Ramblin' On...

Green River Narrows and Trace Ridge, PB&J

Mike called early about the Green running. I was dragging alittle bit but met him at the take out aroud 10:30. We ran shuttle, put on, took our time but moved at a decent pace but we never saw another person on the river.

The Green in Spring.

Mike running it above.

Mike in Groove Tube:

Mike gave Matias and the long red boat on the top of the stack a ride up to the put-in. Matias was going to paddle the Wavesport Momentum race boat down the narrows for the first time to get ready for the Baddle.

Mike and I headed onto North Mills River and Trace Ridge:

Where Spencer Branch meets Trace Ridge above.

Trace Ridge has a little bit of everything.

The steep stuff at the bottom of Trace Ridge, note Mike in the background of the picture above.

Ride summary

Total distance 10.5 miles

Elevation gain: 2,579'

Avg speed: 6.1 mph

Total time: 2:25 moving time: 1:43 stopped time: 41 min

# of stops: 14

Amos' Epics

I wanted a big training ride and I got a big training ride: 42 miles of Heartbreak and Kitsuma

I started at Curtis Creek and attempted to climb to the parkway from there. I was denied at the washed out bridge 5 miles from where I parked due to bridge replacement utilizing some heavy equipment. On my way back down Curtis Creek I decided to stop at my favorite CC campsite:

It will be warm enough to jump in there soon:

Onto the parkway:

Clear spring skies

The first nice overlook on Heartbreak where I met Ben from CT (student at Warren Wilson in Asheville and about to graduate - congrats & good luck). He was riding up Heartbreak to the Parkway when I was coming down from the parkway.

The next views are just past the short steep climb with a left turn in the middle, challenging little climb when you are at this point in the ride.

Plenty of sweet single track today.

By the time I got back to the car, the moon was up and dusk had set in. I was thankful I didnt have any flats or any other technicals.

I exceeded a safe speed and ended up paying for it (see photo below) > I got off easy!

After getting up to the parkway, I did Heartbreak Ridge down to Star Gap where I took a right down to Mill Creek / Graphite, climbed up Mill Creek Rd to Kitsuma and dropped down it, past the Geyser and climed back up to Stargap dropped down the other side/bottom of Heartbreak at the gap, then onto Jareds Creek and back to my Curtis Creek parking spot at the place the horse trailers like to park. The weather was incredible and trail conditions could not have been better. Kitsuma was in especially nice shape. It had been too long since I had ridden it, I'll be back soon though.

It was a real mountain bike ride if there was some blood:

Ride stats:
Total distance: 42.4 miles
Total time: 6:51 Moving time: 5:36 Stopped time: 1:15
Number of stops: 15
Total elevation gain: 12,481'
Average speed: 7.6 mph

min elevation: 1,483' max elevation: 4,757'

I thought my legs would feel like Rick James' after Eddie and Charlie Murphy taught him the lesson about dirty feet on the couch, but gladly, I'm feeling pretty good post ride.

Amos' Epics

Sunday, April 13th at Black Mtn, Pisgah

Sunday I took Dan for his first Black Mountain Pisgah ride.

The views from Clawhammer are amazing.

The beasts of burden:

We ended up riding Black Mountain down to Thrift Cove #603, then we took a left onto Grassy Road Trail #364, and another left onto Sycamore Cove #143 that dropped us back onto the road after some rolling single track fun. We then entered the Davidson River Campground and started up North Slope Ridge #359 and rode it counter-clockwise. It was fun but not enough mileage considering the long drive to Pisgah. We rode back by the car after the North Slope Ridge and Dan was ready to call it a day. This was my first Pisgah ride in which I was not able to add some trail that was new to me. Not the big ride I had hoped for but great weather and trail conditions.

I have got to get back to applying myself if I'm going to better my ORAMM time from last year - that means a lot more solo rides and more frequent rides.