Ramblin' On... : May 2008

Green & Pisgah, go together like PB&J. Two parts that are good alone but most excellent as a combination!

Johnny Calhoun called early and temped me with promises of Green River Narrows and Pisgah single track. Then I got a call from Obie to further seal the MTB deal and from then, it was on...

The Green River saying: feed me more, I'm still hungry ^

Johnny Calhoun hittin the boof at Groove Tube ^

Adam representing for Morganton^

Onto the Fish Hatchery and a guided tour ala Obie:

View from the parking lot ^

From the parkway

NFS / USDA Propaganda:

Bermmmm good ^

Yeti, das good. Smooth like butta ^

Camping in Wilson Creek Wilderness Area sometimes catches up to the best of us.

Thank goodness these guys were watching out for any illegal activity at the parking lot. Who knows what might have happened it they had not been there to give everyone the once over...

I felt very safe, knowing they were on the job!

Amos' Epics

Hedleys/ Chestnut Mtn / Raider Camp / Harper Creek Falls / Craig Creek Rd / with Buddy then a little more Hedleys for a total of 37.5 miles

Buddy and I started our ride at 10:20 in the fog. It had rained a little bit earlier and the temperature was still nice and cool.

Buddy riding up 181 in the fog ^

Some single track on Hedleys

The trails were in great shape.

Grandfather in the clouds:

Total Distance: 37.5 miles
Elevation gain: 9,665'

Amos' Epics

Big 29.8 miler that felt all of 30 miles: Barkhouse, Ripshin Ridge, Hedleys, Bee Hive, then Sinkhole!

Starlas' arm is healing nicely after her first scooter accident ^.

It is time for the cicadeas ^, they are already singing loudly up hwy 181. As soon as I parked at Shady Point I could hear the whistling.

My view of TR and HB on the way up^. I parked at Shady Point and started climbing immediately. In spite of ominous clouds, the weather was great. I got rained on for about 4 minutes 2 different times. Trail conditions: some downfall but excellent otherwise.

I was stopped by a guy with a channel 9 news van at the Brown Mtn Overlook. He was asking about the Brown Mtn lights and the overlook. They only showed a fraction of the interview.

Chillin' with a sammich at the Barkhouse ^. Ready to finally drop some single track down hill.

View from Ripshin Ridge ^. That is Grandfather off to the left.

A little bit of downfall on each trail I rode. This one was on Hedleys right in a screaming downhill section. In spite of the trees down, it was all worth it.

View from Birthday Knob ^. I rode up hwy 181 in the far distance, up the middle to get to this point, about to drop down the right on Bee Hive, back up the middle then down the left ridge on Sinkhole. That is why I call this view The Playground. All up in there ^

Table Rock and some sweet clouds from Birthday Knob ^.

Bee Hive starts out with some fast smooth downhill ^

Then it drops off with some very technical rock gardens and drops. What a great trail. As Obie had suggested when he turned me onto Bee Hive, I dropped my seat to drop it again.