Described as the hardest yet most fun thing you will do all year, the Pisgah Double Dare is back this weekend and ready to beat you down. This is a grueling two-day, two-person-team, checkpoint-adventure race that truly tests the limits of human potential. You’ll want to bring a mountain bike, along with any other piece of survival gear you might need for the entire weekend because there are no amenities. Honestly, if you are just finding out about this event through this post and considering jumping in with an unfortunate teammate, don’t. It’ll surely be hazardous to your health and definitely ruin your weekend.
On a lighter note, the Tour de Leaves is taking place out in Tryon, NC. This is a road cycling event catered toward folks who like to have more of a smooth and stable surface to ride on. It actually sounds like a spectacular event, especially given the time of year. Routes include a 66, 31 and 4-8 mile family ride.
For the racers out there, you’ve got another sick weekend to look forward to. First off, the North Carolina Cyclocross Series (NCCX) kicks off with race #1 in Clemmons, NC on Saturday followed by race #2 in Winston-Salem on Sunday. This is a top notch cyclocross series that attracts boatloads of cross-racers from the southeast. One of our locals, Tim Hopkins, has organized this series for the past 10-20 years and they are no less than national-caliber events. (Don’t forget we have the Cross Nationals coming to the Biltmore Estate in 2016).
The Blue Ridge Pump Track Challenge heads to the Oskar Blues REEB Ranch this weekend out in Brevard. The REEB Ranch is named after Oskar Blues’s own REEB Cycles. It’ so nice to have a brewery like this actively involved in promoting cycling and mountain biking in the area; take advantage of it! Consider taking a trip out to REEB Ranch in the near future to check out their mountain bike trails, pump track and dirt jumps as well as some pretty slick amenities including a restored barn. It backs right up to DuPont forest too — something for the XC riders to think about.
In running news we have the annual Thomas Wolfe 8k taking place right here in town. This event has been going on for 38 years, a true testament in itself. The course winds through historic Montford and Reedy Creek before ending up back at the Thomas Wolfe memorial in downtown. If you’re looking to get in a little more distance the is the Cherokee Harvest Half -Marathon and 5k taking place out in Cherokee, NC. There’s also a neat 5k up around Wolf Ridge Ski area called “Run the Wolf“. Pretty sure it involves running up and down a ski slope, if that’s what you’re into. They advertise 1,000 feet of elevation change from start to finish — that’s just too much.
It looks like the Asheville Hiking Group has a few good ones this weekend as well. These are great hikes folks, and they’re well organized. Saturday is a 13+ mile hike around the Art Loeb trail — sure to be strenuous. Sunday looks like they are headed to Tanasee Bald, near Devil’s Courthouse, for a nice hike. Be sure to check them out if you’re looking to meet some new folks and explore some new trails in the area.
That’s it. Hope you all have a great weekend and get outside. Don’t forget that LEAF Festival is this weekend too. There’s always good music and fun stuff going on there. Lots of hippies and other types of people too.
If you have an event or outdoor activity that you would like to see posted, just let us know at feedback@mountainx.com!
Cycling
- 10/18 — Tour de Leaves (Tryon, NC) More Info
- 10/18 — NCCX #1 (Clemmons, NC) More Info
- 10/18 & 10/19 — Pisgah Double Dare (Pisgah Forest, NC) More Info
- 10/19 — NCCX #2 (Winston-Salem, NC) More Info
- 10/19 — Blue Ridge Pumptrack Challenge #2 (REEB Ranch, Brevard, NC) More Info
- 10/18 — Liberty Bikes – Saturday Bent Creek MTB Rides Beginner & Intermediate (Every Saturday) More Info
- 10/18 — Blue Ridge Bicycle Club Road Ride (Every Saturday) More Info
- 10/18 — Sycamore Cycles Spin & Grin Road Ride (Every Saturday) More Info
Running
- 10/18 — Thomas Wolfe 8K (Asheville, NC) More Info
- 10/18 — Cherokee Harvest Half Marathon & 5K (Cherokee, NC) More Info
- 10/18 — Run the Wolf 5k (Mars Hill, NC) More Info
- 10/18 — Asheville Track Club Saturday Group Run (Every Saturday) Contact information: 828-273-8860 or burytom@outlook.com
- 10/18 — Jus’ Running Saturday- Morning Group Run (Every Saturday) More Info
- 10/19 — Foot Rx Healthy Kids Running Series (Fletcher, NC) More Info
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