Smoky Mountain Century

It was a great day to ride in the mountains with temps starting in the upper 40's and going to the low to mid 70's. I rode from our home in Gatlinburg (1400') to Newfound Gap (5000') and then down to Cherokee (1400') then back up to Newfound Gap and on to Clingmans Dome (6300', parking area), then back to Sugarlands and out to Elkmont before returning to the chalet with 100 miles and 10,000' of elevation gain. Hauled some of my camera gear in a seat post mounted cantilevered back which brought the bike weight to 32lbs. Made for an interesting day. I've done this ride about 4 or 5 times over the last few years and it is the hardest century I ride. While the downhills give some relief the long climbs are tough. the 27 miles from Cherokee to Clingmans, while initially pretty light on the grade, really ramps up for about an hour. While not as scenic as the side from Gatlinburg, and actually not as difficult a climb, when done after the climb from Gatlinburg to Newfound Gap, it is a killer.