Dateline: Just W of Dahlonega, GA, weak internet access.
Windy during the night @ the hostel parking spot, a bit exposed.
Bid good bye to Lee.
Drove to Ellijay, found post office & retrieved reshipped Thomson, GA mail & Formula brake parts. Lots of stuff including Boeing 401k loss of funds. read it before dinner and my stomach stressed.
Did wash waiting for Cartecay bike shop to open @ 12:oo to learn if they would fix my brake. Found shop, visited short while, wrench said he could work on it later this afternoon. decided that Dahlonega wheelworks will be the better shop and redrove the 40 miles back. The shop repair area was open. Jon, the owner has mutton chops like Geoff kabush, the Canadian mtn bike racer. Zak, his wrench said he could repair my brake. Jon said Zak knows brakes. Zak does know brakes. He rebuilt the master cylinder w/ the parts I had and the stopping power on front brake will send your fillings out of your teeth. BUT, he told me he broke a screw that holds guts together but thought the brake would work. I called Formula, Charlie again, who said big no no, brake will loose fluid and fail. Ordered more parts to be shipped to bike shop.
Shop has a cooler in the show room that looks like a den for people to hand on the couch & watch dvds etc. The cooler is stocked w/ what he calls Love offerings, he has yet to stock the fridge, people bring it in. I mentioned I was seeking ‘shine and he said check out the maybe 2 qt Mason jar. I did, and I sipped 2 small shots of $250 shine. Very smooth and sensory numbing from 190 proof alcohol.
Drove back out to camp spot just b4 gravel road to Springer Mtn TH. Hikers are arriving to start their thru hike already, but then it is almost the first of March.
Yesterday on the back road to Bull mtn and where I am tonight I saw an old flat bed truck right alongside road covered in Kudza a rapidly growning vine. If it doesn’t move for short time it gets grown over w/ vine like green in the Puget Sound.
Plan to ride Bull mtn again to test brake.
31 degs @ 10:00 PM