dateline: gainesville, ga
from: brevard, nc
to: gainesville, ga
19 deg overnight, about 8″ frost line on inside of windshield.
Plan today is to drive to Chicopee, GA to ride their trails. Sunny day. drive twisty rt 64 west, then trumped by rt 106 into GA. Convenient not to have inside rear view mirror for faster drivers to communicate w/ me.
made TH just N of Gainesville. Gate across drive w/ sign stating that if gate is locked, trails are closed was locked. Darn. Drove down dead end lane a short ways and fired up computer to work out plan B when I hear a knocking on van. Open door to man who started asking me about my intent w/ riding was. He said that he was just going to open the parking lot and hence the trails. Goody. Plan B in the hopper.
Guy’s name is Daniel whom I learned later is president of local SORBA chapter and has been involved w/ trails for awhile. He asked about my trip which I shared as he was my first non clerk person conversation. I asked him about a shower recommendation and shortly he offered the bike shop shower where he works. Clean. Just needed to be there b4 5:30 to close shop.
Trails are made for mtn bikes w/ tight twisty, turny use of small amount of land. Roots in hand cut trail. Trails were closed because of freeze thaw mud of which there were several I found being the first bike thru the patches. Going into a corner needing to make the turn on this line and in that line is freeze thaw mud. The front wheel if turned or leaned on the mud slips sideways and looses a bunch of its traction. The rear wheel was tracking true until it hits the mud. The back end needs to be finessed back behind the front wheel that maybe or maybe not out of the mud. Like skiing and looking for an edge to hold. Counter steer betting the slide. Fun stuff. Mostly good flow but there are several over turns that effectively cause slowing. 11.28 miles & 1665′ vert in just over 90 mins. My climbing just sucks as in no wind power and legs then give way. I mostly spin a high rpm in 3rd largest cluster gear & mid chain ring.
Banner @ start of trail stating a trail work day tomorrow, Saturday. Plan to take a shower @ shop, spend the night, & do the work day. Good shower.
Drove back further into town on major retailer divided 4 lane road looking for a sleeping spot while it is still light. Cribbed in behind a mattress store next to a big box store mall. Ah, urban camping again.
Entered the shop address into the gps & arrived less than 10 miles in Gainesville. Nice looking Trek shop. Chat w/ Daniel a bit to learn about him and his trail involvement.
Tomorrow the trail work day and maybe another ride on trail to pick up 2 trails I missed. Then continue to Ellijay into GA mtns.
Bike still flies. The Chris King hub has way more engagement points on the freewheel meaning that when ever the crank (pedal) is pushed forward the chain is instantly engaged and I “shoot” forward. The old hub had was fewer engagement points therefore there was always slop under the pedal stroke. The bearings are different. Faster wheel for sure.