On Sat, 4 Oct 2003, Tim Arnold wrote:
> 'Bicycling the Blue Ridge' by Elizabeth and Charlie Skinner isbn -89732-093-x. This has been a
> real gem for me.
Agreed!
> The lodges on the Parkway are not real evenly spaced, but you can do it.
Well, if he doesn't carry food it will be a very hard ride <grin>! The services on the Parkway are
well spaced for cars, but very far apart on a bike, especially at the north and south ends. So are
places to spend the night, but, for a strong rider, that is less of a problem.
From Cherokee to the Pisgah Inn -the first place to stay - is only 60 miles, but there is close to
10000 feet of climbing and there are no services other than water and restrooms at Waterock Knob. At
the other end, it is also 60 miles with no place to eat or sleep, but only a little over a mile of
climbing. That is just to get to food. If you want a place to sleep, you'll need to climb another
3000 feet - in not much over 10 miles, this is one of the hardest hills on the Parkway - and ride a
total of about 95 miles to get to The Peaks of Otter. That makes for a long hard day! When I did it
in the, easier, opposite direction, Whetstone Ridge was still open so I had a place to eat supper 30
miles from the north end. I really need that hot meal!
There are other long stretches without services, but, based on my own experience, those at either
end are the worst. Those stretches also offer few opportuniteis for leaving the Parkway to find
services without big downhills and the corresponding big climbs back up. The north end is especially
bad in this respect.
So, if Matt can carry food and do so pretty long days with lots of climbing, he can credit card tour
the Parkway. I know folks that have. Personally, I carried food and camping gear and camped three
nights out of the six I spent on the Parkway.
> "Matt O'Toole" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
>
news:[email protected]...
> > I'm thinking of doing a "credit card" style tour of the Blue Ridge Pkwy.
> That
> > means I don't want to carry *any* stuff except the minimum necessary
> clothing.
> > So, I'll have to plan both hotels and meals. Can anyone recommend a good
> guide
> > book, or other resource? It doesn't have to be cycling-specific, as long
> as it
> > has the info I need, and it's current.
> >
> > BTW, I live about 25 miles from the Pkwy. I'm familiar with this stretch
> (near
> > Roanoke), but not the rest of it.
> >
> > Matt O.
Mark <www.cs.unca.edu?~boyd/bicycling.html
