• Wear a bicycle helmet
• Be sure your bicycle is in good operating condition.  Carry a spare tube and tools for minor repairs.
• Wear high visibility clothing.  It sets you apart from the scenery and more visible to motorists.
• Carry a cellular phone to report emergencies but remain aware that there are many dead spots with no cell coverage in many National Park areas.  You may need to change locations to make a call.
• Avoid riding during periods of low visibility.  Fog and rain may occur unpredictably.  Reschedule your trip or allow time for flexibility to ride during periods of better weather conditions.
• Use caution when riding through tunnels.  There are 26 tunnels in North Carolina and 1 tunnel in Virginia.  It is recommended that you have an illuminated light on the front of your bike and light or reflectors on the rear.
• Temperatures vary greatly with elevation and aspect changes in mountainous areas.  Wear clothing in layers.  Hypothermia can be deadly, so take precautions to prevent it.
• Safe drinking water is available on a seasonal basis at park facilities.  Many parks will winterize water lines and systems by the end of October.  Be sure to check on what facilities are open and bring adequate water with you.  Do not drink unpurified water from streams and springs within even the most pristine park areas.  There are no areas within the United States now free from bacteria that will wreak havoc with your digestive system.
• Make an honest evaluation of your abilities before beginning a bicycle trip.  Do your research and determine what elevation changes you will be challenged by.  As an example you can find such information for the Blue Ridge Parkway at: http://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=238496
• When cycling with a group, adjust your spacing to be single file and allow for motor vehicles to pass safely.

If driving a motor vehicle rather than pedaling a bicycle, be alert for cyclists and be sure to

Although most roadways through National Park areas do not allow commercial vehicles and large trucks you will still encounter tour busses, motor homes, and vehicles pulling trailers.  Be alert for such traffic and always assume that a possible hazard may be around each blind curve.

In 2005 a contactor was given the job of examining the bicycle use on The Blue Ridge Parkway and the feasibility of building a bike trail along 469 mile length of the park.  Although cycling is commonly found anywhere on the Parkway the study conducted by David Evans and Associates found that most of the day use was concentrated in four areas.

Waynesboro :: Mile Post 0 – 14

Roanoke :: Mile Post 105 – 121

Boone/Blowing Rock :: Mile Post 270 – 305

Asheville :: Mile Post 375 – 398

The Study’s look at the possibility of constructing a multi-use or bicycle trail along the length of the Blue Ridge Parkway found that in only 20% of the park would it be physically practicable for such construction.  The majority of this would be in the Roanoke area.  Such construction would take millions of dollars and at present there are no plans to even plan such a major project.

Watch for future blog entries with more information on bicycle use on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The tour is now in its third year -a scenic 63 mile long bicycle ride with nearly half the distance along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.

Family affair it is, because all the house members pitch in the night before to bake home-made oatmeal-raisen and scumptous chocolate chip cookies.

We are soliciting your comments and suggestions for next year’s tour. Let’s hear them? You say, “more cookies?”

Scott Berry at the North Carolina / Virginia line ...

During my cycling trip of the Parkway, I experienced 3 days of pouring rain. However, the beauty, closeness with nature and wonderful roads made the journey very memorable. I hope to celebrate my 50th birthday in two years witrh a return trip.

Further …

I have to tell you that my bicycling trip on the Parkway was something that I will never forget. Coming from the flat lands of Illinois I found the road surfaces to be very good, the views to be breathtaking and the cycling in the mountains to be very challenging.

While it was quite a relief to finally see the final mile marker, I hated that the journey had ended. This is a trip that I will take again someday.

Thanks again for the e-mail and keep up the great work preserving the Parkway. I truly consider this one of the greatest man made accomplishments east of the Mississippi!

Scott Berry

Tom Sheffield and Allen Walker at the Craggy Visitor Center

South to north cycling trip. Rode with a friend (Allen Walker) and my daughter, Maggie, who drove our support vehicle. We stayed in motels in Asheville, Blowing Rock, Stuart, and Lynchburg. Took a nap (in the support vehicle) during a thunder storm near the state line. Found myself in some strange gear ratios (53:27) or (39:12) due to the persistent up-and-down terrain that numbs the mind, as well as the legs!

A National Treasure!

