I was getting thirsty. THE Mountain. I was maybe half the climber I had been in the Blue Ridge. Even though he went through a lot of trouble to get here, Im glad that he was able to enjoy it. pages the way he wanted them to be presented. By the way this I was considering Mitchell in 2008. It was still painful, but I was going to do this thing and probably at a good time. One thing he noticed is that there is not a lot of consistency. Fortunately they were able to find a couple replacements rather quickly. I understand there are some steeper climbs around the foothills. I just had to keep my hand crooked to the right and lean a little differently to keep it balanced. it pictures, articles, or memories, please contact me for the proper way to provide Just my $0.02. these pages. Due to the popularity of both the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mt. However, as we all know, cancer finally caught up with grueling, steep miles and below. Pray for us to do what is best so that we can worship God in the most excellent way. This will probably be base miles only, although knowing myself Ill probably push on a few sections. (LogOut/ Mitchell for a picnic in the Spring of 1975. My wife, Helen, said I was crazy, related John Bryan. If you get hurt then it is a very In two weeks, I will register for the Assault on Mount Mitchell again. The ride begins in downtown Spartanburg. Now due to health problems, I now setup all of The choir is doing that, too, but letting there be face-to-face choir practice or sitting in the choir loft together is going to have to be a work in progress. Ill be smart about it. It is my A event, the one I want to complete every year. It is our local rite of passage. Any way to fill water bottles between the start and the top of Mitchell, or should I plan to take all that I need to the top? Now if we can get our government leaders to listen! long wait for medical help to arrive and if a chopper is called it will Mitchell was run in memory of the late Kent Clary. I passed on the soup this year. Mitchell as the 2nd hardest Century ride I have done on the East Coast. It ends 102 miles away at the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the eastern United States. He would be looking for good places to climb. I tried to push at a good pace and simply couldnt keep it. Could it be that we took everything in on the way, and paid less attention on the way back home? In the fall of 1975, John Bryan attempted the trip by himself, but instead of Highway 80 starts out flat with some easy rollers. I looked down to find myself covered in bugs. long wait for medical help to arrive and if a chopper is called it will Keep in mind that as far as or join their family members and go directly home very tired and exhausted. Mitchell Since the official height of that mountain, the highest in the eastern US, is 6,684 feet with a prominence of 6,089 feet, I am wondering what the 11,000 feet reference is about. As such, The Annual Assault on the top of the mountain as parking is very limited and a large number ofparking places are reserved for visitors traveling on the parkway. Here is the Strava segment for the climb: It is & was in extremely poor This is when Ill try to squeeze in these important supplemental exercises. If you have a compact and an 11-32, the only thing stopping you from getting to the top is you. Mitchell which has proven to be very popular with a lot of the women or They are not I almost used it as the photo at the end. rest stops along the way, you will be able to refill, refuel, and make mechanical adjustments as needed. It spawned the Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell, which has taken place since 1999. Mitchell or in our assault on COVID-19? They now have a great looking kit, which Ill be following for this years event. Your safety should The guy immediately in front of me swerved to the left of me, and then onto me. Assault on Mt. I will warm up and recover on elliptical machines. That said, I will not be thinking about time in the slightest. Along with the number of riders wishing to make this trip, there has been an increasing number of rules and regulations As I understand it, she will wear us out with strength exercises and then start the spinning. We may have to take reservations for attending church, block off pews and seat people on either ends and make sure that theyre staggered so no one is behind anyone else. During this period of time, John Bryan tried Mitchell will have a 5:30 p.m. event stop time. It was a long mile. Several years ago, in an Mitchell would be used to assist in a qualification for Mitchell and The Assault on Marion. First Handicap Rider finishes the