Aug 2015
I have good news. In August, I presented at the Ecological Society of America conference in Baltimore, Maryland, from where I then submitted my MSc thesis, bought a mountain bike, and cycled 1000km along the Appalachian mountains to Asheville, North Carolina. I followed Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, which both skirt along the crest of the mountain range. The cycling conditions were superb, with great scenery, low traffic volume, and tall floristically-diverse hardwood forests. I cycled 1000km in 10 consecutive days through hilly terrain. The fatigue, combined with fresh air, and the simple purpose of cycling 100 km a day, rejuvenated my mind and spirit. It was a great trip!Here is the daily tweets of my 1000 km bike ride (@Ira_Sutherland):
Thesis done! Bicycle purchased! In #DC, now embarking on a 600mile ride along #Shenandoah and #BlueRidge Parkways to Asheville, NC. :)
55 miles of freeway super maze and swamp forest on Day 1: Baltimore to DC. Very humid, very lost. Arrived in DC 3 hours into the night
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| Potomac River, District of Columbia |
Day 3: Sweet Virginia countryside gives way to a 2400 ft climb into #Shenandoah Nat Park. 2 black bears, coyote, stick bug. 60 miles total
Like out of a dream: 100's miles of smooth, traffic-free bike route cresting a mountain range #Maryland to #NC. Yippee! #BlueRidgeParkway
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| Skyline Drive, Virginia. |
D4 65 miles: Mtn bike goes up and down, up and down. I'm on a road cresting a mountain range! Knee getting soar. Butt long since aching.
Day 5: begins with long descent, but hit a bee, got stung. Swollen hand. 85 miles into BEAUTIFUL purple sunset mountains :) #BlueRidgeParkway
I climbed 3300 feet to start DAY 6. HOT and humid. Restocked oats and rice in #Roanoke. Now settling into simple, rhythmic #biking lifestyle.
On Day 7, its the country: #Banjos, #Watermills, #StackedFences, & #Moonshine. Stronger but fatigued. 98 mile & cross into North Carolina!
Day 8: State line to #Boone, NC. 70 miles. Stopped for a brew at @AMBrewery, good beer, great-spirited locals, so stayed the night.
Day 9 begins late, but bound for a big objective: I cycled 70 miles from #Boone to Mount Mitchell, highest point in East US. Camped on top.
Day10 Awake in alpine Fraser fir forest. Begin 18 mile downhill! To final destination! Baltimore to Asheville. 10 days, 4 states, 650 miles!
THE END
Actually the real end, is when I sold my now beloved mountain bike in Asheville, NC. I sold it to this Hearn's bike shop at a fair price, thus making my trip across four states nearly free, transportation-wise:
Day 8: State line to #Boone, NC. 70 miles. Stopped for a brew at @AMBrewery, good beer, great-spirited locals, so stayed the night.
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| Tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina |
Day 9 begins late, but bound for a big objective: I cycled 70 miles from #Boone to Mount Mitchell, highest point in East US. Camped on top.
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| Mount Mitchell, (2037m) North Carolina. Highest point in the USA, east of the Mississippi River |
THE END
Actually the real end, is when I sold my now beloved mountain bike in Asheville, NC. I sold it to this Hearn's bike shop at a fair price, thus making my trip across four states nearly free, transportation-wise:
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| It was really, really sad to sell this bike, but it would have cost me $300 to get it home. |
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