tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29746332211265879822024-03-13T13:54:50.461-04:00Dave Muse's Outdoor JournalDavid Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.comBlogger918125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-13517891660392737162023-11-09T00:13:00.003-05:002023-11-09T00:13:26.578-05:00Nashville Spartan 5k<p>Over a year ago I started training for obstacle course races. There was a Spartan race in Atlanta, I think back in March. I had a few months under my belt, felt good for the race, and then promptly broke a bunch of ribs. When I recovered from that, I'd planned on doing a Barbarian race in Alabama in the middle of the summber, but I then got pretty sick a few days before that. Finally, this past October, there was another Spartan race in Tennessee, and I was healthy enough to run it.</p>
<p>I say "healthy enough" because it wasn't perfect. A week prior to the race, I'd gotten a pretty wicked sunburn at an air show with my buddy Jon...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246574928" title="Glorious Sunburn by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246574928_ecef2bb7df_m.jpg" alt="Glorious Sunburn " /></a>
<p>...but it turned out, I was adqeuately recovered from that before the race.</p>
<p>Beatriz is the chick that got me into OCR last year. She was going to do the race in Tennesse, and so was her friend Valenti, so we all met at B's place the night before, had some delicious pasta, slept in the various guest rooms, and then road-tripped up together the next morning.</p>
<p>Roadtrip!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267247027" title="Roadtrip! by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267247027_a14f862cc7_m.jpg" alt="Roadtrip! " /></a>
<p>B kept randomly shouting "Roadtrip!" during the trip, and it was a lot of fun.</p>
<p>The drive up was great. We stopped at Bucees, which is always a lot of fun, and Chattanooga was beautiful.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267247067" title="Chattanooga 1 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267247067_b58ec2647c_m.jpg" alt="Chattanooga 1 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268608395" title="Chattanooga 2 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268608395_b366b2127b_m.jpg" alt="Chattanooga 2 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268494889" title="Chattanooga 3 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268494889_7ec226340a_m.jpg" alt="Chattanooga 3 " /></a>
<p>I'd been to and through Chattanooga a few times, but apparently never out on I-24. The lakes and mountains are a sight, but the roads are steep and twisty, so it's a lot nicer as a passenger.</p>
<p>We joked about that during the drive, actually. It's pretty rare that either of V or I are passengers when driving up for a race, and while nice, it felt a little unusual.</p>
<p>B and I were doing 5ks, so our races were on Sunday, but V was doing a 10k, so her race was on Saturday. As such, we drove straight to the venue, rather than check in to the hotel.</p>
<p>I had to pee super bad when we got there, and I had to run like a quarter mile across the huge grass parking area to get to the tree line. It turned out later, that there were porta-potties, but they weren't any closer. We did a little shopping at the merch tent before heading into the venue itself, and I want to say V bought a shirt or something.</p>
<p>The whole thing was on some farm, in some set of cow pastures. We parked in one pasture, and the race wound its way around another one. To get from one to the other, you had to cross this fairly sketchy little ravine. Like 100% of the participants and spectators had to descent a set of big chunky rocks, step over a little rivulet of water, and then climb back up more big chunky rocks. On a trail, you wouldn't think anything of it, but it struck me as funny that you HAD to do it to get in. There was no way around it. At the OCR King Compound, Cody always has a "buy in" in his workouts - some set of gym-type excercises that you have to do before you even start on the obstacles. We joked that crossing that ravine was the buy-in for the race.</p>
<p>Once we got to the venue itself, the whole thing was a little surreal. "South African candy aisle", for sure. Kirk went to South Africa way back and took a photo of a candy aisle at a gas station there. In general, it was familiar. It was immediately recognizable as a candy aisle, like you'd find in any gas station. But, all of the candy was unfamaliar. All of the wrappers were different colors, and different combinations of colors. On closer inpection, it was completely unfamiliar. The whole race vibe was like that. I've been to a gazillion races, but they've all been some sort of mountain bike race. The general race environment was completely familiar, but almost all of the details were different.</p>
<p>One thing that was familiar though, was registration. You gotta register when you show up for a race. So, we did that.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268142531" title="Approaching Registration by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268142531_5e2042e29d_m.jpg" alt="Approaching Registration " /></a>
<p>However... It was entirely electronic. No hasty, incomprehensible scribbles on damp paper with a pen that barely works. We filled out everything on a tablet, and it was super fast.</p>
<p>To get in or out, you have to walk through the gift shop, which mainly had all kinds of Spartan-themed clothes for sale. I didn't get anything, but the ladies got a few items. I figured I ought to get a few races under my belt before diving into the full-on Spartan culture.</p>
<p>On the other side of the gift shop was even more South African candy aisle. People were milling around, warming up, there was a podium, announcers, spectators with camping chairs, pop-up tents with vendors. All familiar, but again, the details were all a little different.</p>
<p>We took a bunch of photos in front of the Spartan photo thing, but I didn't end up with any of them.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267247162" title="Spartan Photo Thing by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267247162_5e11832d5f_m.jpg" alt="Spartan Photo Thing " /></a>
<p>I love how they had to put up signs saying don't climb on it - the barbed wire wasn't enough of a deterrent.</p>
<p>V had a few hours before her race, so we walked around a bit and got familiar with the layout. It looked like they had replaced the helix with the hoist, but otherwise everything looked about like we expected. There was a short track set up for kids' races, and there were a bunch of kids racing, so we cheered them on for a while.</p>
<p>About an hour out, V started getting ready - changing clothes, stretching, brading up her hair, and getting psyched up.</p>
<p>Then, it was go-time!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267966361" title="V About to Go by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267966361_7da06ce65e_m.jpg" alt="V About to Go " /></a>
<p>To get to the start, you had to bear crawl under some barbed wire, then jump a 4-foot wall. Normally the announce shouts: "Spartan, what is your profession?!" and everybody responds with "Aroo! Aroo! Aroo!" but the batteries had died on his mic or something, so he didn't even get everybody together for the start, he was just like "You can go when you're ready." Since the start and finish are tracked with chips that you wear, it doesn't really matter when you go.</p>
<p>B and I walked over to the cargo net and waited for a while. Before long, we saw her coming out of the woods, over some hay bales, and up and over the cargo net.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268432935" title="V on the Cargo Net by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268432935_69cb74549c_m.jpg" alt="V on the Cargo Net " /></a>
<p>Then she ran over to the spear throw, but she ran faster than us, and we didn't make it in time to get any pics of that. The spear throw is argably the most difficult obstacle. About half of the time, you miss. After the spear, she ran up the hill and did the hoist, but it was too far away for pics.</p>
<p>Then she was gone for a really long time. There were like 8 kilometers and 10 or more obstacles back in there somewhere, so we figured it would be a while. We were hungry, and the only food to be had was BBQ, so we got some sandwiches. The smoke made my eyes burn and itch super bad, for some reason, but only when I was right in it. As soon as we walked away, they started getting better, and I couldn't tell at all after about 5 minutes. Super weird. I guess Tennessee BBQ is rough, for some reason.</p>
<p>The weather had been wild, all day. It was in the 50's, which was dramatically colder than we were used to. It had been in the 80's in Atlanta until that day. It was also sprinkling on-and-off, but not badly enough to even get through my puffy jacket. The sun would come out and it would warm up 10 degrees, but then it would go away and start sprinkling again.</p>
<p>All of this made for a very dramatic sky.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070962" title="Dramatic Sky by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070962_f1527fa966_m.jpg" alt="Dramatic Sky " /></a>
<p>We guestimated how long it would take V to emerge near the Z wall, and we were pretty close. We watched dozens of people on the Z wall, and like 50% of them cheated in some way. It actually got semi-annoying after a while. I risked it, and hit the porta-potty, right before she came around the bend.</p>
<p>Side note... That was a theme for me for the entire trip. "Hey, let me pee real quick..." was my MO all weekend. I like to stay hydrated for a race.</p>
<p>The second she lifted her leg to mount the Z wall, her calf cramped up, and it took a few minutes to work it out. But, she managed to get it under control, and had an easy time of the wall.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268249273" title="V on the Z Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268249273_76b8685ed4_m.jpg" alt="V on the Z Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267966176" title="V Making it Around the Corner by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267966176_08e1ce8f90_m.jpg" alt="V Making it Around the Corner " /></a>
<p>She cleared the hurdle easily, but ran the penalty loop rather than attempt the rope climb.</p>
<p>The slip wall was easy.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268432910" title="V on the Slip Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268432910_ff83f6d3d2_m.jpg" alt="V on the Slip Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267966051" title="V Over the Slip Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267966051_69a320cc4d_m.jpg" alt="V Over the Slip Wall " /></a>
<p>But the rolling mud was tough...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268318859" title="V About to Get Very Muddy by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268318859_36abfbbd00_m.jpg" alt="V About to Get Very Muddy " /></a>
<p>Getting into the water was easy, but getting out was a lot more difficult than one might immediately imagine. Imagine climbing 45-degree wet clay. You could do it if you were just the right weight. Too light or heavy though, and you just couldn't get enough grip. It was, fortunately, possible to kind of get out on either edge, but that didn't occur to a lot of people, and so many of them just slid back down, over and over. One guy tried like 3 times, before just standing there looking defeated, and I never saw him make it.</p>
<p>V made it out though, and went under the dunk wall.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268318909" title="V Approaching the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268318909_ef84be4cf9_m.jpg" alt="V Approaching the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070537" title="V Finding the Right Spot on the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070537_d875e83fd5_m.jpg" alt="V Finding the Right Spot on the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070532" title="V About to go Under the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070532_9994a167b8_m.jpg" alt="V About to go Under the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268432565" title="V After the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268432565_14908e1cac_m.jpg" alt="V After the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<p>She'd been apprehensive about it earlier, but when it came down to it, she did it with no problem.</p>
<p>Then, a quick leap over the fire...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268249138" title="V Fire Jump by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268249138_f1c0cdbfea_m.jpg" alt="V Fire Jump " /></a>
<p>...and she was done!</p>
<p>Her scream was like 1/3rd repressed trauma, 1/3rd relief, and 1/3rd pride. With that finish, she'd gotten a trifecta - sprint, super, and beast, all in one season.</p>
<p>God, I've heard that scream before. I've screamed like that before. Hearing it brought back a flood of memories and emotions that I wasn't 100% ready to feel. Man, I love that kind of thing. She stumbled over to the rail, and I hugged her like BMX riders hug each other after one of them does some amazing trick - where it's part congratulations, part consolation for the terror they just went through, and part gratitude that they survived. I was wearing my Mulberry Gap t-shirt, and got mud all over it, but it just looked really cool for the rest of the day.</p>
<p>Yeah, Valenti!</p>
<p>She got cleaned up a bit and we finally headed to the hotel. They were able to get into their rooms right away, but there was some odd delay with mine, so I hung out in the lobby for like half an hour before it was ready. It turned out that just about everybody was there for either the race or a dog show. I only saw one dog though, and it didn't really look like a show dog. There were a bunch of kids running around, and I saw the all doing the kids' race the next day.</p>
<p>After getting checked in, we all went to Demo's for dinner. B had eaten there last year and loved it. I got some blackened chicken alfredo, and it was easily as good as what I get here at Zucca. If you're ever in Lebanon, TN, check out Demo's.</p>
<p>On the way out, we noticed a '70's Smoky-and-the-Bandit Firebird, and a '60's firebird next to it. Then a few spaces awat were several other vintage cars. We figured there must be a car show in town or something.</p>
<p>Then, across the lot was this monstrosity!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070602" title="Flowmaster Car at Demos' by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070602_33fd0b93a7_m.jpg" alt="Flowmaster Car at Demos' " /></a>
<p>Gotta be a car show!</p>
<p>Back at the hotel, I grabbed a little thing of chocolate ice cream and B yelled "Sugar!" at me - an inside joke about my A1C, and having to cut out a lot of sugar from my diet. This led to the guy behind me being like: "Was she calling you sugar, or telling you to eat sugar?" and me explaining the whole A1C thing to him. We both agreed that the quarter-pint of Hagen-Dazs was probably ok. Meanwhile, the line was taking forever for some unknown reason, and I started worrying that it would melt. The guy behind me was finally like: "Man, just take that up to your room, I'll cover it, it's like $2."</p>
<p>Woo! I made a friend, and got free ice cream out of it!</p>
<p>I watched like 30 minutes of American Dad in the room, then crashed out hard and got some really good sleep.</p>
<p>The next morning, I packed everything up, as I would not be able to get back to the hotel after my race, met the ladies in the lobby, and headed back over to the farm.</p>
<p>B's race was about an hour later, so she got dressed and warmed up, and ready to go while V and I watched people play around in the "training area". They had a spear throw, a bunch of various heavy balls, a 7-foot wall, and a rope climb that you could get some last-minute training on, and a bunch of folks were trying it all out.</p>
<p>As her race time approached, B crawled under the halloween-themed barbed-wire...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268318774" title="B in the Spooky Barbed Wire Crawl by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268318774_dc82468473_m.jpg" alt="B in the Spooky Barbed Wire Crawl " /></a>
<p>...and over that first wall.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070407" title="B Over the First Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070407_917ca9ef57_m.jpg" alt="B Over the First Wall " /></a>
