While it is snowing here today I have a few minutes to add more info about the rides. The Sat. ride will start at the Pisgah Inn at milepost 408 on the BRP. If you are planning to ride both days this is the place to stay. As mentioned, there is a campground nearby too. The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner and is quite good. There is also a campstore for the usual snacks and drinks. This trip is family friendly for those with non-riding spouses or kids. There is plenty to do in the good ole outdoors in the area. Hiking is obviously the first choice but fishing and photography are also great. Asheville is not far away for a day trip to the Biltmore Estate or the Western NC Nature Center (small, nice zoo). If the weather is very warm a short drive to Sliding Rock might excite the kids. The Cradle of Forestry Discovery Center is also close by.

The Sat. ride will be on the Pigeon Loop. This is a 51 mile loop beginning at the Pisgah Inn heading down US 276 to Bethel then back up to the BRP on NC 215. Once on the BRP the route returns to the Pisgah Inn. There is about 4400' of climbing on the ride, most in the 4-6% range. There are a couple of sections with steeper grades but they are not too long.

The Sun. ride will start at Graveyard Fields at mp 418.8. From there we will ride South (BRP South) to the high point of the BRP at Richland Balsam. Water is available from a good spring just down the hill. We will return back to the car by retracing the ride out. Total ride will be around 30 miles and about 3000' of climbing all on the BRP.

I'll add more info as I think of it.