# Blue Ridge Extreme training routes?



## MarcelDuchamp (Jan 22, 2004)

The Blue Ridge extreme century seems like the perfect challenge to end the summer with. I'm wondering if anyone knows of some difficult climbs that aren't too far from DC that can help me prepare for this monster. I've done Mt Weather and neighboring hills, and some stuff in and around catoctin, but neither had anything like an 8 mile climb with 2.3 miles at 11% (harp hill road gets really steep, but not for that long). So what should I do? More stuff around catoctin, maybe Skyline? What other stuff is out there? thanks a lot


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

The best I can think of is the Front Royal Loop. You climb up to the Shyline Drive(4miles) and follow it intill you reach rt 211. Follow that into Luray and you will cross Massanutton (sp?) Mtn. Thats a 10% 3mile climb. You then go back to Front Royal thru the vally. Total is around 85 miles. If your interested I will look up the exact route or I think its listed in several guides to biking in Va.

BTW the Rt 211 pass over the mountains is a great climb on it own but I don't know the grade. Park at Sperryville off of Rt 211 and head left on 211. The decent into Luray is great. Just turn around and go back. Its a real leg burner. 

Have you done the Blood Sweat and Gears century out of Boone NC? Boone is home to the best road and mtn biking on the east coast. The Tour Dupont raced thru there several times so you can ride some rated climbs. Its a bit of a drive but if you have a few days to train down in Boone it will flaten out everything around here:thumbsup:


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## MarcelDuchamp (Jan 22, 2004)

Thanks for the suggestion, I am very interested in the route, if you want to look it up I would be very grateful. And damn, I gotta get down to NC, that century sounds as rough as the tour of the California Alps.


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## homebrew (Oct 28, 2004)

Start at the visotors center on E main street in Front Royal
Turn Right on East Main
.2 Turn left on Royal Ave/340
>6 go straight at light
1.1 thrn left at Shanandoah Park entrance ($5 fee)
5.9 Dicky Ridge rest room
25.1 Elkwallow (food)
32.5 exit Parkway and turn right on 211 west
32.9 Fast decent with switchbacks!
39.3 turn left on 211 business
41.0 food
42.1 turn right on North Broad/340
42.2 turn left on Mechanic Street/675
43.8 stay straight as road becomes Bixlers Ferry
45.7 turn left on Egypts Crossing after crossing the river (bridge bumpy, slow down)
46.2 turn right on Fort Vally (this climbs over the mtn for 3 miles at a 10 to 11% grade)
50.7 bear right and stay on 675
54.0 Straight to stay on 678, 675 turns left
61.1 country store (last food stop before Front Royal)
72.6 turn right on Mountain road/619
73.2 stay on 619
77.0 left to rivermount/619
81.3 turn left on 340 north (traffic!)
82.4 Go straight at light on South Royal/340
82.8 turn right on east main
83 visitors center
repete


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