Well, they go down about 500 feet before climbing back up another thousand feet. I was a bit chilled by the time I started the next climb. The view once I came around the corner below the firetower, was dominated by the Black Mountains. The climb up to 128 is long, but the view in the winter makes up for it. Actually the view in the winter is the only great view these days.
Smog now ruins the view from spring through fall, but winter days are still mostly clear.
On the second of December, I could see the haze building up in the valleys as I rode the ridges. This image shows Asheville's reservoir which is located just north of Black Mountain. I took this shot about noon. In the summer the reservoir is just visible through the murk. Approaching NC 128 on the Parkway from the north means lots of nice views of the Black Mountains.