<p>The announcer had gotten new batteries for his mic by that time, and she got the full group-start experience.</p>
<p>Go!</p>
<p>Like B and I had done the day before, V and I walked over to the cargo net, and pretty soon, we saw B emerge from the woods, climb over some hay bales, and run by us.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268318419" title="B on the Run by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268318419_0e26bc6499_m.jpg" alt="B on the Run " /></a>
<p>She made quick work of the cargo net...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268318384" title="B Cargo Net 1 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268318384_e67cbfa13b_m.jpg" alt="B Cargo Net 1 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268432315" title="B Cargo Net 2 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268432315_56651309ed_m.jpg" alt="B Cargo Net 2 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070232" title="B Cargo Net 3 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070232_b6cf4e3899_m.jpg" alt="B Cargo Net 3 " /></a>
<p>...but missed the spear throw, and had to run the penalty loop.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267965761" title="B Penalty Loop by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267965761_2d1319d8fa_m.jpg" alt="B Penalty Loop " /></a>
<p>The weather had been even worse that morning - colder, and pretty much sprinkling all morning. Water did actually stop falling from the sky before she went off, but it was still super wet. How warm to dress was anyone's guess, and she'd started off with a jacket, that she tossed to us after the spear throw.</p>
<p>We watched her run up the hill and hoist the sandbag, but then she was gone for a while.</p>
<p>She was "only" running a 5k, so we wouldn't have to wait all that long for her to get to the Z wall. And, yeah, before we knew it, she was comign around the bend.</p>
<p>Go B!</p>
<p>She didn't have any trouble with the wall...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070252" title="B on the Z Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070252_a415731059_m.jpg" alt="B on the Z Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268248383" title="B Around the Corner on the Z Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268248383_d5f68e4525_m.jpg" alt="B Around the Corner on the Z Wall " /></a>
<p>...or the hurdle.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268248498" title="B Over the Bar by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268248498_ffb5ffb69a_m.jpg" alt="B Over the Bar " /></a>
<p>The rope climb was super slippery, but she got it!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268318194" title="B Ringing the Bell on the Rope Climb by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268318194_bf1717ef80_m.jpg" alt="B Ringing the Bell on the Rope Climb " /></a>
<p>The slip wall was a piece of cake.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268248333" title="B on the Slip Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268248333_894f496c47_m.jpg" alt="B on the Slip Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267965351" title="B Over the Slip Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267965351_4d3121113e_m.jpg" alt="B Over the Slip Wall " /></a>
<p>Or, at least, she made it look easy.</p>
<p>The monkey bars, on the other hand...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070172" title="B on the Monkey Bars by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070172_d2891e7ca4_m.jpg" alt="B on the Monkey Bars " /></a>
<p>...were just too slippery. She fell on the 3rd to last one. Almost nobody was making them, though. It was just so wet.</p>
<p>Then there was all that mud!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268432165" title="B About to get Muddy by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268432165_79d3168e95_m.jpg" alt="B About to get Muddy " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267070042" title="B Climbing Out by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267070042_9584db2717_m.jpg" alt="B Climbing Out " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268431925" title="B in the Mud PIt by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268431925_24f87470db_m.jpg" alt="B in the Mud PIt " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069787" title="B Flexin' Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069787_965497ee1a_m.jpg" alt="B Flexin' Again " /></a>
<p>Which she managed pretty easily.</p>
<p>And the dunk wall.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267965081" title="B About to go Under the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267965081_6c35f7efac_m.jpg" alt="B About to go Under the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317899" title="B Still About to go Under the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317899_8894b67a4a_m.jpg" alt="B Still About to go Under the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268431795" title="B Emerging from Under the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268431795_08ffe79c0a_m.jpg" alt="B Emerging from Under the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<p>Which, again, whe managed pretty easily.</p>
<p>Over the fire...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268431845" title="B Fire Jump by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268431845_8ddf630221_m.jpg" alt="B Fire Jump " /></a>
<p>...and, done!</p>
<p>No half-terrorized scream from her though. She'd done plenty of 5k's before, and this one was about average, and not even as wet as the one in Atlanta had been.</p>
<p>Still, pretty awesome, and it made me feel a bit more confident, actually watching somebody I know, with a level of fitness that I'm familiar with, finish, still feeling fit to continue.</p>
<p>B got cleaned up a bit, and they went back to the hotel to clean up for real and check out.</p>
<p>My race was in like 2 and a half hours, so I had plenty of time to get changed, stretch, throw the spear a few times, and practice picking up the 100lb ball.</p>
<p>I forget exactly when this happened, but I think it was before I went off...</p>
<p>There was a wedding!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267964936" title="Wedding! by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267964936_a7abc680b1_m.jpg" alt="Wedding! " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267964871" title="You May Kiss the Bride! by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267964871_7cbf49519d_m.jpg" alt="You May Kiss the Bride! " /></a>
<p>Both of them had done their races earlier that day, and they were getting married at the starting line, before the next wave!</p>
<p>Ha! I love it.</p>
<p>When it was finally getting close to my start time, I crawled under the barbed wire and jumped that little wall. Cody had us do a million bear crawls, and I'm kind-of glad, in retospect, that he did. It seems like such an easy thing to do, but it actually requires a bit of practice to be second-nature, and second-nature really helps when there's barbed wire above you.</p>
<p>The guy's batteries had died again, so he was just like: "You can go whenever you want..."</p>
<p>Ok... Go!</p>
<p>Valenti had mentioned that there were a bunch of loose rocks, so don't step on anything too small without expecting it to move. This turned out to be good advice. The first mile or so was in and out of little bits of woods, and there was a lot of rock back in there. Mostly big slabs, but occasionally smaller pieces, that I avoided, but saw many other people step on and shift.</p>
<p>I'm a pretty awful runner, so I expected to get passed constantly, but I ended up passing people the entire time. This one guy Ramsey caught me in the first quarter mile though, and ended up running with me for the rest of the race.</p>
<p>There were some little 4 foot walls back in the woods that we had to leap over, but other than that, the first mile or so was just running. When I came out of the woods I grabbed a mouthful of water at the first station, then started scrambling over a series of hay bales. By the time I got to them, there were some pretty deep ruts in them, so they weren't all that difficult to get over.</p>
<p>I could hear the ladies were cheering as I approached the cargo net, which made me feel pretty good.</p>
<p>The net was straightforward. Pick a line, and go straight up. Don't veer to the left or right. Use your legs.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317454" title="Me Cargo Net 1 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317454_a1aff91888_m.jpg" alt="Me Cargo Net 1 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317464" title="Me Cargo Net 2 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317464_2dd32c52cf_m.jpg" alt="Me Cargo Net 2 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268431385" title="Me Cargo Net 3 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268431385_9481587254_m.jpg" alt="Me Cargo Net 3 " /></a>
<p>I actually got the spear throw!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317404" title="Me Spear Throw 1 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317404_22b5a1e52a_m.jpg" alt="Me Spear Throw 1 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317459" title="Me Spear Throw 2 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317459_7a2ea6a400_m.jpg" alt="Me Spear Throw 2 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069267" title="Me Spear Throw 3 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069267_5806bbf7f8_m.jpg" alt="Me Spear Throw 3 " /></a>
<p>At least, kind-of. The judge said that I'd get credit if it even hit the hay. It didn't need to stick. Mine hit the red ring on the very edge of the hay and bounced off. "Did it hit the hay?" "No." (dejected) "Did it hit the red ring?" "Yeah." (still dejected) "Close enough."</p>
<p>Ha! They gave it to me! No penalty loop!</p>
<p>I ran up the hill to the hoist, and it was substantially heavier than any training I'd ever done. I guess maybe the sandbags absorbed a bunch of water? IDK. It was super heavy. I was barely able to move it using every bit of my weight. In the end, I got it, but man, it was difficult.</p>
<p>That dude Ramsey was still right there. I couldn't shake him, but the two of us passed everyone else.</p>
<p>I think the Atlas Carry was next. Pick up a 100lb ball of concrete and carry it about 100 feet around a flag and back. There is some technique to picking up the ball, and Cody didn't have an analog for it, so it was good that I'd practiced in the "training area" earlier. The way the wind was blowing, the flag wrapped all around my face, which made me laugh, but fortunuately I didn't drop the ball.</p>
<p>I think the multi-rig was next - 3 rings, a pipe, then 3 more rings. By that time, it hadn't rained for hours, and everything had dried out a bit, including, thankfully, the rings. I'd gone to Cody's twice in the weeks leading up to the race to specifically practice rings and monkey bars, and it paid off. The rings were easy.</p>
<p>I think bucket carry was next. Put a 75lb (I think) bucket on your shoulder and carry it up and down a bunch of hills. Again, something I'd never practiced. Most people put it on one shoulder, but someone, maybe Ramsey, had mentioned putting it more centered on your back. It's trickier to hold on to, but it's way less effort to carry. I tried one shoulder for a few seconds, then finagled it to the center of my shoulders, and yeah, it was waaay better. Awesome tip!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268247588" title="Me Bucket Carry by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268247588_203ab2a35e_m.jpg" alt="Me Bucket Carry " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069157" title="Me Bucket Carry Wide Shot by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069157_6cc8ed5601_m.jpg" alt="Me Bucket Carry Wide Shot " /></a>
<p>The sandbag carry might have been next. Similar thing 75lbish bag of sand up and down a bunch of hills. Slightly easier than the bucket carry.</p>
<p>Next was a long ass downhill barbed wire "crawl". I quote crawl because I just rolled about halfway down the hill on one side, got super dizzy, flipped over, and rolled down the rest on the other side. I ended up crawling out for the last few meters, so disoriented that it felt like gravity was coming from off to my left.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317344" title="Me Barbed Wire Crawl by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317344_e01bb31784_m.jpg" alt="Me Barbed Wire Crawl " /></a>
<p>Jogging away from that one was really hard to do.</p>
<p>I want to say there were more obstacles after that, but I don't specifically remember them.</p>
<p>I did the Z wall next, and it was super easy. Cody's is infinitely more difficult. There are pics of me doing it somewhere, but I can't find them now.</p>
<p>The 5 foot hurdle thing was also pretty easy. It felt just like jumping over the patio fence at Siracusa's.</p>
<p>Next was the rope climb, and I stuggled a bit with it. B uses an S-hook, but I use a J-hook, but apparently my J-hook is a little feeble. Like, I don't pull the rope up over my other foot as well as I should. Cody's rope is bigger in diameter than the one at the race, and what I tend to do is adequate there, but it was only barely adequate on this rope.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268247658" title="Me Climbing the Rope by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268247658_64bf0682f7_m.jpg" alt="Me Climbing the Rope " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069272" title="Me Climbing the Rope Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069272_a185c16177_m.jpg" alt="Me Climbing the Rope Again " /></a>
<p>I made it, but I was kind-of sliding back down the entire time. I'll have to work on that.</p>
<p>The slip wall was super easy.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069527" title="Me on the Slip Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069527_32e7a4ce9a_m.jpg" alt="Me on the Slip Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268431540" title="Me Over the Slip Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268431540_3b510a1a50_m.jpg" alt="Me Over the Slip Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069507" title="Me Coming Down off of the Slip Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069507_c7dc0ac477_m.jpg" alt="Me Coming Down off of the Slip Wall " /></a>
<p>I made the monkey bars too!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317569" title="Me on the Monkey Bars by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317569_100ed251ac_m.jpg" alt="Me on the Monkey Bars " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267964836" title="Me on the Monkey Bars Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267964836_95c41fac98_m.jpg" alt="Me on the Monkey Bars Again " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267964796" title="Me Ringing the Bell on the Monkey Bars by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267964796_2efe65cd74_m.jpg" alt="Me Ringing the Bell on the Monkey Bars " /></a>
<p>They were completely dry by the time I got to them, and the recent practice had paid off.</p>
<p>I had a marginally easy time getting out of the mud. I was apparently just the right weight to scramble out without slipping back in.</p>
<p>The dunk wall was a little tricky. B recommended reaching under, finding the other side, then dunking and pulling yourself through. I did that, but when pulling it just pulled the bottom of the wall toward me a little before it slipped out of my hand. I ended up kind-of swimming under it, which was fine. Some people, apparently, get kind-of disoriented, but I didn't.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268247663" title="Me Emerging from the Dunk Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268247663_1637080c33_m.jpg" alt="Me Emerging from the Dunk Wall " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317414" title="Me Emerging from the Dunk Wall Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317414_936eb081b8_m.jpg" alt="Me Emerging from the Dunk Wall Again " /></a>
<p>Lord that mud. I don't have the words to really explain how awful it was. It immediately gets in your eyes, and there's nothing you can do to get it out. Try wiping it out. You're wiping with muddy hands, and more just pours back in from your hair, over and over. It's really difficult to see at all. Climbing out of that pit was tough just because I couldn't really see where I was going.</p>
