Bike the Banks

If you google ‘bike the banks,’ you’ll discover a plethora of events that have hijacked the name for their own purposes. Some of these events involve bicycles, some motorcycles, some at or near the coast and some not so much. This episode promotes the 7th annual Bike the Banks/Lighthouse Challenge here along the Crystal Coast. The rides will be held Saturday, May 7th. Sponsored by the Emerald Isle Bike and Pedestrian Committee, the event offers three routes; 10, 50 and 100 miles to challenge bikers of all skill levels. The premier event of the day is the century ride, at 100 miles which is an out-and-back ride that will take the participants from the Emerald Isle Community Center down Bogue Banks to Fort Macon, then back to Atlantic Beach, over to Morehead City, through Beaufort and Down East Carteret County to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse - at least as close as you can get on a bicycle. There is also a 50 mile out-and-back ride to Fort Macon. This ride begins at the Community Center, goes to the Point in Emerald Isle, then down the island to Fort Macon and back. The final ride, a 10-mile fun ride, is designed as a more leisurely ride for adults and families. That ride begins at the Community Center and follows the Emerald Isle Bike and Pedestrian Path to the Eastern Ocean Regional Access parking lot in Emerald Isle, near mile marker 15 where riders turn and pedal back to the Community Center.

The rides promote bike riding in Carteret County and raise funds for the Emerald Isle Bike and Pedestrian Path that runs the length of the town. Both the century ride and the 50-mile rides begin at 7:30 a.m. The 10-mile ride starts at 8:00 a.m. All three rides begin and end at the Emerald Isle Community Center at 203 Leisure Lane, which is located near milepost 19 on Emerald Drive (NC 58). Registration is $40 per rider for the 100 and 50 mile-rides and $25 for the 10-mile event. Those who pre-register for the ride by April 3rd are assured a Bike the Banks t-shirt. Registration is available online. Registrations will also be accepted on the morning of the ride beginning at 6:30 a.m. at the Emerald Isle Community Center. At the same time, riders who are pre-registered can pick up their t-shirt. A brief meeting will be held shortly before each of the rides. The century ride course will close at 2:30 p.m. All riders should wear helmets, and the use of rear flashers are encouraged to improve visibility. Rest stops with drinks and snacks are strategically located for all three rides. Parking for participants is available at the Community Center, and at the Emerald Isle Town Hall at 7509 Emerald Drive.

Previous rides have seen strong turnouts. Last year 285 cyclists registered with about 100 riders than the 2019 event. The 2020 event was canceled due to COVID 19. More than 240 of those registered participated the day of the event. The largest contingent was the 50-milers who rode to Fort Macon and back. There were well over 150 of those and another 40 or so who did the century out to Harkers Island and back. There were about 40 riders in the 10-mile run ride. Participants in the 10 mile ride will stay on the Emerald Bike Path, exclusively. Please remember to obey all traffic signs including stopping at all intersections. Riders in the 50 and 100 mile rides will be sharing the road with automotive traffic on Highway 58 on Bogue Banks where speed limits vary from 25-45 MPH. Traffic can be a challenge in Atlantic Beach at the traffic light. The road to Fort Macon is twisty and has a narrow shoulder.

Leaving Bogue Banks, cyclists on the 100 mile ride to Harkers Island will travel on Highway 70 east through Morehead City, Beaufort and into Otway. Speed limits here vary from 35-55 MPH. In Otway at the CrossRoads Pizza, cyclists will head south on State Road 1335 or Harkers Island Road. Cyclists will ride through the community of Straits and then cross the Harkers Island drawbridge and follow Harkers Island road to its eastern terminus and the turnaround point of the ride at the two-story Visitors Center which is one of the two ferry gateways to Cape Lookout Light Station on South Core Banks. Cyclists in the 100 mile ride have a 2;30PM cut off, meaning that they will have to average almost 15 MPH to complete the 100 miles in under 7 hours. Considering that you may want to stop for refreshments or to use facilities, that is a fairly aggressive pace. To be sure, the ride is mostly flat, except for bridges, especially roughly ¾ mile, 65 foot high Gallants Channel bridge connecting Morehead City to Beaufort. And, then of course there are the invisible hills. That’s what we call the ever present headwind that is usually coming from the southwest this time of the year.

To learn more about recreational activities along the Crystal Coast, go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com.