# Where to Ride in the Outer Banks?



## burger (May 7, 2004)

I will be going on vacation to the Outer Banks this May. I'll be staying somewhere in South Nags head. I'm looking for some routes to ride while I'm there so I don't get completely out of shape since this is right in the middle of race season. I would like to ride where there are less cars but this may not be a possibility. Can anyone recommend a shop/ map/ website where I can look up some rides. Anywhere between 20-45 miles is more than enough since it is vacation.  thanks
burger


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## collins (Jul 26, 2004)

burger said:


> I will be going on vacation to the Outer Banks this May. I'll be staying somewhere in South Nags head. I'm looking for some routes to ride while I'm there so I don't get completely out of shape since this is right in the middle of race season. I would like to ride where there are less cars but this may not be a possibility. Can anyone recommend a shop/ map/ website where I can look up some rides. Anywhere between 20-45 miles is more than enough since it is vacation.  thanks
> burger


My experience is that riding anywhere on the Outer Banks is a PITA....
its always windy, lots of sand blowing on the roads and the drivers are not
even a little bit biker friendly...take an indoor trainer or better yet
your running shoes....

My2cents,

Paul


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## jch2112 (Feb 5, 2004)

I have to agree with the other poster, bring your running shoes. But, I did find this after a little googling, http://www.outerbankschamber.com/vguide/bicycling.cfm I'd drive the route before deciding to ride it.


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## burger (May 7, 2004)

Yea I found that too along with some other stuff. I'm looking for a bike shop or something in the area that might have an organized ride I can get in on. I've heard it's nothing but traffic but I was hoping there would be enough back roads that I could string together a ride.



jch2112 said:


> I have to agree with the other poster, bring your running shoes. But, I did find this after a little googling, http://www.outerbankschamber.com/vguide/bicycling.cfm I'd drive the route before deciding to ride it.


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## packfill (Mar 4, 2004)

*Outer Bank riding...*

Last summer I took my road bike on a one week vacation on the Outer Banks. It is one long straight dead flat road which has a small shoulder for long sections and is fairly smooth. In the intermittent "towns" the road is bumpier. In some places the shoulder is gone. People drive fairly fast and in the summer it is one long line of cars. The wind always blows like stink so you go one direction at 16-17 mph for as long as you can stand it and then go back at 28. After about 10 minutes the best scenery is watching your computer tick away 1/100's of a mile. I gave up mid week and sat on the beach. Good Luck.

PS you can't get off the Banks unless you are near the north end which is very crowded and it is a long drive.


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## Pepe (Jun 24, 2004)

burger said:


> I will be going on vacation to the Outer Banks this May. I'll be staying somewhere in South Nags head. I'm looking for some routes to ride while I'm there so I don't get completely out of shape since this is right in the middle of race season. I would like to ride where there are less cars but this may not be a possibility. Can anyone recommend a shop/ map/ website where I can look up some rides. Anywhere between 20-45 miles is more than enough since it is vacation.  thanks
> burger


I'm probably not helping you much this year, but consider the southern outer banks if you want to bicycle on vacation at the outer banks. Of course, if bicycling is the focus of your vacation, you probably would go to Europe or out West. I've been going to Emerald Isle (near Atlantic Beach & Morehead City) every July/August since the Mid 80's. Emerald Isle is on Bogue Banks, which is about a 30 mile island (east-west instead of north-south like the others) with mostly family oriented beaches. There's ony one real road that goes anywhere, the main drag (US 58), which has a good shoulder, except for a 2 mile stretch at the western end, and generally bicycle friendly traffic. I've found the time to go is early in the morning (helps curtail staying up too late!!!). Traffic before about 10:00 is light, and the wind is at its lightest in the morning. There are some killer winds at times generally prevailing from the West, but they can change. I've had people tell me the area around Nags Head/ Hatteras is not so good, but I've not ridden there myself. No shoulder, bad / unfriendly traffic, killer winds. Might be better in May before the crowds hit, though (except for the wind). The water on Bogue Banks is warmer because it's closer to the gulf stream than Nags head, where it has already started to veer off east into the Atlantic.

Good luck!! If you do ride, you can certainly work on your most aero position!!


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## johnbspinnen' (Mar 12, 2005)

*Do the Bridge!*



burger said:


> I will be going on vacation to the Outer Banks this May. I'll be staying somewhere in South Nags head. I'm looking for some routes to ride while I'm there so I don't get completely out of shape since this is right in the middle of race season. I would like to ride where there are less cars but this may not be a possibility. Can anyone recommend a shop/ map/ website where I can look up some rides. Anywhere between 20-45 miles is more than enough since it is vacation.  thanks
> burger


Everything everyone says about the wind/drivers/roads is true.  

However if you are in South Nags Head you can take Rt 64 towards Manteo. You get to do a nice bridge which you can even do repeats on if you're in the mood. I'm from Virginia Beach which is as flat as OBX so we're used to bridge repeats for hill workouts. You can continue out west on Rt 64 which does have a wide shoulder, even a bike lane in parts, as far as you want then return. You can also turn south after the bridge onto Rt 264 ahich is even less crowded. Rt 64 gets very little car traffic especially compared to 158 and the bypass in Nags HEad. Mainly fishermen and locals out that way, but I'd still ride early. The wind that time of year is predominantly SW so you wouldn't be directly into it either way.

Dont know what time in May you're going down but there's a nice easy century less than 1 hour away in Elizabeth City on May 7th :

http://www.rivercitycyclingclub.com/

We do a Tour de Cure Century every year at the end of April from Virginia to Manteo and that bridge is a welcome sight as it's only 4-5 miles from the finish.

HAve a nice vacation and ride safe.


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