Last July I spent the month in Sun Valley. I hung @ Sun SUmmit SOuth, Chip’s shop. Bob Burgdahl works there. We spent time, him educating me about middle east religion and heritage. He has grown his beard out as an indication of not making it to Mecca. He was learning out his son’s, Bowe, captors. Hailey road side trees and utility poles, and whatever didn’t move were adorned w/ a single yellow ribbon. He’s back.
It’s 9:16PM in Oak Mountain SP. A thoughtful camp ground registerer set me up w/ a RV site but charged me only for a tent site. Open public spot. $18 w/ senior discount. Alabama state parks seem to have showers.
Sunday I left Blanchard Springs USFS XG that had showers heading East, next stop Lake Lurleen S P outside Tuscaloosa, AL driving thru Mississippi. I drove out of the Ozarks on back country state highways. I Imagine what the fall colors look like. It would be truly wonderful to ride back here late Sept, early Oct, the colors, no humidity, ticks, giggars, poison ivy just vines. Wheels started turning. Hot & humid. I ignore the air conditioner in the van thru neglect on purpose: I live in this what’s outside the door, I do not want to hide inside uninformed to conditions I will be riding in. Window open, I know just how hot and humid my ride will be. So I made it to Oxford, MS and Lake Puskus USFS camp ground, no h20, no money spent updating it. $3.50 using my senior pass. I have been staying in paid places in this hot weather where I can leave to side door open w/ the netting partially deterring insects attracted by the light.
Monday I finished the drive to Lake Lurleen S P w/ showers & h2o at the camp site. $20. Mid afternoon “chilling off” ride presented itself to me. The siren of these trails. OK it’s machine built but aging to a narrowing track w/ roots emerging because of soil erosion. Bill Victor, the spark plug behind the building of the FATS system, said that riders remember the exception rather than the rule. I rode a side trail that was hand built that was a rock garden. What a surprise from the norm. Numerous large parts of oak trees blocked the trail, mostly in the last mile. Powerful windstorm w/ a bit of heavy rain. I rode for enjoyment accelerated by heartily make circles w/ my legs. 16.40 miles in 2 hrs 29 mins climbing 1690′, 84 degrees back @ the van. Shower was much enjoyed.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/513473452 is from the ride. Check out the graphic map and my ride track. How many miles is such a small space. Never felt satuarted, really never saw the other trails and most times not even for great distances the next trail piece. Hooray for engineered trails.
Showers: I like to be clean after every ride. I want a shower, not a rinse off. I will use the solar shower soon as needed. Tomorrow is Huntsville’s Trailhead shop owned by Tommy Reagh. The shop has a shower and I camp behind the store. Keep clean lined up. I have been really sweating while riding, way more than in less humid climes.
Today @ 7:00AM it was 66 degs outside and 73 at the roof of the van and the humidity was comfortable. Quiet night in XG. Then heat rose as did the humidity. I drive to Oak Mountain S P to ride the trails, maintained the most part by BUMP, Birmingham Urban Mountain Peddlers. I parked @ the S trailhead, noticeable mountain bike riders presence. I have not downloaded the ride info about my ride. It was another hard effort day. I rode 2 new to me trails, West Ridge and Jeckyl and Hyde, both had numerous rock gardens. Challenging. Continuing to refine my bike handling skills. Power is everything, with enough most everything can be over powered. The Rockshox Pike fork really makes a difference.
XM was jiggling w/ my subscription, disallowing access to most choices. I resent the activation 2separate times, last 2 mornings I missed Bob Edwards and last night’s Mariner’s game w/ The King pitching. Today I fought thru the programed voice messages to a human. She assured me my account was current then talked too fast to comprehend. The signal is back to norm. Nothing that a cell phone call to someone who can make things happen.
May 31 in the Syllamore I saw my first lightning bug, next was a visiting June bug the nest day in Oxford, MS. So far no mosquitoes.
Oak Mtn was an overall great ride over mostly machine built tread. West Ridge was a hiking trail that bikes are allowed on. Jeckyl was hand built up above thru the rocks, down lower it became a pump track machine built tread. Good climbing most climbed on old double track up to mtn top. I liked it. Deep tree cover as are all these forest rides.
I left Arkansas w/ poison ivy blisters on my legs interspersed w/ giggar bites. Numerous tick attachments. Sunday I washed my rain and sweat soaked riding kits in the Peachy Clean laundromat in Mountain View, AR. I had been feeling what was either a scab or a tick on my back that was out of reach for either arm. In the laundromat was a frumpy appearing woman. I needed someone to look @ my naked back and tell me what it is. If it was a tick the next hurdle would be to ask her to extract it w/ my supplied miracle tick extractor tool. She said let me see. I took off my shirt and faced her. Oh, she said, yes it is a tick. Before I could utter my removal request she pinched it off. Later the wound started itching telling me part of it is being attacked by my body. I know because several days b4 I pulled a tick off the back of my left thigh leaving behind some of her mouth bits and the wound bumped up and itched. Giggar bites continue to fester, this year I am more less bothered by them. I did apply a topical itch go away cream which got me thru the itching stage. Local unfriendly stimulations. Somewhere near here copperheads will be in the mix.
Hey, maybe a road trip to the SE is not on your bucket list. Someday. Riding here is deep tree cover, no vistas, natural discomforts, heat and humidity. I like the riding and am able to cope w/ the less desirable distractions. I do enjoy air conditioning.
It’s 10:18, outside temp is 75.