South Carolina makes 33 states

Up in the dark to an alarm clock to make the 50 mile drive to Greenville Paris Mtn. Stopped for propane in Brevard on way out. Only 1.5 gal just doesn’t seem like enough. No gauge, just waiting to run out again.

Rt 276 S of DuPont towards Greenville is enough to give you whiplash with all the twists & turns in the road. GPS said 1 hour, must have figured 55 mph on something that was more like 35mph.

GPS in its own way brought me to park entrance. Arrived just @ 10:00 to find John figeting @ his car perhaps wondering if I was going to show.

Just he and I. We took off and he got after it. Up down & around and sometimes back again for 2 1/2 hrs of almost all ST in the park.17.61 miles & 2621′ vert.

M ost of the trails are machine cut and a bit wide for ST but that made for other users to share trails.

This software is unstable.

Broadleaf forest of mostly oak; leaves on ground, rain settled leaves making for better seeing tread but also a bit slippery.

Drove into Great Escape bikes to check out whatever. Neat shop, they had trains!! How much fun would that to be to have an HO layout inside the van?

Drove over to Barleys ( just likeĀ  Asheville) for a beer & hang. Good beer but nothing to hang for.

Grocery shopped in Greenville & worked way out of metro looking for a quiet urban sleeping spot. Brevard was so nice back in the forest. I had it wired.

Tomorrow is down to Clemson, SC for a local guide ride on Sun. I might hang @ TH & hope to pick up a ride. Extensive trails but just a hodge podge of choices. Local needed to make it flow.

Christmas Day hike up Looking Glass

Quit raining during the night per the forecast. Enjoyed sleep in as I decided to not ride today. Let the body recover from yesterday and enjoy clean bike 1 more day.

Made scratch pancakes & ate last of WVA maple syrup.

Cleaning up when a string of cars drove out of the mtns. Last 1 stopped and chatted. 2 women, the passenger gave me cookies. The driver was the one who rescued the lost dog from several weeks ago. We thought it was a hunting dog that got lost. She posted lost dog but no claim. She said she found a family for her. They are trail runners and have been driving past my van all these days. Friendly conversation.

Where I have been staying for almost 2 weeks:

campsite
campsite

Avery Creek looking upstream short walk from camp:

Drove out of forest to Dollies & called Dad for Christmas wish.

Decided to hike up Looking Glass trail to test out knee fix. Beautiful day: Brilliant blue sky, no wind, temp in low 60s. Humped up trail. Popular one. Glad not bike trail from all the roots worn exposed from all the foot traffic.

View from top of rock was spectacular:

top of Looking Glass
top of Looking Glass

Parkway is viewable in upper right corner. Guy thru hiked the AT in 2002, carried 70# pack, trail handle was Heavy D.

back @ Dollies hanging. Even WalMart is closed.

Off to Greenville, SC for ride @ Paris Mtn. Might continue S to FATS.

Knee worked well on hike up. Still a bit of age old pain hiking down. Called Kim to give treatment feedback and to keep file open because I might swing back thru here for another go.

Movement is slowing down as I am staying out of the snow down south and no frentic schedule to meet.

Watched another disc of Ken Burn’s Civil War last night. Featured Sherman’s march to the sea and the devastation his troops wreaked on the civilian population. He knew that they were responsible for supporting the rebels so his solution was to lay waste to everything in his path to deny resources. He was not liked @ all.

Back to woods.

DuPont w/ SORBA riders.

Warm night. Turned down heater but turned it off. A bit chilly. Waiting for alarm to go off & excited to be group ride.

Restrooms @ Sycamore Flat pinic area are closed due to vandalism. Use them @ RS that is usually locked when office is closed.

Overcast, windy, but warmer than yesterday should melt the ice.

Made TH, first 1 there, took a while longer for David, the organizer, Steven from Raleigh, & Jerud. David lead the ride doing what I hoped I would learn from a local. We rode up Cedar Rock like I rode down. Ice melted, ride much better this way. But Big tree downhill was super riding over great sections of slick rock. Some of it reminded me of WVA 24 hrs of Canaan. Rode Burnt Mtn also. Then the test: we rode to river crossing and deliberated crossing. David said he could ride across it. He made a few strokes and his wheels slipped out from under him but he made other side. Pictures of crossing are posted yesterday. Jerud threw his first shoe short of the other bank and started floating away. Luckily it ran aground and was put on the correct foot. I took off my socks and slip walked across. Mid shin deep, rock slippery w/ plant growth.

Rode Fawn Lake side backwards to my previous ride. Rode well both ways but today the ups seemed steeper & longer than when I rode it down.

Rained several times, otherwise overcast drizzle, high winds, but in 40s.

16.24 miles 2559′ vert.

Drove back into town, washed bike, took shower @ XG, back to hanging @ Dollies for internet.

Ride lined up for Paris Mtn on Friday. Be leaving Brevard.

Knee rode well, bit of pain during recovery.

Sitting on balance ball. Need training time for comfort.

Zags were upset by unranked team. Rankings will plummet.