Blue Ridge Parkway Epic Tour

[JaneE]

Yes! We need pictures!

Your tour sounds perfectly wonderful. I dream of stuff like this!

[Misandal]

I realize today that I must have been more tired than I thought yesterday because I really didn't tell much at all about the adventure, I merely said I did it.

Here was the breakdown by day:
Monday 85.70 miles, 8910' in 6:23
Tuesday 89.44 miles, 8286' in 6:36
Wednesday 111.43 miles, 10,825' in 8:13
Thursday 102.15 miles, 11,071' in 8:01
Friday 85.78 miles, 10,568' in 6:40

Monday was gorgeous, perfect weather and a great way to start things off. Tuesday it rained most of the day but was fairly clear. Wednesday it rained all day and the fog was thick as soup! You couldn't see anything - we'd come to an overlook and see nothing but white. Thursday it rained until the afternoon, but then we had periods of clearing and got to enjoy some of the beautiful views. Friday started overcast, foggy and misty but got mostly clear so we ended in beautiful conditions as we descended into Cherokee.

I'm going to attach a couple pictures I took from my phone. They're not great quality, but I'll try to post some good ones from my fellow tourers later today. The first pic is Mile Marker 0 at the beginning of the Parkway. The second is atop Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi, with Scott from Illinois (the elevation marker says 6578'). The third is our view from the lunch stop on Friday. The final picture is me at the final marker on the Parkway, Mile Marker 469.

[Misandal]

Here's a couple more...one is the group pic at the beginning (I'm in the middle), and the second is at the highest point of the Parkway, and you can see how foggy it was! And this was not the foggy day!

[Misandal]

Here are some awesome views I just got from one of the guys who had a "real" camera.

[JaneE]

Very beautiful! Hope to be able to go there sometime.

[wildhawk]

Now that’s an EPIC adventure!! I am in awe and totally amazed at your accomplishment - and with rain no less!!! You Rock! I grew up in Virginia and spent lots of time on the Blue Ridge Parkway and have driven the entire length of it. I cannot imagine the thrill of cycling that much of it!! Beautiful pics too - you definately have something to be proud of!! And I am just trying to get a century under my belt - you rode that practically every day, and with some serious elevations - whoohoo!!

[Misandal]

Thanks! It really was incredible. I look at those numbers and I can't believe I did it, either.

But you know, my "cycling life" started back in 2003 training for a century with Team in Training, so there's no telling where your bicycle will take you if you keep at it.

This particular adventure came my way because my training partner is turning 50 next month and this was how he wanted to commemorate it. It sounded like something I'd like to try, so here we are.