Assault. Follow different athletes and enthusiasts as they prepare for one of the countries most grueling events. That translated into about 220-230 on the road. then chose to try to re-mastered my very old, well worn copy from having Im not really concerned with the distance but with the 21 mile climb at the end. However, it was my very first century ride. could be found from various resources such as some of the original and bicycle. On Tuesday, I noticed that something felt different. If you would like to see your rider finish at the top of Mt. The Assault on Mt. Thanks for sending them. There is some lingering soreness, and I can tell that my hip still is not quite right. The Assault on Mt. Most got cooked climbing the mt. It has now been nearly seven weeks since my last ride. / DVD. by the respective authors or photographers. dont underestimate the temperature changes you may encounter. Were not ready to coast downhill. Since then Ive been teetering between 156-158, which is close to the same weight for my first Assault, and a little heavier than last year. Frankly, I was tempted to not ride because of my injuries, but this is the event I have to ride. or both and would be willing to donate it to be included in this display - please contact me and we will I said that you shouldnt think of it as impossible. A dull ache existed, at times worse than others, but it was drastically better than it had been a few days before. These are people that trained for months, focused on this one goal. I was thrilled to find the short, 2-mile descent. Tim. This site is currently under continual Im still nursing the broken hip, which is probably around 65-70% right now. . the history of the event with the two interviews given by John bicycle and a light on the front of the He then headed to New Orleans, then to New York, and finally to Washington, DC. More people passed me. the links Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Just stay relaxed and keep turning the pedals over and you will be OK. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled, Training plan - Assault on Mount Mitchell, https://theassaults.com/assault-on-mt-mitchell/. SLOWING is heard every minute or so. Marion was borne in 1993. Once they arrive at the Tom You killed it! Therefore, I Wes and I left them in the lurch by backing out. At 2 miles, I began to wonder if I could continue. Mitchell, which at 6,578 feet is the highest point east of the Mississippi River. the Assaults, be Build: Sustained Power Build of the plaque honoring John Bryan. I thought that this was a great idea and agreed to I had forgotten how hard it was. Have you ever had small kids on a trip ask every whipstitch, Are we there yet? Thats what is on everyones minds right now. Gravity hurts right now. Johnsons Camp mastered by WSPA TV of Spartanburg, SC. Thats not enough, but since Ive returned, I found that the muscles have bounced back pretty quickly. Option 1(Free): Family member or friend picks up rider from Tom Johnson Campground after being bussed off the mountain (Marion, NC). Until then Ill try to squeeze in a few short 20+ mile rides in the late afternoons. anyone has anything that they would like to include on these pages about He may have found that out if he could have ridden from Brevard, but alas, transportation was an issue. This cycling-related article is a stub. As of 2015, the contest has a charitable component, The Freewheelers Cycling Association. I heard the sound as our bikes connected and I thought this was it, I was going down. All items may be used if proper credit is given I positioned myself in my broken handlebars as low as possible and let the mountain breeze cool me down. colliding with the cars / trucks / motorhomes coming down the mountain My final time was 7:07. all and Mitchell State Park closed for the After two weeks of making hardly any progress, major strides came this week. I could feel the heat intensely. own personal pictures and thoughts that he thought would be most apropos where he found the gate to the Mt. The Assault on Mt. Johnston Camp Ground while The This one-day challenge takes riders from Spartanburg, SC to the top of the highest peak in the East, Mt. Mitchell is harder than the climb OF Mt. Any thoughts? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012 at 6:46 pm and tagged with, Assault on Mount Mitchell, 2012, Spartanburg,SC, Cola Town Bike Collective MidlandsGives. The lack of cardio training, however, is easily apparent. Its in the middle of road race season, so its almost never in the cards. night. Climbing RR plan would make the most sense to me. Mt. Select Your TShirt Size: This years shirts will be a short sleeve unisex performance blend with a slimmer cut. Because of my lack of cardio and the injury, I simply dont have the legs and heart for serious climbing. I enjoyed reading about his adventures, and shot him a quick note to let him know. My left handlebar was crooked, pointing to the right and sitting a little lower. For Safety and Training information, click here. You may purchase bus tickets any time during or after you register. Freewheelers chose not to keep any records what so ever. John Bryan and he did not live to see this new project completed. Please make sure all your travel plans are worked out with your family and friends prior to purchasing your ticket. The time off has been a roller coaster, sometimes with extreme pain, sometimes with absolute boredom. I said that you shouldnt think of it as impossible. It worked for me. After the Marion riders finish at the Tom Johnson Camping Center, Mitchell riders will continue the last 28 miles alone, plodding their way to the top of the mountain. Space is limited for this three-hour bus ride. If we dont keep hunkered down and do the work of best practices now, well end up causing more harm in the long run. Here in Central Indiana we have short (3-5 minutes) and steep (7-12+%) and did a lot of repeats to get ready for Mitchell. The only real tests of my climbing ability were on Assault on the Carolinas and a Brevard trip the weekend after. I reached 161 before I was able to resume training again. - Van Epps finished the event in 15:00:00 on a hand powered trike! Good luck on you next one. Reality struck as I noticed my speed during the steeper sections. Congratulations on a great ride and for accomplishing your goal. I chugged along. Hamilton in late November and there was snow and ice at the top. much of the content of this site with the Its a gorgeous ride along Lake Tahoma, but seems like forever until the climb begins. then chose to try to re-mastered my very old, well worn copy from having Thinking out loud or at least in print, we will most certainly avoid handshakes, hugs, and high-fives. The Assaults is one of the most intense, premier cycling experiences that draws a full field of nearly 800 cyclists from across the world each year. God gave us brains, so lets use them. Mitchell and Marion are an intense and memorable experience. The ride starts in Spartanburg, South Carolina[1] and ends at the summit of Mount Mitchell in Mount Mitchell State Park in Yancey County, North Carolina. The problem was that the temperature was really starting to rise and I had not hydrated enough along the way. the top of the mountain as parking is very limited and a large number ofparking places are reserved for visitors traveling on the parkway. with SAG's trying to pass bicycles to get up the mountain and end up almost I did it back in '89 before I moved west. Mitchell is the highest point east of the Rockies. They were everywhere. Unfortunately I made a crucial error at Marion. now includes all Federal Parks in the USA. These are people that trained for months, focused on this one goal. When the season begins Ill ride in a couple centuries to get additional miles. GOOD to KNOW: Updated Time Limit + Checkpoints! Mitchell is much harder than its 4% average grade suggests - removing descents from the equation raises the average grade to 6.2% (15% of the climb includes some descent); 31% (7.6 miles) is at 0-5% grade, 52% (12.6 miles) 5-10%, and a fraction is 15-20%. These are the 1st and the 11th year patches for Id stick to Base>Build>Specialty, and do either Rolling Road Race or Century. At mile 10, I fell victim to someones poor preparation. on The Blue Ridge Parkway I want to thank Wes for backing out with me. Please read more registration day & the day of the event ~ this is a blow byblow description it The Assault on Mt. Mandatory Safety More important to be the church even if Im new ways, tim, Hello! I will. to be. putting it on the net but at this time have chosen not to. It is my A event, the one I want to complete every year. Thats when all 1,000 riders converge together, mashing the pedals and all trying to get to Marion as fast as possible. Much of my material will not be new to readers of this blog, and a few things will be cross-posted over the next few months. Believe it or not, I actually lost fitness when I got back home, as evident by my performance in last weeks Blue Ridge Brutal where I was 91st out of 135. John laid out to find a clean copy of the 1988 Assaults Video tape that was filmed and Heres my tip the ride TO Mt. 7000 of that climb comes in the last 25 miles. Not too bad, except the descent - it was so cold it was hard to feel my fingers on the brake levers. So in collaboration with John Bryan, the history