The starting location will vary, and the remote starts may require car pooling. Mark your schedules now so you won't have to "call in well" at the last minute.
Happy Cycling in 2003
Wes Garbee,
274-5315
Announcement | Schedule | Ride Descriptions
| The
fourteenth annual Spring all day fat burners century
rides will start this year on April 1, 2003. They will
all be on Tuesdays, and will begin around 8 AM and finish
at supper time. These are relaxed moderately paced rides,
and the fast riders always wait for me at the top of each
mountain -- yes, there are mountains on each ride. There
are also store stops, as well as brief snack breaks where
we will regroup. Each ride can be considered a century,
even though the Madison County loop only feels like a
century. The starting location will vary, and the remote starts may require car pooling. Mark your schedules now so you won't have to "call in well" at the last minute. Happy Cycling in 2003 |
|
| Date | Route |
| April 1, 2003 | Hot Springs Ride |
| April 8, 2003 | Caesars Head Ride |
| April 15, 2003 | Rosman - 215 Ride |
| April 22, 2003 | Reverse Doggett Ride |
| April 29, 2003 | Weaverville - Mitchell - Burnsville Ride |
| May 6, 2003 | Roan Mountain Ride |
| May 13, 2003 | Etowah and Horse Shoe - Afternoon Ride Only |
| May 17, 2003 | Assault |
| May 20, 2003 | Afternoon Ride Only |
| May 27, 2003 | (no ride) |
| June 3, 2003 | Cherokee to Asheville |
| June 10, 2003 | Madison County Loop (was Greenriver Ride) |
| June 17, 2003 | Old 70 to Highway 80 to Mitchell |
Description: Leave at 8:00 AM from the parking lot between the First Baptist Church and the YMCA on Woodfin Street in downtown Asheville. Expect a nine hour ride, except for you folks who like to race from Hot Springs back to Asheville. Several long climbs on the route, a favorite for the mountain goat wanna-bes. There are several water stops and a leisure snack in Hot Springs. Wes Garbee at 274-5315 or wgarbee1@charter.net
Post-ride Summary: What a wonderful way to begin long distance spring rides: perfect weather, chilly to hot, minimal wind, blue skies. I was nervous Sunday with the snow. I have never in the past 13 years been to Doggett when it was covered with snow as it was today -- it felt like we were about ten minutes behind the snow plow! Snow was still piled up along the roads edge. The nine riders were Robert Sweetser, Patsy Sjostrom, Paul Samuels, Rob Resnick, Jackson McCarter, Robert Kline, Randall Barnett, and Jim Ashburn. We rode 97 miles, with 8300 feet of climbing, except for Randy who rode around the church parking lot when we returned to get an even 100 miles! Great snapshots of a bison herd in the snow with snow covered distant mountains -- kind of like Colorado? Wes Garbee
Description: This year's ride to Caesars Head will begin at the parking lot in front of Liberty Bicycles. Please park near the highway, at the north end of the lot. We will try to leave at 8:00 AM 4/8/2003 Tuesday, and be back around 6 or so. There are store water stops and a longer pause at the summit of Caesars Head, where there is a gift shop, a view of Table Rock, and a rest room. I always stop briefly on the way up the mountain to enjoy the view from "the Rock". We will be picking up two riders at the parking lot in front of the Flat Rock Playhouse for anyone not interested in quite as long a ride. Last year we rode all day in the rain, so that can't happen again (can it?). It was great training for the rainy Assault last May! Wes Garbee 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: The Caesars Head ride today was another great ride enjoyed by me and Robbie Sweetser -- although great rides admittedly are in the eye of the beholder. The first 50 miles were foggy, and the last 55 miles were accompanied by a gentle drizzle at 45 degrees. It was only chilly on the short descent from the top of the mountain. The route down Gap Creek to the base of the climb up Caesars Head is splendid. A hot lunch at the base of the climb and hot chocolate/cappuccino in Horseshoe added a lot to the trip.
Description: This ride will leave at 8:00 AM on Tuesday 4/15/2003 as scheduled from the parking lot in front of Liberty Bicycles. Please remember to park at the north end of the lot near the highway to avoid keeping a customer from being able to shop at Liberty! This ride will take a back way to Rosman that was shared with us by John McCollum. It will then proceed up Route 215 and return on the Parkway to Liberty. We plan to stop at the store in Rosman, and perhaps the store in Balsom Grove. Hope to see you Tuesday. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: The Rosman / 215 ride today was well attended, with 9 riders: Chip Baggett, Julie White, Rob Resnick, Robby Sweetser, Charlie Clogston, Jackson McCarter, Paul Endry, and Roger Derrough. Kris Sjostrom was to meet us en-route, but our paths failed to cross. Julie gets the prize today for being the fastest thing on two wheels I've seen on the Fat Burners in a long time. We did 108 miles with 8000 vertical feet of climb, and could not have had better weather. We even got Rob back in time to shower for his evening outing -- the rest of us just plan to rest. Our condolences to Robert Kline with the ankle sprain excuse for not riding. I just hope he wasn't playing ping pong with Calvin Allen, who used to ride with us! Again, Wes Garbee.
