Let’s see, out in North Georgia woods, no internet or cell. Peaceful. Was 74 degrees earlier when I pulled into this spot. Still wearing shorts, short sleeve shirt and sandals. 8:30PM woods insects are still at it, side door is open. No biting invertebrates.
Today I left Ricks culdesac in Dalton and drove to the Snake creek gap and the start of the last part of the Snake Creek Gap race. I parked in the TH parking lot. No camping in the parking lot. I fixed bfast and cleaned up. Today I will ride north to the end at Dug Gap rd then ride the road back to my van. MTBP stated the ride was 15.2 miles.
Before I got ready to leave a white sedan pulled into the lot. 2 guys got out and gathered up some firearms and headed into the woods. Hmm, hunting season, hadn’t thought about that. They returned empty handed right before I was ready to go. I walked over and asked what season, he said rifles shotguns, bow, but didn’t say houwser. The kid said I should wear the brightest colors. My orange top is for cooler weather, too hot for today. I chose my flashy Hawaiian type shirt. They walked up to me holding out a vented orange vest giving it to me. I asked them how to get it back to them, they said it is mine. I thanked them and put it on under my hydration pack. From the TH the trail climbs to get up onto the ridge. Humping uphill on cold body. The trail has noticeably widened over time.
The SE is experiencing a severe draught. Here the lack of water is more noticeable than the Pisgah. I noticed that the understory had turned dried brown instead of normal fall color. The bigger trees seemed to drop fall colors. It’s the reds that are remarkable for their brilliance. Like riding on a red carpet.
Lots of nasty rock gardens, the worst were at the end. I walked some and worked my way over some while learning bike English. Water was a trickle in the creeks I crossed. Just no rain. Just a beautiful day to be in the woods: clear cloudless blue skies, and fall leaf colors. N places it appeared that I was getting first tracks on the newly fallen leaves, others a scant track remained. Just good demanding trail.
The trail ends at Dug Gap. Big long descent. The first part was a closed road that was mixed gravel. It ended at a gate and pavement. Mountainous Georgia road dropped elevation curving. I dropped my saddle and counter steered the bends. Spun out coasting, I saw 39.1 mph. My tire pressure is now 17psi in the back and 16 in the front: soft and pliable. They stayed true at speed. My pavement return ride was 8 something miles on narrow county paved road with no shoulder but little traffic. On the screamed downhill my speed was faster than the SUV following me.
A bit of a climb on rt 136 brought me back to the TH. A guy pulled in. I watched him to learn of his activity. Eventually gear indicated a mtn biker. I could see no orange. I took off the vest and walked over to him. Here, I said, this was given to me for my safety, I am now paying forward for your safety. It is now up to him to pay the vest forward.
Sweaty ride. I spit bathed. Bear Creek bike shop told me of camping on Pocket road. I found this spot early enough in late afternoon for a walk on the road. My modus for a camping spot is picking the first site, just to lessen the likelihood of abusing the van and contents. Today was a good choice. No traffic noise.
Thursday night I hardly slept as my abdomen hurt, perhaps pain and fear of what’s up kept me awake while camped next to a stream down from Mulberry Gap getaway. Today I decided it was hospital emergency visit time. I waited till daylight before driving out. Back woods gravel roads, single lane,
sometimes steep with minor washboards mixed in. Paved RT 52 negotiated the convoluted mountain sides up then down into the valley. These Appalachian mtn roads are a handful to drive. I selected hospital on the GPS. Early morning, I beat a rush. Blood was drawn and tested, pee was freed and tested, then an abdominal CT scan w/ contrast was performed. Everything came back in accord. Per the DR this is what their role is: to identify what is not good. I passed. Next is a colonoscopy somewhere.
From there I drove to Bear Creek bike shop. Shane was out of town, missed him. Did my wash at a new to me laundromat. A guy commented about my adventure van which sparked a conversation: he was a long distance truck driver for a bunch of years.
I drove back to the bike shop. I needed to perform some shade tree wrenching on my bike. Yesterday at Cartecay cycles in Ellijay Dondo checked my chain growth while investigating a shifting problem. He put the chain stretch tool and the chain which showed wear greater than the tool. I bought a new chain and cluster. No shade in the parking lot while I replaced chain and cluster and put new brake pads on the front brake. I rode 2200 miles on the cluster between 2 chains. I still had more wear to be worn off.
The first year here I happened to hit the Snake creek race weekend several days before the race. I rode the same trail I rode today. On that ride I came upon a fallen tree blocking the trail. I noted the distance on my bike computer. I completed my ride. Back at the TH a rig pulled in and a guy got out. He appeared to be a rider. I learned he was here to inspect the trail for the race. I told him about the tree. He said he would cut it w/ his hand saw. His saw was too small for the tree. I said chain saw. He drove back to his nearby house and returned w/ a saw. I told him I would help him cut the tree for a shower at his house. That’s how I met Rick. We connected next at the 2014 IMBA summit. He told me to look him up should I be near. We connected via text and he invited me to his house again and said I could sleep in the culdesac. I arrived. He displayed a trump sign. First trump supporter I have encountered. Neither of us brought the name up. He shared kegerator beer. I walked down the steep driveway to bed.
