A FATS Day and next

Comfortable quiet night spent. Heater kept up w/ warmer outside temps.

Drove back into Edgefield being a tourist. Noticed old frame buildings falling down hidden in regrowth of trees. Town drying up, local business sucked off to other places. grocery store was not a stable of overly healthy food selection.

Entered Bill’s address into GPS. Went well until the route entered dirt roads. tried to run me down a dead end FS road. Wandered a bit until I stumbled onto his road which is actually a FS rd.

WOW. I met Bill Victor, pretty much the main man behind the FATS, Forks Area Trail System. What lessens I learned in working w/ regulations & land managers to politicians. Bill is sharp and a spark plug.

We rode the 2.5 miles from his house to the TH. Bill lead the way and kept almost a running description of the trail. My front brake was squealing the whole time I couldn’t hear, plus Bill is a bit faster, i couldn’t stay on his wheel. Almost all the trails are machine cut by either a small ditch witch or the larger tracked machine. Excellent layout and execution. The tread was mostly smooth which allowed enjoyment & focus on trail route. Lots of traverses that went up & down, never any killer hills just lots of noddeling ups & downs. Low point is 200′ above sea level, high point was 545′. In the 22.84 miles ridden we climbed 2210′. I kept remarking that the trail kept me involved in almost constant pedaling. Lots of grade dips across the contour in the erosion gulleys. Bill said that the old timers said that the land was all in cotton and the gulleys were formed by poor farming practices. Whatever the cause they were well used and often. Upper body work out from linear force down & up the walls of the dips. Land is reclaiming the scars of the machine cut and riders are establishing a line. Check out the ride in Google on ride data page.

FATS is the first trail system that will be closed if it is too wet that I have ridden on. Bill manifests ownership of trail and is admirable. If there is a vacuum when 1 is strong enough it can be filled. Congrats to Bill’s effort.

At almost the end of my squeaking front brake ride I readjusted the caliper to the rotor and the noise disappeared. It took me  a long time to remember that skill.

Bill fixed dinner and shared his dogs & cat w/ me and later his 3 small kids. I slept in the driveway.

Put rain cover over bikes before bed as forecast said maybe rain. It rained during the night, not much. If Bill lines up a kid watcher for this afternoon we will ride again although maybe not FATS because of the wet. He said that there are miles of trails elsewhere locally that aren’t being ridden and will withstand our bike tracks.

Bill’s kid sitter fell thru, it continued to rain, and a UK basketball game was on TV. I hung for the game then Bill adieu & thanks for sharing & warm visit. Plan is to drive back to place I camped above Lick Fork Lake. Sun broke thru clouds on way to camp spot. Bill told me of Horn Creek trail near lake. Rode it. Bill, it was not flowey to ride. It did have roots. Nowhere near as fun as FATS to ride.

Warmer temps.

Monday Am the Sprinter goes in for another engine control light issue in Thomson, GA.

Spent eve researching GA rides on way to FL and FL rides. Lot of driving to get then ridden.