Foothills Parkway, early winter 2008. BURRR! The mountains attest to the brisk temps.
After riding my bike 75 miles in truly cold weather, I am exhausted.
I rode from my house to the Dragon and back, and the temp (windchill) was around 34 degrees. Burr.
Actually I rode 37.5 miles from home and turned around … thank goodness. On the return trip, as I crossed the Foothills Parkway, I looked east toward Gatlinburg and North Carolina … wow. Every mountain top was covered in snow. It was a beautiful sight, but the brisk temps made the trek a little “tougher.” I stopped on my return trip to snap the photo of the day. Enjoy.
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Hi David,
I’ve got a question that Google somehow can’t answer, though it has brought me to your blog and I’m sure you’ll be able to help. I’m coming down to the Knoxville area in a couple weeks on March 13 and I’m hoping to ride the Cherohala challenge route that day and maybe do the Clingmans Dome climb the next day. I’ve done the Cherohala ride (soooo good), so I don’t need to be forewarned. My question is more about the weather. In mid-March, what are the odds that there’s too much or even any snow on either of these two routes that would prevent me from doing them? I know it’ll be cold up at the higher elevations, but I’m from Chicago and have been riding through the winter, so the cold isn’t as big of a factor as the icy/impassable roads would be.
Thanks in advance. I’ve enjoyed reading!
-Liam Donoghue
February 25, 2009 at 3:36 pm
You are likely to have cold temps, ice at the top and snow but not on the road. You’ll be fine with extra layers and possibly heated toe warmer inserts. Trust me – either use the warmers or use double booties. If you have a support vehicle then you’ve got it made. Good luck and good riding.
February 26, 2009 at 8:53 pm