Tales from the Assault on Mt. Mitchell® - A Storytelling Contest

(adapted from the Freewheelers of Spartanburg web site)

The Assault on Mt. Mitchell® began in 1975, when a group of friends (led by John Bryan) from Spartanburg, SC decided to try riding from Spartanburg to the top of Mt. Mitchell--highest point east of the Mississippi River. From that casual beginning, the annual Assault on Mt. Mitchell® has become one of the best known centuries in the country with an increasing number of rules and regulations each year to try to make the process of entering the Assault equitable.

Part of the ride is along the Blue Ridge Parkway and ends at the top of Mt. Mitchell State Park where the number of riders is limited by both the National Park Service and the Mt. Mitchell State Park special use permits. The Assault on Mt. Mitchell® is limited to 750 finishers.

1. This website has been constructed and dedicated to this storytelling event by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.
2. Stories will be received for posting from May 1, 2008 through August 25, 2008 via online submission only.
3. Accepted stories and photographs will become part of the permanent archives of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation on the Blue Ridge Parkway Blog.
4. A digital image of the bike rider / author needs to be submitted to accompany the story. The image does not need to be dated to the time of the story but can be one from the rider's past or present personal history. The image should be a minimum of 250 pixels square at 72 dpi. Email us if you need help in fulfilling the technical aspects of this requirement.
5. For the sake of Rider's Choice voting, we are asking that you keep your tales to 750 words or less.
6. This web site will serve as the governance of this competition. Rules & Understandings is subject to change and you should check back here for the latest updates.
7. SUBMIT YOUR STORY NOW (The 2008 entry deadline has passed. Please stay tuned for the Rider's Choice Award Announcement on October 15th.)

On-line voting will begin September 1st, 2008 and will continue through October 1st, 2008. For balanced scoring, stories will be judged based upon a weighting of the average user chosen ranking score of 1-10, and the number of individual reviews received.

The Rider's Choice Award will be announced on October 15th, 2008.

An award of $300 will be made to the winner. "Honorable mentions" will also be announced at this time.

We have a couple of sample stories to get your creative juices flowing. Read the following stories for inspiration:

• Dr. Houck Medford, of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, has submitted his story from an Assault on Mt. Mitchell® 24 years ago. Read Dr. Medford's Sample Story...
• Dave Tomsky is no stranger to this century race either. Read Dave Tomsky's Sample Story...

Also, if you're needing further inspiration or just want to see some of your buddies, you can browse our online photo galleries, courtesy of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation.

Feel free to email the Foundation if you are interested in a print of any of the Assault on Mt. Mitchell® photographs.

Here are some books that you might find of interest at the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation's online store:

Backroad Bicycling in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains: 27 Rides for Touring and Mountain Bikes from North Georgia to Southwest Virginia
This all new cycling guide uncovers scenic back roads for both touring and mountain bikes through the heart of the Southern Appalachians and the Great Smoky Mountains: from North Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina to Southwest Virginia. Encompassing the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the region offers scenic and historic tours along valley floors, exhilarating ridgetop rides, and challenging treks through rugged mountains.

Road Cycling: The Blue Ridge High Country

Bicycling the Blue Ridge: A Guide to the Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, 4ed

Blue Horizons: Faces and Places From a Bicycle Journey Along the Blue Ridge Parkway