Another night warm enough to not need heater. Slept in.
Stopped @ USFS visitor center & visited w/ Fred. His wife works in a shoe store in Brevard. She said she was talking to a mountain biker while in the store about this guy doing this mountain biking trip. he said yea, he knew.
Called insurance company to learn coverage issues for PT. Drove to urgent Care for PT referral. original DR not in until Fri so only way to get script was to be seen again by a different DR. Got script. Now finding a PT is the next go.
Bent Creek is near the Urgent Care so I drove over. Again, my navigation skills are nil. I blundered into a parking lot, found myself on the map and headed up a gated road searching for ST. First road intersection wasn’t on map ( I maintain) and I stopped, pulled out the map, & put on my reading glasses. A group of slightly younger men mtn bikers went by. The last one hollered to join in if I wanted. I hollered Yes but apparently not loud enough. I quickly put my stuff away and sprinted to catch them. they had too much of a head start, that’s my story. At the first ST I found I dropped in.
Learning about new tires and what they will allow me to do. They run cleaner w/ less mud build up. Shifting needs some fine adjustment.
At a road intersection I again pulled out my map. As I was learning my whereabouts a group of elderly hikers engaged me in conversation. They asked me where I was try to go to and I said South Carolina. We all laughed. They left, I chose another trail. Later I ran into them at the end of their hike and I was still trying to find my van. I was riding the road when a car passed me and a woman hollered that I was almost in SC.
I used the navigation feature on the EDGE to find my way back to TH. Late afternoon ride.
Rode in shorts, short sleeve jersey, & short gloves. Temp was around 65 degrees.
What I rode in Bent Creek was less than technical. Rhody thickets. 12.92 miles & 1694′.
Drove back to Brevard & showered at laundromat. The owner is away and another man is filling in. The fill in’s demeanor struck me like it was the owner. Turns out they are brothers and together they started the laundromat.
People can be fun where ever. Still, the less enlightened are the grocery clerks.
At Haw Ridge in TN I met Drew, who last summer worked as an intern for BikeMagazine. He said he would speak w/ the mag about my trip. Today I received an email from the staff. I have been using the mag’s article on Fifty Rides as research material. I rode some of their rides; they were responsible for the Jim Thorpe junk ride. (Whoa, that’s 2 shots of moonshine talking).
Forecast is for more rain.
Pisgah is big. I have been uneager to ride it myself much beyond the front country. the rain has helped my decision. DuPont is smaller and not as wild and more comfortable to ride. Although it has a myriad of trails and a greater potential for getting lost. Pisgah has way fewer trails and once I get on 1 it lasts a long while until the next decision.
Zysk sent my web site to Paul Turner of The Slice column.
Mono is a Springsteen fan.
Back to Avery Creek set down. Last night I drove between 2 trucks that looked like hunting dog rigs. Once I parked and opened the door i heard the barking of dogs. I hoped it wasn’t a bear because I thought we were all in a bear sanctuary. I learned today that it is coon season and there is no sanctuary for them. The bear hunting is also done in daylight