# Blue Ridge Extreme Roll Call



## lstocks (Apr 9, 2002)

I've done the BRE 4 of the past 5 years, but the new course seems like it might be at another level of difficulty, at or above Mountains of Misery, for example. Cramming in three major climbs instead of two, and ending with the slog up Wintergreen, could be brutal particularly on a hot and humid day. 

Are many people riding staying at Wintergreen?


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## bas (Jul 30, 2004)

lstocks said:


> I've done the BRE 4 of the past 5 years, but the new course seems like it might be at another level of difficulty, at or above Mountains of Misery, for example. Cramming in three major climbs instead of two, and ending with the slog up Wintergreen, could be brutal particularly on a hot and humid day.
> 
> Are many people riding staying at Wintergreen?


how'd it go? looked like perfect weather

was it chilly at the start?


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## VaughnA (Jun 3, 2003)

BRE is this weekend the 24th. I've done it before but I think I'm going to skip it this weekend. Good luck on the ride, it's going to be one of the hardest centuries in the east. And you better hope it's cool when you head up Reed's gap.


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## lstocks (Apr 9, 2002)

Well--it ceratinly was the Beast of the East! Of Mountains of Misery, Assault on Mt. Mitchell, Mountain Mama, and now BRE this year, I'd have to say BRE is the toughest. That third climb at the end was a killer---even with relatively cool, dry conditions. I can't imagine how hard it would be with 90 degrees and humidity. I got a 7:50 and felt glad to do it in that!


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## kramerski (Feb 21, 2005)

lstocks said:


> I got a 7:50 and felt glad to do it in that!


Had you done BRE in years past? If so, what was your time on the old route?


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## lstocks (Apr 9, 2002)

I've done the old BRE every year but 2006. My best time was 2007, when I did 6:50 total (6:40 on the bike). I guess the extra mountain added just about 1 hour to my time year over year.


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## kramerski (Feb 21, 2005)

That's pretty good, an hour longer for an extra climb.

I rode a 6:28 in '05 and a 6:18 in '06. Actaully rode it better in '05 but stopped a lot less in '06.

How did you like the climb up past Crabtree Falls? It is bear to find a rhythm at first but it is nice after that. The little break near near the general store is nice too!

I've done the double metric century at Mtns of Misery and the old BRE and thought the old BRE had the harder steeper climbs, with that new climb and the finish in Wintergreen it must have been tough!

Good job, I wanted to do it this year but with 4 month old twins at home my longest ride since early April is only 2 hours (plus 10 extra pounds). I plan on doing BRE and IronCross next fall.


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## VaughnA (Jun 3, 2003)

I did it in 06. Finished in 7:15 Total time. I lost a bit of time when I slipped getting back on after a rest on Reeds. I had to wait for sag and a first aid kit. Ended up needing 9 stitches on my leg from the chainring. I think that if it is hot Reeds is worse than mtn lake (I've done both in the heat). 

Have they posted results?


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## lstocks (Apr 9, 2002)

The climb up past Crabtree Falls didn't seem too bad. I had never been up that way before--only down, but a guy I rode with for a while had a nice adjective for the climb--"mellow". It never is too steep, and has a number of places where it flattens out, if only for a few yards of rest. As you know, Vesuvius and Wintegreen never really give you any recovery spots, and they both have some damn steep pitches in them. I still think the last climb of Mtn. Lake on MoM, especially on a hot day, is harder than Wintergreen, but I think its actually longer than the Wintergreen climb (especially when you add on the part south of Route 460 where the final climb really begins), so that might make me think that way.


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