PACTour Eastern Mts - Day 3 Into the Mountains

Last night at dinner, Lil Kim, aka Cav, caught this critter. Look familiar? Hint, look thru the previous day's blog....

Kim was in search of magic potions today and found this for me. Wonder how a Cougar reacts to Badger sore muscle rub??

The room was wonderful, on the river. So peaceful.

Of course a town named "Cherokee" would sell Mocassins!

Into the Great Smoky Mountains. Our first major mountain range of the Tour. Sorry bout the shaky picture. The sun is low in the am and the iPhone dislikes low light conditions.

Today we entered the Blue Ridge Parkway. Which we will ride the next 4-5 days!

All of the ridges and gaps have, err, interesting names. Here Ann poses with Contador (Lil Kim is no longer Cav, but Contador after today's ride) and Spartaca.

Me taking a picture of Lon taking a picture of the girls climbing. Tourists??

"What kind of Bump?!?!"

We were well above the clouds at spots today. Or perhaps those are smoke signals from Cherokee, where we had no Mobile phone or internet service last night??

Spartaca practicing her descending technique. Training wheels?

Flowers at 5000 feet.

Contador and Spartaca made some new friends at the "highest point of the ride." Contador calls this "sharing the road!!)

Climbing to the 2nd rest stop. The climbs were steady 6-7% all the way.

The Devils Court house. The Indians called the devil "judakula." There is a cave in these omnious rocks and the legend is that the devil held court in here.

Jenny was stoked after the 2nd 5+ mile descent (made us forget the 7 mile climbs to get there, right? Right?!?!)

Ah, the provie. Immediately into a Cat 1, followed by a Cat 4 the Cat 3. 8000 feet (of 10,500) climbing in the first 45 miles (to lunch.) The next 45 was smooth and alotta downhill!!

Ascent view of the day. 85 of 89 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I hate to hyperbolize, but this was probably the best ride I have ever done. The roods were like glass (apparently North Carolina doesn't believe in chip seal.) The climbing was tough. The descents were fast and safe. The only time we had to brake was when we came upon a "Spiral Curve." Yes there was a "Spiral Curve" sign (which I had never been to before.

We started in Cherokee (actually I thought about faking an injury and staying at the hotel, it was on the river and so peaceful.) We started riding at 2000' and had climbed to 6000' in the first 15 miles. It was cool but super humid.

We rode through at least 12 tunnels (mostly short.) which was cool. On the parkway we are required (and all had) to have a rear and front lights. We were supposed to ride in groups of 1-3 which was easy given the toughness of the course.

There were prolly 50 areas to stop and overlook the Smoky Mountains. The air was drier and cool the higher we got. The descents rocked. The company was perfect.

Lebowski made a Floyd Landis like comeback today. Carefully tending to his pulled calf muscle overnight paid off and he made this tough tough ride. He had to sag in from 10 miles to go due to the biblical rainstorm which made the last stretch of the parkway and to the hotel dangerous. We were all standing in said rainstorm at the hotel, waiting for our rooms to become available which was fun also.

Great meal tonight, at the Fiddling Pig. Great Barbeque and Bluegrass music!! We bought the CD.

If you ever have a chance to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway - grab it. Better than riding in Silver City, my previous favorite.

Unfortunately we lost Contador today, speedy recovery to her better half!!

Til Tomorrow. The Queen stage of the Tour. Back on the Blue Ridge Parkway, with a Mt. Mitchell option. Sposed to be rainy and highs mid-70's!!