However, thoughts soon return to what's left to endure. Just short of the 100 mile mark we pass through the gates to Grandfather Mountain. The elevation here is 4355'. There are still 2.2 miles and 935' of climbing before the finish. The climb comes in a sequence of steps.
Many riders are stopped along the side of the road, others continue at slow paces.
Kevin pulls ahead as he has done on all the other climbs. However, just one mile from the finish Kevin is stopped on the steepest part of the climb. Just before the last push to the summit there is a small parking area. Many riders add a lap of this parking area just to get a break from the climb, and to build some momentum. Once back on the road the biggest obstacle was not the climb, but the cars trying to get to the top to meet riders.