During the 1990’s:  The Tour du Pont finished two stages at the top of Beech Mountain…different years of course, with Lance Armstrong winning one of them.  This was before his cancer diagnosis, while riding for Motorola.

Note: Later Armstrong would win the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005, but was later stripped of his titles after admitting his use of performance enhancing drugs. 

Beech is the highest incorporated town east of the Mississippi at 5,500 feet, and not very far from Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

I’ve ridden my bike to the top of Beech at least fifteen or more times over the years.  The last time was 2010 with my good friend and cycling partner Mike Keeley.  

It was a late October day, and we began our ride from the Mask General Store in Valle Crucis, then taking highway 194 to Banner Elk.

While climbing the mountain the weather changed suddenly…becoming cloudy, windy and cold.  However, we were fortunate to get to the top and back down without encountering rain.

It can be difficult in selecting a day to climb Beech Mountain, especially this late in the year, as within minutes or without notice…it can begin to rain, sleet or even snow.   

(Supplemental)  October 20th 2011 @ 7:41 PM:  It snowed today on Beech, and the forecast is for snow showers tonight. 

roger