Last fall, my family and I traveled to the North Carolina mountains for a weekend vacation. We brought our bikes, and we (well, my brother and I) had a few chances to ride during the trip. On one of the rides, we biked along Railroad Grade Road, which connects the towns of Fleetwood and Todd.
As the name indicates, it is built on an old railroad grade, so the route is completely flat (no hills!). At first, we thought that since the road is narrow and has sharp turns, traffic would be a problem, but since we were riding in the early morning we did not see many cars. We rode the 10 miles from Fleetwood to Todd, which was a really enjoyable and scenic ride.
If you are ever in the area, this is a (relatively) short, easy, and laid-back ride you could try.
Above: Looking out over a barn at a “Share the Road” sign. The early morning fog is just breaking up.
Above: Taking a break at an abandoned country store along the road.
Above: A really nice route: great scenery and flat, open roads.