<p>The fire jump was difficult because it was nothing but deep, slippery footprints all the way up to it. I could barely run. I was just trying not to slip and fall the whole time.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268431340" title="Me Fire Jump by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268431340_ffcec73320_m.jpg" alt="Me Fire Jump " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069142" title="Me Fire Jump Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069142_72b1a7ee80_m.jpg" alt="Me Fire Jump Again " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317354" title="Me Fire Jump Yet Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317354_f6bd2a61b6_m.jpg" alt="Me Fire Jump Yet Again " /></a>
<p>But, after the jump, the course was clean for the hundred feet or whatever to the finish.</p>
<p>Done!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267069502" title="Me, Done! by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267069502_7c737c5759_m.jpg" alt="Me, Done! " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267964526" title="Me, Done Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267964526_3f4c9dba0f_m.jpg" alt="Me, Done Again " /></a>
<p>I feel like this is the most unflattering photo that's ever been taken of me.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268317524" title="The Most Unflattering Photo Ever Taken of Me by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268317524_a59d089c37_m.jpg" alt="The Most Unflattering Photo Ever Taken of Me " /></a>
<p>Just look at it!</p>
<p>This one is marginally more flattering, I guess.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53267964516" title="Me at the Finish Wall by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53267964516_22937d2517_m.jpg" alt="Me at the Finish Wall " /></a>
<p>The race wasn't all that bad. I was definitely well prepared. The average workout at Cody's was substantially more difficult. An average mountain bike race was infinitely more difficult. Not that I wasn't tired - I ran as fast as I felt that I could without blowing up, but I recovered really quickly. I feel like running faster is the key if I want to get better at these, kind of like how climbing is the key in a mountain bike race.</p>
<p>I got 15th out of like 150 in my age group, but I raced "open" rather than only with my age group, so I didn't really get 15th. No idea how I did overall in the mens open category.</p>
<p>There was this big group hose-off area, so I got hosed off, dried off, and changed back into some normal clothes before we hit the road. I wasn't 100% clean, but I was definitely clean enough.</p>
<p>Before we blew town, we hit the local Whataburger, and sent this photo to our buddy Scott, who's from Texas, and loves Whataburger.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53268247643" title="Whataburger! by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53268247643_b002466e40_m.jpg" alt="Whataburger! " /></a>
<p>So far, the entire trip had been fantastic. We'd all had a blast. Nothing terrible happened, and everybody was good company. Most of the trip back was equally good, but we ran into some construction-related traffic in Chattanooga that added about an hour of backroads to the drive back. That was really the only bad patch though.</p>
<p>10/10 would do again.</p>
<p>Spartan! Aroo!</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-85837533562365160522023-11-08T17:03:00.002-05:002023-11-08T17:03:28.039-05:00Dalton<p>Back in early October, I made my way up to Dalton to hit a couple of trails up there that I'd never ridden. Specifically, the "new" stuff at Rocky Face Ridge Park (AKA Buzzards Roost), and Raisin Woods.</p>
<p>Both turned out to be pretty great.</p>
<p>As I drove in to Rocky Face, I kept seeing the mountain looming above me around every turn, and it looked pretty daunting. From the parking lot, though, it wasn't so bad.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246775080" title="Approach Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246775080_5e7f4f0557_m.jpg" alt="Approach Trail " /></a>
<p>You have to ride across this pretty big field before you start climbing in earnest, and the trail kind of winds around back and forth. At some point, you pass a cannon.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246774470" title="Cannon by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246774470_a1f9c07aae_m.jpg" alt="Cannon " /></a>
<p>Eventually you end up in the woods, though, and the trail is actually pretty nice.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246276751" title="Climbing on Some Nice Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246276751_d61108cb4f_m.jpg" alt="Climbing on Some Nice Trail " /></a>
<p>I passed a guy at some point, but he kind-of kept up with me, and I ended up making it a bit of a mission to stay ahead of him for a while. Eventually I didn't see him any more, and it made me smile a little.</p>
<p>In the direction I was going (clockwise), there were a lot of overlooks.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246774500" title="First Overlook by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246774500_7dcd554e12_m.jpg" alt="First Overlook " /></a>
<p>Those are the Cohuttas over there, Mill Creek and whatnot. It made me wonder if I could see Rocky Face Ridge from the Mill Creek overlook. Heh, overlooks overlooking other overlooks.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246570563" title="Another Overlook by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246570563_a96a28737f_m.jpg" alt="Another Overlook " /></a>
<p>At the top, there was an overlook to the west...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246276051" title="Overlook to the West by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246276051_8f3a6270db_m.jpg" alt="Overlook to the West " /></a>
<p>...which also gave a decent view to the south.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246639104" title="Looking South by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246639104_df80956290_m.jpg" alt="Looking South " /></a>
<p>You can't really make it out in the photo, but I-75 is down there.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53245401057" title="Looking West by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53245401057_3508749dba_m.jpg" alt="Looking West " /></a>
<p>I said "top" earlier, but that wasn't really the top. There was a trail leading up to the summit itself, but it was pretty steep, and with the dry weather we'd been having, there were some spots that I just couldn't get traction, so I had to walk a little of it.</p>
<p>Ok, this is the actual top.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246775055" title="Buzzard's Roost by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246775055_163402dc99_m.jpg" alt="Buzzard's Roost " /></a>
<p>Looked like a popular place. Imagine dragging that table up there!</p>
<p>There apparently, was once a fire tower or radio tower, or something up there too.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246774775" title="Old Tower Ruins by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246774775_32c1d0359a_m.jpg" alt="Old Tower Ruins " /></a>
<p>The view to the south from the very top was even better than from that earlier overlook.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246276511" title="South from Buzzard's Roost by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246276511_a0beb0c196_m.jpg" alt="South from Buzzard's Roost " /></a>
<p>If there's one thing I really remembered well about that trail, it was how many long-distance views it afforded. Those are pretty rare in Georgia.</p>
<p>It was somewhat rocky on the climb up, but the trail on the west side of the face was infinitely rockier.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246774620" title="Rockier Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246774620_a415f83da9_m.jpg" alt="Rockier Trail " /></a>
<p>That photo really doesn't do it justice.</p>
<p>Still, it was really fast and fun. Not so rocky that you couldn't keep speed through it or anything.</p>
<p>I passed some guys on enduro bikes about halfway down, then ran into a big group of like 15 riders stopped at a little building, which I guess is a bathroom. At some point, I started climbing again, and it was pretty much one long climb over the north shoulder and back to the approach trail.</p>
<p>None of it was horrible though. I could see going up there and putting in a few laps. I only put in one though, as I wanted to get over to Raisin Woods and explore, and looking at the map, that could take a while.</p>
<p>When I got back to the lot, I thew my bike on the back, didn't even change, and drove over to Raisin Woods. When I pulled up, there were 2 other guys there, about to go ride, and I talked to them a bit. One guy was named Josue (Ho-sway) and the other was Mike. They both knew the trails really well, and offered to show me around. Sounded good to me!</p>
<p>We hit just about every trail in the system, but we were moving so fast, and stopped so infrequently, that I didn't get a lot of photos.</p>
<p>I did get a couple though, while we waited for Mike, who it appeared, had taken a wrong turn somewhere.</p>
<p>There are maps all over the place out there.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53245403617" title="Bent and Grody Map by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53245403617_13a12f7085_m.jpg" alt="Bent and Grody Map " /></a>
<p>Though they're all kind-of grody, and a few are bent over.</p>
<p>This is Josue.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53245403622" title="Josue by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53245403622_7d1984eeca_m.jpg" alt="Josue " /></a>
<p>The whole system is pretty great. It's like Blankets, if Blankets didn't get thousands of riders per day. It's worn in, but not worn out. Every root isn't exposed yet. There are some nice, mellow jumps in a few places, but mainly it's just fast, flowing singletrack. Like 8 or 9 miles of it. I'm not sure I'd go back up just to ride it, but I'd definitely ride it again if I was in the area. The only thing I didn't like had nothing to do with the trail... We were riding at the perfect time of day for the sun to be right in your eyes if you were aiming the right direction. It would flicker through the trees, and just generally blind you sometimes. I ended up shouldering into a tree at one point, as a result, but fortunately didn't get hurt.</p>
<p>They ride a lot up the Chattanooga area, and were telling me about a bunch of great trails up there. I really should just drive up there, stay over the weekend, and hit a bunch of trails. I've pretty much only ridden Raccoon Mountain.</p>
<p>I had a very satisfying day. Great trails. And, it turned out that they're actually close enough to combine into a single ride, so maybe I'll go up and do that some time.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-89532525060355884172023-11-07T15:06:00.004-05:002023-11-07T15:06:56.767-05:00Silver Comet<p>I wouldn't normally post about a ride on the Silver Comet, but in early October, during a spin out to Hiram, as I passed the new skatepark, I noticed that a bunch of goats were fenced in around some kudzu. If you have kudzu on your property, you can rent goats to eat it. It works great. They just sit there, eating it all day, and after a while, bam, no more kudzu.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246627704" title="Goats by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246627704_ed30113fd2_m.jpg" alt="Goats " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246264751" title="More Goats by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246264751_d20e228bdb_m.jpg" alt="More Goats " /></a>
<p>That was interesting enough, but what was more interesting was that one of the goats had escaped and it was running all over the skatepark.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53246264826" title="Escaped Goat by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53246264826_5d9dfdbf7f_m.jpg" alt="Escaped Goat " /></a>
<p>Some guy was trying to lure it back to the enclosure with a branch, I guess figuring the goat would want to eat the leaves, but was having no luck. Another guy was trying to grab the goat, but I don't think he had much of a plan other than that. I stopped and convinced a group of guys to form a circle around it, then close the circle and walk the closed circle back to where you could open the enclosure, but whenever we'd get close, that same guy would try to run in and grab the goats horns, and the goat would butt the hell out of him and escape through his spot in the circle. After 3 tries, I gave up and left. Someone assured me that they had called the number on the fence and that someone was on their way over.</p>
<p>When I rode back through later, the goat was on the other side of the Silver Comet, just hanging out, eating the kudzu over there. A few days later, the entire fence had been moved to the other side, and all of the goats were over there.</p>
<p>Goats!</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-61218386335293878652023-11-07T14:59:00.005-05:002023-11-07T14:59:51.547-05:00Mulberry Gap<p>Back in late September, I spent pretty much the whole weekend up at Mulberry Gap, camping in the back of my car. I say "car" rather than "truck" because I recently bought a Subaru Outback...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53114987118" title="New Outback by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53114987118_ca3db3ca7f_m.jpg" alt="New Outback " /></a>
<p>...and it's technically a wagon (car) rather than an SUV (truck).</p>
<p>Actually, that's a whole story in-and-of itself... Isabel called me becuase her car was broken down on 285. I go to rescue her, and my truck breaks down as I'm rolling up to her. Kathryn, who was fortunately in the area, had to come rescue us both. We limped both of them home. Iz's car needed a new radiator fan - the rarest of the 3 fans that her year-model could come with. I had to order it from across the country, and then it burned up a few minutes after I installed it. I ordered another one, replaced it again, and the second one was fine. The alternator appeared to have gone out on my truck. I'd replaced it a year ago though, so I could warranty it, if I could only get it out of the vehicle. It's around the back of the motor, up against the firewall and suspension. It's like a 12 hour job to replace it. You have to lift the truck, then be able to lift and lower the moter to get to the various bolts. You have to take off the intake and rig up a hoist to pull it over the back of the motor too. Then the reverse to get the new one in. Just in case it was a fusible link that went bad, rather than the alternator, I checked that too. Long story short, both my test light and volt meter had gone bad since the last time I used them. The volt meter read about 2 volts high, and the test light only worked if it was pointing down. I ended up replacing the alternator wire, only to eventually discover that the wire, and links, were fine. The alternator was, in fact, bad. This took the whole weekend. My truck had 360,000 miles on it. I'd been considering buying a new, reliable vehicle for like a year at that point, and that was the last straw. The next day I bought a 2018 Outback, put a trailer hitch on it, and now that's my daily driver. I eventually fixed the Escape too, when I wasn't under time pressure.</p>
<p>But I digress...</p>
<p>I booked a car-camping spot at Mulberry Gap, packed up the Outback, and drove up there. I think I got there pretty late, like 11PM or so, and ended up rearranging almost everything after I got there, but eventually got it all situated, and had a reasonably comfortable night. Definitely excellent sleep as camping sleep goes.</p>
<p>The next morning, I woke up...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213520219" title="Back of the Barn by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213520219_e4560357f5_m.jpg" alt="Back of the Barn " /></a>
<p>...ate delciious breakfast in the barn with Andrew and Kate and Jackie, and the stopped by the store and played with the Cohutta Cat for like 15 minutes. He got me pretty good a few minutes in, but then was super chill after that.</p>
<p>My plan was to do a Back-40-Hoti ride. Basically ride the Back 40 route, but instead of coming back via Holly Creek Gap, hang a left and take Bear, P1, and P2 back. I felt like my fitness was adequate for that, but you never really know, so we'll see.</p>
<p>I don't remember exactly why now, but it took me a while to get going, and I was actually feeling a little pressed for time... Like I might not make it back in time for dinner, or at least that it would be close.</p>
