I pedaled several routes out of downtown Asheville a number of years ago. The bad news is that there seemed to be only one route that's close to being flat (the road along the river). The good news is that some of the vistas are spectacular (weather permitting) and your ability to climb will improve!

If I was going to do that again on the road racing bike which is now my favorite, I'd first swap in a compact crank (and perhaps some larger cogs as well).