides up to Richland Balsam at 6000 feet. It's got a lot of fantastic views, since it runs along the ridge lines. There's two tunnels, and one of them really needs a headlight, or maybe walk through it.
Here's a one way outbound route, making it 46 miles round trip. There's no water after the Pisgah Inn, so bring two full bottles.
The big climb is at the 8 mile mark, 1200 feet in 3.6 miles, averaging 6%. But you can stop at the overlooks on the way up.
The return is a lot easier!
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/74108
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I like riding north on the BRP to turnaround at the Pisgah Inn, so I can get lunch or snacks and water refills. However, there's more climbing on the return leg.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1141091
This can be shortened, for instance, park at the overlook near the 10 mile mark and ride to the Pisgah Inn and back. That's 32 miles round trip.
Photos from a previous ride.
A solo route:
This is a great route on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville. It starts at the Pisgah Inn parking lot, and rides up to Richland Balsam at 6000 feet. It's got a lot of fantastic views, since it runs along the ridge lines. There's two tunnels, and one of them really needs a headlight, or maybe walk through it.
Here's a one way outbound route, making it 46 miles round trip. There's no water after the Pisgah Inn, so bring two full bottles.
The big climb is at the 8 mile mark, 1200 feet in 3.6 miles, averaging 6%. But you can stop at the overlooks on the way up.
The return is a lot easier!
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/74108
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I like riding north on the BRP to turnaround at the Pisgah Inn, so I can get lunch or snacks and water refills. However, there's more climbing on the return leg.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/1141091
This can be shortened, for instance, park at the overlook near the 10 mile mark and ride to the Pisgah Inn and back. That's 32 miles round trip.
Photos from a previous ride.
Last edited by rm -rf; 08-09-12 at 02:56 PM.
08-09-12, 12:59 PM
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08-09-12, 06:54 PM
#8
Roadie
If you're willing to drive 20 minutes north of Asheville, the riding is amazing. Perfect roads, no cars, amazing biking.
https://app.strava.com/rides/7580731
https://app.strava.com/rides/7698868
https://app.strava.com/rides/7702748
You can't miss Mt Michell though, it's a great ride, Make sure to bring a blinkie, vest and armwarms at least. It gets very cold at the top
https://app.strava.com/rides/7820336
https://app.strava.com/rides/7580731
https://app.strava.com/rides/7698868
https://app.strava.com/rides/7702748
You can't miss Mt Michell though, it's a great ride, Make sure to bring a blinkie, vest and armwarms at least. It gets very cold at the top
https://app.strava.com/rides/7820336