<p>So, I hauled ass out towards Crandall, along Holly Creek...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53212247502" title="Holly Creek by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212247502_81848e2a25_m.jpg" alt="Holly Creek " /></a>
<p>...and out onto the pavement.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53212248182" title="Field on CCC Camp Road by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212248182_3e386b452a_m.jpg" alt="Field on CCC Camp Road " /></a>
<p>I had nothing but delays along the way though. I had to stop and fiddle with my seat twice, and one of the bolts holding my top tube bag on had somehow gotten loose. Somehow the one right next to it was totally tight though. I also ran into some folks coming off of the road that leads up to Windy Gap. Two were on gravel bikes, and two on mountain bikes. That was a welcome delay though, I actually stopped to talk to them for a bit.</p>
<p>The jaunt on pavement over to Mill Creek Road was uneventful, and it kind-of flew by. Climbing Mill Creek Road, I passed a guy in jeans on a Walmart Bike. Mark and John and mentioned such a guy, riding all over the Cohuttas. I wondered if it was the same guy or not. It kinda had to be, I mean how many guys matching that description could there be?</p>
<p>The gravel road seemed super bumpy. It might have been, as it had been pretty dry for a while, but later I realized that it's definitely getting time to rebuild my fork. It's probably been time for a while, really. I'm pretty sure that was the most significant contributor to the bumpiness.</p>
<p>Water is always a challenge on the Back 40, especially when it's hot. It can be done on 2 bottles, but it's uncomfortable. It wasn't murderously hot that day, but it was definitely "hot". Low 90's I think. Probably cooler up at elevation, but still, reasonably warm. There's a spring most of the way up, but that day it was totally dry. If the spring is dry then the various little feeder creeks up above it tend to be dry as well. Barring all of that, there's only one other opportunity for water - the campground at Hickey Gap.</p>
<p>I still had one full bottle, but wanting to have two, I pulled in there and took advantage of this lovely creek...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213440373" title="Campground Creek by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213440373_3894de6a85_m.jpg" alt="Campground Creek " /></a>
<p>...to replenish the one.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213129211" title="Replenishing the Bottle by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213129211_b99d16e056_m.jpg" alt="Replenishing the Bottle " /></a>
<p>I spun through the various camp loops just to get GPS data for them, and noticed a little side trail dropping down from the road into the campground. I figured I'd ride up the road, and drop in on it, but when I got up there, I realized it was way steeper than it had looked from the bottom. 100% rule. I passed.</p>
<p>I remember having Lynyrd Skynyrd songs stuck in my head for a while after leaving the campground. I'm not sure why. I hadn't been listening to it in the car or anything. Somehow my mind decided that was the right soundtrack for that climb, I guess.</p>
<p>At whatever that next gap is, I hung a right and started really climbing. I'd hardly seen anyone on Mill Creek Road, but now that the climbing was getting difficult, there were dozens of jeeps coming and going in both directions. The road is narrow up there, and the gravel on the edges is pretty loose, so I had to stop over and over to let them by. Somehow I managed to get passed by the same white jeep over and over. He'd drive up a ways, stop, I'd pass him, and then he'd come up behind me again later.</p>
<p>I eventually reached the Mill Creek Overlook and took in the beautiful views.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213518509" title="Mill Creek Overlook by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213518509_c0a0f7e1d4_m.jpg" alt="Mill Creek Overlook " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213519864" title="View from Mill Creek Overlook by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213519864_fccfe50454_m.jpg" alt="View from Mill Creek Overlook " /></a>
<p>As I was doing so, a dude and two chicks pulled up and I talked to them for a while. They were actually a lot of fun to talk to. They all grew up nearby, but one of the girls was currently going to KSU, and just back home for the weekend. I ended up taking a bunch of photos of them on their cameras, but somehow didn't get a photo of them on mine.</p>
<p>I got going before cooling down too much, which was good, because it's quite a kick up to FS68, or whatever that road is across the top. When I got there, I hung a right and spun over to Conasauga Lake.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213129221" title="Conasauga Lake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213129221_4508511875_m.jpg" alt="Conasauga Lake " /></a>
<p>There were some guys pulling fishing kayaks out right as I got there. They'd had a nice paddle, but no luck with the fish.</p>
<p>I spent about the same amount of time there staring at the water as I had at the overlook, then got moving again.</p>
<p>Next stop was the Grassy Mountain Fire Tower.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53212248237" title="Bike at the Fire Tower by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212248237_f28fa2700b_m.jpg" alt="Bike at the Fire Tower " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213128251" title="Grassy Mountain Tower by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213128251_590999aca7_m.jpg" alt="Grassy Mountain Tower " /></a>
<p>On the way up, I ran into a couple of groups of hikers. One of them was like: "Woohoo! Nice climbing!", seemingly amazed that I could climb the road on a bike. Up by the tower itself, there were 2 guys at the treeline, squatting down, examining something. I didn't want to get in their business, but whatever they were doing was both interesting and confusing. I first thought they might be geocaching, but after a few seconds, no, it didn't look like that.</p>
<p>I climbed the tower to see if the deck was open, but no, it was locked...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213129801" title="Locked by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213129801_9a8367ba5a_m.jpg" alt="Locked " /></a>
<p>Still, there were some pretty nice views from the stairs.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213642675" title="View from the Fire Tower by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213642675_956ccd046d_m.jpg" alt="View from the Fire Tower " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53212248042" title="More View from the Tower by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212248042_2610c79328_m.jpg" alt="More View from the Tower " /></a>
<p>Coming back down, I was able to get a better look at whatever it was that those guys were doing, but I still couldn't figure it out. It involved a notebook, some other book, and some tiny little table thing...</p>
<p>IDK. No idea.</p>
<p>After bombing back down to the gate, I discovered a mylar balloon.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213128496" title="Mylar Balloon by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213128496_3bd2fa09d6_m.jpg" alt="Mylar Balloon " /></a>
<p>Because of course there was a mylar balloon.</p>
<p>I think of there being 3 good climbs on the way to Potatopatch, but either there aren't, or I miscounted them, because after riding for a while, I was suddenly at Potatopatch. It felt bumpy coming down, so I let out some air in the upper Bear Creek lot. It helped a little, but it wasn't a game changer or anything. Bear seemed chunkier than the last time I rode it, but it was still a lot of fun. I dabbed on the first switchback, but got the 2nd and 3rd ones.</p>
<p>Somewhere between the Gennett Poplar...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213643745" title="Gennett Poplar by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213643745_91d01aaa85_m.jpg" alt="Gennett Poplar " /></a>
<p>...and P1, I ran into a couple of hikers with some really cute dogs. I specifically remember their dogs, but not them. Funny what you remember.</p>
<p>I felt surprisingly good climbing P1. Much better than the last time I rode Bearhoti. I want to say there was a group camping on P1 just after the creek crossing. I don't remember much else about P1. I do remember kind-of pushing it on the P2 grasstrack and I also remember slamming my back wheel hard enough on a root that I was sure I'd pinch-flatted it. But, no, it was fine, and I was amazed.</p>
<p>The climb over MGap proper was as painful as usual, and so was the climb up to the barn. I did make it back in time for dinner. In fact, I had time to get a shower and get changed before dinner. I apparently forgot to lock the door when showering though, and someone almost walked in on me. Fortunately I was in the actual shower at the time, not getting dressed.</p>
<p>Heading over to the barn for dinner, I ran into Courtney Smith. She was up there with a co-worker of hers named Ivan. He was more of a shuttle-downhill guy, but she managed to get him up there to see what climbing is really like. I was stretching my mind to remember the last time I'd run into her. We used to see each other all the time at MGap back in the early days. We'd both bring our kids up there, and they played together quite a bit. I think I last ran into her and Matt at Blankets Creek in like 2015 or so. We sat around and caught up for like half an hour before dinner was finally served. It was really good to see her, and I always love when I drive 100 miles from my house and run into people I know.</p>
<p>While eating delicious tacos for dinner, Jackie was like: "I heard a rumor that Dave Muse is going to do the TNGA in 2024." "Oh, yeah? Is that the rumor?" "That's the rumor." Somehow that stuck with me, and it just keeps coming back to mind. That may have been the little kick. I may need to do the TNGA in 2024.</p>
<p>After dinner I met this really cool couple named Kyle and Marianna, and talked to them for like 45 minutes. Neither of them were hikers or mountain bikers, they were just up there to be in the woods, and by all accounts they were having the greatest time. They eventually left to get in the hot tub, and the rest of us joked about hot tubs being "skin soup" or "friend soup".</p>
<p>I wanted to download a movie to watch before going to bed, and they'd recently upgraded their internet such that it wouldn't take all night to download, but I'd never set up the Amazon Prime app, they wanted to text me a code, and I didn't have 5g up there. Feeling defeated, I lamented the problem out loud, and Jackie showed me (me, the IT guy, who ought ot know) how to set up my phone to receive texts over wifi. Woo! Within 15 minutes I had downloaded The Joker, within 15 minutes of that I was curled up in my bag watching it, and within 15 minutes of that I was out cold.</p>
<p>I slept really well all night. Like I didn't wake up once, even to pee.</p>
<p>The next day I was feeling a little beat up and tired from the previous day's endurance, and I didn't really feel like doing too much. But, it just so happened that they were shutting a bunch of folks to the top of Bear, then to the top of P2, then to the top of P3, and I could join if I wanted.</p>
<p>It felt like cheating, but it also seemed like exactly the right kind of ride, given how I felt, so I signed up, and right after breakfast, we hit the trail.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213439093" title="Shuttle Bikes by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213439093_a8fe85e81a_m.jpg" alt="Shuttle Bikes " /></a>
<p>I couldn't have been more out-of-place though. Everybody else had enduro bikes, and there were baggies, pads, and even some full-face helmets. I was on my UL hardtail bikepacking rig, in a tri-kit, of all things. I figured that these guys would all be hardcore downhill riders, and that I'd be off the back all day, but it turned out, no. They were actually just guys who mostly ride in-town trails, and don't have the legs to climb in the Cohuttas. They weren't any faster than me, even going downhill, and I ended up leading the ride.</p>
<p>The whole shuttle experience was a little weird. I never really got properly warmed up. Also, I had energy, so I felt like punching it on every climb, but then I'd feel more tired after each climb than I would if I wasn't shuttling. I could imagine that someone who only shuttles in the mountains might overestimate how difficult the climbs actually are.</p>
<p>I made all 3 switchbacks at the top of Bear that day. We also ran into a lot of hikers on the way down, and they were all very friendly.</p>
<p>Of course, we stopped by the Gennett Poplar again, for the obligatory photos, as one does.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213643665" title="Gennett Poplar by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213643665_3c8aba8dd8_m.jpg" alt="Gennett Poplar " /></a>
<p>...and we got picked up on Gates Chapel Road to get pulled over to P2. I thought we might get dropped off at the grasstrack, but it turned out we got dropped off at the end of the gravel road, so there was a bit more climbing than I expected, but it was still fine.</p>
<p>P2 felt kind-of punishing near the end. I definitely need to rebuild this fork.</p>
<p>Also, my lower bottle cage was slapping against the frame pretty badly. It looks like the one bolt had finally stripped out the rivnut. I'd put a ziptie on it earlier in the year, but it looked like it needed another one. While digging the other one out, I noticed that the cap had come off of my little bottle of iodine tablets, and there were tablets all over the place inside my top tube bag. I didn't have time to find them all and return them to the bottle then, but I did later, and man... They stained the heck out of the shirt that I keep in there. No way that's coming out in the wash.</p>
<p>At the end of P2, we got picked up again and driven to the Cohutta Overlook.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53213642855" title="Cohutta Overlook by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53213642855_39654a4f83_m.jpg" alt="Cohutta Overlook " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53212247332" title="View From the Overlook by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212247332_ff51b7bed4_m.jpg" alt="View From the Overlook " /></a>
<p>And from there, we bombed down P3. Except that there's really quite a bit of climbing in that direction, on P3. I always forget just how much, but it was really apparent that day. Me and the guy behind me had to wait like 20+ minutes for everybody else to catch up before the final descent. Even with the shuttling, that ride had been pretty epic for some of those guys.</p>
<p>Back at MGap, I took another glorious shower and packed up all my stuff.</p>
<p>There was a little ringneck snake on the driveway too.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53212248497" title="Ringneck by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53212248497_3144fe3db6_m.jpg" alt="Ringneck " /></a>
<p>I didn't want him to get run over, so I threw him in the grass.</p>
<p>I want to say that I ended up milling around and talking to everyone for like another hour or so before finally leaving. I specifically remember feeling like: "At this point I'm just procrastinating, I really need to get going" before I finally did.</p>
<p>It had been a very satisfying weekend. The car camping situation worked out reasonably well, but I also took some notes regarding things that could be improved. The ride was great, and I set a ton of PRs, but I really need to rebuild my fork. Just being up there, in the woods, with those folks was also great, and I really need to do that more often.</p>
<p>And, TNGA 2024 feels like it's just around the corner...</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-14262737186089592992023-11-06T21:06:00.002-05:002023-11-06T21:06:10.911-05:00Mableton<p>This only vaguely counts as outdoor, but I'm going to include it...</p>
<p>I've got this yellow jacket nest growing in my carport, above my truck. I only noticed it after it had gotten pretty big. These days it's over twice as big, but back in November, this was the state of it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53200199144" title="My Wasp Buddies by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53200199144_589ca3cfb0_m.jpg" alt="My Wasp Buddies " /></a>