Blue Ridge Parkway- Bicycle Rules in PDF. Mitchell itself. slight delay for the start of the video due to the conversion routine The Off-Road Assault on Mt Mitchell is a 60 mile MTB race with 10,500 feet of climbing. At his request I Last year I had made up time on the climbs, so at this point it looked like a good bet for me to break seven hours. make the process of entering the Assault equitable. Mitchell. Inn, Bakersville, NC ~ written January 11, 2006 about the ride. It has been a lot of criteriums lately which is definitely not the ideal prep for a ride like Mt. I had missed the lead pack, but settled into one that was keeping a good enough pace. Mitchell" Since the official height of that mountain, the highest in the eastern US, is 6,684 feet with a prominence of 6,089 feet, I am . The final shout out is to the Vicious Cycle team. ** Please note that this is a long day with many moving parts. the Rangers are concerned, you (SAGs) are not suppose to be on the parkway at Also, keep in mind that a lot of these rules have been laid down by both the The guy immediately in front of me swerved to the left of me, and then onto me. Climbing road race is more more shorter climbs with surges. I have a growing collection of cycling friends in your area now, so there WILL be a visit one day, you can be sure. you can and will receive a hefty fine in the area of up to $500.00 per ticket tim. Reality struck as I noticed my speed during the steeper sections. For those readers who dont know, the Assault on Mount Mitchell is one of the toughest cycling challenges in the Southeast. There probably wont be any Sunday School to start with. Top of Mitchell could be snowing and cold AF. Bud Campbell's Assault on Mt. This one-day challenge takes riders from Spartanburg, SC to the top of the highest peak in the East, Mt. I-Pad and Smart Phone users - please tap the start arrow and there is a to find a clean copy of the 1988 Assaults Video tape that was filmed and To this date, none have been I have not done a single interval or anything like it all year. Well, this pandemic is a first time trip, and we arent back to normalcy yet. Im just finishing the Build Phase plan and am leaning towards the Climbing Road Race plan for my next phase. to weather conditions. wives of the men heading to the top. I got slower and slower. Overall, they still seem to be an easier lot easier lot to climb. Hojo's history of the event and the Players must reach account level 15 before they are able to join this game mode. Mitchell: 102.7 miles from Downtown Spartanburg, SC to the top of Mt. After a few days, it calms down and feels better. Have you ever noticed that the very first time that you take a trip or travel a new route somewhere, it seems to take longer than on the same way home. Mt. I had missed the lead pack, but settled into one that was keeping a good enough pace. To this date, none have been Mitchell Parkway (rest stop #9) by 4:00 p.m. All riders must cross the finish line by 5:30 p.m. All riders not at the aforementioned checkpoints or finish line by the times noted above will be picked up by an official event vehicle along the course and driven to the finish line or back to Marion. At mile 10, I fell victim to someones poor preparation. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Everyone immediately slowed, swerved, and did everything possible to keep their bikes upright. Some people I know have driven halfway up and stashed bottles, but thats an ordeal to avoid carrying a little extra weight. Its a great read, and a great adventure. If cant have school, how can we safely come to church. One of the biggest challenges is mental, pushing yourself to continually grind up the hill, knowing that at some point the reward will be worth all this punishment. Many say that the time it takes to get from Spartanburg to Marion (mile 76) is the same as it will from Marion to Mitchell (mile 102). Brad DeLay's bicycle video of the Mitchell is not a big deal, neither is Clingman's or anything in the area, they're all super easy actually. for them on top. Are you kidding me? Want a copy Mitchell began when John Bryan and family were I could see myself getting to Marion in 4 hours if I find a good group. If I could hang with this group through Bills Hill, I would get to Marion without issue. I chugged along. Lead Moto and front pack crossing over the US-74 overpass in The 45th Annual Assaults on Mt. published articles about this event to be included in these Ill take care of a lot of these in one shot when we head to Santee for Presidents Day weekend. both of the Assaults. (Also Rest Stop #5) | Registration for 2023 is now open.The Assault on Mt. This will catch up with me on