Wed I left Jake and Bull mtn near Nimblewill and the southern terminus of the AT and drove to Mulberry gap getaway. I learned they are closed today. A guy engaged us in conversation. TJ is a photographer, he took the pics for the harrisonburg, VA article in Freehub. He told me of this campspot right on the creek. I scored the permission for a post ride shower. I drove down to the camp spot and geared up for my ride from MTPB: Bear Creek, Pinhoti 1 and 2. Humped up a gravel road to start of Bear Creek. I encountered a guy doing trail work w/ a Ditchwitch but was broken down on the trail. The machine had thrown a tread and he was having a hell of a time. Years prior I had helped Todd put a tread back on. To this guy a suggested a come along the pedaled away. The route returned me to him and he did have a come a long. Another rider was with him. Between us we put the track back on. I stared my ride early afternoon, time was passing. I developed a concern for completing my ride before dark and or the cell phone battery died killing my navigation aide. I humped my ride after helping with the machine. A mix of closed and open logging roads and reclaimed haul roads were the tread. I made the road while still light then pedaled back to my van tehn drove the mile back up creek to the getway for my shower. I drove back to the creek for the night.
Tuesday I rode the Jake and Bull mtn IMBA Epic ride using MTBP. I had tried riding this course in the past but navigation foiled me. Today a gps track. Jake has lots of purpose built trail. Connecting to Bull and Bull itself were old logging roads. I rode the epic per the track returning to my van. I chose to spend the night there. Fall leaves.
Monday I rode Lower Black and Sycamore Cove right outside Pisgah Forest. Lower Black was reworked 2 years ago reclaiming a beat up logging road into a challenging purpose built sustainable trail. Big hump up and over to the start.
I bought Grisham’s new book: The Whisperer. I will stop now at 10:00PM to return to it.
No more baseball, Cleveland let it slip away.
Sunday Nov 6 Lake Lurleen State park Tuscaloosa, AL.
Camped at spot number 52 for senior $28. Electric and water that I do not avail myself of, but I did put 5 gallons of h20 in my tank. Short distance to all I needed hot water shower after today’s ride.
Yesterday I drove from that sweet backwoods spot to Chattanooga and Raccoon Mtn trails. I picked a MTBP track for my ride. It started down low where I have never started from. I chose Live Wire #2 for the climb. 2 years ago I rode down the freshly completed trail. I remember avoiding the rocks as they still had green growth slipperiness. This year all was dry. Turned into a hump and a bit of walking. In the middle there are nasty rock gardens, the top are bermed climbing turns. I paused several times. On top I connected to High Voltage etc winding my way to Live Wire 1 for the descent. Next time I will climb this and go down that.
I am impressed with this Absolute Black oval 32/30 chain ring. Plus learning flat pedaling I am getting way more power. Pedaling roads back from Snake Creek was a breeze as I made my stroke work. A round ring creates a dead spot that technique is required to even out, may the oval makes up for lack of skill for a better spin. Yesterday during the ride I stomped on the pedals making a move and felt a burning pain in my left inside upper thigh: I made a muscle not happy. I rode within myself to finish.
Next I drove down to Huntsville, AL seeking Tommy Raegh and Trailhead bikes for a visit, a place to street camp, and a shower. I followed gps to the shop location. Well, the location was now selling hairdos. I Googled the shop then followed Google directions to new location. Tommy showed up to pick up his son and got me also. We drank a beer and chatted until his wife called saying something where in the hell are you, you’re late. Tommy left. Jimmy, the wrench remembered me. He offered the curb outside his house. I struck out on a silver sneaker shower. I ate dinner at a 5 points restaurant and Tavern, except they had no TV. I asked for a craft beer place that would have college games on, I forget the name of the liquor store. I walked in: beer choices galore to go and lots of taps and TVs turned on all to the Alabama game. After a while I asked if one could be tuned to the Buckeye game. No, all TVs all the time for the Alabama games. I followed the Buck game on my phone. I savored a beer. I drove sort of cross town to Jimmy’s place. Huntsville has complicated limited access freeways that the gps likes. I drive slower than the speeders which affects my lane changes for a sudden exit ramp. I visited w/ Jimmy inside his in motion internal demolition reconstruction still furnishing a warm shower house.
I had planned on riding Monte Santo SP above Huntsville. I checked out a loop ride on MTBP reading that part of the loop is closed during hunting season which is now. Not happening. Next choice was Oak Mtn SP south of Birmingham.
11/8 update:
I did ride Oak mtn which has challenging rock gardens and smooth tread mixed in w/ flow trail stuff.
Yesterday I rode in Mississippi and spent the night in state.
Tonight I am in Arkansas.
More perhaps later as tonight I have internet access and stuff to catch up on.