<p>The yellow jackets (if that's indeed what they are, they look like yellow jackets) don't bother me a bit. They spend almost all their time huddled up on the nest. I swear, if I come within 100 feet of a nest in the woods, I get stung, but these guys leave me completely alone. I figured, as long as they leave me alone, they can stay, and they've left me alone, and stayed, for the last couple of months. We've got this truce going, and it's actually kind of nice to have yellow-jacket buddies.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-36692764973890266412023-11-06T21:00:00.005-05:002023-11-06T21:00:57.498-05:00Heritage Park<p>On September 11, I went for a run at Heritage Park. This is like an every-week occurrence, so like these various Blanket's Creek and local-trails entries, I wouldn't normally mention it. However, we'd had some outrageous storms lately, and in the wake of them, there'd been some impressive cleanup at Heritage.</p>
<p>Most notably, there was a washout that had been steadily eating into the trail for a long time, and it had finally gotten all the way across, such that it was impossible not to walk in some part of it. I guess the storms made it completely impassible, and the powers that be took good care of it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53200197004" title="Washout at Heritage by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53200197004_f5de414161_m.jpg" alt="Washout at Heritage " /></a>
<p>The other notable fixes were that two downed trees way up by Ruffs Mill had been cut out. I'd long been jogging around them, but now I didn't have to. So, yay!</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-70122037322947112432023-11-06T20:55:00.001-05:002023-11-06T20:55:17.385-05:00Blankets Creek<p>Late August, I did one of a hundred random rides at Blankets Creek. It would have been unremarkable except for two things...</p>
<p>First, there was a brand new pump track:</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137625570" title="Blankets Pump Track by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137625570_4df72c908a_m.jpg" alt="Blankets Pump Track " /></a>
<p>It was so new that bits of it were still soft and would just soak up all of your speed. Still, I pumped a few laps around it.</p>
<p>The other remarkable thing was that I broke a pedal.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137625445" title="Broken Pedal Shaft by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137625445_70b6730fa9_m.jpg" alt="Broken Pedal Shaft " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137692668" title="Broken Pedal by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137692668_18aef4ba78_m.jpg" alt="Broken Pedal " /></a>
<p>I ended up replacing it with one from an old set that I kept around even though they were going bad. That one then broke a week or so later. I then took the guts out of the other one from the same set, and then it broke a week after that. Then I found a set for like $20 on Amazon, and I'm currently riding one from that set and the other one that for some reason has never broken. I think the one on the left always breaks first because whenever I stop, I unclip my left foot, but don't always unclip my right. Like 9 times out of 10, I only unclip the left, and that twisting slowly eats up the seal or something, water gets in, etc.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-58134173615650837952023-11-06T20:48:00.004-05:002023-11-06T20:48:55.672-05:00TNGA 2023 (Spectating)<p>August 19th, 2023 was TNGA day! I wasn't riding, but I figured I'd head up and enjoy the spectacle, as I am prone to do. Sadly, no kids with me this year, but they're off leading their own adult lives, as they should be.</p>
<p>I managed to wake up on time, and the drive up was lovely. It's always dark when I roll into town, so I was able to see the cross up on Screamer Mountain. I even made it to Clayton before they left the hotel, and got to see all the bikes, and talk to all the people.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137682323" title="TNGA Bikes by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137682323_6a9e285034_m.jpg" alt="TNGA Bikes " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53136609132" title="TNGA Riders by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53136609132_93e5e69dd7_m.jpg" alt="TNGA Riders " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137407154" title="Early Morning in Clayton by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137407154_8f61c13003_m.jpg" alt="Early Morning in Clayton " /></a>
<p>Everybody was a mix of excited and apprehensive. It was lovely to see.</p>
<p>At sunruse, we wagon-trained out to the border. It's always a beautiful drive.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137406909" title="Sunrise in Warwoman by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137406909_bd85c7e1fd_m.jpg" alt="Sunrise in Warwoman " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53136609222" title="Foggy Warwoman by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53136609222_4b0284007b_m.jpg" alt="Foggy Warwoman " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137682693" title="Almost There by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137682693_b8a07922d3_m.jpg" alt="Almost There " /></a>
<p>When we got there, everybody that had something to do got down to business. I milled around talking to people I only see once a year, and taking pictures.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137682748" title="GA State Line by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137682748_e5a8e2c4a3_m.jpg" alt="GA State Line " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137407209" title="Chattooga by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137407209_d0f3642cb2_m.jpg" alt="Chattooga " /></a>
<p>Speaking of people I only see once a year, Diane was there!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137681953" title="Diane by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137681953_84ac9b236b_m.jpg" alt="Diane " /></a>
<p>She'd driven up to help out. Whenever I see her, I realize how much I miss her and Ginny. Not that Kate and Andrew aren't great, I just ALSO miss them.</p>
<p>Tom Kesling and Shannon Amos were riding this year.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137407944" title="Tom and Shannon by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137407944_a52b80c28c_m.jpg" alt="Tom and Shannon " /></a>
<p>I rode a long way with Tom back in 2019. Shannon, I'd just met on a training ride earlier this year. Both were looking good and strong.</p>
<p>Jeff and Kate were all business.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137407124" title="Jeff and Kate by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137407124_b145cc0093_m.jpg" alt="Jeff and Kate " /></a>
<p>Wild Bill Riddle Was riding again this year!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53136609912" title="Wild Bill Riddle by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53136609912_75bdefc0e4_m.jpg" alt="Wild Bill Riddle " /></a>
<p>So was Jeph.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53136609147" title="Jeph by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53136609147_06e3f7a17f_m.jpg" alt="Jeph " /></a>
<p>I'd done a dozen Thursday night Vomet rides with him earier this year, and it was funny to see him somewhere other than on the local trails.</p>
<p>On your marks...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53136609927" title="TNGA Start by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53136609927_9b12273b59_m.jpg" alt="TNGA Start " /></a>
<p>Go!</p>
<p>And they were off, never to be seen again.</p>
<p>Rather than head back immediately, we gave the riders what we figured was enough time to turn off of the pavement before heading out. I think I passed like one or two, but that was all.</p>
<p>The MGap crew headed back to the motel and crashed for a few hours. Most of them would head to Helen that evening to pick up the first round of scratched riders. I, ironically, headed back to Mulberry Gap, where I took a long nap in the Hammock...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53136609792" title="Hammock Feet by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53136609792_af8027e560_m.jpg" alt="Hammock Feet " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137614400" title="Hammock Selfie by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137614400_613192a761_m.jpg" alt="Hammock Selfie " /></a>
<p>...before heading over to a party.</p>
<p>On the way out of town, I passed the iconic billboard. Some time ago, all of the signs had been removed, and it sat empty like that for months. I was surprised to see two new ones on it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137614985" title="Ellijay Billboard by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137614985_b91d00df24_m.jpg" alt="Ellijay Billboard " /></a>
<p>So, that's progress, I guess?</p>
<p>I still don't know why they were removed, or what the plan for the future is.</p>
<p>Marc, Mark, and Ed had ridden at Bull earlier in the day, and invited me along. Since I was TNGAing, I couldn't make it to the ride, but I could make it to the party at Ed's lake house that afternoon, and I wasn't going to miss a party!</p>
<p>His house was way back in the middle of nowhere. The kind of nowhere where you get shot for walking up on a house uninvited. This looked like the place though!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53136609822" title="Hawaiian Sasquatch by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53136609822_56f864cc1c_m.jpg" alt="Hawaiian Sasquatch " /></a>
<p>Turned out it was! I don't honestly remember what the occasion was. Maybe his older daughter's birthday? It was luau themed though, and there was a huge spread of food and dessert. We ate and drank, and swam in the lake. The way the dock was set up, there was a patio above the boat house, and if you were brave enough, you could leap off the railing, out over the awning, and into the lake. I was brave enough, and it turned out most of the chicks at the party were too, but fewer of the guys than I expected.</p>
<p>At some point, a ska band got cranked up, and we danced and sang for like 2 more hours...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137407024" title="The Band by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137407024_c6bfb5ccdb_m.jpg" alt="The Band " /></a>
<p>...before eventually some limbo broke out. Despite not having limboed for decades, I managed to hold my own, only getting defeated by a couple of much shorter 20-year old girls. Man, it was a good time!</p>
<p>I eventually had to head back for some reason. I don't specifically remember what it was. Maybe to meet Carrie? Yeah, I saw her that night, so probably that.</p>
<p>Great day, all around!</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-14513982426822520202023-11-06T20:20:00.000-05:002023-11-06T20:20:04.099-05:00Mableton<p>Mid August, I spun around on the local trails for a while, which would normally not be worth mentioning. But, this time there was a train on the tracks, so I couldn't just cross them. Instead I had to drop down and go through the tunnel.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137404449" title="The Tunnel by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137404449_3020759a93_m.jpg" alt="The Tunnel " /></a>
<p>In doing so, I got my first really good shredding of the year.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137404474" title="Shredded by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137404474_1dff630b47_m.jpg" alt="Shredded " /></a>
<p>And I realized I'd ridden a lot of manicured trails lately. I couldn't remember the last time I'd experienced proper Adventure.</p>
<p>There was also an explosion of wildflowers along Nickajack Creek.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53137612180" title="Wildflowers Along Nickajack Creek by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53137612180_78d9d248a8_m.jpg" alt="Wildflowers Along Nickajack Creek " /></a>
<p>...which actually looked a lot more amazing in person.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-85185609116479125012023-11-06T20:16:00.001-05:002023-11-06T20:16:13.685-05:00Stone Mountain Lake<p>My brother Daniel and his fiance Kristen were in town this past August. In addition to eating some really good food in downtown Atlanta, and seeing a comedy show, we also went paddleboarding on Stone Mountain Lake.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53115501738" title="Stone Mountain Lake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53115501738_72c5658aae_m.jpg" alt="Stone Mountain Lake " /></a>
<p>Well, Ksenia, John, Kristen, and I were on paddleboards. Daniel was in a pack-raft.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53115209329" title="Ksenia on the Lake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53115209329_17c584928d_m.jpg" alt="Ksenia on the Lake " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53115006161" title="All of Us on the Lake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53115006161_3b5c9fac30_m.jpg" alt="All of Us on the Lake " /></a>
<p>Kristen had never been on a paddleboard before, but she figured it out really quickly, and we had the greatest time!</p>
<p>We basically paddled up and over to this little waterfall...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53115209354" title="Daniel at the Falls by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53115209354_d030e7482f_m.jpg" alt="Daniel at the Falls " /></a>
<p>(which I actually recognized from hiking to it 10 years ago)</p>
<p>...then just floated around for a while, eating and drinking, occasionally swimming, and generally having a good time, before eventually paddling back.</p>
<p>I want to say we were only out there for like an hour and a half, but it was really great to hang out with everyone.</p>
<p>Also! I managed to not get sunburned. A first for me on the water.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-20831656359197500342023-11-06T20:08:00.002-05:002023-11-06T20:08:14.443-05:00Blankets, Rope, and Toonigh<p>The day after riding Noontootla, I felt like staying a little closer to home, so I put in some lazy-ish miles in Woodstock.</p>
<p>I started the day out over at Blankets, hitting Mosquito Flats, Dwelling, and the various Flow Trails. Just crusing and shredding. Having a blast.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53066615847" title="Shred by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53066615847_0449a692a9_m.jpg" alt="Shred " /></a>
<p>I then jumped out on the road and headed over to Rope Mill, where I rode everything on the Mill side, only to find that the non-Mill side was closed. In fact, the Mill side was actually also closed, but since I'd come in from the back way, I just hadn't encountered any signs.</p>
<p>Yikes!</p>
<p>Well, as much as that sucked, I could still splash around in the water for a while.</p>
<p>Toonigh Falls...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067392564" title="Toonigh Falls by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067392564_7f433a425c_m.jpg" alt="Toonigh Falls " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067701783" title="Pool Beneath Toonigh Falls by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067701783_9886c2016b_m.jpg" alt="Pool Beneath Toonigh Falls " /></a>
<p>I'd been there a while back on Paddleboards, and kinda wanted to visit it again.</p>
<p>I jumped off the cliff-of-doom a bunch of times, climbed all over the rocks, and sat on a ledge and let the water pour over me for a while. I met a bunch of cool people too, including this one chick from Brazil, e eu falei com ela em portugues por um pouco.</p>
<p>I eventually left and it was a bit of a struggle to get back to the road. There were a million people on the trail, both coming and going. Popular place!</p>
<p>When I got back home, I got on the scale...</p>
<p>IDK if I've mentioned this here before, but every time I go to the doctor's office, I get on the scale, and my weight goes into their computer. Since they know how tall I am, the system does some math, decides that I'm overweight, and I start getting automated emails suggesting that I walk briskly for 150 minutes a week. It's an automated system though, so I can't just tell it to follow me on strava. It's become a bit of a joke among with my friends. They want my weight to be a maximum of 158.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067203851" title="That's a Lot of Water by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067203851_0176666cab_m.jpg" alt="That's a Lot of Water " /></a>
