Cycle North Carolina “Mountains to Coast” Tour Arrives in Elizabethtown on October 11
Cyclists Will Ride Nearly 450 Miles from Spruce Pine to Ocean Isle Beach
Cycle North Carolina will begin an all-new route for the 2024 “Mountains to Coast” tour of scenic North Carolina, spending their last night in the Town of Elizabethtown. 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 to October 12th. With 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.
Elizabethtown will host the last overnight with cyclists traveling over the HWY 701 bridge, making a right onto King Street and arriving at the soccer field behind Town Hall.
“We want to give them a warm welcome,” Director of Communications and Marketing Terri Dennison said, encouraging residents to come out and cheer on the cyclists as they cross the day’s finish line at King and Moorehead Street.
When they reach Elizabethtown, the 900-plus cyclists will have completed 355 miles across North Carolina, starting on October 6th from Riverside Park in Spruce Pine, NC. The next day, they will finish the last 63 miles ending at the Town Center Park in Ocean Isle Beach. During the week, riders will bike an average of 62 miles per day.
The majority of the cyclists will tent camp behind Town Hall. Hotel accommodations are also provided at the Grand Regal, Melwood Court and Knights Inn. The Town has arranged a shuttle loop that will transport the cyclists from base camp at Town Hall or their hotel to local restaurants and points of interest. The cyclists can also visit downtown and participate in the Pink Out with the Pink Slips at the Farmer’s Market on Friday evening from 6-9 pm.
The cyclists represent 42 states 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.
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 that 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.
North Carolina Amateur Sports is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that annually organizes the BODYARMOR State Games and Cycle North Carolina. NCAS is dedicated to the promotion of the spirit of amateur sports, physical fitness and health to all ages and skill levels through the participation in organized events which enrich the state of North Carolina. For more information on NCAS and its events, please access www.ncsports.org.
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