WNC Weekend & Tour de Tuck Recon

[KarenG]

Well, I'm up here in WNC and Andy has talked me into doing a recon ride of the Tour de Tuck route I'll be riding 9/20. We'll be leaving from the LBS in Sylva around 8am and hope to be finished in 4.5hr. The 'regulars' are probably able to finish in around 4hr.

Yesterday, I rode from Balsam at the Maintenence Facitlity at the BRP/19/23 up to Waterrock Knob. This was a 9mi climb, 2400' climbing. Not too hard actually. (and I know that the garmin shows something differently in the photos, but this elevation change is what Andy tells me it is).

A few pics from yesterday. All pics are from the climb up to Waterrock. (no pics from today, but will have pics from tomorrow's ride)
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02810800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02817800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02819800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02821800x600.jpg

Blueberries!
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02826800x600.jpg

At Waterrock Knob:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02831800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02830800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02829800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/DSC02828800x600.jpg

[Bob]

That is a nice lookin' bike, especially with that background. Enjoy!

Bob

[TheCullowheeClydesdale]

Looks like you are enjoying your weekend up here. I'm gonna try and get signed up for the TDT. I hope you didn't get rained out yesterday afternoon. I just got in from a ride. We did my old route through Cullowhee to Dillsboro and made the Airport Climb afterwards. We did 25 miles in 1:30 17 mph average, so not too bad. That Airport Climb whooped me a little bit. I should have it down pat soon enough though.

[KarenG]

sweet Chris! no, we didn't get rained on yesterday...

Saturday's Riding:
Andy and I started from somewhere over near Whittier and rode to the Road To Nowhere, which is part of the Great Smokey Nat'l Park. The road actually doesn't go anywhere. We had some good climbs, fun descents. The climbs ranged in the 6-7% range with a few sections just a bit more. No pics on this ride, as I forgot to put the memory card back in the camera and Andy wouldn't turn around to go back to the house to get it. :mad: We had 45mi, 2500' climbing, 3hr.

Sunday's TdT later tonight or tomorrow.

[TheCullowheeClydesdale]

Awesome! I love the Road to Nowhere. I'll have to ride out there soon.

[KarenG]

ha....someone who actually knows where i'm talking about! damn. i love riding up there!

[TheCullowheeClydesdale]

Yea. Have you been in the tunnel?

[KarenG]

no, we stopped at an overlook because neither of us felt like any more climbing. Andy rode the Pigeon Loop on friday, 52mi, 4500' and then the 2500' Saturday, and he knew what was instore for Sunday - 6000'. maybe another time.

[TheCullowheeClydesdale]

Ah. Yea it's all the way at the end. You walk through the tunnel, which is paved, and as soon as you step outside of the tunnel it's a hiking trail. It's pretty cool. No lights in the tunnel though.

[KarenG]

Well, seems like someone talked me into riding the Tour de Tuck this morning....It was a great route, not all that hard really, and had I actually been feeling better, would have liked it a whole bunch more. Auntie Flo decided to come along for the weekend in WNC and she is usually a real big pain (literally) the 1st & 2nd days. That's just my luck. :o

I felt great climbing up to Waterrock on Friday; about 9mi at 5-something %. Saturday, I didn't feel as good and could tell that this was not going to be a great weekend for riding. Usually don't ride during the first 2 days when she's here. Will take either an 800mg ibuprofen or a Vicoden and go to bed...

Anyways - I ate well Saturday evening (pasta & grilled italian sausage, salad) and got up around 6:30am this morning for a bowl of pasta and to get ready for the ride this morning. We drove down to the thrift store and then rode the bikes to the LBS in downtown Sylva. I didn't take too many pics...didn't want the regulars to think I was all touristy :). 3 other guys (Barry, Dave, Odell) plus me & Andy left the shop around 8am, out through Sylva & Dillsboro and a slight detour from the actual route. The actual route will take a right at (what's the road Andy?)___and head up an 8% grade. Yuck. We skipped this.

