A Working Man’s Vacation:

Biking the Blue Ridge - Part 2
Tom Baker

October, 1997

The next morning -- Day 5 -- I had to climb 3 miles to the PKWY, going by the huge STAR of Roanoke, seen for miles at night. The 58 miles covered seems mild enough, yet you should know the main premise of riding here is "Either you are going up, or you are going down". Unfortunately, they are not of equal duration! After arriving at Rocky Knob Campground, the order of business was to set up the tent and "tidy" up somewhat, a task make difficult by the absence of a) a shower and b) warm water. One learns a lot on self-guided tours: Daniel Boone was a tough nut!! Supper was 2 miles away; the climb back hurt.

The morning of Day 6 began early as I needed to ride 9 miles to Mabry Mill, the most photographed spot on the parkway, as well as the best buckwheat pancakes in the south! The breakfast line forms early and I did good to be in the top 10 in order to eat at the first sitting. Elmer Dalton of Bassett, VA, ate with me and was kind enough to cover my breakfast, as I traded anecdotes from the Parkway. An hour later and several pictures snapped of the vintage 1850 homestead, I rolled towards Daughton park, arriving there at about six for a 75-mile day. That night Mark Land and another couple dropped by my campsite to share commonalities -- they were mountain biking the next day.

Breakfast on Day 7 required a 1.5 mile severe climb, so I felt I earned the pancakes I inhaled! Later enroute I was taking pictures at an overlook when a couple invited me to share the hot dogs & trimmings they were cooking. They were from Union, SC, and had some interesting behind-the-scene stories about their now-famous home town. Just after I had passed the Boone and Blowing Rock exits, I was caught by Ivy Clemmer on a sleek titanium steed. He said Boone was his home and rode often on the Parkway, even having two accidents with vehicles. When I asked if he were hurt in either, he said no, but the time the motorcyclist ran him down, the rider broke both legs! 60 miles today.

Day 8 began nicely, with Grandfather Mountain and the Linn Cove Viaduct reached within a couple of hours. The viaduct is about 1.5 miles long and simply is a suspended highway with supports underneath, thereby causing little damage to the mountain. After riding 48 miles, I set up camp at Crabtree Meadows and, following supper, hiked to Crabtree Falls, a lovely spot indeed.

Day 9 had an ominous beginnning: it had sprinkled a bit during the night, but I was able to pack up before it started again. Before long a steady rain turned this dream ride into a nightmare. The rain felt like needles on my face and eyes when I looked up to see the road. It was cold--59 degrees--and I was able to "blow smoke". One of the toughest climbs of the tour occurred during this deluge: the assault past Mt. Mitchell. (Note: I did not ride the 5 miles to the summit of Mitchell; there are things even a wildman will not consider!) Nevertheless, the grade was nearly 8% and went on forever. I stopped near the end of a tunnel to get out of the rain, down a Power Bar, and feel sorry for myself. (There were 29 tunnels altogether, some long enough to curve inside--very dark, even with a flashlight). I managed to pedal to Craggy Gardens, which had a Visitors Center and Pot-bellied stove, where I camped out while waiting for a Pick-me-up truck to take me to Asheville, so I could take a motel and make my losses a minimum. None came. After thawing out for over an hour, I put my wet socks into my wet shoes and shooshed into Asheville. This would have been a dream ride under normal circumstances--about 10 miles of coasting at 30-40 mph--but in a cold rain, I was petrified to death. Minimal curves in the road caused me grave concern; I had little brake power, and my skinny tires were much smaller than a steel belted radial needed here for confidence. Luckily, I negotiated the descent safely and checked into a moted near the Folk Art Center in Asheville, for a 50-mile day.

After assessing my position--I had ridden 470 miles in 9 days--and checking the Calendar--it was July 1--I decided to forego the remaining 90 miles in order to return to Chattanooga for the July 4th celebration and wedding of a couple of good friends.

The Plan called for me to thumb to Front Royal. Luckily, Adam Pinkston, a pro runner and former neighbor in Macon, lived in Asheville and drove me to Bristol the next morning. While I trudged up the on ramp -- (Adam kept my bike and gear) -- I didn’t think I’d have a problem. After 2 long hours in the sun, and over a million zooming cars and trucks, I finally got a ride 150 miles in the back of a flat bed truck going to Roanoke! Another 2 hour wait and I got the lift needed to Front Royal. When I finally got to my car at the entrance to the Skyline Drive, I kissed all 4 tires! The next day I was home!

Epilogue:

While I was happy with my ride, the sense of closure was lacking, as I had not ridden the entire route. So, after recuperating for two weeks, I talked my fiance’ Carol and our friend Eugenia into going back to Asheville and I would bike the distance while they hiked and shopped. The first day (actually my 10th Parkway day) featured a climb from Asheville to Mt. Pisgah, "only" 30 miles. When I arrived, the ladies were fresh and ready for a 5-mile hike from the campground to the summit of Mt. Pisgah, 5750 feet elevation! I did not suggest attending any dances that night!

Day 11 was much more formidable, 6 miles from Pisgah to the Okonalufkee Visitors Center near Cherokee. Along the way, I hiked up Devil’s Courthouse, a short walk that yielded a lovely 360-degree overlook. A few miles down the road and a few water bottles downed, I made it to Richland Balsam Mountain, the highest point of the Parkway at 6,053 feet! What a spectacular sight here!! The downhill on the other side was welcomed, but the 40-mph section ended too soon. I earned my merit badge climbing to Waterrock Knob. The rest of the way was fun, as the elevation at Cherokee was only 2000 feet!