Monday. Mitchell State Park that we must adhere to. On Monday I will visit Dr. Ekman again, probably get an X-ray, and a direction for treatment. Why? The riders that I had been with before all passed me. It is enough of a challenge that everyone who completes it should be proud. Sure, some businesses need to start. Mitchell as I had only been riding for 5 months. MASS START Both the Assault on Mt. I was bonking. Registration for the 2023 Assault on Mt Mitchell and Marion is NOW OPEN! Mitchell in western North Tom Johnston Camp Grounds in Marion. payable in Federal Court in Asheville NC if you are caught. It almost makes want to come ride in North America Shaving an hour off of last year is amazing, too, and good luck with the 6:30 in 13. Please plan with a little wiggle room. and p.s. Highway 80 starts out flat with some easy rollers. There will be plenty of jerks, as Paul puts it. You can totally build up to this! Hopefully well be able to meet on two wheels soon enough. The emphasis while spinning will be on resistance to simulate mountain climbing. I positioned myself in my broken handlebars as low as possible and let the mountain breeze cool me down. From this location they either catch yet another NOTE: Thats a big if. make arrangements to get the patch(s) so that it can be scanned so that they will match all work and personal webpage PLUS this webpage. bicycle and a light on the front of the Mitchell and Marion in 2023. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. NC-80 is just to narrow anddangerous for the SAG's to be on this road Life can get crazy for all of us and it can impact our preparation. It may seem weird to have this blog title when climbing is my (temporary) weak point. Mitchell riders continue on for another 29 very hard, No personal vehicles are allowed on Mt. A First Timers Assault on Mt. than the original. This would be my day. Let me know if you ever make the trip and Ill hook you up. That makes it difficult for me because it interrupts my pedal flow, making me pedal inefficiently (squares), plus it plays with me mentally. In my opinion, it is the benchmark against which all other rides are measured. The road has markings for every half a mile remaining. There is a chance I will not finish the ride this year. I had nothing. The Finish on Top of Mt. I highly recommend you read Matts take on Asheville and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mitchell has a 5:30 p.m. event stop time. But it is fun in a brutal, demented sort of way. My time goal was to finish at around 8 hrs, I finished just under 8 hours riding time. We will do whatever it takes to get to the top of Mt. He had already spent some time riding around New York City, and would soon be climbing Whiteface Mountain at Lake Placid. I was still feeling fine and skipped the rest stop just before the climb. Everyone immediately slowed, swerved, and did everything possible to keep their bikes upright. If you miss this bus, you will default back to the regular bus transportation to Spartanburg via Marion. on I was getting thirsty. That means that this week I will need an extra long taper period. Mitchell. I wouldnt blame them for locking the whole lot of us up. of the Freewheelers Bicycle Club and through their clubs archives. Register early, train hard, and we will see you in May 2023! All cyclists must be on the Blue Ridge Parkway by 3 p.m. and cross the finish line at or before 5:30 p.m. If you want evidence, just check the results. Good for sermon quotes and illustrations. years are on line at this time with their respective finishing patches. I was thrilled to find the short, 2-mile descent. As for the riders who do make it to the top, On Sunday, before the ride, there will be a service bus from Marion to Spartanburg, so you can leave your vehicle at Tom Johnson Campground overnight. Everything Else: It is easy for me to neglect upper body and core. mastered by WSPA TV of Spartanburg, SC. I had more flexibility, mobility, and less soreness. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. Carolina and I said Id like to climb the 6,684 foot high peak on a I had left some Gatorade with my wife and forgot to refill my bottles. Mitchell. I filled part of a bottle, figuring that would be enough to get me up Highway 80 to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mitchell presented by Greenville Health System will have a 5:30 p.m. stop time. They also receiver the annual patch Some of you have heard of the Assault on Mt. Our climbs are also hard, and not to be discounted. main riders of this event passed away unexpectedly. All of us did and the pack kept going. If you want evidence, just check the results. Mitchell and Marion in 2021.