Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Tour begins October 1st and will pass through Davidson County
The Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Tour begins October 1st and cyclists will ride nearly 450 miles from Spruce Pine to Ocean Isle Beach with an all-new route for the 2024 “Mountains to Coast” tour of scenic North Carolina. This is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first Mountains to Coast Ride held back in 1999, running from Murphy to Manteo.
This year’s event is scheduled for a Spruce Pine to Ocean Isle Beach trek from October 6th through October 12th, with October 5th serving as the check-in day. There will be beautiful tourist stops along scenic back roads, the “Mountains to Coast” ride is the highlight of the year for many cyclists from across the nation. Cycle North Carolina will begin its full-service, cross-state ride on October 6th from Riverside Park in Spruce Pine and will arrive at the Town Center Park in Ocean Isle Beach on October 12th with roughly 900 cyclists in tow.
The cyclists represent 42 states (AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, HI, IA, IL, IN, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WI, WV, WY) plus the District of Columbia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
The youngest cyclist to ride for the entire week is 10 years old, while the oldest participant is 87 years old. Over the course of the week, riders will bike an average of 62 miles per day. Additional overnight stays are planned in Lenoir, Statesville, Thomasville, Pittsboro, Benson and Elizabethtown. The route will also pass through many other towns and communities along the way, including Linville Falls, Collettsville, Hiddenite, Stony Point, Amity Hill, Cleveland, Franklin, Spencer, Lexington, Archdale, Liberty, Silk Hope, Moncure, Angier, Spiveys Corner, Salemburg, Roseboro, Hallsboro and Grissettown as they make their way to the finish.
Billy Freeman, Interim Thomasville Tourism Director stated, “We are so excited in Thomasville to have nearly 900 bicyclists from 42 different states in our town for the evening of Tuesday, October 8th. This is not something that we get to experience very often. It will be a great opportunity for our businesses as well as an exciting opportunity to share our town with these most welcome guests. Thanks to Cycle NC and to our local Baptist Children’s Homes for hosting the overnight stop on their property.”
In this year’s tour, bicyclists will experience numerous instances of North Carolina’s unique topography including mountains, ample farmland, several lakes, creeks and winding rivers. Three to four rest stops are scheduled daily to break up the ride and allow riders an opportunity to take a break from pedaling. Some of the featured rest stops which are planned for the ride include Linville Lodge, Traveler’s Rest, Hiddenite Heritage and Arts Center, Fort Dobbs State Historic Site, Cleveland Town Hall and World’s Smallest Library, Short Circuit Arcade Bar, Richard Petty Museum, Liberty Patterson Cottage, Jordan Dam Visitors Center, Kidd’s Place Sporting Clay/Pistol Range, Angier Depot, Spivey’s Corner Volunteer Fire Department, Downtown Roseboro and the George Henry White Memorial Health and Education Center.
The Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Tour is the state’s only fully-supported ride. Luggage is transported in vehicles from one overnight host community to the next; rider support vehicles are available to aid cyclists who experience physical or mechanical trouble; outdoor camping areas with amenities are set-up in overnight host communities; and rest stops will be available every 15-20 miles along the route, with beverages and snacks for all participants. Riders can register for the entire distance, three-day options, or first-day & last-day only options. Online registration is still open at www.ncsports.org.
Hosted by North Carolina Amateur Sports (NCAS), Cycle North Carolina was developed to promote North Carolina’s scenic beauty, heritage tourism, visitor attractions, historic sites, state parks, fitness, healthy lifestyles and the benefits of bicycling to individuals and our state. During the past 24 years, Cycle North Carolina has stopped overnight in more than 100 North Carolina towns and visited over 800 North Carolina communities. Cycle North Carolina is presented by Retire NC. Partner organizations of Cycle North Carolina include: BODYARMOR, Truist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of NC, Capitol Broadcasting Company, Harris Teeter, Fat Tire and the N.C. Department of Transportation.
For more information on Cycle North Carolina, contact NCAS at (919) 361-1133, or visit the Cycle North Carolina Web site at, www.cyclenorthcarolina.org.
