I'm Packing My Bag For The Misty Mountains

Ahhhhhhhh, Brevard N. C., even with record high temperatures it was still only in the upper 70's.

We hit the Olympic Mountain Bike trail in Conyers Ga. on the way up and got into Brevard about dark.

After stopping by the local bike shop for maps we drove the 12 miles to the DuPont State Forest. We started out with a rather easy climb on a jeep road since it was a fam ride. Even so my lovely wife had a little trouble on the rocks but once we got on the single track it was all smiles.

This was all I saw of B most of the day. The highlight was coming down Ridgeline, it had perfect flow, banked turns, and little jumps all the way to the bottom.

We went back to the truck after our morning loop. T was tired so we loaded up and drove 5 miles to another trail head where B and I made a loop by ourselves. This section had the granite climbs (slick rock) that I had heard so much about. I have never used granny-granny so much in my admittedly short cycling career. It just kept going up. I only had problems when it started down. Two foot rock drops with black mud and water running down the trail didn't inspire any confidence. B cleaned the section but admitted being scared. I walked most of it.

We only rode 15 miles of the 90 miles of trail at Du Pont. I loved the place.

Now Pisgah, that's another story. Brevard sits right on the southern boundary of the Pisgah National Forest. 400 miles of trail. At both of the bike shops we stopped in they didn't recommend we ride Pisgah. How did they know? Was it my gray hair?

Anyhoo B and I decided we would give it a try at about 5:00 on Thursday afternoon. The trail heads were not easy to find so we rode around till we found a day use area and hit the first single track we could see from the road, Sycamore Cove I think it was called. From an easy pedal to redline in less than a mile, it went up quick. Small stream crossings with rocks set at weird angles every so often, we could clean some but some we just had to walk across. Then we got to the first switch back and the trail became 2 feet wide and cut into the side of the mountain with roots. B disappeared ahead of me. I got nervous. After a little while he came back to check on me, funny how that role has reversed without me realising it. He could tell by the look on my face I wasn't too thrilled. We turned around and it was better going down, duh.

So the bike shops were right, Pisgah was too tough for me. I admit it, I'm a wimp when it comes to shelf trail. As Big Worm put it "it's like 400 miles of nothing but the root you don't do on Cadillac". Still, I want to go back and try it again. Maybe with a little more daylight and not at the end of the trip. But there's another 75 miles at Du Pont I still want to do. So should I spend my limited time crawling over wet roots and rocks fearing for my life or should I ride the most perfect trails I've ever ridden with a big goofy grin on my face? What would you do?

Chattahoochee, I'm Not Crazy

I had been waiting anxiously for this ride. It was a Silk designed route that was supposed to take in "every hill in Chattahoochee twice". We did not achieve that goal, but I didn't hear any complaints. After 88 miles, which included some dirt roads and an aggravating return trip head wind, I think we were all glad to see beautiful downtown Havana again.

You know where Chattahoochee is right? Or rather what it's famous for? It's the home of the Florida State Mental Hospital and a correctional institute. The city is located in West Gadsden County on the banks of the Apalachicola River and sports some serious elevation changes (for Florida at least).

Urban sprawl has missed it, no new subdivisions or strip malls. With Lake Seminole on the North, the river to the West, and an abundance of rolling hills I could never figure out why more people don't live here. Oh yea, jobs, if you don't work for the state there's really not much to do here to earn a living. Still, it's a pretty place.

Not as pretty as beautiful downtown Havana though and that's where we met at 9:00 on a cool Saturday morning. There were the regulars plus a couple of faces I didn't recognize. The trip started with some slight mechanicals on one of the bikes, I won't mention whose, but after BW got it tuned up there were no problems.

Unless you count BW's flat.

On the way out we had a good tail wind. BJS got pissed because I took us off route and it messed up his Garmin, I assured him it wouldn't be the last time, and I was right.

We stopped for a water break in front of the hospital, then rolled through the grounds to get to the first clay road section.

I love clay roads. The sandy spots got my attention and I still don't trust that skinny tire at any kind of speed but I smiled the hole time we were on dirt.

Heading back into the wind everybody was getting tired. I was trying to remember all the roadie rules I had just read the day before. I kept hearing "Norman, get on that wheel!" As well as other less polite insults. Every one took their turn at the front and when BJS pulled over and let me pull we were just outside of Havana. I kept my eye on my speedometer and tried to keep the same pace as BJS was running. I had thought about sprinting for the city limits sign but BW got the jump.

Right after we got into town one of the new faces rode up beside me and gave me a little grief for my excessive pace during that last pull. Really? After 88 miles you have to do that? I don't know that guy very well so I'll reserve that rant for another time.

Anyhoo after we got cleaned up we met at Joanies for beers and food. This ride set a new personal mileage mark for me by 10 miles. I want to do more of these. All the roadie rules aside I had a great time.

Thanks Silk!

A Rainy Day In Georgia

Ah, the Tour of Amsterdam, we should have used jet skis, not bicycles.

I really thought we could get it in before the rain started. I was wrong, so very wrong. I had so few entries I decided to let riders roll when they wanted to. The earlier starters got to do at least 80% of the trail in the dry. The later ones weren't so lucky.

Anyhoo we got to socialize in the cabin while we waited for the lunch to cook. Since we had such a small crowd we were able to eat in the dry at a real table while the ATV riders stood around in the pouring rain trying to eat baked beans off of paper plates. It pays to know the promoter.

At 1:00 I still had 3 riders out on the course. By this time it must have rained 6" and was still coming down in buckets. They were pulling the food vendor's truck up the hill with a tractor while I sat there in the cabin watching the show. I finally called and got one of the rider's cell phone number and gave him a call, thinking they were huddled under a log somewhere waiting for someone to come and get them. I just didn't know who I was dealing with. They were still riding! I had to tell them to cut it short and come in on the road! They came down the muddy road to the house squealing like the Geico pig. Big smiles on all three muddy faces. They danced around hosing the red Georgia clay off of body and bike. They were having a great time!

Thanks to those who braved the almost biblical rain and wind, and to Todd and Mike at Higher ground for providing the prizes. We had fun playing poker for them while we waited for lunch. I seriously doubt I'll try this again. I have a long list of moto racing, and now cycling events, that have not gone quite as expected.

On the up side we managed to raise some money for a really good cause. No body got hurt. And I had some beer left over to take home with me.

Oh, and Mr. Anderson, you're an animal!