<p>Ha! I need to send them this photo, I guess. If I ride 20 miles in the hottest part of the year, and sweat off an ungodly amount of water, I can apparenty make weight!</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-16371555713636067852023-11-06T19:49:00.003-05:002023-11-06T19:49:55.974-05:00Noontootla<p>In late July, I rode Noontootla/Winding Stair again. It had been a long time since I'd done anything even decently long or with any reasonable amount of climbing, and that felt like a good place to get back into it.</p>
<p>I remember passing a bunch of geese on the way in. I don't remember exactly where though. They were just walking slowly across the road, as geese do, and I had to almost stop to let them by. Funny what memories stick with you.</p>
<p>I parked in the Jake Lot and almost immediately noticed that my front tire was super low. I'd had to plug it a while back, and it just wasn't holding. I had a tube in the rear already, for the same reason. Looked like it was tube time for the front as well. Yay. Extra weight.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067198681" title="Not Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067198681_7a4e2608ba_m.jpg" alt="Not Again " /></a>
<p>I remember that it had rained recently, thus riding Noontootla rather than Bull, Bear, or some other singletrack. And it was probably the right choice. The roads were pretty much perfect. Nice and solid. The gravel stuck to them, and you could glide on top of it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53066610897" title="Random Forest Road by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53066610897_0d50af45bc_m.jpg" alt="Random Forest Road " /></a>
<p>FS28-1 and Cooper Gap went by really quickly, I made quick work of the rollers on the ridge, and really bombed down off of Hightower Gap. Turned out later that I set a couple of PRs on that descent. The road surface was perfect.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067198891" title="Rollin by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067198891_6806d12066_m.jpg" alt="Rollin " /></a>
<p>I tried to get a photo of Rock Creek Lake, but this was the best I could do.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067387744" title="Rock Creek Lake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067387744_4b62f97121_m.jpg" alt="Rock Creek Lake " /></a>
<p>Just way too leafy.</p>
<p>I managed a better photo of the fish hatchery.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067387729" title="Fish Hatchery by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067387729_3ecf611cb3_m.jpg" alt="Fish Hatchery " /></a>
<p>Not so leafy over there.</p>
<p>When I got arond the back side out of the sun, it was far less ideal. There were a few puddles.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53066610867" title="A Few Puddles by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53066610867_dcd05c67d3_m.jpg" alt="A Few Puddles " /></a>
<p>Almost all of them you could wall ride the inside rut for a second and stay dry, but a few of them were like this one, and I had to either splash through, or find some way to tiptoe around them.</p>
<p>The far end of Old Rock Creek Road was as nasty as it gets, and I walked a bit to keep the bike clean.</p>
<p>It's almost all paved along Doublehead Gap Road these days, which is arguably less fun, but I guess it's marginally easier to get good photos.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067696973" title="Farm on Old Rock Creek Road by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067696973_4a94f579d6_m.jpg" alt="Farm on Old Rock Creek Road " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53066610697" title="Tooni Mountain by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53066610697_a20d9ed563_m.jpg" alt="Tooni Mountain " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067198736" title="John Dick Mountain by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067198736_d6cf765da0_m.jpg" alt="John Dick Mountain " /></a>
<p>On the climb up along Noontootla Creek...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067590400" title="FS58 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067590400_2b53d80d7c_m.jpg" alt="FS58 " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067387749" title="Noontootla Creek by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067387749_2ef2d51d14_m.jpg" alt="Noontootla Creek " /></a>
<p>...I remember doing a weird triple-pass with two cars. One was coming up behind me, and another coming down the road. We all passed each other at exactly the same time. What are the odds?</p>
<p>I want to say there were rangers at Winding Stair Gap, but it's a little fuzzy at this point. I really need to make a better effort at journaling quickly.</p>
<p>I do remember that the descent down Winding Stair felt really fast, and it turned out that I set multiple PRs there as well.</p>
<p>I grabbed some food at Shane's Rib Shack on the way back, and I remember the guy behind the counter going "Why is it spicy?" in this weird voice when I ordered my chicken tossed in spicy bbq sauce. He seemed to think I'd get it, but I didn't. It was apparently from some meme that I'd never seen. ...And still haven't. I guess I should look it up.</p>
<p>Yeah, a great day at Noontoota!</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-72613204677034080292023-11-06T19:16:00.002-05:002023-11-06T19:16:28.204-05:00OCR King Compound<p>Mid July, I made it back out to Cody's place to wreck my upper body some more.</p>
<p>We did "16-to-1" that day, and it was absolutely brutal.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53066604732" title="The Workout by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53066604732_750cd17c15_m.jpg" alt="The Workout " /></a>
<p>Basically, you do all 16 obstaces on the board for the first round, remove two, do 14, remove two, do 12, etc. For a total of 16+14+12+10+8+6+4+2=72 obstacles. The rig stuff eats me up, so I elimiated those as quickly as I could, then the stuff that takes a long time, like the run and tire carry. Even still, I think I only made it through 4 rounds. Wet, sweaty, slippery hands made everything take like 15% more energy, and my grip was gone before I knew it.</p>
<p>It was good training for the race in October though.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-72889459625517633152023-11-06T19:09:00.004-05:002023-11-06T19:09:46.853-05:00Big Creek<p>A little after that last ride, I went for a ride at Big Creek.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53067377074" title="Big Creek Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53067377074_b5709c1896_m.jpg" alt="Big Creek Trail " /></a>
<p>I can't remember the last time I rode there. Ages ago, it seems. I wanted to have a great time and re-explore everything, but I felt terrible. No energy. Legs felt tired and heavy. Look like I titled the ride "Just Not Feeling It" on Strava. Yeah, that really says it. Looks like I rode 4.74 miles and packed it in.</p>
<p>Turned out later that I wasn't sick or anything, it was just a bad day.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-6812247024745344142023-11-06T19:05:00.002-05:002023-11-06T19:05:33.791-05:00Chattahoochee Hills<p>Goodness it's been a busy couple of months. It appears that the last time I wrote anything was back in July.</p>
<p>Well... Better late than never?</p>
<p>A little after that last post, I went for a pretty typical Dirty Sheets ride, which wouldn't normally be worth mentioning. However, on a previous ride, I'd noticed some ruins that I hadn't seen before, and on this ride, I checked them out.</p>
<p>Turns out there's an old and busted house, still standing, on Old Wooten Road.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53042026819" title="Old House on Old Wooten Road by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53042026819_265ac67a25_m.jpg" alt="Old House on Old Wooten Road " /></a>
<p>I love how bent it is.</p>
<p>I didn't dare venture inside. It looked like one wrong move would bring the whole thing down. Wild that it's still standing at all, honestly. Wild that I'd never noticed it before, either.</p>
<p>It made me wonder if there are any others. I guess when the leaves fall, I'll be able to see.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-11737003729302491012023-07-11T03:10:00.005-04:002023-07-11T03:10:33.287-04:00Rocky Flats<p>After ripping Chicopee the day before, I was a little tired this past Sunday. I still wanted to ride, but I felt like exploring something new, rather than hammering or grinding. My initial plan was to ride at Cohutta Springs, which is way up near Sumac Creek, almost in Tennessee. I hit the road a little late, but hey, it's summer time, and the sun doesn't set until about 9, so it really didn't matter.</p>
<p>75 to 411, and 411 up through White, Rydal, Ranger, Chattsworth, Eton, and a bunch of other little towns. I had forgotten just how many of them there are. Back in the early 2000's, we used to drive up that way a lot, to get to Fort Mountain, Sumac Creek, Iron Mountain, and even Windy Gap. But, that was pre-Pinhoti, and pre Mulberry Gap. I wonder how much traffic those trails get these days...</p>
<p>But I digress. As I approached the Cohutta Springs property, I noticed signs saying things like "Private Road, Registered Guests Only" and such. Was this place private? That would be a drag. I hadn't read anything about that in any of the resources online. That would also be just my luck. I ended up calling them, and yeah, it's a private facility. It is possible to get a day pass to ride the trails, but not until fall, because there are kids at camp there all summer.</p>
<p>Well, crap. What else can I ride? I wracked my brain for a minute, remembered that there are various roads off of FS630 (Mill Creek Road), including Rocky Flats. The last time I rode that was with my Dad, in like 2001, and I didn't even own a GPS at the time. Yeah, I could explore Rocky Flats. That might be fun. I needed batteries though. The batteries in my GPS were questionable, and I'd need to mark waypoints. I couldn't just rely on the strava app today.</p>
<p>I'd seen a Dollar General on the way in. In fact, I'd seen one in every town along 411, all the way up. There must have been a dozen of them. But, again, I digress. I headed back to the DG, which was like less than a mile away, purchased some batteries, and headed over to Rocky Flats.</p>
<p>It took me a minute to figure out where to park. I couldn't tell if I was at the bottom end of it, or the top end, and I didn't recognize it from 20+ years ago. After driving around for far too long, I figured out where I was, parked, got dressed, and got going.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53034634692" title="Rocky Flats Entrance by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53034634692_528e94f264_m.jpg" alt="Rocky Flats Entrance " /></a>
<p>Rocky Flats is, in theory, an OHV trail, but it's super well maintained, and almost entirely on par with an average FS road, if slightly less well-used.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53035215776" title="Rocky Flats by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035215776_ef60d4571e_m.jpg" alt="Rocky Flats " /></a>
<p>Way out near the end, there are some ruts and puddles, though.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53035607960" title="Some Puddles by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035607960_92bd0df711_m.jpg" alt="Some Puddles " /></a>
<p>So, it's like the Dallas trail of forest roads - generally easy, but punctuated with challenges.</p>
<p>Or, at least that's how it would be in a Jeep or something. I was on the bike and it was nothing.</p>
<p>There were a bunch of side trails that, oddly enough, I still remembered seeing years ago. One went to a food plot, and I didn't find anything continuing on from there.</p>
<p>One had the character of a firebreak, but it didn't go super far up the mountain, and it looped back on itself, weirdly. Maybe just a strip cut? I don't know, it was odd.</p>
<p>There were cool claw marks on a piece of deadfall on that one.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53035397534" title="Claw Marks by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035397534_9cc455f13d_m.jpg" alt="Claw Marks " /></a>
<p>I also got stung twice, on the butt, by a yellow jaket, while exploring that. Man, it hurt. I joked with a friend later that I needed to hire a personal injury lawyer to sue the yellow jackets for pain and suffering.</p>
<p>There was another trail that also had the character of a firebreak. It was pretty well choked with deadfall though. On foot, it wasn't a big deal at all, but it wouldn't have been possible to ride it, for very far, at least, in either direction.</p>
<p>There was one scenic feeder creek, but it was hard to get a good photo of it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53035699948" title="Feeder Creek Along Rocky Flats by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035699948_a01cab88fe_m.jpg" alt="Feeder Creek Along Rocky Flats " /></a>
<p>Other side trails included active and abandoned camp sites, a steep climb, and a tricky climb that then paralleled the road and came back down.</p>
<p>Out at the end, there were both turkey and bear prints in the sand and puddles.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53035700003" title="Turkey Prints by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035700003_bf69256914_m.jpg" alt="Turkey Prints " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53035607830" title="Bear Prints by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53035607830_3f0c890c58_m.jpg" alt="Bear Prints " /></a>
<p>It's their woods, really. We're just visiting.</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, Alex Nutt's book said, ot at the end there, to hang a hard right, up over Kelley Humps, and follow the trail back toward FS630. Before it hits the road, it drops down steeply to the creek, crosses it, then ascends steeply up to the road. Something like that.</p>
<p>Oddly enough, the directions for where to park were also something like the reverse of that: hang a right, cross the creek, ascend the other side, and park. I want to say that the mileage was off too, or I misunderstood it. At any rate, when we first drove out there, I mistook the lower end of the trail for the upper end, and drove my Durango, with bikes on the roof, down and across the creek, and began trying to climb the steep-ass jeep trail on the other side. I quickly realized that I did not have the skills to do that, bailed on the attempt, backed down into the creek, and wasn't sure what to do next. Fortunately some guys that knew what they were doing just happened to be driving by, saw us, came down, and talked me through how to get out of the creek and back up to the road. In later years, I developed much better 4wd skills. The descent down to the creek, and back up to the road would have been nothing to future Dave. The steep climb up the other side, however, I never got good enough that I'd have felt confident attempting, and it was fortunate that I'd had the presence of mind to bail on it when I had.</p>
<p>At any rate, way back, when my Dad and I first rode there, the road didn't exactly end where it does now. There were humps, but you could definitely drive a Jeep farther down it, so we kept going, thinking we were still on the right path. Not having a GPS, or even bike computer, we didn't realize where we were, or that we were supposed to have taken that hard right. Eventually, we hit a second set of humps, with a super old, faded, almost unreadable Private Property sign lying on the ground on the other side that looked like it had been there for 50 years. At the time, it struck us as abandoned, and not being necessary to pay attention to. That was actually, kind-of true too. We popped out into some old, abandoned-looking property - there were some old homestead-type buildings to the left, a grassy patch between some overgrown corn fields, and eventually an abandoned-looking, but modern house. We could see the Ellijay-Crandall road ahead of us, and there were some drunk guys on 4-wheelers parked up by the road, who had, it seemed, been riding back in there just like we had. Since those days, the entire farm has been renovated, and the property probably wouldn't be as safe to cross as it was.</p>
<p>But, again... I digress. The other day, I made it out to the end of the road, and where my Dad and I had continued the last time was now, thoroughly overgrown, and looked impassible. Maybe in winter, on foot, but definitely not by me, that day. I checked the hard right, and it too was impassibly overgrown. There was a side trail, just a little ways back, that looked like it might have bypassed the humps, so I checked it out, but also became overgrown pretty quickly. Again, maybe on foot, in winter, it would be different, but I couldn't have ridden it that day.</p>
