Day 2 began with a ride north from the Cabin at MP 257. There is little that I like more than riding from the cabin and it has been nice to have that as my home base for the first two days.
My first stop was at Doughton park about 17 miles north.
The ride out to the southern tip of day 1 took me to MP 335 and Air Belows Gap. As I was heading back I came across a massive turtle sunning on the parkway. After snapping this photo I tried to encourage him off of the road but he was not pleased about my efforts and based on his reaction to my toe I was not about to put a hand down to pick him up!
Back at MP 257 I hopped in the car and headed south. I had already ridden MP 257-267 so my plan was to park at the cascades lot (MP 272) and do southern and northern loops. Unfortunately, the afternoon included 2 closed sections of parkway! The first section from MP 256-272 was due to a rock slide into the parkway.
After seeing the slide (on closed parkway road), I decided to skip the closed section and do some extra mileage on open parkway road. The ride south towards Boone and MP 290 got me as far as 286 before another closed parkway sign turned me back. I decided to head into Boone but the traffic was so bad (multiple construction delays!) and the weather a bit threatening so I decided to head back towards the car and consider my options. It turned out to be a good choice as I was chased by the storm for the next 15 miles as it slid north just to the east of the parkway.
At several points I could look over and see it raining in the second valley below the parkway.
My original goal for the day was to hit 100 miles. With the parkway closures keeping me from doing more southern mileage and the traffic in Boone discouraging me from moving the car yet again I decided to do 1 more out & back to get my mileage in. I headed back down the 2 mile Elk Mountain descent and rode towards Boone until I had gone far enough to get the 100. A second climb up Elk Mountain (at 2 miles, the longest climb of the ride so far) and I was done for the day.
I decided to re-schedule the trip a bit based on today and have made reservations to stay in Little Switzerland Tuesday night and Asheville Wednesday and Thursday nights. Tuesday will hold the Linn Cove Viaduct and new parkway ground!