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Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency...
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TMT
Apr 21, 15 8:07
Post #1 of 12 (2451 views)
We have a group headed down there to spend a couple of days riding on the Parkway, using Asheville as home base. I've ridden multiple times every section of the BRP we're going to be covering over that time and have told the group to be prepared - be prepared to climb (gearing), for temperature changes, for wet or dry weather, to carry your own water/food (opportunities to reload on water at Mt. Pisgah and Mt. Mitchell), to have lights for some of the tunnels towards Pisgah, etc. All the "prepared" recommendations got me to thinking about what to do if there's an accident (I don't know how good of descenders some of the riders are).

I'm asking each rider to carry driver's license, insurance card, emergency contact info, and cell phone along with numbers for the National Park Service HQ in Asheville, local police and hospital, and Liberty bikes. Basically, plan for the worst, hope for the best.

For those that have ridden in remote sections (I don't know if I would call this remote, but it is isolated up on the BRP) before, anything else you would recommend, other than having the bike thoroughly maintained (I had my freewheel seize up on a group ride several days after some long descents outside of Cherokee), new tires, and having the fitness to enjoy the climbing?

Tad

It took awhile, but I finally discovered that its not the destination that's important, but rather the journey.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [TMT] [ In reply to ]
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STP
Apr 21, 15 9:39
Post #2 of 12 (2338 views)
I've never actually done it but I have thought from time to time that if a group is going to be riding in any remote location, it would be a good idea to spread the contents of a good first aid kit among the group. You're still calling for help for anything major but if you can clean up and bandage road rash on your own you can keep the group moving or, if something serious happens, you can improve your odds of doing something effective while you wait. Also, if the weather is cold or wet, a couple space blankets would make laying in the road waiting for the ambulance more comfortable, and might even help with shock ;-)
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [STP] [ In reply to ]
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harshc
Apr 21, 15 9:53
Post #3 of 12 (2316 views)
If you riding in an area with spotty cell phone coverage might be worthwhile to carry a SPOT device at the minimum or some variation of a handheld HAM.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [TMT] [ In reply to ]
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desert dude
Apr 21, 15 11:26
Post #4 of 12 (2229 views)
well Ex cyclist, james haycraft and I have some experience with emergencies on the BRP from the AVL area. It's where I destroyed my clavicle when I crashed on the descent to Marion.

I can't tell you much about the emergency services response time (winner by KO!) but I think the ambulance was there within 10min. In case of a bad cycling crash the ER was great, got all the scans etc. The PA did a great job sewing up my gashes on my face. My plastic surgeon friend had a hard time believing another plastic surgeon didn't sew my face back together.

Make sure you have each rider input everyone else's ph # into their phone. descend in groups even if it's small groups. No long solo descents even if someone goes off the front on the climb. Have multiple regroup points (but not too many). I think we had 2 or 3 natural regroup points on the 32+ mile climb from Marion to Mitchell.
Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [TMT] [ In reply to ]
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runbikebeer
Apr 21, 15 12:27
Post #5 of 12 (2155 views)
I would highly recommend a very bright front light for the ride towards Pisgah from AVL. There are two very long tunnels on that stretch that are pitch black in the middle. (you want a good rear flashing light and a white front light) The tunnels going towards Mitchell are all pretty short. It can also get pretty cold on the those long descents if you are wet.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [runbikebeer] [ In reply to ]
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mdgreene
Apr 21, 15 13:20
Post #6 of 12 (2070 views)
x2 on the lights for the tunnels going to Pisgah. There is a long tunnel on the way to pisgah that has a bend in the middle that shuts out the light from each end and if you dont have light it goes pitch black dark. One of the worst bike experiences I've had with 8 Harley motorcycles coming right behind me and having no idea where I was at in regards of the road.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [TMT] [ In reply to ]
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tburke
Apr 21, 15 13:28
Post #7 of 12 (2053 views)
I recommend a head light of a least 350 lumens & a flashing tail light. I rode BRP about 10 years ago with headlight that was completely inadequate. Now u can buy decent headlight for $50.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [tburke] [ In reply to ]
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TMT
Apr 23, 15 12:54
Post #8 of 12 (1839 views)
All, thanks for the suggestions/comments. Lots of good input!

As far as lights go, I have made it abundantly clear to the group to make sure they have them after descending from Pisgah to Asheville a couple of years ago after the sun was setting and I had a fairly small one. That vertigo feeling on a bike in the tunnels is not a good one!

DD, I like the idea of regrouping and making sure no one is solo.

How far in advance do you need to special order sunny weather?

Thank you all!!

Tad

It took awhile, but I finally discovered that its not the destination that's important, but rather the journey.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [TMT] [ In reply to ]
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bdungan
Apr 23, 15 13:16
Post #9 of 12 (1803 views)
I rode from Ashville north on BRP to Mt Mitchell one day and south to Mt Pisgah the next. The descents on the BRP are not very technical. I don't think I touched my brakes ever. The descents off the BRP back to Ashville are steeper and more technical. I think I had good cell phone service the whole time. Agree on the lights. I had a cheap one that barely illuminated the white line, but the vertigo is real. Cars were very considerate and gave a lot of space when passing. Motorcycles, not so much.
File this in the good karma file, but I ran out of water before Craggy Gardens and was getting pretty worried when I happened upon a broken down Coke delivery truck and the driver gave me two bottles of warm Dasani water.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [bdungan] [ In reply to ]
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TMT
Apr 23, 15 14:19
Post #10 of 12 (1775 views)
bdungan, funny that you mention the broken down Coke truck. Totally honest when I say this - saw the same thing slightly past Craggy Gardens picnic area and before the Craggy Gardens visitors center (this would have been the Monday after Mother's Day in May 2013).

Agree that the descents on the BRP are generally not overly technical. My concern is usually wind coming off the gaps (more towards Richland Balsam than on the Mt. Mitchell side). As far as the other descents from BRP to Asheville, are you referencing Pisgah Hwy/Rt151 towards Asheville and maybe US276 and Lake Logan Rd/Rt 215 towards Waynesville/Canton on the Pisgah side? Or descents on the Mt. Mitchell side? I've done the descents on the Pisgah side, I haven't done any of the ones on the Mt. Mitchell side.

Tad

It took awhile, but I finally discovered that its not the destination that's important, but rather the journey.
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [TMT] [ In reply to ]
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carlsbr
Apr 23, 15 15:26
Post #11 of 12 (1734 views)
Try to get up there at least once every two weeks. Unbelievable riding especially when closed to cars! How about fast technical descents from the Pky. like 215 down into the headwaters of the Davidson River north of Rosman? Also 276 down into Pisgah Forest near Brevard? On second thought you probably don't want to go there...forget I mentioned that .
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Re: Blue Ridge Parkway - in case of emergency... [TMT] [ In reply to ]
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bdungan
Apr 23, 15 15:43
Post #12 of 12 (1720 views)
I'm thinking the fastest descent was returning from the Mt Mitchell ride to Asheville. Town Road maybe? Was following a few cars so I couldn't just let it out. Was a little concerned for my carbon brake track. On my Mt Pisgah ride, I started and finished at the Folk Art Center so no descending off the BRP.
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