So, I'm not really sure what road we're on, but the wonderful NC DOT has put a concrete median barrier up and we rode on the paved inside shoulder. With tons of debris. It's a wonder no one got a flat. Oh wait! Someone did! Andy got the flat and he took his sweet time changing it. :D I'm just messing with you! I would have taken longer - well, probably not...I'd have just looked at one of you guys and asked for a change. I'm sure one of you would have fixed it for me. :)

After getting that fixed, our next turn had us immediately climbing. All of the guys kept telling me that this was the steepest climb you would see all day (save for the initial 8% climb). I was like, right, just like everything is 'just around the corner' that I get from Andy. :rolleyes: But, it turns out the guys weren't lying to me. There were only nice rollers on the remainder of the course to Cherokee. Stopped at a conv store and refilled bottles and bought some food as this was our only stop..

Left there and very soon we reached the BRP. This is where I said good-bye to everyone. I can climb decently (on a good day) for me, but today was not a good day. As I said, I usually forgo any strenuous activities right now, cause I feel real crappy. Well, this crappiness was in full force for today. I had NO power in my legs today. I was climbing at about 1.5 - 2mph slower today. I really don't think it was because of the grade or anything...just not a good day for climbing.

The first climb was something like 10mi in length and averaged 6-something % (6.3%) with a few steeper sections. Really, I think I will do just fine on 9/20 providing I don't have this freakin' "visitor" again. Beotch needs to just go away. Lots of beautiful views. Andy, nice guy that he is, waits on me at some of the overlooks..."you gonna make it??" "yep". And I continue to plod along at a freakin' snails pace. Eventually reach the crest and have a wonderful descent! Just bombed down - think I hit around 46mph. Reached Soco Gap, where Andy had left water for us. Filled up the bottles and headed out for the next climb.

This was the last climb...4.5-5mi up to Waterrock Knob, with the average grade 5-something % (5.8%). My legs were freakin' killing me at this stop. They hurt so bad. Seriously. Andy headed out, with me following slowly. Gawd, my legs hurt. Did I say that already?? My legs hurt. Ha. Anyways, I think someone could have walked faster than I was riding today. :( Andy just motors on and waits on me at the top. There are some times that I feel a little better and I'm moving along around 7-8mph. Musta been the 3 Gu's I ate. Dunno. But, those little times didn't last very long. I think if Andy had had his cell phone, I would have tried to call him and tell him to just go on and get the car and come back and get me. But, he didn't, and it wasn't an option. I had to finish the ride. I did dump all my water/Perpetuem about half way up this climb. I wasn't drinking anyways, so no use to carry that extra weight up the climb.

Finally make it to the top, where Andy is laying on the ground, probably sleeping. :rolleyes: I'm that far behind. Oh well - get his attention and then it's a 9mi descent down to the turn to town...then it's just a nice ride back to the car to spin the legs out.

60.3mi, 6000' climbing, ride time 5:15hr, pace=slow as hell. I think I can do this ride in 4.5hr next month (I hope).

[KarenG]

pics, as promised...
the first several are from the area from dillsboro/sylva on the way to Cherokee (Barry, Dave, Odell, Andy (pulling)):
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02833800x600.jpg

Great Looking Group of Guys:
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02835800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02837800x600.jpg

Starting the climbs on the BRP (Dave & Barry - MotionMakers jersey, Andy, Odell (not seen):
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02838800x600.jpg

The rest of these are on the BRP, mostly the first climb, as by the time I got to the second climb (climb up the backside of Waterrock, too tired/worn out to bother with taking pics - just concentrating on turning the pedals over to get the ride finished):
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02839800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02843800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02845800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02847800x600.jpg

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02852800x600.jpg

and the last one....me with a smile that belies the fact that i'm suffering greatly on this ride.....
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f75/khgulledge/WNC%20August%2015/August%2017/DSC02854800x600.jpg