Cycle North Carolina (CNC) A Cross-State Bicycle Tour
Tenth Annual Cycle North Carolina

In 1999, the idea of a fully supported, not for profit, bicycle tour became a reality, through the efforts of the North Carolina Amateur Sports and the sponsorship of the NC Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, the NC Department of Transportation and Capitol Broadcasting Company.

The Cycle North Carolina (CNC) inaugural “Mountains to the Coast” tour encompassed the Blue Ridge Mountains in Murphy, passing through piedmont North Carolina, to the coastal town of Manteo. It set the standard for routes that showcase NC’s scenic beauty and historic sites, while sampling the food, shopping and entertainment, in the communities along the way.

The weeklong bicycle tour is not a race.  It was designed to promote good health and fitness, while bicyclists ride at their own pace on lightly traveled roads. The tour was also designed to provide economic benefits to rural communities, while showcasing their diverse and unique cultures.

Since 1999, the CNC has attracted bicyclists from all over the USA and from abroad—registering an average of 1,000 participants each year, with an expected 1,200 participants for 2008. The League of American Bicyclists has named the tour one of the “Best Biking in America”. The CNC has been hosted overnight by 88 communities and has passed through more than 600 towns, on its 10 year, 4,500 mile, road tour.

Cycle North Carolina’s Tenth Annual Tour  took place September 27 – October 4. The participants of the 2008, 10th annual tour and celebration, were enticed by exciting entertainment, crafts, quaint shops, museums, rich history revisited and North Carolina's scenic beauty, from Black Mountain to Oak Island.  The “Mountains to the Coast” tour had overnight stops in Morganton, Lincolnton, Concord-Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Wingate, Laurel Hill, White Lake and Oak Island, where local hosts pulled out all the stops to assure that riders had a great time.

No longer a sponsor, but always a supporter of Cycle North Carolina, the NCDOT, Division of Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation wishes to congratulate North Carolina Amateur Sports for their ten years of successful bicycle tours that have benefited all of North Carolina.

10/10/08