I posted this ride in the SE Forum but thought I'd add it here too. If some of you flatlanders are looking for a challenging mountain ride, the Tour de Cashiers is it. The weather looks forecast to be perfect next Sat. April 30 so put on your climbing cassette and come on up! The TdC doesn't get a lot of advertisement but it has some of the best cycling roads and climbing of any organized ride. These are my local roads. I fear them, respect them, love them! So if you're looking to tune up your climbing skills or want a real challenge on what may be the hardest metric or century ride anywhere, saddle up for a great day!

The metric has over 7k' of climbing while the century nears 11k'. These are not exaggerations! How fun is that! (make sure your brakes are in good shape too!)

https://www.tourdecashiers.com/

That looks like a great ride. I have been through that area on a motorcycle when visiting my parents camping at Standing Indian near Franklin. It is beautiful, or at least it was a quarter century ago.

I'll be at a Braves game that day, but I'll put this ride on my list for next year. Enjoy!

That would be great if you came up next year! If you're free May 21st there is a ride out of Franklin, the Ruby Ride, which has less climbing but rides through a beautiful valley with several nice climbs. NealH and I plan to ride it again this year.

https://www.therubyride.com/

I've been meaning to ask--I got the Ruby Ride post card as a past rider. It said something about a new route on the Century--I could have misread it. Has is changed since I did it two years ago? Good route then but I lost my climbing legs some time back!

And the TourdC scares the dickens out of me just hearing about it. I don't know if I could even do the metric!

Didn't you do the century over Wayah Gap down along the Nantahala River? The website says that is the route for this year unless they just changed the date for this year and forgot to change the route description.

Just slow down then and ride with us old folks in the back. It hurts a little less that way but hurts less for a longer time. Judging from my ride today, the TdC is gonna hurt me no matter how I do it.

Another great looking ride, but alas, another conflict. I was already disappointed that I won't be able to go to the Blues Festival I usually attend that day. My wife's niece is getting married that day, which is apparently something I have to attend.

I may be closer than you think this year...crash 3 weeks ago has limited my training a fair bit...it's gonna hurt for sure. What's the weather forecast? No rain again this year I hope

It's always something this time of year, graduations, Mother's Day, weddings... I feel your pain. lol

Will you be riding the century? The weather looks great right now but it's a week away. Here in the valley the forecast is sunny with a low of 50 and a high of 74, subtract 5º for Cashiers. My hill climbing has really been hurt by not being able to lose the weight I put on over the winter. I'm not a power rider so the extra pounds are a real drag.

Yup, doing the century again this year, and my climbing training has been anemic at best. I've got to get it in though, because in 3 weeks it's Brasstown Baldbuster, 2 weeks later Mountains of Misery, then 3 Mountain, Ceasar's Head, BS&G, Fab Fourth, and the Death Ride in CA...after that my brain refuses to consider anything else right now.

That's quite a schedule! I'm riding the metric unless I can talk Neal into riding the century route and turning up Cullowhee Mtn Rd for a total of 80 miles.

I did-that is what it looked like when I looked at the route but on the card is says "new route".........I'm betting it is the same one.

Since it was raining pretty hard today, my wife and I went out and did the tour de cashiers ...at a number of area bike shops. The ol' Amex CC got quite a workout.

I'm in the same shape. I put on a ton being laid up and have worked hard to get it off. However it seems the prednisone is making it really tough to get rid of the last 6-7 lbs. That makes huge difference for me on any hill-especially the steep ones. I can still climb and my endurance is back up to where I can ride 6-7 hours but am using much easier gears. If I can't get it off riding 900 miles in Colorado there is no hope-but it sure would be nice to get it off BEFORE Colorado.

That's a 9 hour drive for me, so that's my excuse

The real reason is it's a bit soon in the season for me to do both that length and that much climbing. I'm ahead of last year's pace, but I'll be lucky to be ready for MoM. I've only done one 100+ mile ride this year, but it did have 8K of climbing.

Enjoy the ride, and hope the weather cooperates.

I think MoM will like last year, be my first century. I got a late start this year and it's moving along slowly. Maybe if I remember how much I suffered on these rides I won't let my fitness drop so much this coming winter. Right now it is hard to figure where my fitness is because one day I feel great the next day bad. On some rides I feel both good and bad. Hopefully it will even out soon.

BTW, the century route has changed a little. You won't be climbing over the sharp hills on Charlies Creek anymore. Instead, the ride will cross over on Tanasee Gap Rd which is much more moderate. Don't feel cheated though because there are several climbs before you get back to the old course.

Well...that solves everything

I would like to make that ride. I live just east of Charlotte but I am helping put on a model airplane contest at Huntersville this weekend.
Ed

OK! Let's get ready to rumble! The weather looks perfect for the ride tomorrow with very low humidity and a start temp in the upper 40s and a high in the low 70s. If you're still on the fence come on out and suffer with us!

I forgot about this one but work has been getting in the way. Boy was it a gorgeous day to ride over that way. I actually went over to Tryon and did my Caesars Head route. Just a perfect day to ride. Well--if I could get rid of this extra weight things would be much better. I hope you folks had a great ride.

Best weather ever for this ride. We had a great day on the ride. The metric pushed my fitness but I expected that. It's not the 7100' of climbing in 64 miles but that much of that climbing is over 8%. It wears you down.

Sounds like fun!