Originally Posted by
NealH
It was a really nice event, with the beautiful forest surrounding the climbs providing a reminder of why I like the mountain events so much. Of course nothing was blooming quite yet but even the stark trees looked rather majestic lining the roads. The last 10 miles with one roller after another was taking its toll on us. I was glad to see the final turn into the YMCA lot. I've ridden this event 4 or 5 times and it never seems to get easier. But I could argue that going slower this time gave me more enjoyment and appreciation of the landscapes.
I rode from my sister's house to Glen Alpine then circled Lake James today for a recovery ride, and about 20 miles into it I knew that this simply wasn't a terrain conducive to recovery. I limped the rest of the way. But Lake James looked as pretty as ever with a full pond of water.
I don't know why this event doesn't draw larger participation. It is executed very well and the road markings were simply excellent. Just a really nice route for a Spring starter series for us South Easterners.
Neal, IMO, I like the TdL better than the Assault on the Carolinas. I like the route better by a bit and the scenery is great. It doesn't have that one big climb up Caesar's Head that the AotC does, but I would argue the "rollers" (Neal and I argue about the definition of a "roller" all the time) as you call them are tougher. Maybe the 71 miles turns people away? I think some riders just have a fear of rides longer than a metric and it limits participation.