Roots, rocks, and slime in the Appalachians

Fall continues to put the color in the forests. Just magnificent beauty.

I drove down to Ohiopyle. The forecast called for rain after like 1PM which would have been tight to finish a ride. Rain started during bfast and kept at it. I still drove down to Ohiopyle on the banks of the Yough. I found the laundromat which was not the one I saw on line which must have shown on a YP search and I didn’t notice that it wasn’t the town wash tub. Top loading washers but I had the machines to myself. I did a walking tour of the town letting rain moisten my wool sweater. Not even a coffee shop.

Folded and put away dry clothes and the riding wet clothes hung on my indoor clothes line I climbed back out of the valley heading east and south to Maryland and Deep Creek SP. Rain all day. At the SP I paid $30 for an electric site that I didn’t need and the state does not give senior discount. The weather forecast called for clearing skies late afternoon. And the forecast was accurate as the clouds parted ceasing rainfall.

Friday morn the skies were blue. I rode from campsite using gps tracks for a loop ride.

The tread is over sandstone which drains well, little evidence of rain, here it was just rooty and rocky, not slimy. Some pieces were machine built. Short ride. I made it back to camp before checkout which allowed me a shower. Hot water and a heated shower room.

I was planning on driving to VA thru Maryland until I looked at the road map to learn Davis, WVA was just a short drive away. Such a pretty sunny day driving back road state highway to Davis. This would be my 3rd visit here. I checked in at Blackwater Bike to learn that it was now owned by a different guy, Rod, who is much nicer than the former owner. During the conversation i learned  about the Funduro sponsored by DirtRag mag back up near Morgantown, WVA. A weekend hanging with a bunch of mtn bikers. I changed my plans to leave on Sat for the Funduro.

At Davis I drove back to check on camp spots I remembered, they were all occupied. Back up plan was Blackwater SP outside of town. $18 senior discount for a non electric site. When I checked in I learned there were 27 open sites to choose from. I picked 63 and hung my registration card on the post and drove away. Benefit of paying for a site was I knew that I would have a place to camp for the night. Camp fee was peace of mind.

I drove back to town just sighing from the fall beauty.

Alternative energy powered by wind abound

I drove back to town.

A new brew pub opened, Stumptown, there logo is a sawn tree stump. Place was full of mostly visitors. I enjoyed their beer. I walked a half a block to Hellbender burrito restaurant. It was WVA cooking. Hellbender is a giant salamander, the wifi password is OtterSnot which is a nickname. Back again to beer pub for a night cap then drove back to XG which is now completely filled.

Sat AM I drove back into MD to go north then west back into WVA on county roads to Big Bear resort, 5000 acres of private land that one of the owners has built many miles of hand built and or leave blower made trails. The trails here were rooty, rocky, and slimy, nasty shit

The itinerary listed an intermediate group ride at 1 that I joined. I wanted to rub elbows with unknown riders and benefit from a local guide. Way too many riders and rider ability difference. I was there to enjoy which I did. I rode behind several groms who really put a  charge on. Several hundred people were in attendance. Thanks DirtRag for sponsoring a non competitive event.

Sue Haywood offered her teaching skills, I participated in the men’s log clinic to the log height that I was comfortable with as I have such a fear of hurting my shoulder. Credit to Sue that when a woman tried to join she xnayed her.

A band played for hours. 3 beer taps were set up that ran dry. I noticed that most people stayed at their campsites with their group instead of mingling like I do. I met the property owner and chatted about his place.

2 riders from previous location rides found me and I remembered them. One was from a Davis ride and the other from the Michaux. Chris whom I remet in Sedona this winter attended.

Sunday I set out to ride the race course marked by yellow blazes and also a gps track. Nasty sections for a single track race.

In time i lost the race course giving in to just riding. I arrived at a TH that was at the bottom of the property unsure of where I was and how to get back to the venue. I spied a rider at the TH who provided navigation assistance. He offered a map but I declined saying I had MTBP. I could have used the map for a more direct route.

Back at the venue I took and outdoor shower and washed mud off my bike. Mark, the owner, drove up and we chatted more about his trails and users. He said that cross country race events are drawing fewer and fewer racers every year. 2976′ elevation.

I broke free and drove back to Davis. Lots and lots of big ups and downs. The van’s transmission is having issues that concern me, I just say sweet things to reward its performance. I stopped for a late afternoon beer and visited w/ a local who was on the same Sat ride I was on. He said that in the early days he rode in the Davis trails on his dirt bike that are now closed to motorized travel.

For camping I drove out of the valley then back on a FS rd and found a wide spot to park. Towards sundown many rigs drove out of the forest by me.

Yesterday my plan was to drive to Harrisonburg. While eating a piece of toast at bfast I sensed something hard that didn’t belong. I spit out the soggy mess and discovered a piece of tooth. SHIT. I waited for the root pain to hit…… but nothing happened. I kept the piece of tooth. Now I have a more immediate issue. More hilly and twisty driving out of WVA then the climb up to the state line with VA then dropped down into the Shenandoah Valley. More spectacular scenery.

I made Shenandoah Bicycle Company, Tim’s shop. We chatted. I asked him about a dentist. Later one of his guys suggested one where one of the previous staff people worked. I called and scored an afternoon appointment. I showed the piece of tooth that was actually a crown which broke free. Unfortunately it could not be just recemented on. We kicked around alternatives. The long term fix is a post and new crown. Or just put a patch over the exposed root and have it attended to in Sedona where time would not be an issue. The front staff worked magic and freed up an 8AM appointment today. i asked if i could sleep in their lot, yes it was granted. No dental insurance, bill came to $1629 to save a tooth.

The parking lot has a slant to it such that I was not able to level the van out, I slept with my head uphill. Very warm night followed the 82 degree day. What’s with summer high temps on October 17?

I woke early this AM to have bfast and clean up before my appointment. About 7 rigs began pulling into the lot. Office has 11 staff. The tooth had a root canal so it was dead, still Novocaine was injected into my gums. The dentist is just out of school. He drilled a hole in the root and cemented a post that will hold the to be made in house crown. Going to be out of here this afternoon with a new tooth.

Driving Ohio roads many trump yard signs were planted. PA, MD, WVA, and VA lack the proliferation, maybe that says something about the people. This trump thing is scary and has the makings of continuing after his election loss. How to put the country back together remains to be figured out. He will not go away nor will his base.

So, plan this after is to drive to Stokesville out in the country for the night hen ride out there then head to Brevard, NC where I must use the restroom of the sex on my birth certificate. I have 22 days to get to Bentonville.

I speak highly of these Appalachian mtn trails. They are a handful to ride.

My KS LEV post was fixed using some lube to free up the mechanism. My Replacement Raceface Turbine arrive at SBC yesterday. My blood test strips didn’t make it as the rep chose to expedite delivery by UPS to the USPS which doesn’t work. They have a hard time understanding General Delivery to the city, state and zip code which is all that is required.

I’m still int he dentist parking lot waiting for the finished crown call.