After a 7 mile climb up 181 I met Sanders and Harley at Ginger Cake Mountain. They were visiting from Charlotte, waiting on their friend. They had brought a Bullit and Haro and I am sure were about to have some fun on those nice big hit bikes. We talked for a few minutes at the top of Raspberry, then I dropped it, climbed back up to 181, crossed over and blasted down Greentown Plunge, crossed Upper Creek, climbed up towards Chestnut Mtn, hit up Raidercamp, Harper Creek (no falls today, too tight on daylight), out to Wilson Creek, up Craig Creek Rd, back towards Chestnut and down Bee Hive, then a climb back up to 181 and back to Shady Point.
Wild Roses on my ride up 181 ^
From Gingercake Acres^
Upper Creek at very low water
Some wild flowers / weeds down by the creek^
Hats off to the crew that built this bridge ^
Obie, this is the overlook/ waterfall that we just rode by last time.
This log ride^ was fun. I cant believe I had never noticed it before, maybe because it's blurry.
I tried to push my usual speed up a notch and kept moving at a pretty good rate most of the ride and ended up eating it on the ride out of Harper Creek, an area that you can move pretty fast on if you are familiar with the trail; not very steep down hill but some fast trail all the same with a nice steep bank down to Harper Creek on the right. I was pumping the Superlight down the trail when things got a little out of control and I was pitched over the edge, I caught myself on a tree and my bike stopped upside down in the sapling next to me. I dont know if Travis P's cuz Special K could have made a fall as good as this one.
More wild flowers to distract me on my climb up to Bee Hive.
More wild flowers to distract me on my climb up to Bee Hive.
By the time I got to Bee Hive it was about 7:55 and I decided to drop it fast but carefully. It was good to go. I lowered my seat and made good time down to Lower Upper Creek. Then the last little uphill to Shady Point. 
Total distance: 33.9 miles
Total time: 5:01 moving time: 4:10 stopped time: 50 minutes
Total elevation gain: 8,577'
Average moving speed: 8.1 mph
Start time: 3:34 p.m. Stop time: 8:36 p.m.
No, I'm not posting where I saw the bear but I will say he was big and deep in the woods. He was a good bit larger than the two I've seen in McDowell County recently. If he was any indication of the average size of a Wilson Creek bear, I would say a Wilson Creek Bear could take a McDowell County bear! This one makes 3 this year and 10 that I have seen since the day I saw my first wild one about 6 years ago. That does not include the one(s) that Johnny Calhoun has inadvertently baited into the campsite since I never quite woke up and poked my head out of my tent until after they were gone, which may have been a good thing.
No, I'm not posting where I saw the bear but I will say he was big and deep in the woods. He was a good bit larger than the two I've seen in McDowell County recently. If he was any indication of the average size of a Wilson Creek bear, I would say a Wilson Creek Bear could take a McDowell County bear! This one makes 3 this year and 10 that I have seen since the day I saw my first wild one about 6 years ago. That does not include the one(s) that Johnny Calhoun has inadvertently baited into the campsite since I never quite woke up and poked my head out of my tent until after they were gone, which may have been a good thing.
Amos' Epics