Steve Talevi at the end of his journey and the Blue Ridge Parkway

These are words I could use countless times to describe my recent nine-day bicycle journey along the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) from Waynesboro, Va., to Cherokee, N.C. Indeed, their use would become monotonous if I described only the views of the mountains and valleys from my bicycle. However, the people I met and my experiences along the 469-mile long parkway resulted in lifetime memories.

The hills and mountains of the BRP define it. I quickly learned that on the BRP, either I would be going up or down; level ground does not occur often. Indeed, the nearly nine-mile long climb from Glendale Springs to north of Benge Gap allowed me to coast (and rest) three miles to milepost (MP) 270. Similarly, the very next climb was rewarded with a three mile downhill coast into Deep Gap. The downgrade extending from U.S. 221 near MP 305 to Linville Falls Visitors Center at MP 316 would only serve as a respite and warning for what was to come: the approach to Mount Mitchell and the 17-mile climb from south of the French Broad River at MP 393 to Frying Pan Tunnel at MP 410.

“Gap.” I learned to despise the word. Whenever I saw signs that read something like “Deep Gap,” or “Gillespie Gap,” I knew that my downhill ride was soon to end and that an uphill climb would soon begin. “Enjoy it while you can,” I told myself many times as I sped down a hill. Indeed, at the end of many such runs, I found myself throwing the bike into 21st gear in a vain attempt to pedal and coast to the top of the next hill. I finally realized what a true cyclist or a physicist already knows: what takes two hours to ascend takes only 15 minutes to descend.

After having spent the night at Bluff’s Lodge at MP 241, I planned to pedal to Price Campground at MP 297. A great motivator for the nearly 60-mile trip was my belief that an all-you-can-eat restaurant was only 18 miles away at MP 259. I stopped along the way about two miles before reaching the much-anticipated restaurant, and the clerk, upon learning my plans for an early lunch, exclaimed, “The Gathering Place? Oh, Honey, that place has been closed for at least three years!” I never even saw the remains of the restaurant as I pedaled down the road.

Three detours along the BRP were in place at the time I took my trip. The first detour was at MP 287. The detour was necessary due to work being done on a bridge. A big step over the gap in the bridge, bike in hand, and a wave to the workers, and I continued on my way. I was not so lucky with the second detour. As I approached the barricade, a Park Ranger approached me from the other direction. In response to my questions, he politely advised me that the rangers were not allowing anyone on the closed portion of the BRP, that the gap in the bridge under repair was about five feet wide, and that the gorge over which the bridge spanned was over 150 feet deep. He offered to show me a short cut through the detour and gave me a bottle of water.

Visitors come from miles around to see and traverse Linn Cove Viaduct at MP 304. The Linn Cove Viaduct is a stretch of highway that sticks out over the mountainside and is a feat of engineering to behold. From a great distance away, that is. The viaduct is not popular with bicyclists who have a fear of heights and a fear of going over bridges. I could not pedal fast enough over the viaduct.

After having spent the night at Price Campground, Christa’s Country Corner at MP 312 provided just the right respite. I had enjoyed a large dinner the night before of freeze-dried chicken and rice teriyaki, but I decided not to eat breakfast in favor of trying to reach my goal of Mount Mitchell at MP 355. I arrived at Christa’s at about 10 a.m. and met the energetic ladies who make Christa’s a special stop along the BRP; the homemade soup hit the spot.

At MP 333, I encountered the first of 26 tunnels in North Carolina along the BRP, Little Switzerland Tunnel. This 542 foot-long structure made of stone and mortar was thrilling and interesting through which to ride because of its natural appearance and convenience. (Going through a mountain beats the heck out of going over it.) Eventually, however, I would learn that tunnels, with their sudden darkness and less maintenance, are a greater hazard for a bicyclist than the ordinary roadway of the BRP. My first lesson occurred when I went from bright daylight to the pitch black of an unlit tunnel. My eyes, not yet adjusted to the new conditions, offered no help as I tried to figure out where in the roadway I was. As if being visually impaired was not bad enough, I was distracted from my task of staying on the paved roadway by the roar of a passing Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was amplified by the tunnel. By the time I reached Rattlesnake Mountain Tunnel at MP 465, only the name prevented me from attempting to traverse the mountain it went through.

