Wednesday Afterwork Kitsuma + Some More

Johnny Calhoun on the climb:
The "in motion" shot, the timer was set a little too fast but I like it.
The road and trail that Johnny Calhoun led me up after the Kitsuma loop is some of the longest, steepest uphill on dirt I think I've ever done. I didnt think I'd make it without dismounting but I managed it. The last time I was there I didnt make it without some pushing but this time I got a little redemption.
Total mileage: 12.3 miles About 10 was Kits the rest was icing on the cake.
Total time: 2:01 Moving time: 1:48 Stopped time: :13 # of stops: 3
min elev: 1,300' max elev: 3,275'
Amos' Epics

MTB ride: I didnt make the 20 miles I had hoped for but glad to have gotten 17 miles in 2 hours along the 181 corridor before it got dark

I parked at my favorite 181 side spot: Shady Point.Total time: 2:05 moving time: 1:58 # of stops: 4 (to take the pics below)
Ride start time: 4:38 p.m. finish time: 6:44
Total mileage: 17.1 miles
Avg. moving speed: 8.6mph (would have been faster if it hadnt been so damn dark on Hedleys)
min elev: 1823' max elev: 3715' I started with about 7 miles of climbing up 181, the tread on my Mibros were already pretty worn.

To answer Obie and BrothaMan Bob's questions from Sunday definitively, as I had guessed:
No Raspberry isnt sloppy but it is frozen. The area where the creek runs through the middle of the trail is sloppy as it always is, but the rest is good to go and frozen hard. If it rains as predicted and with the warmer weather coming to thaw the frozen ground, it probably will be sloppy this coming weekend.Still some snow on Ripshin as well.The view from Ripshin was off the hook.
Amos' Epics

Cheoah - Tsali Combo with Chris Roberts, and Johnny Calhoun. Unfortunately a technical made it a short Tsali but it was still a good day.

Random shots at Big Un'.




I saw several people on the river I had not seen in a while due to the low water levels plus I haven't been making very many road trips. It was good to see Dennis Huntley, Amos Shuman, Caleb Paquette, Kyle Anderson, Mike Nail and ...
I got to meet and paddle with a few of Chris and Johnny's friends as well: Christian, Yonton, Daniel, and Medford. Thanks to these guys for the help with the shuttle. It was a good day with excellent weather and nice water level.

Onto Tsali. Chris was unable to ride due to a technical difficulty with his brakes. Johnny and I did a short 7.2 mile loop: Mouse Branch in 50 minutes. It was sloppy enough to have to push in a couple of places but most of the rolling downhill was dry enough and fun.
7.2 miles, short but fun
Average moving speed: 9.2 mph
Total time: 50 minutes Moving time: 46 minutes # of stops: 4


I added something different from today's ride, a map of Mouse Branch.
My tactic for the next Cheoah - Tsali combo: Next time do an early morning ride first, paddle later to beat the crowd then do an evening ride on the way back through. Today we put on the river at about 30 minutes after the water got to the store and I think 90% of the people that paddled today did the same thing. When we were driving away from the takeout the river was almost empty. We had caught the bubble right before the Big Un and had to stop and wait for the flow to catch up to us. This also allowed the crowd to catch up, hence all the pics I was able to take of people at the big drop.

SKUNKED!

I got home from work and started checking some rain gages. With .75" to .8" at rain gages in some key locations and the USGS gage going straight up at the last reading around 2:30pm, I hoped for a minimum run on Wilson Creek. My timing would have been OK for a late evening run; put on at 5:30, paddle the Full Tilt down doing splat wheels and playing for 45 minutes then jog my shuttle at dusk post run. When I got there it was -7", about 3" below my minimum. Oh well, I had a nice drive through the country and it only took me about 25 minutes both ways, it's all good and hopefully next time...Amos' Epics

Another Afterwork 181 Corridor Ride

The rumour of another layoff was weighing heavily on me. When I got to Shady Point, I decided not to ride, changed my mind, then changed it again. Pulled my bike out of the trunk, put it back in, drove a few miles back towards Morganton, turned around... Anyway I got a late start, but glad I got a start. If I get laid off and cant afford the gas to drive to the trail head, I'll regret not riding when I had a chance. And so I rode...
Distance: 12.1 miles
Total time: 1:34 Moving time: 1:30
# of stops: 2, one for the pic & one to pick up a stick
Start time: 4:49 pm End time: 6:24 pm (I just realized how close to yesterday my times were, and I thought I was getting a later start)
Average moving speed: 8.1 mph
Min elev: 1,820' Max elev: 3,263'



My course: Abbreviated Rock & Roll, Barkhouse, Ripshin Ridge and Hedleys down to Lick Log Ridge, I was running out of daylight. I did have my back up head lamp today, just in case...
As soon as I had the SupaLight disassembled and in the trunk, it started sleeting.
Amos' Epics

After work Big O. Moving to beat the dark.

Distance: 13.1 miles
Total time: 1:33 Moving time: 1:29
Stopped time: 4min 26sec (time it took to take a few pics and dismount & jump back on when crossing a few logs) # of stops: 3
Start time: 4:49 pm End time: 6:23 pm
Average moving speed: 8.8 mph
I had a late start and needed to move fast to finish before dark. Thankfully no technical issues otherwise I would have been on the trail in the dark without a light. I've got to start carrying a backup light when cutting it this close.
My only photo op stop was at Birthday Knob. I shouldn't have made this stop due to my late start but I couldn't help myself, I knew the view would be good. It was a cool but beautiful evening. My toes were cold by the end of the ride.




Amos' Epics