Guest post by Mary Mitchell

Each year my husband and I focus on one ‘big’ trip and this year was an extra special vacation in many ways. It was the first time vacationing with my family and our first ‘active’ vacation. Spurred on by my brother and his family, we committed to a 5-day, 4-night Backroads cycling vacation that started in Asheville, NC and ended in Greenville, SC.

Can I Do It?

Having been to Asheville before, I was a little concerned about the level of riding since I had never done any outdoor cycling. On a scale of 1 to 5, Backroads rated the difficulty level of riding from 3 to 5. Although there were always options each day, I was determined to do some training and glad I did. Those were ‘mountains’ not ‘hills!’ That aside, I would be remiss to not add that my husband did not train other than his normal fitness regime at the gym and he was fine, as were several others on the trip. There were several different levels of cyclists in the group from the A+ to the C-pace rider, and with the support van alongside when anyone needed it, everyone had a vacation they enjoyed.

Highlights of a Backroads Cycling Vacation

The trip had several highlights. Foremost was the biking (no surprise there)! The routes planned each day were gorgeous! Even the pre-designated break spots along the route had great scenic views. There were challenging climbs and exhilarating downhills. My two favorites were a 7-mile downhill in North Carolina and another ‘Gran Fondo’ mountain ride in South Carolina with 17 switchbacks straight up that I thought I could never do … But I did! By the end of the week we had logged a total of 225 beautiful mountain miles and I felt extremely accomplished.

The food and accommodations were fabulous! From snacks in the morning, picnic lunches that were a gourmet spread of food, to stopping on breaks at the best local country store or mini brewery, Backroads was excellent at planning the details that made it a great vacation experience.

The first two nights, our lodging was at the famous Inn on Biltmore Estate with its gorgeous grounds, and then we went on to two nights in the luxury Hotel Domestique in South Carolina – one we would definitely return to. The hotel was like a small inn, beautifully decorated with about 13 rooms, so the whole Backroads group stayed in the hotel. It was like being at home. The manager and staff were friendly and always available for questions, help, or even a little history about the local area and legendary cyclist George Hincapie’s inspiration. The rooms were large with really comfortable beds and spacious bathrooms that were a treat after a long ride. And of course the pool and restaurant were top notch with views of the mountains.

Another highlight was Backroads’ special farewell dinner on the last night. The dinner, held at Hotel Domestique, included great barbeque and a local bluegrass band that got people on their feet! It was a nice ending to a great week as we bid farewell to new friends, a great Backroads staff and to the beautiful Carolina Mountains.

Backroads definitely gets high marks on all aspects! It’s no wonder that several people on our trip had been on Backroads vacations before – a testimony in and of itself. We, too, would be happy to do another Backroads cycling vacation.

Mary is a spin teacher, turned avid outdoor cyclist, who Travel Maestro has had the pleasure to ride with in “not-even-remotely-mountainous” rural eastern Virginia. Hat tip to Mary for tackling the Blue Ridge! 

For more information on active walking and cycling vacations, contact Covington Travel’s VAST  (Virtuoso Active & Specialty Travel) Advisors and get moving!