A Saturday morning tradition of sweat and sweets

Inasmuch as that all roads lead to Rome, it might seem that all cycling routes lead to Saluda on Saturday mornings.

The colorful cyclists, with their aerodynamic helmets, skin-tight jerseys and shorts, and sleek bicycles, ascend to Wildflour Bakery from several different starting points in the region. Most of the time, they come out of the Greenville Watersheds or up the Saluda Grade from Tryon. Pedaling up the mountain, they huff and they puff and they sweat.

Some do it for the exercise. Some for the challenge.

And then there are those who do it for the sticky buns.

No matter the route or motivation, The Bakery Ride is considered to be one of the best weekly cycling events in the country.

“The basic draw of this ride is the challenge of the climb and the beauty of the scenery,” says 50-year-old Steve Baker, the PR guy for the Greenville Spinners cycling club. “Cyclists love a challenge. Climbing mountains is a common challenge for riders of all ability levels. Top riders love the competition with each other. Lower-level riders love to challenge themselves with the distance and severity of mountain climbs.

“The Bakery Ride has beautiful scenery, lower traffic once you get north of Travelers Rest, and the climb is fun to work on your fitness. The fact that there is an awesome bakery at the top with yummy sweet treats is just a bonus. In fact, I’ve done this ride at many times when the bakery was not even open.

“It’s also very common to ride 100 km or 62 miles as a milestone distance,” he explains. “This is called a metric century. Cyclists work up to this distance in their cycling careers. Many organized events are hosted at this distance.

“The Wildflour Bakery is 62 miles from Furman University in Greenville. I think this is one of the best reasons for this to be the most popular weekend ride in our area. Great views, low traffic, hard climbing, awesome pastries and a 62-mile accomplishment. It has all the elements to make it very popular.”

Among the specialty publications that have saluted The Bakery Ride as one of the best in the nation is Men’s Journal magazine, which sited the ride as one of the “25 Best Cycling Roads in America,” having “quiet roads, although they climb frequently, are pitched just right for easy pedaling. And although few would call the surrounding area congested, the watershed itself has a quiet peacefulness that enhances the dense woods — and coming into Saluda feels like entry into a new world.”

Depending on the time of year, weather and other cycling options, as many as several hundred cyclists make their way to Wildflour Bakery on Saturday morning, which is usually the halfway point of the journey and good place to take a break.

“It’s at the pinnacle of the ride most times, so it’s convenient to stop and reward yourself for the calories burned getting up there,” says 58-year-old Philip Mosley, of Campbello.

He’s been a cyclist for more than 30 years, and he and his cohorts have been pedaling up the Saluda Grade through Tryon for about 25 years. Like most riders, they take a short break once they reach the Bakery and replenish with fluids and carbs, especially sticky buns.

“Either way you go up to Saluda, it is a beautiful route with little vehicle traffic,” Philip says. “The town is very quaint and the people are very nice to me as a cyclist. I usually enjoy a good conversation with someone any time you make a rest stop. The ride is good because it allows you to build stamina. Climbing the mountain gives you a sense of accomplishment when you reach the top. It’s just a good place to be.”

Because The Bakery Ride is not normally “organized,” the exact origin is as elusive as a discreet potty pitstop.

Philip believes “it grew into a destination rather than being organized.”

One good indication of its longevity is that Wildflour Bakery began nearly 40 years ago at The Orchard Inn, and soon after relocating to Main Street Saluda a few years later, “The cyclists began appearing for early morning sticky buns and coffee that first year,” says Debi Thomas, the owner of the bakery.

“They are generally a lively group, sharing tales of their ride or past rides, discussing cycling equipment or sharing tips on riding with newbies,” she says. “It’s also a chance to catch their breath, refuel, and, in the winter, thaw out! Our other customers are often fascinated with the cyclists, who are happy to answer questions and have bragging rights to the grueling ride they just finished.

“Sticky buns are a long time favorite, a great carb replenisher and so amazingly delicious. But scones and breakfast sandwiches on homemade bread or bagels are often the choice for some very hungry riders. Our handmade, fresh fruit Danish [pastries] fly out the door on weekends. Closer to lunch time, orders are most often sandwiches or quiche.”

“Like everyone, cyclists love pastries and coffee,” Steve adds. “It’s very common in the cycling world to ride to a coffee shop and drink coffee. Cyclists also might tell you that they ride to eat. Many of us ride a lot to stay fit. Riding uses up a lot of energy. This can help you justify eating pastries and sweet treats now and then.

“Doing a hard ride to Saluda might be a good justification for a sticky bun and a cup of coffee. And, those sticky buns at the Wildflour Bakery are famous! They are awesome.

The location of the Wildflour Bakery is also very important in understanding why it’s so popular. It’s at the turnaround point in the ride. It’s at the halfway mark. It’s at a point where the hardest riding is finished. The Wildflour Bakery is about two hours into the ride, so it’s almost natural to stop and get water, even if you don’t want a sticky bun.

“Many factors come together to make this a very popular stop on many rides. I will also say that the food at the bakery is another serious attraction on and off the bike. Many of us go back at other times for lunch or dinner because we can’t enjoy some of that in the middle of a 100 km ride. I’ve been there for pizza night with friends without our bikes. I also take area visitors there when I’m showing off our entire area. Tourists visiting Greenville want to see the whole area. Saluda is a beautiful little town that many visitors love to see.”

“Cyclists are often on the porch waiting for us to open in the summer,” Debi says. “They get an early start to beat the heat. We do check the weather for the day, determining how many pastries we think we will need. Cycling clubs are generally happy to give us notice of events, races or large groups planning to ride The Bakery Ride so we can have enough for their group.

“There have been occasions when it suddenly begins a downpour and the cyclists arrive drenched. We have literally mopped around them as they ate their sticky buns and dripped puddles on the floor, hung their sopping wet socks and jackets over our heaters or given someone plastic bags to put over their feet to make the ride home. During one especially wicked thunderstorm, we loaded bikes in our delivery van and took a group back down the mountain.”

“There is definitely a sense of community on Saturday morning rides,” Steve says. “Cyclists get together in groups. Groups of teammates, friends, or sometimes strangers that have come together for a challenge or fun ride. I think everyone celebrates doing the Bakery Ride. Last weekend I rode with five of my friends who brought three people I met that morning. Everyone had a common bond. We were riding bikes and we were going to the bakery.

“Several people had been there before but didn’t know the exact route to get there. One had never been there before, and she was very excited to notch off the accomplishment of riding to the Bakery. We talked some about what to expect on the climb up there and what to order when you got there — sticky bun, of course.

“When we arrived, the first timer was super excited to accomplish the goal and the others were excited to sample some treats. They were out of sticky buns, so we had to order other things. We ate and rode back home. Everyone had fun.” •

Steve Wong is a writer living in the peach orchards in Gramling, South Carolina. He can be reached online at Just4Wong@Gmail.com.