<p>Eventually, I turned around and just backtracked out. When I got back near my truck, there was a couple with 2 little kids milling around by the creek. I talked to them for a while. They'd been caving the day before, and needed to wash their clothes. Rather than wreck their washing machine, or clog their bathtub, they'd taken them to the creek to hand wash. They'd throw them in the washing machine when they got home, but this was the first pass.</p>
<p>On the drive out, I couldn't find any trace of the road that I'd taken down to the creek 20 years ago. I'm sure some remnant of it still exists, but I couldn't remember where to look. Maybe if I go back up and look carefully, I'll be able to find it.</p>
<p>So, I more or less salvaged the trip up there, and had a good time exploring the mountains, which I haven't done much of in a really long time. It felt good. Maybe I'll do some more of that in the coming weeks.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-20404141293097657822023-07-11T02:12:00.002-04:002023-07-11T02:12:25.852-04:00Chicopee Woods<p>I guess Marc had a good time shredding Dauset the other week, because he texed me last week seeing if I wanted to ride at Chicopee. Hell yeah, I did. Not unlike Dauset, I couldn't remember the last time I was up there.</p>
<p>We met up with Chris Hovatter again, along with Aaron, and his girlfriend Kathryn (Katherine?). Apparently Aaron's last name is Chamberlain. I somehow didn't know this. Sorry Aaron.</p>
<p>When Aaron and Kathryn arrived, they had a gravel bike in the trunk. They'd apparently just bought it off of some guy in the parking lot, prior to coming over and parking next to us. I don't know gravel bikes, but it was some kind of Specialized, and looked attractive to me. I've been wanting to get a gravel bike for a while now, for no other reason than to take it out to Mississippi and do some of Jason Shearer's events. Maybe I should score one off of some guy in the Chicopee parking lot too.</p>
<p>Once we got moving, I didn't get any photos beacuse we were pretty much hammering the whole time, and there is no trail out there that's easy to take a photo on, while you're hammering.</p>
<p>Some random thoughts... I remembered the trails much better than I had remembered Dauset. Copperhead Gap was much rootier than I remembered though. We ran into lots of other riders, incuding Chad Hungerford, who was out there ripping everything on a singlespeed. The Granny Climb out was less difficult than I remembered, which I guess is progress. Same with the Red Trail. The tail end of the system was also a lot different. You cross over the dam now, rather than going down into the wetlands and crossing the creek. That may have been how it was last time though, I just don't remember. Aaron and Kathryn took off after about 15 miles but Hovatter hung with us the whole time, which was really cool. It wasn't as hot as it had been the previous weekend, but it was still pretty darn hot. I remember squeezing my gloves out over and over, and my hands were prunes when I finally took them off.</p>
<p>Other than that, it was just crushing pedals, non stop, for hours and hours. Fighter jets, just like last weekend. Woo!</p>
<p>We didn't eat together this time. Everybody had things to get home to. I honestly don't remember what I ate, so it couldn't have been too important!</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-10092233702591251142023-07-11T01:57:00.003-04:002023-07-11T01:57:26.618-04:00Lake Acworth<p>During the days leading up to the 4th of July, my brother, his girl, and I coordinated to get together for some stand-up-paddling. The original plan was to meet up with a bunch of folks on the Chattahoochee, for a little party that typically goes down every year. They usually meet in Roswell, paddle up to this particular rock, hang out for a few hours, grill, and then float back down. I did it with them last year, and it was a blast. This year, though, there had been a bad e-coli warning on the river, and not just the typical it-rained-recently kind of warning. This was an actual sewage leak or something. To deal with it, they released a bunch of water from the dam, so the river was super high, and the current was super strong. The sand bar that we stopped at halfway up was likely to be under water, and the party rock might not even be exposed.</p>
<p>None of this sounded good to any of us, so we decided to paddle around Lake Acworth by ourselves, instead.</p>
<p>I don't remember the exact chain of events, but we ended up leaving late in the day, and driving up to the lake, only to find that the roads were closed to the main parks, somehow related to fireworks. We scrambled to figure out where else we could go, and eventually decided to try our luck on Lake Allatoona, somewhere off of Hwy 20. As luck would have it though, there was an area open, on Lake Acworth, just north of where we wanted to put in. They had one open spot though, so my brother could drive in, but I couldn't. Ha! Just my luck. No matter though, I'd seen a side road a few blocks back, where it looked like people parked sometimes anyway. I just spun back, parked there, threw my cooler over my shoulder, and walked over.</p>
<p>The timing was almost perfect. I ran to the bathroom to get changed, and just as I got back, the boards were fully inflated.</p>
<p>Woo!</p>
<p>It was a little tricky to get into the water. The boat ramp and the dock were jammed with folks launching jet skis and small boats. We ended up putting in directly off of some nearby rocks, but it worked out fine.</p>
<p>Having only ever paddled once, on a river, with no motorized boats on it, the lake seemed like a challenge. The water was generally rougher, and there was a wake coming from some direction, most of the time. It turned out that it wasn't a big deal though. The board was really stable, even in the rough water.</p>
<p>Lake Acworth is really just a spur off of Lake Allatoona, and there's a channel where boats go in and out between the two lakes. We made our way counter-clockwise along the shore, crossed that channel, and paddled over into some really calm water near a couple of campgrounds and cabins. It was a no-wake zone, and even though boats came and went, the water was calm for most of the time that we were back in there.</p>
<p>We found a spot, pulled the boards together, hung out talking and listening to music, drifted around, found another spot, and repeated until we eventually got tired of it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023076377" title="Kseniya and John by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023076377_20fd9003b8_m.jpg" alt="Kseniya and John " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023076587" title="Kseniya and John Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023076587_aa0d96d87e_m.jpg" alt="Kseniya and John Again " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023074897" title="Lake Acworth by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023074897_d2c883e001_m.jpg" alt="Lake Acworth " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023076812" title="Kseniya and John Yet Again by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023076812_31f9b11f12_m.jpg" alt="Kseniya and John Yet Again " /></a>
<p>At a point, we continued further around the lake. We could see a beach on the other side, which looked like the park that we had originally wanted to put in at. There were buoys marking the channel, and John and I wanted to paddle around to a narrow spot, shoot across, and paddle over to the beach. This did not seem like a good idea to Kseniya, and she vetoed the plan. This, honestly might have been the right call, I'm not sure. It didn't seem any more dangerous crossing the lake than crossing that channel we'd crossed earlier, but I really didn't have enough experience to be sure.</p>
<p>Instead, we more-or-less went back the way we came, though we did cross a pretty big chunk of open water, rather than following the shore like we had on the way out. John was looking back at one point, though, didn't notice a wake coming at him, and got knocked off the board. He held on to his paddle though, and, miraculously, grabbed his drink as he was falling, kept it from tipping over, and then managed to get back on the board with no problem.</p>
<p>Good save!</p>
<p>We did more of that paddle around, find a chill spot, and relax thing on the way back. Eventually the sky started getting a little dark though, like weather was thinking about moving in, and that put an end to pretty much everyone's day that was out on the lake, ours included.</p>
<p>Done!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023646971" title="Woohoo! by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023646971_cfd62fee44_m.jpg" alt="Woohoo! " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024135078" title="Oh Yeah! by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024135078_4d7afe299f_m.jpg" alt="Oh Yeah! " /></a>
<p>I can't say that I have a passion for SUP, but it is a lot of fun, I guess in the same way that destination hiking is. John always says that it's not exactly a performance sport, but it does require a level of fitness and skill to be fun, and if you have that, then it's fun. That about sums it up. It's also just great to be out on the water. I don't do that much, and it's a whole novel experience. I definitely understand the appeal.</p>
<p>On the way back, we stopped Willys on Barrett Parkway, feasted on burritos and such...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023076852" title="Willy's Feast by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023076852_f7226ffbc2_m.jpg" alt="Willy's Feast " /></a>
<p>...and then got caught in the rain that had chased us off of the lake. Fortuantely the awning was deep enough to keep us dry, and the rain was light and short.</p>
<p>That night I watched fireworks in every direction, just from my house. It's cool that decent mortars are cheap enough for the average family to fire off these days. Of course, where I live, the most popular thing is semi-automatic gunfire. So, in my neighborhood, you get to enjoy both.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-69390270868712953392023-07-11T01:25:00.004-04:002023-07-11T01:25:22.716-04:00Dauset<p>I texted my brother and Mark Hirsch, and Mark Baldwin a while back. It had been forever since I'd ridden with any of those guys. Did they want to do something the next weekend? Turned out Mark was going to be out of town. John had something going on too. Hirsch was free. I tried to get Austin to join us, and he initially wanted to, but then realized that he miscalculated his girl's day off or something, and couldn't make it. Long story short, me, Hirsch, and Chris Hovatter rode at Dauset the following Sunday.</p>
<p>We had wanted to ride Bull, but it had rained the day before, and even that morning, so it was a last-minute change of plans, but it worked out really well. In fact, since Marc's place was only slightly off route between my place and Dauset, I picked him up, and he didn't have to drive, which he was pretty happy about.</p>
<p>Apparently there was "new" trail at Dauset. Of course, new is relative. I think the last time I rode there was with my Dad. We did a 12-hour race there, more than 10 years ago. So, this new trail was only new to me. It's actually been there a while.</p>
<p>Marc loves Dauset, and really knows his way around. I used to know my way around, but it's been a really long time, and I only vaguely remembered any of it.</p>
<p>We basically rode pretty directly to the newest of the trails - The Creeks, as it's called. Three loops north of the classic system, with a trailhead that's pretty close to downtown Jackson.</p>
<p>Chris led on most of the downhills, and either me or Marc on the climbs. The new trails up there are a lot like the old trails - fast, flowing, and a bit rooty. They add a lot more mileage though.</p>
<p>One thing my brother and I used to love about ripping in-town singletrack is that it's usually fairly twisty, and if you're following someone through fast, twisty trail, it feels like fighter jets dogfighting. Or, at least it has the same feel as POV from the cockpit in a movie that features dogfighting. Neither of us has ever been in an aerial dogfight! We used to call it "fighter jets" though. It had been a long time since I'd had that feeling, but I totally got it, all day long, following either of those guys on those trails.</p>
<p>We passed a few riders coming the other way as we approached The Creeks trailhead, then passed a walking out, only a few hundred yards from the lot.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024032300" title="Hirsch and Hovatter by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024032300_75da482b20_m.jpg" alt="Hirsch and Hovatter " /></a>
<p>We stayed there for a bit, and talked to that guy, and some other folks in the lot, while we caught our breath. It was hot though, really hot, and it honestly felt a lot better to keep moving than to stand around, even in the shade, so we didn't stand around for too long.</p>
<p>When we got back to the classic system, Chris split off and rode on his own. Me and Marc wanted to ride over to Indian Springs, but he'd had enough fun for one day already.</p>
<p>The trial to Indian Springs is more "new" trail, in that it wasn't open to bikes when I last rode there, but it's been around for a long time. It definitely wasn't purpose-built singletrack though, like The Creeks trails were. It actually reminded me of some of the trails in Louisiana and Mississippi. You're crusing along on fairly flat trail, then it dives down, crosses a little creek, and climbs steeply back up off of it. It takes a certain amount of strength to be able to keep speed, and if you have it, then the dips become rollers, you can ride the whole trail at tempo, and it's fun. But, if you don't, then you have to sit back and grind out every climb before you can get moving again, which can be a drag. Fortunately, we had it, but it was a lot of effort.</p>
<p>Way out at the end, it tees into a road, and Indian Springs park is to the north a bit. There's a river there too, and tons of kids were playing in the water, despite a large NO SWIMMING sign over by where they were playing.</p>
<p>I didn't need water, per-se, but I'd gone through a little more than 1 bottle, and it would be nice to have some. I could see shops and stuff to the south, so we rode down the sidewalk for a block or two. The first shop looked like a marked, but turned out to be an antiques store. The second was some kind of food place, but between us and it, we noticed the Whimsical Garden, with its water feature.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023062892" title="Whimsical Garden by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023062892_49060e457e_m.jpg" alt="Whimsical Garden " /></a>
<p>The water smelled good, and tasted good, so I figured it wasn't chocked full of pesticides. I did drop a couple of iodine tablets into it though, just in case.</p>
<p>The ride back to Dauset was just backwards on the same trail, which required the same level of effort as riding out, and I was flagging a bit when we got there. We ended up spinning a couple of loops around the rest of the park, and eventually ended up at a pavilion with a spigot. Rather than drinking the questionable Whimsical Garden water, I got it straight out of the ground at the pavilion, and I felt a little better about really guzzling it. After that, we rode some other collection of loops, for a total of just under 30 miles for the day.</p>
<p>It had been a while since I'd been on the gas for 30 miles on tight singletrack, but it was really satisfying to do.</p>
<p>We grabbed lunch at Wendy's on the way out, as ones options are limited at that particular exit. It's basically the truck stop or the attached Wendy's. Maybe there's something else, but that's all I ever remember being there.</p>
<p>I dropped Hirsch off at his place, crawled back to mine, and after a shower, I'll admit, crashed out for a nap on my couch for a few hours. Between the heat and the effort, I was wiped out.</p>
<p>It was a great day though! Definitely need to do that kind of thing more often.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-39732875092088448682023-07-11T00:56:00.003-04:002023-07-11T00:56:26.691-04:00Fightingtown Creek<p>A few weekends ago, I tried to ride at Fightingtown Creek, only to be pushed back by the weather. The next weekend, I was determined to actually ride there. The urge to hit a bunch of different trails in one day had pretty much passed by that point. I just wanted to hit this one.</p>
