Cashiers, NC riding

[Andy_TN]

I'll be in Cashiers next week for a brief vacation -- thought about taking the road bike. What are the roads/highways like around there? Routes not to miss or ones to avoid? Thanks in advance.

Andy

[wolfpack]

get in touch with BikeWNC or maybe cooperwx; those are the few that i can think of who may be able to help you.

[BikeWNC]

I'll be in Cashiers next week for a brief vacation -- thought about taking the road bike. What are the roads/highways like around there? Routes not to miss or ones to avoid? Thanks in advance.

Andy

Hey Andy, (great name). There is awesome riding around Cashiers. Many of the climbs are steep so be strong or have the right gearing. Check out the rides (http://www.motionmakersbikes.com/html/area_ride_maps.html) from the local bike shop.

I especially like The Ring of Fire ride. Tough climbs though. There are also great valley rides down towards Franklin, Couple of tips. US 64 can be really busy with people commuting to jobs in Highlands and Cashiers. NC 107 is not a good road to ride unless you start very early. If you wanted to ride in the Franklin valley I usually ride Tuesday and Thursday mornings while my daughter is in gymnastics. You are welcome to join me.

[Andy_TN]

BikeWNC:

Thanks very much for the info! I've also found the TourDeCashiers website -- any comments on the routes posted there? I appreciate the offer to ride, I'm just not sure yet of when I'll be able to get away (or how far you are from Cashiers) -- plus, coming from pancake FLAT Florida (not in TN anymore, as my username suggests), I'm sure I'll almost be walking up these climbs :) Lastly, when would you say the roads start to get busy with commuters....7:30-8:00? Thanks again for your time.

Andy

[BikeWNC]

BikeWNC:

Thanks very much for the info! I've also found the TourDeCashiers website -- any comments on the routes posted there? I appreciate the offer to ride, I'm just not sure yet of when I'll be able to get away (or how far you are from Cashiers) -- plus, coming from pancake FLAT Florida (not in TN anymore, as my username suggests), I'm sure I'll almost be walking up these climbs :) Lastly, when would you say the roads start to get busy with commuters....7:30-8:00? Thanks again for your time.

Andy

I would think by 7:30 to 8am for sure due to the summer crowd. The TdC rides are hard. The metric is basically the Ring of Fire with access to and from Cashiers added. As I mentioned I ride down in Franklin Tues. and Thurs. mornings. From Cashiers it would be at least a 45 min drive. If that works for you I meet a few others at the Fitness Center at 9:30 for a ride of about 2 hours. The climbs in the valley aren't as long but some can have short steep sections.

[Andy_TN]

Well I'm back, thought I would update the thread in case anyone is searching for riding info in the future. My bike showed up two days late (thanks FedEx!) so I only got 2 days of riding in. Didn't end up with much time those 2 mornings either, so I ended up doing the 25-mile TdCashiers ride. I didn't think traffic (read: the drivers) was bad at all on 64 or 107, for the brief stints that I was on them. BTW, riding on a freshly chip sealed road downhill is NO FUN! Bee Tree Rd may as well have been "Gravel Road." At any rate, I definitely enjoyed the scenery -- a striking change from the flatness here in South Florida. Thanks again for the help WNC.

[BikeWNC]

Glad it worked out for you. Bee Tree Rd is hilly enough without the gravel. Don't you just love when the DOT does that? How more bike unfriendly can it be?