Obie and Elvis brought some friends over to the Wilson Creek Wilderness and I was lucky enough to hook up with them for a sweet ride and some photo ops. What a great group to ride with. We met at Upper Creek and shuttled up to the top of Raspberry - my first shuttle in a long time and it was well worth it!
Obie even got a shot of me on one of the Raspberry Ridge berms. Why has it been so long since I made it up here?
Who is that masked man?? Obie has entered the forest on the Yeti.
Elvis (JH), Obie, Beth R., and Chris O (the only one of the group that I had not met, but I hope we'll ride together again soon, he can cover some trail fast - up or down hill and will hopefully turn me onto some of that sweet Pisgah West).
Beth on Raspberry. She and I had seen a mother bear and a cub on the Curtis Creek climb last year. A MTBR post from her last race:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=4429237#poststop
Chris O styled this Green Town creek crossing.
Elvis droppin' it.
Beth riding a section of sweet technical trail on Greentown.
A new bridge on the Chestnut climb out.
Dixie Marie. She is a Green River Narrows regular. I had met her out there a few times over the years. I think she used to run the NOC in Asheville some years ago as well.
Obie after a wardrobe change, showing me some new trial in my own backyard.
Chris O styled this Green Town creek crossing.
Elvis droppin' it.
Beth riding a section of sweet technical trail on Greentown.
A new bridge on the Chestnut climb out.
Dixie Marie. She is a Green River Narrows regular. I had met her out there a few times over the years. I think she used to run the NOC in Asheville some years ago as well.
Obie after a wardrobe change, showing me some new trial in my own backyard.
Thanks a bunch dude, I liked the trail and I plan to be back up there soon. I'll probably lower my seat again too - Good call on that Obie.
Chris O.
Dixie Marie.
Obie and Elvis pickin' their way through the rock garden.
Chris in the rock garden.
Beth in the rock garden. Yes that is a 29er.
Elvis catchin' some sweet air time off the rock.
Dixie Marie.
Obie and Elvis pickin' their way through the rock garden.
Chris in the rock garden.
Beth in the rock garden. Yes that is a 29er.
Elvis catchin' some sweet air time off the rock.
I took the left line here but everyone else hit it on the right. It's all good.
Elvis aka Jason, airin' it out again. Thanks for taking this one Beth! Great shot. Elvis had some very nice lines today, as usual. He also had one that ended up in a tacoed wheel. I hope it can be trued up. I'll bet more wheels have been tacoed on this trail than just about any trail in the Wilson Creek Wilderness area!
One of the special views of Table Rock and Hawksbill on my pedal up the hwy.
The first big view on Ripshin Ridge.
Both the stitch above and the shot below are from a special overlook I know of at the end of Ripshin and beginning of Hedleys. Grandfather Mtn off to the left.
Hedleys was in excellent shape.
This the start of the really fast section. The potential to blast starts here.
Smooth, sweet trail.
A sweet jump from the landing above and from the entrance below.
My final shot at the bottom of the trail I have always called Upper Steels Creek (I never actually cross or pass Steels Creek but I come pretty close to it when I drop out on the forest service road). This self portrait was taken right before the trail drops out in the area locals call "Gods Country" - it is all Gods Country to me.
Elvis aka Jason, airin' it out again. Thanks for taking this one Beth! Great shot. Elvis had some very nice lines today, as usual. He also had one that ended up in a tacoed wheel. I hope it can be trued up. I'll bet more wheels have been tacoed on this trail than just about any trail in the Wilson Creek Wilderness area!
After this sweet trail and about 14+ miles of fun riding, it was time for the crew to head back to Ashevegas so I helped out with the shuttle back up to Gingercake Acres then proceeded to Shady Point, my favorite parking spot to launch a Hwy 181 corridor loop.
One of the special views of Table Rock and Hawksbill on my pedal up the hwy.
The first big view on Ripshin Ridge.
Both the stitch above and the shot below are from a special overlook I know of at the end of Ripshin and beginning of Hedleys. Grandfather Mtn off to the left. 
Hedleys was in excellent shape.
This the start of the really fast section. The potential to blast starts here.
Smooth, sweet trail.
A sweet jump from the landing above and from the entrance below.
My final shot at the bottom of the trail I have always called Upper Steels Creek (I never actually cross or pass Steels Creek but I come pretty close to it when I drop out on the forest service road). This self portrait was taken right before the trail drops out in the area locals call "Gods Country" - it is all Gods Country to me.
Total distance rode: 26 miles
Riding time: 3 hours 21 minutes
I timed the end pretty good, I rode up to the Subaru at about dusk .
The flats on the graphs above (starting at mile 14 and ending at mile 15) and below (at 3 hour 25 minute to about 5 hours out there) are the shuttle point and my break between rides.
Amos' Epics