My trip ended at Oconaluftee Visitor Center at MP 469. While I was waiting for my ride home, a well-traveled East German gal and I chatted about our bicycling experiences. Hers occurred mostly in Europe on a three-speed bike that she cobbled together from used parts from other bikes. After listening to my just-concluded adventure, she told me, “If a lawyer can take the bike, there is hope for the world.”

I hope that she is more right than not.

Peggy and Ron Thompson on The Assault

June 9 – Completed the Assault on Mt. Mitchell on a tandem – really a hot day!

June 11 – 19 – Started our tour of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Single bikes with packs. Camped. South to north. Beautiful weather, rhodos, flame azalea and kalmia. It’s a whole different world living on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Already thinking about going back!

Bike Safely - Be Visible!

Imagine that it is almost dusk, the sun is low and suddenly you are challenged by a form in front of you that looks like a bicyclist, but is it?

Wearing colors that contrast with the surroundings are a must for Parkway riders. If you are one of the lucky ones to ride on the Parkway when the weather is perfect, you are always riding into and out of shadows.

WEAR BRIGHT COLORS TO HELP MOTORISTS IDENTIFY YOU FOR YOU YOU ARE!

One of the best additions to the cyclists armamentarium in recent years is the “blinky”. These LED (light emitting diodes) lights are magical for allowing motorist to see you up the road, even in bright sunlight. They send an instant message even to the near asleep end-to-ender Parkway thru driver that there is danger ahead.

WEAR A BLINKY!

Signal Your Intentions

HAND SIGNALS SHOULD BE MADE WITH THE LEFT HAND BECAUSE THAT IS THE SIDE WHERE DRIVERS EXPECT YOU TO MAKE THEM. The photo to the left does not represent the best practice.

There is another reason, particularly if you are preparing to make a turn. The left hand controls the front brake which has the greatest braking power, but the bicycle becomes very unstable if you are applying hand brake pressure with the handle bars slightly turned. I have seen many riders (and motorcyclists particularly) go down when this technique has been used. Remember, give yourself that extra stopping distance needed by applying right brake pressure (i.e. to the rear wheel).

Safe Bicycling on the Blue Ridge Parkway

I confess … I feel safe on the Parkway at all times when I am riding my bike. But I have been doing it all my life and rode competively for many years elbow to elbow in pelotons traveling at 35 miles + down hills and in curves. … at my age now I wouldn’t so my advice to you today is for any age and any level of experience …

RIDE IN A GROUP AND IN SINGLE FILE!

Making it nearly impossible for an automobile to pass a string of bikes except in a good visibility situation is best practice. There will remain the daredevils filled with impatience and road rage which will make an unsafe move no matter what size your line. In a group, the biker at the rear of the string has the responsibility of informing those up the line that there is a “car back!” so that all the riders know that there is a vehicle probably wishing to pass. That gives the cyclists the opportunity to move to the right as close to the right as a rider’s skill level will allow.

Overlooks and pullouts should always be used by cyclists to allow automobile traffic to pass. You don’t need to stop in the overlook, only reduce your speed to allow automobiles to saftely pull through.

I have only (1) major concern for someone that needs to really give thought about bicyles on the Blue Ridge Parkay. A lot of folks come to bike and enjoy and leave scared to death. If anyone thinks by putting up \”biking\” signs on the side of the road makes its safe really needs a reality check. Lets make funds available to put a bike lane. Today there are more bikers than ever and more trails than ever. Let folks enjoy there family/clubs time but safey should always be #1. There is now and always been only room for two vehicles on the parkway, God forbid if there is camper travling. Either fix the problem or take the signs down. Right now even motorist are in danger as well.

The national audience regards the Blue Ridge Parkway as one of the grandest bike routes in the United States because of its mostly gentle grades and yes, low traffic volume. One would expect that bicycle / automobile incidents would be fairly common; but the fact is, that they are not. Almost no accidents between cars and bikes occur within a season and the belief that the Parkway is unsafe for joint use seems to be untrue. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Bike lanes have been suggested a number of times by various interest groups for the Parkway but we must remember that the Parkway was created in 1935 as a pictorial canvas and as the largest landscape architecture construction project in the history of the United States. The Parkway is now poised to be designated National Historic Landmark and to change the Parkway’s aesthetic character by widdening the road, creating bike lanes, whatever … would significantly alter the Parkway’s original design intent and signigicantly alter the subliminal experience that our travelers currently enjoy.

More later about biking the Parkway safetly …