Spent night @ same campsite. A brief Tstorm hit but I heard 1 clap of thunder and some heavy rain and it was gone. Used heater on low to keep chill away, temp was 29 @ wakeup around 7:00AM.

Visited w/ Fred @ vistors’ center. Wind came up and I noticed swaying tree branches dropping last night’s rain to make today’s ride dry.

Beautiful day, a bit chilly but the blue was pure, no pollution. The day reminded me of Puget Sound when a blue bird day would happen after days of dreary weather. Unheralded beauty when the clouds part & sun shines.

Drove to DuPont on Corn Mill Shoals parking lot. Eager to experience new wheel and fixed brakes. The Turner felt electric. There are multiple grade dips that create like a pump track. i was compressing on the back side and popping off top and sailing thru the air. Bike appeared to be faster & more agile because of wheel and fixing the front brake so it didn’t drag. Crossed Little river in wool socks & rode other side. Rode hard, a bit spent this evening.

Back into Brevard. Sam checked my wheel after 2 1/2 hours of riding and said it was perfect in true and spoke tension. He built a good wheel and I ride on the light side. Swapped my old wheel & $25 for a new road bike front wheel. Someday I know I will ride the road bike.

Shower @ laundromat & groceries @ Ingles.

No word from Scott today so I am leaving NC again tomorrow bound for Northern GA. Brevard would be a good place to live for the mountains, weather, & riding. Maybe a house sitting location.

Tired and sad to be leaving Brevard tomorrow

About 5:45 it started raining heavily with a bit of wet snow mixed in. decided that I would treat the environment with consideration and not ride today to allow h2o to go away.

Visited w/ Fred @ the visitors’ center until he had enough of me. I then drifted to the Hub to take another go with the brakes. Alex rebled the rear brake and removed some small air bubbles but not enough to explain the loss of performance. I called formula and spoke w/ Greg this time who offered some other thoughts which I conveyed to Alex who implemented them and both brakes appear to be where they should be. He cleaned the brake pistons off w/ DOT to allow pistons to move sans gunk build up. We also removed the old style front brake lever and turned in the adjustment screw so it appears that the pads will retract and eliminate the drag & squeal. Too wet to ride any trails to learn of success. And I have a brand new wheel to try!

Visited w/ Wes @ Sycamore later. he stocked actual Formula brake pads and I bought an inventory supply.

Just spent day visiting.

Spring showers, temp in lower 50s.

Knee feels incredible! I am walking so much more relaxed and flowing. A state of euphoria. Cranial sacrial therapy, no surgery required.

PT work by Kim on my knee is having very favorable results.

Watching dvd & other electric usage drains the camper battery. Frige shuts off after a point because it needs electric to run controls.

Back @ spot #2 again. Quiet. Fred stopped by this AM on his rounds.

Plan is to ride from camp spot. Decided to ride up Buckhorn Gap like Scott lead, up to Black mtn trail to Buckwheat gap then down Bennetts. Understand that “Gaps” are like small passes in ridge line. The trail drops into gap and then climbs out. Waited until sun cleared ridge to thaw the frost.

Mtn biking is hard and hurts on the climb and the inevitable bumps and scrapes along the way. I use a heart rate monitor and the device tells no tales. My heart keeps pumping.

Parts of Bennett were freeze thaw that is slippery but then the trail would duck around a buttress and the trail would be frozen and fast. 11.74 miles in 2 hours 7 mins climbed 2900′ Go PISGAH.

Sam @ The Hub built up my rear wheel: Chris King hub, Swiss-DT rim & spokes. $450. More sturdy wheel than replaced wheel.  Turned bike upside down to work on it and the brake fluid in both brakes displaced somewhere as there was very little brake under the lever pull. Replaced rear pads; going thru pads like chains. Need to ride the wheel at least 2x then retrue wheel. Then I am heading West.

Bought a 100 oz new Platypus bladder for my big Camelback HAWG so I can carry more stuff in pack & have sufficient h2o. My smaller pack is a 70 OZ and when I remove bladder & fill to top & then stuff back into pack there is not much room to pack along heavier clothes.

Shower @ laundromat again. This time the hot h2o was too hot and the cold was same temp as hot. Almost scalding.