After a great stay at the Chetola Lodge, this day is to be the “queen” stage from Blowing Rock (MM292) to the Pisgah Inn. We thought the Pisgah Inn was at MM400 when planning it out. Gibbs informed us just before we started he double-checked and it is actually at MM408. Now the ~110-mile day just got longer. Ouch! So we licked our mental wounds and headed out. This would be the most scenic day as we rode the Linn Cove Viaduct at the base of Grandfather Mountain. This is a breathtaking view that we never fully appreciated when we have ridden the Bridge-to-Bridge, which travels in the opposite direction during the event on the BRP. When stopped in Little Switzerland for some fluids and to fix Gibbs’ low rear tire. Then we rode towards the entrance to Mt. Mitchell State Park. We have all done the Assault on Mt. Mitchell, so we knew the ride from NC-80 to the park entrance would be tough, and it did not disappoint. Once at the park entrance, we rested and regrouped, then headed on. There was still considerable climbing on new asphalt to the descent to Craggy Gardens. We looked forward to the long descent into Asheville and then pleasantly dreaded the Pisgah Inn climb. The descent from Craggy down to the Folk Arts Center proved to be the worst part of the entire BRP experience. The road down is riddled with potholes and such. To their credit, they are working on the road, but having to ride in the other lane to avoid the holes and to ride a section in baby powderish dirt in traffic sucked big time. The kicker was mother nature finally unleashed on us with heavy rain as we finished the descent. We refilled bottles at the FAC then headed out as the thunder and lightning subsided. We then wrestled across the BRP with 5PM weekday traffic. Apparently this section of the BRP is a thoroughfare for local traffic from the Bat Cave Road area to Hendersonville Road. It was a nightmare. It was the second worse part of the entire ride. Fortunately it was short-lived and we were soon on an epic final climb up to the Pisgah Inn. Rain was coming down hard and the fog rolled in. This, coupled with the long, dark tunnels, made the ascent to the Pisgah Inn an epic finish. Once at the Pisgah Inn, it was time to clean up and devour some food. The views from the Pisgah Inn are fabulous and the food at the restaurant is outstanding.
Grandfather Mountain
Linn Cove Viaduct
Entrance to Mt Mitchell State Park
View from our room at the Pisgah Inn after the storm
Another view from our room at the Pisgah Inn after the storm
Day Four Stats:
Distance: 118.79 miles (416.56 total)
Ride Time: 9:12 (30:28 total)
Elevation Gain: 13,921′ (40,989′ total)
Garmin Data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/10256931
Projected Profile:
Actual Profile:
