Post Info TOPIC: CNC Start Area Asheville
Mark Hogan

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CNC Start Area Asheville
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I stopped in Asheville last spring while touring the parkway.Great area! May come a day early for the ride. Is there a good way to get to the parkway from the airport area? Possible q-sheet? Also am interested in possible ride up to Mt. Mitchell, would anyone know the distance/time a ride like that may take? I would say I'm a fair cyclist going towards slow as far as climbing.Thanks for any help in these matters. Mark

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BentAero

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Mark,


Assuming you are parking your vehicle at the airport, turn right out of the Airport lot.


At 1 mile, R on Fanning Bridge Rd.


2.7 M  R on NC191/Brevard Rd.


8.3 M  L onto BRP ramp.


You'll ride thru what's known locally as the "commuter section" of the BRP. When you get north of Hwy 70, you'll start a climb that lasts roughly 13 miles up to Craggy Gardens with only a couple level sections and one small downhill. It's ALLLL uphill baby!


Once you get to Craggy, you're at about 37.5 miles give or take. It's another 8.5 miles to NC128, the road that goes up to Mt. Mitchell. The climb up to the summit is about 4 miles. You'll have about 50 miles from the airport at the summit.


Not to discourage you, but if you want to cut some miles, I'd rec'd parking your car at the visitors center on the BRP on the NE side of Asheville, just north of the US-70/BRP intersection.


Last but not least, check this website before you head out. The NPS plans to have the section you want to ride reopened by "late summer", (last Sept's hurricane damage) but this is the Gov't were talkin' about.


Good luck and good riding.


Gary



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team blaine

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Mark,


To add to what Gary told you about the climb to Mitchell...from the Folk Art Center in Asheville just north of Hwy. 70, the climb is roughly 6300 feet...more than that if you start south of the Folk Art Center. Ron and I did the climb mentioned above the other Saturday and it took us 4 hours and 30 minutes going up...coimg back down was a blast and took about an hour and a half.


Marcia


 



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Mark

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Gary & Marcia, Thanks for the info.Thats very helpful.It sounds as if you can get by last years storm damage on a bicycle,is that correct?


Last year I made the desent into Asheville as part on my brp trip and it is a thrilling one!


I would like to start at the visitor center but I'm not sure we'll have car. My brother lives in Blaksburg VA and may drop us off.We rent a car in Wilmington and drive back.I'll have to wait and see.Thanks for your help. Mark


 



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Jack

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Mark,


We biked up the BRP from the Folk Art Center to Mt Mitchell on 4/29, and the rangers told us the BRP was opening immediately north of MM soon- partially in the next month or so. Try either mount.mitchell@ncmail.net or (828) 675-4611 to get first- hand info. We hear that one lane is open in the damaged areas just north of MM, but the park service frowns on biking thru there- it is an active construction zone at the moment.


Be prepared-snow was still on the ground in sheltered places, no water available yet at Craggy Gardens, rained on us for 2 hours, we were in the clouds, no where to obtain food or take shelter from the wind and cold.  I had on 4 layers and was shivering. As others have said, this is a strenuous and long climb...essentially, the BRP from the FAC to MM is one  L O N G uphill driveway. The good news is very little auto traffic now. Oh, watch out for Friday 5/20, that's the Assault on MM, and that area will bear a crunch of biking & support traffic.


Pls note: the BRP is also closed in the Linville Falls area, and they do not know when it'll re-open. It is completely closed to traffic.


Jack



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Tom

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I am riding the Asheville to Craggy Gardens route two to three times per week as my training for Bike Virginia the last of June. I am pleased to say--that at least for this week--the snow is gone. (-:  Also, by the signs, the Parkway is open from the Folk Art Center (just off 70 in Asheville) to the Mitchell turnoff 28 miles away.  (The section between Mitchell and Hwy 80--that is beyond Mt. Mitchell-- going northeast is still officially closed--although I don't know if bicycles are blocked as well.) Others have already mentioned that there are only three short downhills between the Art Center and Craggy. There is another three-mile downhill just after Craggy Visitor Center. Otherwise it is all up hill--usually between 3% and 6% grade allthough there probably are a few shorter 7% sectons. On my 32 mile round-trip route (to a couple miles short of the Craggy Visitor Center) it normally takes me 1/3rd the time to come back that it does going. Both up and down times get shorter with training but the relationship stays about the same. (-:  Whatever you do about the Mitchell ride, I feel sure you will enjoy your biking in the Asheville area and it is defintely worth coming a few days early to enjoy it if you can.

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Mark

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Thanks for all of your responses. Since we are coming for CNC we'll have to see what the weather conditions are at that time of year ie snow ect... as to weather we'll do Mitchell or not.When I cycled the BRP last year I was right at the park entrance and didn't ride to the top because of time restaints, I also knew I would regret not doing so.This may be the only chance I'll have to cycle to the top of the highest peak east of the Mississippi.Thanks again for your inputs!Mark

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JP

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Mark-hope you're still able to carve out some time to do Mitchell. The direction you would be coming is the same route we did this year on the Assault on Mt Mitchell. I had ridden up that stretch a couple of times on fresh legs and was able to do the 35 miles from Hwy 74 to the top in about 3+ hours. I can tell you it's a lot different after you've already ridden 80 miles and it has poured rained on you all day. Let's just say I finished the 117 miles but it got pretty ugly near the end.


The 4+ mile climb in the Park-it might help to know that the first half is probably the most difficult. Once you get to the little house after about 2+ miles it's not quite as bad. Just keep pressing on.


Bear in mind that at that time of the year the weather can be a lot different at the top than where you start. when I did a training ride in late April it was in the 60's in Asheville and I dressed for the 60's. By the time I had gotten to the top of Mitchell I had ridden through fog, SLEET, clouds and the temp dropped to 41 degrees. The worst part it was much colder going back down than climbing. One of the coldest experiences of my life!  It was a typical Mitchell day so plan for the unexpected!



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