If you like riding in the mountains, then you'll love this ride. It includes LONG climbs, short climbs, gradual climbs, and one of the steepest climbs in North Carolina. In Blowing Rock, you can start in the vicinity of the public park (which is right in the middle of downtown). Leave you vehicle near the Fire Station on Park Street. There are public restrooms, which are useful for changing clothes before and after the ride. Start out with a beautiful descent down Shulls Mill Road. The climb between Valle Crusis and Banner Elk on NC194 is breath taking (you'll know what I mean). The ascent of Beech Mt is something that, as a cyclist, you just HAVE to do (like the "Assault on Mt Mitchell" or "Bridge to Bridge"). Hickory Nut Gap is a really great road, with a gradual climb and a long descent (when going toward Newland). There's another 2 mile climb between Linville the entrance to Grandfather Mountain. After that, US221 offers one of the most beautiful stretches of cycling roads you've ever ridden. It's a great ride, but it's also a tough one with about 6000' of climbing. Enjoy!
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Blowing Beech |
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| At | Turn | Go | On Segment | Notes |
| 0.0 | Start in Blowing Rock @ Fire Station | Park Avenue | ||
| 0.0 | Left | 0.1 | US321 Main Street (Blowing Rock) | |
| 0.1 | Left | 1.6 | US221 - South | |
| 1.7 | Right | 5.0 | 1557 Shulls Mill Road | Go Under Parkway |
| 6.7 | Right | 0.7 | 1568 Old Shulls Mill Road | |
| 7.4 | Right | 0.8 | NC105 - North | |
| 8.2 | Left | 2.8 | 1112 Broadstone Road | |
| 11.0 | Left | 7.5 | NC194 | Through Banner Elk |
| 18.5 | Right | 3.5 | NC184 | Up Beech Mountain |
| 22.0 | Around | 3.5 | NC184 | Down Beech Mountain |
| 25.5 | Left | 0.4 | NC194 | Back To Banner Elk |
| 25.9 | Right | 0.5 | NC184 | Right at Light |
| 26.4 | Right | 7.2 | 1342 Hickory Nut Gap Road | |
| 33.6 | Left | 0.5 | 1345 Watauga Street (Newland) | |
| 34.1 | Left | 3.0 | NC181 | To Linville |
| 37.1 | Straight | 17.7 | US221 - North (Straight at Linville Light) | Past Grandfather Mt |
| 54.8 | Right | 0.1 | US321 Main Street (Blowing Rock) | |
| 54.9 | Right | FINISH in Blowing Rock | ||
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