Cost $20 for a shower and a close in place to camp last night. XG had cell phone coverage.

Called dealership just after 8AM. Mike told me to come on in and they would help. Drank quick cup of coffee and headed over to Hendersonville using GPS to find dealer. Processed service paper work. Wlaked into waiting room expecting an all day wait. Picked up local paper to start reading when a man asked me about bad weather I drove thru to get here, him thinking that I had just driven from WA. This sparked a conversation w/ another guy who had been to WA and we learned that we each had been on forest fighting crews, his from Missoula and mine from Toketee, OR. His experiences were more telling than mine. Never got to the paper about the drought the area has been experiencing like 11 to 13″ rain short for last 2 years. Then the service rep walked in w/ papers and said I was ready to go. I scanned to the bottom line and just saw 0’s w/ no number ahead of them. He said a censor burned out that told the turbocharger how to power and my van is still under warranty. In and out in less than an hour for free. BUT, the part should not have failed. This is the 2nd issue w/ the engine control system.

Beautiful day, a bit chilly but clear. Drove by DuPont each way but decided to be a rest day.

Picked up mail @ Brevard PO & did wash @ shower laundromat.

Chris Youman called me. he learned of me from a SORBA guy I rode w/ Xmas eve. He has a web site and wants to interview me and put results on web.

Chris Lesser from Bike Mag told David Turner about my adventure.

Plan is to ride here maybe 2 rides and then head down to FATS and then into GA.

Riding these machine cut trails is getting boring: no excitement mixed in w/ twisty turns. Hand built trails any day like Raccoon and Rick’s Spokane trails.

Off to creek campsite in Pisgah. Forecast is for colder temps.

Parked in a different parking lot today that was in the sun during late PM. What a wonderful sunset I was treated to.

Slept soundly in parking lot. Leisurely Bfast as I am to hit bike shop @ 10:00 to learn about road wheel. Arrived @ shop @ 10:00. Saw Dave’s truck & store dark. Read sign: 2:00 to 4:00 on Sun. Couldn’t understand Dave’s answering message.

Headed out to Brevard.

Found Jackrabbit park, Forecast called for clearing & warming temps. Neither occurred but at least no rain.

Like 5 loops out on peninsulas, see map data. Machine made trails for 95%. Nothing technical or exciting. there are some twisty turny trails but they lack authenticity like Raccoon. All by myself & just 2 recent old tracks in mud before me.

Some of older trails had worn down their machine cut:

These are class bikes suited for these trails:

Continued back to Brevard. Somewhere during the drive up the high point I noticed that the engine control light came on and there was less power and then i saw smoke behind me. I pulled over @ top of hill like right then. Smoke was coming from me. I checked the fuel cap to see if I didn’t fasten it securely, no it was. Remembered when the gauge went out I learned that the engine will run but won’t be tuned to operate efficiently. I need to drive to Hendersonville Mon AM to seek repair. It was either drive and believing no harm to engine, or call AAA & have it towed.

I am debating how far to go out into the woods tonight. Maybe the XG & pay for a spot & shower.

Better see if rig starts from grocery store parking lot or I will be here tonight & towed tomorrow.

Van does a VW bus on me @ like 35,000 miles. Too early to get VW paranoia.

More tomorrow

Outta here

Woke to alarm w/ intent to be riding @ Raccoon above Chattanooga before 10:00 to get started b4 forecasted rain. Sleeping better as cold illness is lessening.

River is back in its channel and running clear & stink free.

Clouds lowered & drizzle started dropping on way up mtn. At least its not rain. Still parking spots in small lot. Gear up w/ tights & wind breaker w/ rain jacket for just in case: I preferred to be wet from sweat than rain. Trails are in good shape meaning that the rain hasn’t destroyed them. they seem to be about as muddy as they were last weekend. Cleveland received over 4″ rain on Monday, suspect raccoon got like amount.

Saw about 8 riders in 2 hours. I just started going counter clockwise and slithered on. I rode a side loop trail, Small Intestine. look @ the map data and figure out where it was and why it is named that. Trail was suspect slippery: don’t count on cutting the trees real close and certainly not on off camber.

SORBA Chattanooga worked w/ TVA for trail construction. This picture shows a creative effort to build the trail below the dam and save bridging 150′ of gulley:

Trail tread again was not technical overly but did have roots & rocks:

A short cloud burst caused me to stop & don my rain jacket for rest of ride but that was all the rain that would fall on me during the ride.

Checked my ride data and found that my heart rate is up perhaps because of the cold. 14.88 miles 131bpm avg, 1806 vert, 2:07 riding time, 2:17 total time. fairly scooted.

Started raining after I put bike on rack.

Decided that I wanted either moonshine or Scotch. Researched choices in Yellow Pages. Picked 1, entered location and drove off. Moonshine was same choices and I am not ready for state issue mason jar no more than 30 days old ‘shine. Talked myself into an equally priced bottle of Scotch that is almost as rough as ‘shine.

Driving back to I-75 I passed a business, Little Gym. I thought a shower. I found a health club behind the gym first and asked a guy if I could buy a shower. he said he was not the owner who would have to grant my request and he was gone to return sometime. I checked out the gym. It is named so because it is for little people. Back @ health club no owner. Guy said in his accent drive down road to dead end, turn right & drive 2 miles to Rush, a big gym. I called them on the way and asked if I could buy a shower. I was answered by a sweet young voice for $15. I said $5.00, she countered w/ $7.00 ( she didn’t want to make change, I suspect) because she understood my traveling situation. Upon arrival I viewed the person that went w/ the voice. Very nice. And the shower was good also.

Sipped Scotch on drive back to Cleveland. Drove to Bi Lo grocery store parking lot where I met John several days prior. Shopped for groceries & fixed dinner. Several times the winds kicked up and rocked the van like a boat on the water.

I spotted a likely sleeping spot across the street for tonight. I will hang here in the light and then quietly drive to parking lot, turn off the lights, & snooze.

Checked out Cleveland paper. The TVA is in trouble again for an unauthorized release of river sediment down Ocoee River which caused the stench last weekend. Government officials believe that the bottom of the pool was flushed downstream laden w/ old copper mining toxic wastes. Killed fish, gunked up the white water center rapids. The heavy rains afterwards flushed the sludge downstream out into the lake, killing more marine life.

Paper also had 5 pages of church service notices. Small print.