I don't often ride around Giuon Farm so I decided to check out a few of the trails around there I had never been on. I went down Flat Rock Trail, confirmed that it connects to Grassy Dam, turned around and went back up the road. Another little out and back lollipop around the Plantation Loop and then back to the road again.
I was hoping to check out Frank Street (I like the name) but it was closed so I went right back up to Rocky Ridge and then on up to Stone Mountain. It was my first time going to the top and I couldn't figure out why we never go up there. The climb was tough and became a hike a bike and the descent was loose, sketchy and fast. A perfect trail! On down Rocky Ridge and back to the race start with plenty of time to spare. Being a supportive boyfriend is kind of nice.
Sunday was time for a little Pisgah sermon and with time running out to ride the seasonal trails we decided to hit them all in a nice little loop. David Cook, Cissy, Emily Brock, Broussard and Dennis Kuntz all made it out to the Black Mountain trail head for the start. Cook was on a demo full suspension bike. I don't think the shop owner knew what this bike was in for when he handed it over to Cook.
The plan was to go straight up and over the top of Black but only Dennis and myself were up for the single track climb so the group split up with everyone else going up Clawhammer while Dennis and myself time trialed up and over Black. I led the climb and was trying to hustle while Dennis put on a very impressive climbing display behind me - he made the climb with only a small handful of dismounts. Very impressive climbing. We hit Turkey Pen right at an hour, paused briefly for the obligatory Top of Black Photo Shoot and continued on down to Buckhorn Gap arriving in exactly an hour and a half as we had told the others. The downhill on the backside was too much fun and was a sign of the good stuff to come.
On the way down Buckhorn Gap I flying along when a piece of deadfall hidden on the side of the trail jumped out and stuck me in the chest nearly impaling me and throwing me into the rhodo. A close call! On around the Pink Beds and then a quick lunch break before climbing up Club Gap. Dennis and Cook both cleaned the climb up to Buckwheat Knob and then it was all downhill from there. Buckwheat was as sweet as it has ever been and I was feeling really good on the bike and nailed the descent.
Bennett was more of the same Pisgah Goodness. Dennis had fallen in the Squeeze Box so I went back up the trail and gave it a second try and cleaned it for the first time of the year. I almost made the uphill move as well but almost doesn't count and I dabbed my way through. Down at Coontree Gap Zach split off to go do yard work and drink beer while the rest of us flew down Coontree - perhaps my current favorite descent in the forest. Emily's fancy fork was acting up and she wasn't having a particularly great time on the technical stuff so when everyone else split off to go to the top of Butter she stayed with me and we headed up 5095 for the fast way to Cat Gap.
Emily hasn't ridden with us enough to know that when everyone abandons me it is usually for good reason but she was game enough for the climb up Horse Cove Rd. and the frustrating 2 mile downhill mandatory hike a bike (yes, we walked every inch of it) but the payoff is worth it and when we were spit out at the top of North Slope our mission was accomplished and we had hit every seasonal trail! +/- 40 miles with more than 10,000' of vertical gain.
Pisgah in the Spring time. Could life be any sweeter?
Three more days to hit the seasonal trails. There might be another trip or two down Bennett and Coontree this week!
good times all day. Thanks for putting the route together!
ReplyDeleteand that Art Loeb walk wasn't that bad.