Shrimper

invited me to a Panthertown ride

out here. Up in the Highlands off route 64. Earned our turns slithering in few patches of mud  but sticky grip to the wet rocks. And roots. Just a loop w/ several waterfall views

10.18 miles climbing 1788′.

See roots

Just a loop. drive was on classic NC Blue Ridge winding now shoulder roads.

Back @ the Hub which also Pisgah Tavern where on the other side of the counter the wrenches fix bikes while on the other side the customers sip / pound beers.

I have been staying out @ the Bike Farm that Cashion and his wife are putting together, check bikefarmpisgah.com for info. No internet access but XM comes in.

Off to buy groceries then head out.

People Like Us. Shrimper gave me that. There are PLUs that we really connect with, the degree runs the gamete. I am so fortunate to share time w/ the connectors.

Yesterday was another trip to Asheville to the phone store to transfer data from old phone to new. Their technical expertise is better than i want to acquire and it seems that a small detail in my learning process is missed which torpedoes my success. The fixer guy I met yesterday is a mtn biker coming from a youthful road bike life. Amazing he is from a town maybe 30 miles from where I grew up. The transfer time was long which allowed us to talk about mtn biking. Phone was partially populated w/ data. I spent enough time to fuss w/ him figuring out how to bring over all my text messages. I sent the old phone off.

I warrantied the GPS for a replacement.

Last night was a secret handshake ride requiring a long shuttle. We started riding a bit after 6:00 under rain clouds under the tree canopy. The tread is a hiking trail, rooty, rocky, slippery, dark, and something else I might remember. Just classic Pisgah type riding. AND I am riding new I9 Enduro wheels. The rim width is slightly larger than the Stans Arch rim, this increase changes the tire profile essentially making it wider. And also stiffer. The rear hub has a 3 degree engagement which is really great for rapid acceleration. Another technical advancement. I’m keeping them, now just negotiation over $. List price is $1,000.

Back to the ride. AMazing, 9. 50 mile ride, climbed 941 feet but dropped 3000 feet. we rode 2. 5 miles pavement to shuttle, road was almost flat, subtract the road from total, what 7 miles dropping the 3,000′. Daylight is blocked by the tree canopy, sun was less than overhead and was filtered thru the rain clouds, rain that never fell. I were amber tinted glasses that highlight shadows but they were too dark still. I ate a nibble of edible b4 starting, the effect affected my vision. Slippery rocks. I rode usual last. Shrimper stayed not too far ahead and called out the slippery places like all the wood bridges and some log steps. Everything slippery. Roll over it unweighting the front wheel and counter steering for the rear wheel slip. Or, jus go fast over it and skip correcting. Sissy was just ahead of me. The tread was on an outward sloping downhill exposed bed rock. I saw her loose purchase and watched her splatter right in front of me. I scrubbed my speed, still slowing down when I hit the rock. Nobody watched my fall but I landed hard on my left side, adding another bruise. I slid on the dirt on my left side, from the corner of my eye I saw a tree stump getting closer setting me up for a good head smasher. I stopped making gentle contact w/ said stump. A scrape and a  bruise. It was almost completely dark when we arrived back to the shuttle.

Got to tell you: drive these mountain roads.

Back into town way pass restaurant closings. Back @ the Farm for the night. Temps here drop into low 60s & being in the country I sleep w/ the door open which cools off the interior such that I sleep under the thermal blanket: I don’t sweat.

Musta hit the wrong key which caused a bunch of text to disappear.

Converting to 2X10 drivetrain as I need a new derailleur and shifter.

Spent day in The Hub parking lot. Several riders reintroduced themselves to me from a meeting somewhere else.

Dinner w/ Todd @ Heather and a ride tomorrow w/ Shrimper and gang.

Shimper lives a bit of way away from here and up in the mtns. Last year he recorded 147″ of rain, normal he said is 140″. He said the rain comes in brief storms w/ sunshine mixed in or at least no rain falling. Trails are amazing to ride even washed by that much rain.

Yesterday I rolled into Brevard, NC from wet N GA. Just wet. I drove back highways from Clayton, GA to rt 64 in Highlands. I stopped @ an overlook to well, overlook what was below. I had my big camera in my right hand while I attempted to step up onto a rock barricade. Either my eyes are off being unable to calibrate the step or my leg lacks flexibility. Whatever, my shoe sole struck the rock on my step up which became a fall back down landing on my left rear cheek. I kept the camera safe. A care had parked just behind me and the driver just got out. His timing was to my health benefit as he caught my head b4 it splattered against his front bumper. He is a mtn biker, we talked trails and I thanked him multiple times for saving me.

I rolled into The Hub parking lot. Sam, the owner was working on a bike. I was one of their original customers back in ’09 when the first opened. I was told about the 6PM shop ride that I jumped on. While in the store a familiar face was seen: Shrimper, a local character and well liked. Hearty embrace.

Cashion and wife Eva drove up in their Sprinter. They are connected to a biking center venture Pisgah Farms. I met Cashion this spring while he was there for a bachelor party. There is an article about his venture in last issue of Bike. I asked if i could camp @ the Farm. Cool, have a place to stay out almost @ DuPont.

About 15 riders headed out on the ride, all had the pedal to the metal, except me. Dropped on the flats. Plan was to ride lower Black Mtn then down a new piece of ST. Steep climb up reclaimed old logging road, again, way off the back. Eva rode keep up. Part way up the skies dumped, what was loose dirt became slippery mud. B4 I got to the downhill the group turned around and rode back down the way we came to prevent damage to the fresh trail that Shrimper had just finished working on w/ his mini excavator. Slippery downhill w/ mud splattered glasses. Ride stopped @ Davidson river for a rinse off. Some riders submersed their bikes to rinse off the mud, my bike stayed muddy but I rinsed off. Back in town a change into dry clean clothes then dinner @ a sushi restaurant and conversation. I drove out to the farm and parked in a drive way under a spreading maple tree. rain fell during the night.

My warranty replacement phone arrived. I did my wash @ Tony’s, again I am a regular once a week washer. I drove up to Ashville to a Verizon store where a tech made my new phone come alive partially as some stuff didn’t come across.

In Sedona this spring i met Dave who is in marketing @ I 9 Industries, they make incredible hubs and wheels. Dave and I talked about putting me on their wheels. Yesterday I called him and we made an afternoon appointment. He toured me thru their facility then set me up w/ a new pair of enduro wheels, spoked in gold, really showy. The rear hub has 3 degrees of engagement compared to King 6. These wheels are in same class as King and Stan’s rims but is just a little bit better. I get to evaluate them. I look forward to less rain.

New wheels, replacement phone, new shoes, and still waiting for replacement XM tuner and another pair of shoes. And less rain that ain’t happening.

Yesterday Trek rolled out new bikes here. Pisgah is right up there w/ Sedona in terms of demanding riding conditions and reputation.

Translvania County where Brevard is is labeled the waterfall capital of the US. Lots of rain and little soil covering the bedrock underneath spill the water as waterfalls.

Riding here w/ the humidity and or rain my riding clothes become saturated, even the baggie overshorts. I can only get 1 ride on a pair instead of the 2 to 3 in the low humidity rides.

A fire is burning outside bend, OR that affects the Phil’s trails. Last year Sun Valley burned. No telling what will burn in the west. Maybe my plan will be to drive from Spokane back to the SE for the fall riding. Fall colors, no ticks or chiggars.