Biking the Blue Ridge: Tour de Tuck
On the Blue Ridge Parkway near Balsam, NC
SYLVA, N.C. – The Tour de Tuck Bike Challenge, which derives its name from the nearby Tuckasegee River, returns for its third edition on Sept. 20.
In its first two years, the Tour de Tuck established a reputation for its fierce beauty and fierce ride. The trek includes more than 40 miles along the Blue Ridge Parkway and features a cumulative elevation gain of 11,000 feet. The course crests at Richland Balsam, the highest point on the Parkway at 6,047 feet above sea level.
“There are two things that stick out in my mind: It’s arguably the most scenic of any event around, and it has the most elevation gain of any other century cycling events,” says Scott Baker, the event’s webmaster and a regular participant. “I’ve done them all, and to me, the Tour de Tuck is the hardest.” (more…)
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A perpetual traveler, I'm Sandra Friend, the author of more than 20 books on outdoors, nature, and travel subjects. I'm an award-winning member of the Society of American Travel Writers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association.