Heard rain on the roof during the night. OK. Bed was very comfortable. I slept late again. 2 nights ago I heard the traffic from the highway. TVA opened gates upstream and now the traffic was drowned out by the rapidly flowing river. It would have been white water but the river was a thick chocolate brown icky smell. I fixed scratch pancakes and enjoyed the morning which emerged as a wonderful blue sky warm day. I pulled my bike off the rack to adjust the fork when Bruce from 2 days ago pulls in. I remember that he and John were planning another ride on Sunday. And I was in the perfect spot for another ride. They were later joined by Webb & Linda. More later.
We rode mostly the same ride we did previously. I learned no new words but I did learn from both John & Webb that a 29er is the better bike hands down. John said he couldn’t make his Ellsworth go fast downhill. And it was a pig on the uphill. He said that even the worst day on the trail is a good day was a lie. Next time he rides it will be w/ his 29er Fisher composite hardtail.
Webb @ 72 is the oldest person I have ridden with. I learned that when he was younger that he ran 100 mile races. Linda is 61 second oldest person. Very nice people, they invited me to visit on my way thru AL. Webb is still a practicing MD.
At the TH John recognized Zeke’s pickup. John said that Zeke is training for the trans rockies race and that he would offer lots of ride ideas should he return while I was still there. I was staying the night making the encounter a sure deal. A rider coasts down into the parking lot and beelines to me like he knows me. I immediately recognize him from my ride on Haw Ridge several weeks previous. He knows John, Webb, & Linda. He shared ride info as did Webb.
Enjoyable visiting & learning from other people.
The river really stunk from the released h2o so much that I decided to get out of the drainage by driving the logging roads up mtn until I found a pullin. I found 1 right @ a trail junction we rode by today. A mtn biker pulled in as I was deciding. Don Wright. And he shared a ride idea and names.
And then it got dark and I am all alone. Companionship and then solitude. Again, I have met, interacted, and been accepted by a whole bunch of people. Traveling by myself is key to opportunites.
Computer acting up. Run engine to charge battery.
Managed river:
Today after release:
