Holy hell that was hard. Last night I rode a big 'ole gravel/pavement loop/figure 8. Starting at the French Broad River overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway(BRP)->191->Bent Creek Gap Rd->FS479->BRP->NC276->FS1206->FS5000->BRP back to the Jeep. I started at 8:15 and wasn't done until just past 1AM.
47 miles, 8050 climbing. 25 miles of pavement, 22 miles of gravel.
the start
North Carolina! Hell Yeah! (Garage just before the first gravel of the night)
Water refill at the Pisgah Inn
The turn to 276 off the parkway
Starting to feel shelled at Pilot Rock trailhead. I didn't break out the camera again after this.
Oh, thanks to Mike B. for identifying the dozens of birds that dove across my headlight. Swifts.
