My Own Personal Hell

This weekend I discovered my own personal hell. A climb that seemed to go on forever!

I rode the Nantahala Nightmare route, and a nightmare it was... Like a bad dream you cannot wake up from, there was a climb that did not seem to end.

The first ten miles were a gradual uphill which I have to admit, even though the plan was to not worry about pace, did not do well in terms of moral. By the time I made the first turn I was starting to wonder if I'd get home before dark. Shortly after the turn, through the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, it was a gradual downhill for ten miles or so, and I quickly made up for the pitiful average clocked in the first ten...not that my average mattered of course. There was a little bit of a climb around mile 25, but after that it was a very nice picturesque ride for a little while. Although I will say one word of caution when riding up Hwy 19...Watch out for Tour Buses...one nearly took me out when it came within inches of my shoulder.

Then after riding already 70 plus miles, I began climbing a hill with about a 7% grade, after about 4 miles of climbing, every turn I thought to myself, "this has to be the end," but turn after turn I looked ahead and the road continued ascending. But like everyone knows, what goes up must come down. After finally making it to the top it was smooth sailing to the end. Granted there were some bumps along the way, but nothing too crazy.

But to be honest even with all the climbing, this route has made my top five favorite routes. The actual organized ride, Tour de Nantahala, is in late October and leaves from the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

I did hear someone mention another climb in the area that is supposed to be worse...yet another reason that I need to get a road bike. See ya on the road!!