Riding on NC Outer Banks

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

T

I was down there a couple of years ago. Pretty flat area. But within your 90-minute limit there
are probably places. I'd just take the road bike and ride around there. Actually, I'd probably
take whatever beater bike I had and let the salt and sand have their way it that instead of my
'good' bike.

J

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
| with family during the first week of July.
|
| I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
| time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
| dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.
|
| Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

Don't, I repeat DON'T take your any of your primary bikes there. The salt air and microsand (ground
up sand that gets into EVERYTHING will do a number on your bike. It took me two days to clean up my
MTB when I took it to Ocracoke (south of Corolla) in 2001. Your best bet is to rent a beach cruiser
from the many places that do so down there. First time I went, I took two cruisers and two hybrids.
I never even touched the hybrids that trip.

BTW, don't pronounce Corolla like the Toyota car. They say Cah-RAH-Lah over there.

---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
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"John Harlow" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Iy2Ia.980763$OV.1080845@rwcrnsc54...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

It's awful flat anywhere around there. Perhaps a substitute from mtn

biking

Quoted message said:

would be a windsurfing or kiteboarding lesson? Just south of there

(within

Quoted message said:

your 90 minute range) is Hatteras; a world class location for learning either sport. Even better
is a little rain won't stop you (it's been raining almost every day here in the mid-Atlantic). As
others have said, leave anything you don't mind corroded by the sand and salt at home.

Also hang gliding, and a visit to the Wright Brothers Museum is in order. The Lost Colony, an
historical, outdoor drama is pretty good.

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

T

hatteras.wshatteras.wsOpen ↗

--
DTW .../\.../\.../\...

I've spent most of my money on mountain biking and windsurfing. The rest I've just wasted.

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

T

I wen there last year (Avon) and searched long and hard for anything resembling a trail, no such
luck. I hated the road riding too, one long ass, straight, flat road with nasty wind and heavy to
moderate traffic. I tried a few rides and hated all of them, spent most of the vacation on the
beach. Not a cycling destination IMO. Local shops rent for around $60-70 for a week IIRC.

Chris

ps At the Pea Island Wildlife refuge there is a service road that's about a mile or so that allowed
bikes as of last year. I think that's the closest thing to a trail you'll find.

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

Spent a couple of vacations in Duck (just south of Corolla) No MTBing around for a variety
of reasons.

Too flat, too sandy, too fragile, too salty, too wet. mtbr.com shows a LOT of trails in NC, but
*none* near the coast.

From Duck north to Corolla isn't too bad as far as traffic, but anywhere south of Duck is insane.

Within 90 mins though...that really doesn't get you very far away from the coast. You have to go all
the way back down to Rt 158 to get off the peninsula and back to the mainland and north. 90 minutes
gets you about to Currituck. Still very flat and swampy.

Pete

RE/

Quoted message said:

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive time
or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the dreaded
road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

I'm no local, but I've been going down there once, sometimes 2-3 times a year for about 20 years.

Maybe this will smoke out somebody that knows of some good rides - but my current view is "It Sucks
Pretty Bad".

Flat, straight, headwinds, crosswinds, soft sand shoulders, speeding traffic....and something called
"jumping cactus" that has to be seen to be believed.

I'll bring a beater bike just to get from ocean side to sound side to check out the windsurfing
conditions...but not for much else.

OTOH, kayaking down there can be quite aesthetic....

We're going down for the first two weeks in July. Considering the windsurfing season so far, my
primary tools will be a surf ski, a hammock, and a portable CD player.
-----------------------
PeteCresswell

[email hidden] (Tom Walker) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

T

I lived in Buxton for a summer. There were a few trails in that town, but they are all sandy and ya
end up with 50 little sand spurs in your tires.

A decent little road ride is to park in Hatteras Village and bike to the free ferry. Then there is
a 15ish mile ride to Ocracoke. Great little place to grab a dinner and a beer (may I suggest
Howard's Pub).

As long as you keep your bikes indoors when not in use, you shouldn't have any problems with sand
and salt. Just keep your chain well coated with a dry lube. Sorry, no good trails, at all.

Have fun, Nate

"Nate" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
| [email hidden] (Tom Walker) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...
| > My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
| > with family during the first week of July.
| >
| > I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
| > time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
| > dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.
| >
| > Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?
| >
| > T
|
| I lived in Buxton for a summer. There were a few trails in that town, but they are all sandy and
| ya end up with 50 little sand spurs in your tires.
|
| A decent little road ride is to park in Hatteras Village and bike to the free ferry. Then there is
| a 15ish mile ride to Ocracoke. Great little place to grab a dinner and a beer (may I suggest
| Howard's Pub).
|
| As long as you keep your bikes indoors when not in use, you shouldn't have any problems with sand
| and salt. Just keep your chain well coated with a dry lube. Sorry, no good trails, at all.

I would agree, except to say that the best place in Ocracoke Village is the Jolly Roger!

---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
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<Bad news snipped>

Well, that all blows. Windsurfing and hang gliding are out as activities to pursue with the GF
as she's not interested. It sounds like its not even worth the decreased gas mileage to bring
the bikes.

I guess we'll have to look at other things to do there. Thanks for the help!

T

Quoted message said:

I would agree, except to say that the best place in Ocracoke Village is

the

Quoted message said:

Jolly Roger!

I prefer SmackNally's myself. And the Spicy Shrimp is a damn fine restaurant.

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

<Bad news snipped>

Well, that all blows. Windsurfing and hang gliding are out as activities to pursue with the GF
as she's not interested. It sounds like its not even worth the decreased gas mileage to bring
the bikes.

I guess we'll have to look at other things to do there. Thanks for the help!

T

I've been following your thread with interest as well Tom. I leave for Emerald Isle (NW of
Wilmington) in 2 days and was hoping to get some sort of riding in. I guess I'll get heavier beers
and weight lift the whole time.
--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado (remove .nospam. if replying)

I am heading to North Myrtle Beach tomorrow and was told the same thing. Enjoy the water activities
and leave the bike at home.

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

T

Bring your jetski. Everyone has one. Right!? Sal "Gary" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am heading to North Myrtle Beach tomorrow and was told the same thing. Enjoy the water
activities and leave the bike at home.

"Tom Walker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My girlfriend and I are heading down to Corolla on the Outer Banks of NC for a week of vacation
with family during the first week of July.

I've been trying to find out if there are any trails worth visiting there (90 minutes of drive
time or less from Corolla would be nice) so I know whether to bring the mountain bike or the
dreaded road bike. I haven't found much so far.

Any locals hanging out in here that can help me?

T

"Gary" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
| I am heading to North Myrtle Beach tomorrow and was told the same thing. Enjoy the water
| activities and leave the bike at home.

For Myrtle Beach, you need a "Pits Bike" Call a shop called "Atlantic Spokes" for a more precise
description than I could provide (I just take cruisers to the beach nowadays.)

---
__o _`\(,_ Cycling is life, (_)/ (_) all the rest, just details. Nelson Binch =^o.o^=
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RE/

Quoted message said:

Bring your jetski. Everyone has one. Right!?

Oooooh! Some major trolling going on here....
-----------------------
PeteCresswell