Description: The Tuesday all day ride on April 22 will leave from the parking lot between the YMCA and First Baptist Church Asheville at 8 AM, as in years past. This ride takes us around Canton via Newfound Road, and around Clyde on Thicketty Road. We take 209 over Betsy's Gap through Luck to Trust, and over Doggett to Leicester. We return on 1001 / Meadowtown to a left on Bear Creek, and plunge down to the river to enter Marshall from the back. From there, we head home along the river. I hope you can join us. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: Our ride today, called Reverse Doggett, had 11 riders and was a lot of fun but a little chilly. Will Spring ever get here? The hot chocolate and cappuccino at the Marshall Bakery made the last 20+ miles along the river pass quickly and warmed our spirits. The riders were Robbie Sweetser, Suzanne Landis, Jackson McCarter, Rob Resnick, Kris Sjostrom, Paul Samuels, Jim Ashburn, Nathan Williams, Kent Palmer, and Paul Endry. The trip was 100.4 miles and had 8900+ vertical feet of climb. Kris and a dog bumped near Clyde, but no one got hurt. Everyone seems to be raising goats, and the store in Trust has closed! The back side of Doggett seems easier than our last trip from the Asheville side. Again, Wes.
Description: This year's ride to Mitchell then Burnsville will be a repeat from previous years; however, Mitchell is never the same! There are a few Parkway tunnels, so bring lights. We will leave from the parking lot in front of Roses Store on Weaver Boulevard in Weaverville at 8 AM. I will be at the parking lot between the YMCA and the First Baptist Church of Asheville at 7:15 AM to car pool to Weaverville with whoever wishes to join me there. Otherwise I will just meet you at the Roses lot. We will creep up Ox Creek, travel to the top of Mitchell, proceed to Highway 80 to Burnsville. We will pick up the back road from Burnsville to Mars Hill, then back to Weaverville. Hope you can join us. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: Our ride today enjoyed great weather -- the view from Mitchell was splendid. We did 98.5 miles and climbed 8500 feet. The riders were Robby Sweetser, Paul Endry, Jackson McCarter, and Kris Sjostrom. Again, Wes.
Description: Our ride May 6 will begin in Burnsville, go up Double Island Road out of Micaville to Red Hill, over Fork Mountain to Glen Aire, then up to Roan. We will return on a portion of the Roan Moan in reverse in Tennessee, up Iron Mountain and back to Burnsville. We will try to begin the ride at 8 AM. We will meet and leave by car pool from the parking lot between the First Baptist Church and the YMCA at 7 AM. This is a beautiful (and strenuous) ride, and will be one of our last chances to get a century in before the Assault. I hope you can join us. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: The crowd was thin for this morning's ride to Roan Mountain. We left the First Baptist Church parking lot at 7:05 in the rain, and it poured most of the way to Burnsville. We had a very slight sprinkle with no wind all morning. The drizzle stopped when we were 12 miles into Tennessee, and the sun felt good the rest of the trip. The first and only view of the Roan was from Double Island Road. The mammoth profile seemed to rise from the far side of a seemingly endless tree farm. The rivers were swollen, and every stream was noisy with swift white water. The descent down the back side of the Roan was still a spectacular vista in the drizzle, with the mountains and hills as far as you could see beneath the cloud cover, each with a wisp of clouds like spiderwebs attached to them. You might not like this trip if you don't like old barns, the sharp smell of wood stove smoke in the wet air, a continuous supply of roadside flowers, and old mountain roads with almost no traffic. We did 95 miles with 8600 ft of climb. Again, Wes.
P.S. The "we" in the above note was me and my old Trek bicycle.
