And only 1 beer down the hatch.
Today I sacked up and rode real Pisgah. Nature can extract the full measure or pull her punches. Today, I looked into the sun and pedaled off from the bottom of Black Mtn trail, where I would be finishing my ride. My route was simple: road to Avery Creek trail to Black Mtn home. Hey, potential for navigational blunders was level 2 as there really aren’t rake and ride trails in this part of Pisgah and I followed it correctly. Two words describe Pisgah: 1)wet, 2) roots.
I pedaled roads about 3 miles to the Avery Creek trail head. Something for me to pedal the road for so long, great conditioning. The trail dropped down to the creek and played footsie for many crossings on sketchy heartwood logs; I lacked the skills to ride a skinny and not slip off. I carried my bike over and finished w/ non water wet shoes. Later my shoes and socks would be wetted from liquid cooling fluid: Sweat. Wet and roots down low, just roots out of immediate drainage. I rode and hike a biked up to Club Gap to Black Mtn trail. Today I rode Avery creek for the first time. Black Mtn started w/ a climb up a washed out double track up over various water bars. These bars create a falls on the downhill side meaning a step up move. I didn’t make many. I have ridden Black Mtn maybe 4 times. Today to me it appeared to be abused by water flowing down fall line which is the trail. Lots of pushing. Finally I pushed up onto a ridge that dropped down to Buckhorn Gap. Along the downhill section while on my bike I startled a bear that proceed w/ its escape route paralleling my techy down hill. I’m here and the bear is prolly doing what bears do. They really do shit in the woods.
So Black Mtn from Buckhorn is a series of to most people too tight switchbacks, roots, and rhododendron canopy. Dark under the vegetation. More intense hike a biking. Even the first downhill section was a tease before the next peak on the ridge. I passed a big group of teenage boys w/ mtn bikes, they were heading down what i would be on. Rain trough, roots, wheel drops, choices to be made and skills practiced. Sure like the seat dropper. I keep my speed under control, like my Formula brakes for modulation and locking up. The downhill was taxing. Finished back @ van. Ride was 13.43 miles in 2 hrs 37 mins moving time, total time was 3hrs 45 mins from the starting stop data collection of GPS; burned 2363 cals during climbing 3162′
- looking South to Park way, Looking Glass out there. One of few lookouts
Yesterday Heather said she was not “Pisgah tough” as she had been off her bike for many days and less conditioned. Man, i sacked it up and toughened during the ride. I will be comatose early this eve. Pisgah is the hardest place I have ridden on my odyssey. Nobody asks me to pick the toughest rides.
Still staying @ Todd and Heather’s. She keeps setting an extra plate in front of me. Last night I sharpened 2 of her kitchen knives that she appreciated.