******* Blue Ridge Parkway ride Oct 21-23 *******

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1/8"x2" aluminum pipe with 3/16 steel sleeves so yeah it will take a bigger hurricane to buckel this pole! Thinking about heavier ground stakes for the tie downs even though they did well during the 50mph wind gusts
 
JohnVee said:
We're in for Friday and Saturday nights.

Is there anywhere in the area to legally shoot a rifle? A range, perhaps?
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Negative. Although it's a hunting area technically, there will be hiker's and campers scattered around the woods. Best to not draw negative attention.
 
I'm going to throw this out there just so people are aware. Though most going on this trip already know this. Expect damage on your truck. It's a narrow trail with limbs sticking out everywhere. There are quite a few rock obstacles. A stock cruiser can make it but you will dent something underneath. You can't take a stock truck and point it straight down the trail and expect it to not get damaged.

Weather. This will be one of the more extreme weekends up there. They are predicting winds steady at 25-30 mph and gusts up to 55 mph. Up there in the valley I expect probably more than that. A cheap tent isn't going to make it. You along with your tent will get blown off the mountain. If your thinking of bringing your roof top tent. Don't. It won't survive nor will you be able to sleep due to the noise. It's going to be cold. Low will be in the high 20's maybe 30's and high in the 40's. Windchill will be extreme. Bring more clothes and sleeping bags than you need. If the weather up there becomes too extreme then we have the option to head down the mountain 10 miles away and stay at my buddies property in the Pisgah woods. Building a fire won't be a problem there as I just had a cord of wood delivered last week.

We can make a call Saturday morning if we want to brave the day and another night there. It should be pretty epic Friday night. I'm planning on heading up there after lunch Friday. I'll still bring the stove but with the wind it might not be effective so plan accordingly.

With all that negative stuff said. Who is still with me? I'm going to be sleeping in the truck with the dog and my big buddy heater so I won't have any issues.
 
You know I'm in .
 
Trollhole said:
I'm going to throw this out there just so people are aware. Though most going on this trip already know this. Expect damage on your truck. It's a narrow trail with limbs sticking out everywhere. There are quite a few rock obstacles. A stock cruiser can make it but you will dent something underneath. You can't take a stock truck and point it straight down the trail and expect it to not get damaged.

Weather. This will be one of the more extreme weekends up there. They are predicting winds steady at 25-30 mph and gusts up to 55 mph. Up there in the valley I expect probably more than that. A cheap tent isn't going to make it. You along with your tent will get blown off the mountain. If your thinking of bringing your roof top tent. Don't. It won't survive nor will you be able to sleep due to the noise. It's going to be cold. Low will be in the high 20's maybe 30's and high in the 40's. Windchill will be extreme. Bring more clothes and sleeping bags than you need. If the weather up there becomes too extreme then we have the option to head down the mountain 10 miles away and stay at my buddies property in the Pisgah woods. Building a fire won't be a problem there as I just had a cord of wood delivered last week.

We can make a call Saturday morning if we want to brave the day and another night there. It should be pretty epic Friday night. I'm planning on heading up there after lunch Friday. I'll still bring the stove but with the wind it might not be effective so plan accordingly.

With all that negative stuff said. Who is still with me? I'm going to be sleeping in the truck with the dog and my big buddy heater so I won't have any issues.
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You know I will be there....... just not in shorts and sandals this time. That was pretty brutal.
 
Everyone's best bet is to sleep inside their vehicle. Take a small propane buddy heater as well. I literally got frostbite one year when conditions were like that. You can still have a good time up there and have a great story to tell later.
 
I won't be coming up until Saturday sometime, so if y'all decide to head back to the cabin let me know and I'll meet you there. I know we had some cell service up there last year in the bald. I'll be there either way.
 
Sounds good. I'll get a message on the board and a google pinpoint where the cabin is if we decide to move down the mountain. I seriously doubt we will though. I have a feeling if steves tepee lasts through Friday night we will have a nice warm place to hang out during the day.
 
The great thing about this trip is that every year the weather is tough but everyone thinks it's worth it to keep coming back for more. Clear sky's Saturday and Sunday morning so hopefully incredible sunrises as usual. If your into photography it doesn't get much better so bring a good camera. I can't wait to see how the teepee holds up to the wind. It did pretty good at Expo in 40+ gusts and I've made a couple mods so it should handle this trip as well. As Marshall said tents will be tough so if you have a low profile one it would be better. I have lots of para cord if people need additional tie down this year.
 
Unfortunately i am out, not due to Marshall's negativity but due to lower back issues now. Got home last night at 11:30 pm from Gettysburg, PA. Epic trip with 28 others from our company on a Battlefield Leadership Development experience. Only downside was 8.5 hour bus ride up and then again home. Back started spasming yesterday and bus ride home didn't help. Had MRI done on shoulder first thing this morning to diagnose other pain i have had for months now.....I am just an old man falling apart!
Here are a few pics from our trip from walking picketts charge...it was awesome weather for mid October!
PIcketts charge 4.webp
Pickett's Charge morning.webp
 
Was going to bring the oldest kiddo up for this one but she got hit with strep earlier this week so I need her in peak health going into those conditions. I'll probably hang out here in the warm piedmont with her and a kayak this weekend.

For future reference if we can get some calmer weather I'd have no problems taking one of my drones up there and doing some mapping so we can create a record of conditions on the Bald area the Forest Service can use. Might be a nice "freebie" to help show even more commitment towards being stewards of the area.
 
So how was the weekend up on BB? Thought about driving up for the day Saturday and hiking over to the site but it looked overcast, windy and a bit chilly! Got some fall cleaning and organizing done which pleased the wife greatly!
 
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It was a crazy weekend. We thought the 60mph gusts were bad Friday night. But the 70mph+ at 6am in the morning was extreme. The tepee held up till that point. We had a great time hanging out in it friday night. But the wind was just to much so we headed to my buddy Chucks cabin Saturday morning and relaxed and had a great night by the campfire. Woke up Sunday and headed up to do our trail maintenance. Was beautiful up there. All in all I'm tired but had an awesome time.
 
Had a great time even though I lost my tent . Sorry I couldn't get back up there and help work , had to meet some one at noon , which I was late . Hope you got everything done.
 
Yes....definitely putting up the teepee/yurt was a bit comical with 60+ mph winds and freezing temperatures. All in all, the family and I really enjoyed the trip, and as always the company of UC and ONSC folks.
 
7:00am sunrise from inside the truck.
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Slight pinstriping.
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Dog love.
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Holy crap, it was windy. The yurt was great while it lasted. I hate to say that I slept soundly in the truck while the wind did its damage and was only aware of it all when I exited the 80 at 8am to get dressed in 60mph winds. I needed help getting my pants on - that was disheartening.

Thanks to Marshall for the backup location. Sarah and I had fun (well, she slept) at the cabin hanging with the UC folks. Food, fire and friends.
 
Just so everyone knows we won't ever mention this place by it's real name here. Just BB is fine. The object is to show people what we did and invite our members and some friends. But we don't want this place plastered out on the inteweb. That's the quickest way for us to get it shut down.
 
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