Biking the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

May 4-13, 2008

Welcome to the page for the upcoming 2008 southbound Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway trip!
The 10-day trip is scheduled for May 4 - 13, 2008.  We will start in Front Royal, VA, spend two days cycling the Skyline Drive and eight days cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway, and finish in Cherokee, NC.  Send me an email if you are interested in joining the trip and I will add you to my email list so that you can join in the email discussions and planning.  As more cyclists join the group, it is fun to see the many questions, comments, etc.
Cycling the Blue Ridge Parkway is the hardest thing that I have ever done, but also one of the most thrilling.  I can't wait to get started!  Keep in mind that we are going on the trip to have fun and there is so much to see.  It isn't a race!  My goal each day is to have a great time, enjoy the incredible views, take a lot of photos, and to make it into camp before dark!
This trip is definitely a self-supported, fully-loaded trip (absolutely no SAG).  We carry clothes, tools, camping gear, food, etc.  We typically eat out maybe 25% of the time, which is about how often food is available!  Many sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway are quite remote and food is often scarce.  Sometimes there are nearby towns, but keep in mind that you never know what the roads are like when you leave the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Grades on the parkway are consistently 5-7% and nearly all curves can be taken at 45mph, so there are no sharp curves or switchbacks.  If you leave the parkway you might find yourself going down an incredibly steep road with one switchback after another.
Keep in mind that this is a very difficult trip.  Cycling 65 miles/day doesn't sound too bad, but with an average of 6000 ft of vertical climbs it is quite a challenge.  Although we enjoy stopping to explore a bit and to enjoy the views, we are basically cycling all day long!  A typical day might be getting up at 6am, eating breakfast and breaking camp to hit the road by 7:30am, and cycling all day to reach the next campground by 5pm.  Cycling the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway southbound means that the first three days will be a bit easier than average and the last few days will be the toughest, so we will have time to establish a good routine.  However, note that no days are easy on the BRP!

Follow the link below for a daily schedule.  It includes detailed information for each day of the trip. 
Also go back to the main page and follow the links for Elevation Charts, Climbing Tables, Gear, etc., for lots of helpful information.
When the trip gets closer, I will also post cue sheets for each day of the trip.  These are very useful and will list things to see, nearby towns, places to get water, etc., for each day.   I will let the group know by email when I post them.

Daily Schedule (starting and stopping points, campgrounds, miles per day, # feet climbed per day, etc.)
Cue Sheets (elevation profiles, points of interest, at mileposts, water, restrooms, restaurants, etc)

Author:  Paul Gordy
Email:  blueridgecyclist@cox.net