No more Fat Burners are planned for May this year. Three are planned for June, on the first three Tuesdays. Next will be June 3 from Cherokee to Asheville. Let me know if you can join us so I can reserve you a seat in the van. Further details regarding departure time et cetera, will be sent out 1-2 weeks before. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
A flat afternoon 45 mile road ride hardly counts as a Fat Burner, but it will count as a pre-Mitchell leg stretch. We will leave from Liberty on Tuesday 5/13 at 1:15 PM for anyone so inclined. See you then. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Description: The Fat Burner ride scheduled for May 27 will not take place on May 27. Since May 26 is a holiday (Memorial Day), I will have to work May 27. I will plan to lead the Madison County Loop on Tuesday June 10, and omit the Green River Ride originally scheduled for that day. The Madison County ride has more appeal to me, and I want to share it with all who can ride with us. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Description: On Tuesday June 3, we plan to commute to Cherokee and bike back to Asheville on the Parkway. I have leased a 15 passenger van with a hitch, and arranged to use Liberty Bicycle's bike trailer. My friend Ladd Painter has agreed to drive us to Cherokee and return the van back to Liberty. However, he will not be able to sag us. So far, six people have said they would like to join us. I would like to know a fairly definite number of riders by May 28 if possible. We will plan to meet and leave from Liberty at 5 AM that morning, and stop along the way for breakfast. Hopefully we will be on our bikes by 8 AM, and home by supper. You will need lights for the tunnels. There is water at Balsam Gap at the Parkway service garage, and also at the Pisgah Inn. Ten dollars each should cover the van rental and gas. I think it's around 85 hilly miles back to Asheville, but it is the prettiest section of the parkway. I hope you can join us. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: A brief word about todays ride: wet! But only wet for the first four hours! Our ride began in Cherokee at the Blue Ridge Parkway, and we stayed on the Parkway back to Liberty. Only 81.5 miles, but felt like a century with 9900 feet of vertical climb. At Richland Balsam, the highest point on the Parkway, we had done 38 miles and 7200 feet of climb already. The riders were Jeremy "The Man" Arnold who led the pack all day, Dolly McLean whose optimistic / encouraging spirit kept us focused, Robby Sweetser who was celebrating the beginning of his next 50 years, Michael Murphy who is a new riding acquaintance, Charlie Clogston, Randall Barnett, Roger Derrough, and me. For those involved, a special thanks needs to be extended to Ladd Painter, my CPA friend of 30 years, for driving us to Cherokee at 5 AM - thepainters@prcpas.com . Also a thanks to Mike and Claudia Nix for the use of the Liberty Bicycles trailer to haul our bikes behind the 15 passenger van. Wes.
Description: On June 10, Tuesday, we will car pool from the parking lot between the YMCA and the First Baptist Church of Asheville to Petersburg, where my friend Harold Phillips lives. Petersburg is between Mars Hill and Marshall. We will plan to leave at 7 AM, and begin the ride at Harold's home on East Fork Road. We will go over newly paved Grapevine Road to Laurel, and stop for coffee and biscuits at Little Creek Cafe. We will visit Spillcorn, Guntertown, Shelton Laurel, Belva, and Sodom, and return back over Walnut Mountain. The distance is only 85 miles, but includes lots of climbing. Hope you can join us. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: Today's ride could not have had better weather. We did the Harold Phillip's 1994 tour of Madison County that lies on the other side of Walnut Mountain. As we biked away from Harold's house on East Fork Road in the suburbs of Petersburg, we were soon joined by and pacelined behind a local bull who met us in the middle of the road. The pace line lasted less than a half mile until the bull pulled off into the grass. It reminded us of the fun Paul Samuels must be having in Spain chasing bulls through towns! Fortunately, Grape Vine Road is paved this year, but it is still a little rough around the edges. We did 85 miles and 7300 vertical feet of climb, including the 6.5 mile climb to Spillcorn and a visit to Sodom. The riders were our host and guide Harold Phillips, Kris and Patsy Sjostrom, Suzanne Landis and her daughter Margaret the mountain climber, ole Rob "Legs of Steel" Resnick, ever smiling Jackson McCarter, Tom "Our Man of the Cloth" Blair, Michael "Mountain Goat" Ward, and me. In spite of three flats and a mild case of road rash, we had a ride to remember for its beauty and camaraderie. The hot biscuits at Little Creek Cafe were also a plus. Happy Cycling, Wes.
Description: We will leave the Liberty Bicycles parking lot at 8 AM Tuesday, June 17. We will proceed through Fairview to Highway 9, and go down the mountain to Old Fort. Then we will travel on Old 70 to Pleasant Gardens and head up Highway 80. We will do the last 30 miles of the Assault on Mount Mitchell, and return on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It should be a lot easier doing the last 30 miles of the Assault when you are not too tired! I hope you can join us. Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
Post-ride Summary: I'm sure the threat of bad weather kept a lot of you from joining us today, but the weather cooperated well considering the forecast. We had a little light drizzle now and then, the sun peeked out a few times, with heavy fog from Highway 80 until Craggy Gardens. It was shirt sleeve temperature and no wind. We all thought we had lucked out today. We did 109 miles out through Fairview to Highway 9 and over the mountain to Old Fort, along Old 70 to Mount Pleasant, then Highway 80 to the Blue Ridge Parkway and home. The route had 9450 feet of vertical climb, not counting the 4.5 mile climb to the top of Mount Mitchell. There was not enough time today for the traditional trip to the top! The riders were the revered cyclist Charlie Read, who shares the blame with me for initiating these Fat Burner rides 14 years ago, and Dolly "I Love To Ride In The Rain" McLean. I hope to see you on Tuesday afternoon rides the rest of the season. What is the season? It ends on December 31, and resumes on January 1! Wes Garbee, 274-5315.
The photograph on this page is courtesy of the Bonneville Bicycle Touring Club, from their July 2002 pictures. Used with permission.
© Blue Ridge Bicycle Club Inc. 2004