No time for the whole figure 8 but I got in the Big O and a little more.
Amos' Epics
Sunday up Hwy 181
I parked at Shady Point and started my climb up past Gingercake Acres. Again in spite of forcasted rain, NO rain up there but very overcast. It has got to rain eventually! Enjoying the prime trail conditions at hand: Raspberry was in great shape and I was able to ride some of the stuff I had to step off on during my last ride (mon, 11/19) up there when it was a little more wet. This shot was actually taken mid morning, it was just very overcast all day, by 2:00 you couldnt even see Table Rock.
It was good to be at this point on Hwy 181, not much more to the top.
I was expecting a wall of mist at every turn up at the top of Ginger Cake:
Finally gettin some Rasp:
Chuck from AMS was hiking with his son and nephew so I stopped and chewed the fat a little while. I feel a little better about my bike shop dillemas now.
I was expecting a wall of mist at every turn up at the top of Ginger Cake:
Finally gettin some Rasp:
Chuck from AMS was hiking with his son and nephew so I stopped and chewed the fat a little while. I feel a little better about my bike shop dillemas now.
Someone did a great job on a new little bridge:
About to drop Barkhouse but time for a self portrait:
Ripshin Ridge:
Ripshin Ridge:
I scared up a bunch of Turkeys at this point on Hedleys. And the great irony is that I stopped and finished my Turkey sandwich at this very spot - great thanksgiving leftovers. About 3 wild turkeys flew to the right and glided right over Hwy 181! The rest busted off to the left side of the ridge.
Top of Hedleys:
I was debating riding Upper and Lower Steels but it started raining on my climb back up to 181 so my decision was made for me. Rasp., Barkhouse, Ripshin, and Hedleys will have to be enough for today.
Ripshin Ridge hike with the girls
The girls and I did a short, cool hike. And I mean cool, it was 49 when we left Glen Alpine and 34 up Hwy 181.
Amos' Epics
Amos' EpicsDark Mountain
James has been telling me about it the last few times I've run into him at the Watagua. Well I finally made it over and it was well worth the 1.25 hour drive to W. Kerr Scott Reservoir.
Some sweet trail:
Very sweet views of the lake:
This teeter totter had my number. I tried it twice, once I wasnt carrying enough speed; the second, I didnt get over the front wheel fast enough at the apex - neither had a pretty ending.
This rock ramp looked sweet:
This teeter totter had my number. I tried it twice, once I wasnt carrying enough speed; the second, I didnt get over the front wheel fast enough at the apex - neither had a pretty ending.
This rock ramp looked sweet:
Nice drop off/run out. Maybe next time there wont be as many leaves...
Nice warning signs:
What a moon:
Nice warning signs: 
What a moon:
I rode for about 3 hours. I think I hit every just about every trail and did some in both directions and my favorites of the day, were rode more than once. Next time I check out the ones across the road: (Over Mountain Victory Trail (OVT?)). I met Matt Adams? the mtb coordinator for the Brushy Mountain Cyclists Club http://www.bmcc.us/kerr_scott.htm who gave me a heads up on some of the trails. Matt and the team are obviously doing the right things. These trails rock!
Coming in Under the Radar on Thanksgiving day
I woke up, looked outside and it was not raining contrary to what I had seen forcasted last night. At 7:00 a.m. it looked like it may have lightly rained for 15 minutes all night. A far cry from the 1" they forcasted. Last night I had hoped there would be enough rain so that something like the Watagua would run but in liew of that, a MTB ride would be good to go. It did look like it might start raining at any time but I used the time wisely and packed up the gear, scarfed down an english muffin and ate PB&J sammy on the way up hwy 181. I drove through some sprinkles on my way up 181 but by the time I got to my destination it looked like this:
Rock & Roll was nice and padded out with all the leaves on it. The little bit of rain that it had seen last night was absorbed into the leaves. That trail was so leafy that the ground wasnt a bit sloppy. The only excess moisture were droplets on the leaves.
No rain after the first loop, and the skies were clearing up even more. Goin' for loop number 2.
The trail was in great shape in spite of not being ridden much. Based on some of the downfall (which I tried to clear out) it didnt look like anyone had been on it since the last time I was up there. How sweet it is:
Back where I started but I had added Barkhouse to the last loop.
Ripshin Ridge
I couldnt help myself but to ride over to Ripshin Ridge for the views after my 3rd run on Rock & Roll and 2nd run of Barkhouse. Initially I was just going to go to the overlook and turn back to climb 181. Once I got to the overlook I couldnt turn around, the trail was in such good shape and the temperature was near perfect!
Rock & Roll was nice and padded out with all the leaves on it. The little bit of rain that it had seen last night was absorbed into the leaves. That trail was so leafy that the ground wasnt a bit sloppy. The only excess moisture were droplets on the leaves.
No rain after the first loop, and the skies were clearing up even more. Goin' for loop number 2.
The trail was in great shape in spite of not being ridden much. Based on some of the downfall (which I tried to clear out) it didnt look like anyone had been on it since the last time I was up there. How sweet it is:
Back where I started but I had added Barkhouse to the last loop.
Ripshin Ridge
I couldnt help myself but to ride over to Ripshin Ridge for the views after my 3rd run on Rock & Roll and 2nd run of Barkhouse. Initially I was just going to go to the overlook and turn back to climb 181. Once I got to the overlook I couldnt turn around, the trail was in such good shape and the temperature was near perfect!
Climbing back up 181 wasnt so bad. What a view:
Back to where I started again. I never got rained on once. What a sweet ride!
Amos' Epics
Back to where I started again. I never got rained on once. What a sweet ride!
Amos' Epics
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