# The Blue Ridge Challenge ride report



## lostPixels (Jun 12, 2012)

If you've ever browsed BikeWashington.org, you've probably read the description to one of their most difficult routes, the Blue Ridge Challenge: Blue Ridge Challenge

I took off work and decided to do this on my Trek FX 7.1 (cheapest trek hybrid) a couple of weeks ago. Holy **** was I not prepared.

The first 20 miles are not difficult, you cruise through some beautiful farmland with a backdrop of the mountains and impending pain. I got a flat here, but patched my tube and continued along. For the first hour and a half I barely drank water and didn't eat anything, eventually this caught up to me.











After you pass into town the first "hill" is visible. There are hills the whole way, but this is the first _big ***** of a hill_ type hill you see. As it says on the website, if this hill is difficult, you might as well turn around. Well, this hill is pretty damn difficult, I had to stop and granny gear it up. I was determined though.

After that it was more small hills and highway biking until the ridiculous climb that Bikewashington mentions. This hill is insane for anyone but the pros. I thought I knew what a climb was... I had no idea. It's straight up, with some lesser incline portions dispersed through the ascent of Mt. Weather. I had to walk a decent amount of it, I had to stop, I had to pee... I almost cried, and I almost paid for a ride back to my car. But I kept on going. Riding in granny gear until my legs couldnt go any further, then I'd walk for awhile, and hop back on.











After I reached the top, it was instantly worth it. Going 40mph+ on a hybrid bike down a windy mountain road is scary as ****, but it's also a thrill worth the prerequisite hour of hell that you go through. The road bends down the mountain with some amazing inclines and twists. 











At the bottom it's more highway riding, which I should also mention is pretty scary. There's a 1-2 mile hill downward that has a 1 foot shoulder, so you're going 35+mph in the highway with a foot of space as cars whip by you.











Around this time I stopped by a sign on the side of the road and tried to snap a "I'm a badass" photo of my bike and self. Well, I was supposed to turn there. In pursuit of vanity, I missed my turn and continued down the hill another 2 miles. It was a painful lesson going back up to make the turn. It also screwed up the mile calculations on my cue sheet that I was checking against my odometer. 











There's another climb after the country riding that really sucked. I ended up walking up some of that too. I was totally boinked and unprepared. 

In the end, I made it back to my car, with my biggest ride to date (60 miles) complete in 6 hours exactly. I felt great, as difficult as it was, I did it. It also really humbled me. 











I decided it was time for a real road bike, and last weekend I decided to buy a Scott S20. I'm working on my endurance, climbing and pacing, and hope to complete the entire ride in much less time.


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## JimF22003 (Apr 30, 2009)

It's a fun ride, isn't it? 

Now you need to try it going the other direction, or add a few miles by heading up Leeds Manor Road through Hume or Orlean.

This is some amazingly beautiful country. There's no way I would have tried that ride on a hybrid though. Good for you, and maybe it's just as well you didn't know what you were in for


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## lostPixels (Jun 12, 2012)

JimF22003 said:


> It's a fun ride, isn't it?
> 
> Now you need to try it going the other direction, or add a few miles by heading up Leeds Manor Road through Hume or Orlean.
> 
> This is some amazingly beautiful country. There's no way I would have tried that ride on a hybrid though. Good for you, and maybe it's just as well you didn't know what you were in for


I am going to try it on my road bike next time... I have to imagine it'll make a big difference. 

The scenery was terrific, and cycling is such a better way to experience it than riding through in a car.


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## Dream Plus (Feb 4, 2004)

Yah Man! I've done that ride a couple of times. I Parked off 66. Beautiful horse country scenery, some climbing, and nice descents. I've was intrigued by Skylands Meadows. I'll have to go back sometime.


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## nightfend (Mar 15, 2009)

Mt.Weather is actually not a difficult climb once you get some riding under your legs. There are plenty of other climbs in that area that are more difficult. But riding by that semi-secret military installation is kind of cool.


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