The Hurt Pain & Agony ride in northwest North Carolina has a new route for 2011. The 72 mile route visits Stone Mountain State Park for the first time. Route highlights include: a six-mile opening climb from Traphill to the Eastern Continental Divide at Roaring Gap, two stretches of the Blue Ridge Parkway and tons of backroad riding through the highlands of N.C. and Virginia. Visit http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/36214786 to check out the new route and do a 3-D fly-by.
Didn't know about HPA until me and some friends were in Western NC in Boone the week of 9/25/11. Found the website, downloaded the map and rode the route on our own. Tremendous route with such low traffic counts and so few miles of flat. Whoever designed the route did a masterful job.
We hope to go back and do it on the actual day of the ride next year!!