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0-89587-283-8
978-0-89587-283-8
$14.95 paperback
5 X 7¼
176 pages
50 black-and-white photographs
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Four years
ago, discouraged and depleted from his illness, Lance Armstrong traveled
to Boone, North Carolina, in a last-ditch effort to get his cycling
career back on track. Through fog and chilly rains, Armstrong attacked
the rugged hills of the High Country. After a grueling climb to the top
of Beech Mountain, Armstrong knew he was back.
In his
autobiography, It’s Not About the Bike, Armstrong said, “Boone
began to feel like the Holy Land to me, a place I had come to on a
pilgrimage. If I ever have any serious problems again, I know that I
will go back to Boone and find an answer.”
If you’ve
biked in the Blue Ridge High Country, it’s no surprise that the
mountains helped turn Armstrong around. Here, road cyclists can find
natural beauty, challenging climbs, and exhilarating descents, if
they know where to go. Road Cycling the Blue Ridge High Country
now makes this information available for everyone.
In this guide, Murphy gives detailed descriptions of more than 25 routes
that cover six mountain and foothill counties in the northwestern corner
of North Carolina as well as counties in southwestern Virginia and
northeast Tennessee. The terrain on these rides varies from nearly flat
to almost wall-like. Elevations on the rides range from 5,500 feet above
sea level down to 1,000 feet.
With each tour, you’ll find a short synopsis of the ride, an in-depth
description of what you’ll encounter, detailed directions, information
about road characteristics and cautions, elevation details accompanied
by an elevation chart, a map of the route, a list of food and services
along the route, and other options for outdoor activities nearby.
Whether you’re a visiting cyclist looking for routes suitable for your
abilities or a resident cyclist in search of some new favorites, Road
Cycling the Blue Ridge High Country is the perfect guide to an area
that Bicycling magazine says offers “some of the best road
riding in the world.”
about
t he author
Tim Murphy, who originally trained as a journalist at UNC-Chapel
Hill, has worked as a reporter and photographer for three small
newspapers in North Carolina. For the last 24 years, he has been a
high-school guidance counselor. He is the webmaster and promotions
coordinator for the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club and writes a regular
column on cycling for the Wilkes County Journal-Patriot
newspaper. He has lived in Wilkes County, located in the Blue Ridge
foothills, since 1976.
Check out Tim's website, http://blueridgebiking.tripod.com,
for more tips on cycling the high country.
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