Take a Tip From Lance—and Greg LeMond:

Head to the Boone Area for Great Biking!

Lance Armstrong found his Tour de France future riding the spectacular roads of the Boone Area. It was here he became "a bike racer again." Armstrong's story of how "Boone began to feel like the Holy Land to me, a place I’d come to as if on a pilgrimage,” is one of the great tales of achievement in the world of sport (read more about it).

A similarly inspiring experience still awaits road cyclists and mountain bikers in the NC High Country.

World-class truly captures cycling in the Boone Area. Cutting edge cycling programs at Appalachian State University and Lees-McRae College attract the nation’s best road, mountain bike, and cyclo-cross racers—and take home the nation’s top titles year after year. Lees-McRae just became the first university to offer a cycling minor. Two-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond taught students in the program—and rode the High Country—in March 2012.

The Boone Area boasts great events too. The annual June Blood Sweat and Gears 100- and 50- mile rides are a major event that draws cyclists from across the nation and other countries. This year, the day after BS&G, the area's first ever Cyclo.Via! took place on car-free streets in Boone. It was a memorable bike fest. Check out the facebook page for Cyclo.Via!. The events are popular: book your lodging early.

USA Cycling’s major national event, the Gravity Mountain Bike National Championships, came to Beech Mountain September 24-25, 2011 and will be back again in July 2012.

It doesn’t take a special event to make friends and memories biking the Boone Area. Join the Boone Area Cyclists organization or one of the area’s almost daily rides sponsored by local cycling shops and others. Better yet—join the club!

You don’t have to live here to ride here—or to add your voice and volunteer effort to the High Country's vibrant cycling community. It's especially easy to join other volunteers building great new biking trails. Check out how you can volunteer to help make the Boone Area the East’s best place to pedal.

Take your pick.

Road rides follow relaxing riversides, soar on skyline tours of the Blue Ridge Parkway, or tackle the summit climb that challenged Lance. 

Mountain bikers have brand new Boone  Area options. The first phase of Boone’s state-of the-art Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park opened last spring and a new loop debuted in July. The Emerald Outback mountain biking trails opened on Beech Mountain last spring. Add many great trails nearby and there are options galore for the most-single-minded single-tracker. Boone's great Greenway Trail offers paved paths and natural surface sections. It's perfect for families and serious riders, on mountain bikes or trikes.

Whatever kind of cycling you do—you’re closer to heaven on two wheels when you’re biking in Eastern America’s highest mountains.