Noontootla

Two weekends ago I felt well enough to try some actual climbing in the actual mountains. Actual trails didn't strike me as a good time, but I felt like I could handle some gravel.

Noontootla!

I don't remember much about the drive up, except that there weren't any massive delays, which struck me as unusual.

I parked at the church, and while peeing around back, noticed a bunch of Organized Rocks.

There were piles and piles of them.

Eight piles, in fact, that I could see, arranged in two rows of four each, about 50 yards downhill from the church. They appeared to be footings for a structure that was about twice as wide as the church, and maybe 15 feet deep. I didn't see the remains of a chimney anywhere. The shape didn't make sense for a barn. It would be very small for a chicken house. Could have been a set of coops though. IDK, it was interesting though.

I took my time getting on the bike and getting going. Now that it gets dark at like 9pm, I don't really feel rushed any more.

There were a million cars descending FS58 on my way up. Despite recent rain, it was a really nice day, and the roads were in good shape.

At Noontootla Falls, I could see a couple climbing the trail to go see it. It was just the right time of year, and just the right amount of recent rain for the falls to be really visible from the road too.

So often it's either a trickle, or super obscured by leaves.

I was able to outclimb a jeep for about a mile before he finally caught me. He had a share-the-road plate and a bunch of mountain bike stickers on the back. He parked at Three Forks and waved to me when I passed him there.

I always remember there being 2 kicks at the top of Noontootla, but the last few times I was up there, I didn't recognize the first one. Same this time. I don't know if that's good because of improved fitness, or bad that I haven't been up there enough to recognize where I am.

There were a couple of humvees parked at Winding Stair Gap...

...and several more at pretty much every campsite across the top. One set had a dozen or more jerry cans lined up next to it, presumably full of water. The Rangers were apparently training, but I never saw them.

The rest of the route went by really fast, and it didn't even occur to me to take more photos.

From just above Hightower, all the way to Rock Creek Lake, I was really moving. Like, I was surprised when I realized that I was at the lake. Some folks were parked at Little Rock Creek, presumably on their way up to the falls, and it reminded me that I've never actually seen it. I passed a guy on a gravel bike around the next turn. I got to the church more quickly than I expected too.

Old Rock Creek Road was as rough as usual, and there were enormous puddles everywhere that I was usually, but not always able to skirt on the inside.

When I got back on pavement, I felt really good. My ribs hadn't given me any noticeable trouble all day. For weeks, it seemed like if I was out for more than an hour and a half, I'd really start to feel the one that was busted on my back, but not this time. It felt about like it had at the beginning of the ride.

I pushed pretty hard up both climbs on the way back to the truck, and felt ok both times.

Woo! I'd been taking it easy for weeks, and could finally kind-of push it.

Turned out later that I set 6 PRs, including one for the entire loop.

Not bad at all!