<p>I had a sense of where it was, but I didn't know for sure. Back when I was exploring the Cashes Valley area, I saw Fightingtown Creek on the map, so I knew it was in that general area. It's funny... In that general area, there are: Fightingtown Creek, Devil's Den, Hell's Hollow, and Dyer Gap. Such intimidating names! I used to know a guy who married a lady with the last name of Payne, who was from halfway between Devil's Den and Hell's Hollow. His family used to joke with him about that.</p>
<p>Siri knew where it was though, and got me there in good time.</p>
<p>It's really out in the middle of nowhere, as all good trails are, way back up a nondescript road, with a bunch of random houses on it. It kind-of looks like a neighborhood. Not exactly somewhere you'd expect a trail system to be. Yet there it is.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024121908" title="Fightingtown Creek Nature Park Sign by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024121908_6ab8e5ed93_m.jpg" alt="Fightingtown Creek Nature Park Sign " /></a>
<p>The system consisted of 4 trails: Upper and Lower Prince Loops, Laurel Loop, and the Creek Loop.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023803174" title="Fightingtown Creek Map by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023803174_f3a140b768_m.jpg" alt="Fightingtown Creek Map " /></a>
<p>The Prince Loops are named such because the whole system lies on Prince Mountain. The Creek Loop runs along Fightingtown Creek proper. I'm not sure where the Laurel Loop gets its name from.</p>
<p>There were a number of cars in the lot when I got there, both hikers and mountain bikers. it seemed like a popular place. I got dressed, hit the trail, and had a blast, right away.</p>
<p>The whole system is fast, twisty, bench cut. More of that Sorba trail I've recently described, but modern sorba trail, with more aggressive grades, switchbacks, and rocks. You can fly, but at those speeds, it's pretty technical.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024026090" title="More Typical Fightingtown Creek Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024026090_37f3f74429_m.jpg" alt="More Typical Fightingtown Creek Trail " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023807299" title="Typical Fightingtown Creek Trial by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023807299_6b8f6132ea_m.jpg" alt="Typical Fightingtown Creek Trial " /></a>
<p>I ran into a hiker coming the other direction about halfway around Lower Prince, and we chatted for a second. I wanted to ride everything out there, and since Lower and Upper Prince were stacked, I ended up riding Lower Prince again, and passing the same hiker the second time. At Upper Prince, I realized that I hadn't started Strava, and so I ended up riding yet a third lap around Lower Prince to get the GPS data, after riding upper, once again, passing the same hiker.</p>
<p>After the Princes, I rode the Laurel Loop, which was basically just more of the same, if not slightly more aggressive.</p>
<p>The whole system had that just-built feel to it. It was pretty well worn in, but the backslope was still very notched in, and the outside edge hadn't rounded off yet. It looked like P3 when it was first cut. I'm sure in a few years it'll look like P3 does now.</p>
<p>About halfway around Laurel, I passed an elderly gentleman on an eBike, and then a little while later encountered a guy coming the other way. The trails are directional, so we spent a few minutes figuring out which of us was going the wrong way. I was relieved to find out that it wasn't me, but it just as easily could have been.</p>
<p>There were a couple of humps on Laurel that I was tempted to boost, but was then glad that I was conservative with it because in almost every case, the trail turned abrubptly afterwards, and it could have been ugly if I was still in the air.</p>
<p>The Creek Loop seemed more difficult than the other three. At first I thought maybe I was just getting tired, but after riding it a bit, no I think it was actually more difficult. Rockier and twistier, I think. It looked like some of it might have been road-trail-conversion and other bits just followed an old trail that was good enough. There were a bunch of switchbacks that appeared to have taken the place of an older, fall line trail. Some of it was just in the flats and kind-of soft as a result.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024124603" title="Creekside Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024124603_37fc01c679_m.jpg" alt="Creekside Trail " /></a>
<p>Down at the bottom end of the trail, there was an old chimney.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024120453" title="Creekside Homestead Ruins by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024120453_a2bbe5293e_m.jpg" alt="Creekside Homestead Ruins " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023806979" title="Chimney on Creekside Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023806979_8e67e2c8db_m.jpg" alt="Chimney on Creekside Trail " /></a>
<p>There were also ruins of this strange creek camp.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024120088" title="Creek Camp Ruins by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024120088_09ee8cf4b2_m.jpg" alt="Creek Camp Ruins " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023808604" title="Footings by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http:" alt="Footings " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024026505" title="Another Weird Table by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024026505_28a63d03a3_m.jpg" alt="Another Weird Table " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53024029625" title="Weird Table by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53024029625_460633d4f9_m.jpg" alt="Weird Table " /></a>
<p>No idea. I'm curious about the history of the area now, though.</p>
<p>Eventually the trail dropped down and ran along the creek itself for a few hundred yards through a magnolia tunne. The magnolia was blooming at the time, and it was really pretty. There was also this section where trees had fallen, where you could get a good view of the creek.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023056787" title="Fightingtown Creek Proper by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023056787_21c3c8dd0d_m.jpg" alt="Fightingtown Creek Proper " /></a>
<p>The climb back up to the parking lot involved those switchbacks that I mentioned earlier, and it was a bit of work.</p>
<p>When I got there though, I noticed that the lady that I'd seen hiking earlier, and the guy on the eBike were hanging out in some chairs, talking to each other. It turned out that they were a couple, and both in their late 70's. He likes to ride and she likes to hike, so they go do that together. It made me really happy talking to them, and we talked for a while.</p>
<p>As I was changing back into my regular clothes, I noticed some hemlock buds nearby.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023058807" title="Hemlock Buds by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023058807_d9df5b466d_m.jpg" alt="Hemlock Buds " /></a>
<p>I didn't realize they'd still be budding this late into the summer, but it was nice to see. They're pretty tasty, like something between orange juice and Pine Sol. I guess not so much delicious as novel, but still, a treat.</p>
<p>On the way in, I'd passed a church, and on the way out, I noticed its strange, hanging tables.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023058892" title="Macedonia Church of Christ by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023058892_59e63b00e0_m.jpg" alt="Macedonia Church of Christ " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53023055682" title="Odd Tables at Macedonia Church by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53023055682_d3b6631f2f_m.jpg" alt="Odd Tables at Macedonia Church " /></a>
<p>Pretty much every church in North Georgia has an open-air pavilion with tables under it. They're usually concrete though. Occasionally you'll see a wooden table. I'd never seen one that hangs from the roof of the pavilion though. Very interesting.</p>
<p>I don't remember now, but I had some reason to get back home, so I didn't dally about. I think I ate at Shane's in Ellijay, but I really don't remember that either.</p>
<p>So, Fightingtown is a well designed and well built trail system. It's definitely more of an enjoy-the-trail type system, than an enjoy-the-woods type system, but there actually is a good bit of enjoy-the-woods and enjoy-the-weird-stuff-in-the-woods on the Creek Trail, so some of both, really. It'd be great if there was some way to get to it from the Bushy Head Gap area, which is just over Prince Mountain to the west. There are a bunch of nice gravel roads over that way, and it would be cool to be able to combine them all into a longer ride.</p>
<p>Maybe some day.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-41150427010221851962023-07-10T22:49:00.004-04:002023-07-10T22:49:39.512-04:00Woodring Branch<p>I woke up Sunday with the previous day's Allatoona-Blankets-Rope Mill fiasco still fresh in my head, and I was still a little sad about it. Ok, lets try something completely different.</p>
<p>There are a bunch of trails, scattered around, that wouldn't be good destinations on their own. Like, I wouldn't generally want to drive all the way out there just to ride that one 3 mile trail. I mean, I have done that, but I don't do it regularly, at least not on purpose. What I will do though, is make a loop out of a few of them. If they're near each other, then I'll park at one, ride it, ride to the next, ride it, etc. and eventually loop back to the car. I did this in Cumming once. In Texas, I've ridden one, driven to the next, ridden that one, and so on, but I'm not sure I've ever done it in Georgia.</p>
<p>At any rate, that was my plan. There are 3 trail systems up in North Georgia that I'd never ridden - Woodring Branch (AKA Amadahy), Fightingtown Creek, and Matt Community Park. They're all fairly short, and you can make a driving loop out of the three.</p>
<p>Let's go.</p>
<p>I first heard about Woodring Branch from either Alex Nutt or Jim Parham. One of their books (I can't remember which) mentioned that it was going to be constructed soon, and gave a prospective location of the trailhead, but as it hadn't yet been built, there was no track yet. Those books were written in the late 90's. I picked them up in 2000, and always meant to check out the trail. Fast forward 23 years, and I was finally getting around to it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53000535797" title="Woodring Branch Lot by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53000535797_54cddcf410_m.jpg" alt="Woodring Branch Lot " /></a>
<p>So, Fisher Creek and Woodring Branch are two creeks form inlets on Carter's Lake. There are a couple of knobs on the point between the inlets. The Woodring Branch trailhead lies just off the main road at the head of the point, and the Amadahy trail circles the point.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001283524" title="Amadahy Trail Map by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001283524_26ea955151_m.jpg" alt="Amadahy Trail Map " /></a>
<p>I'm not sure why the trail is called Amadahy. It's probably Cherokee for something, and I'm probably pretty ignorant for not knowing, but hey, that's how it is.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001513190" title="Amadahy Trail Sign by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001513190_53c705ef24_m.jpg" alt="Amadahy Trail Sign " /></a>
<p>A couple of hikers left ahead of me, but I caught and passed them pretty quickly. From then on, most of the way around, I was on my own, and man was I lucky. The trail was just staggeringly fast.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001285309" title="Amadahy Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001285309_2608a32d2a_m.jpg" alt="Amadahy Trail " /></a>
<p>If there had been a lot of traffic, it would have been a shame, but all by myself, I could really enjoy it.</p>
<p>I did take a little side trail down to the lake, to get a good look at it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001286219" title="Carter's Lake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001286219_6d2de57344_m.jpg" alt="Carter's Lake " /></a>
<p>You can see it through the woods as you're flying by, but to get a good look, you really have to drop down to the edge.</p>
<p>If memory serves, it was one of the first "Sorba Trails" in North Georgia. That is, one of the first trails built by the book. The book being the IMBA Guide to Building Sweet Singletrack. Outsloped, 3-foot wide sidehill, with rolling dips, grade reversals, and overall grades under 10%. The trail has been around for over 20 years, but it looks like it was built last year, and it rides like it too. These days, we know that trails like that last and last, but at the time, it was experimental.</p>
<p>The detractors would argue that it's not very technical, and therefore sucks. "Stop dumbing down the trail!" I used to argue that ripping fast XC trail is great, and if you really want technical trail, find rocky terrain and build a trail through it, rather than relying on erosion to constantly expose new rocks, which eventually ruts out the trail and makes it suck. In the early 2000s though, mountain biking hadn't been mainstream long enough for a lot of popular trails to eventually suck, and there weren't many (if any) well-built, technical trails in Georgia. All of that has changed though. Now there are both, and along with them, some amount of vindication for Sorba trail design. Actually, there's a third factor now, too. A modern XC bike has 120mm of travel front and rear, 29 inch wheels, 2.4 inch tires, 720mm bars and a dropper post. And that's just an XC bike, not to mention trail, downcountry, and enduro rigs. What's just rough and technical these days would have been unrideable on a 26 inch hardtail with 1.95 tires and an 80mm fork in the early 2000s. Improving technologoy has arguably dumbed down the bike.</p>
<p>Not that I care about any of that, but it all came to mind while I was riding.</p>
<p>In addition to the Amadahy Trail, there are a couple of unmaintained dirt roads in the area. One, it turns out, follows the ridgeline all the way down to the end of the point, where there's a campground...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001134001" title="Campsites by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001134001_cc7aae764d_m.jpg" alt="Campsites " /></a>
<p>...complete with multiple outhouses.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001606958" title="Outhouse by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001606958_c4e20b75a0_m.jpg" alt="Outhouse " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001513530" title="Double-Outhouse by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001513530_114c99601c_m.jpg" alt="Double-Outhouse " /></a>
<p>There were a few folks actually camping, but it looked like most had just anchored their boat and were hanging out for the day. Music, food, and drinks. It looked like everybody was having a really good time, and that made the murderous climb out that I knew I had ahead of me less appealing than it otherwise might have been.</p>
<p>The rest of the roads led to various food plots. There were some overgrown spurs that I didn't bother to explore. Maybe one day, on foot.</p>
<p>I still had 2 more destinations ahead of me, so I got on the road quickly after getting back to the truck.</p>
<p>Not far up the road, I passed the Zombie Skin Jerky Store.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53001512120" title="Zombie Skin Jerky Store by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53001512120_31e416ffc0_m.jpg" alt="Zombie Skin Jerky Store " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/53002000558" title="Zombie Skin Jerky Sign by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53002000558_5a8dd3098e_m.jpg" alt="Zombie Skin Jerky Sign " /></a>
<p>Ha! Only on North Georgia.</p>
<p>Fightingtown is between Ellijay and Blue Ridge, and as I was driving through Ellijay, I noticed the sky to the north looked as furious as I'd ever seen in my life. I quickly checked the weather radar, and good lord, the storm that was bearing down on me looked outright dangerous to get caught in. The blobs were completely red, covered the entire state, and were heading directly south. Just my luck.</p>
<p>I sped south, basically trying to outrun it, and more or less did so. I got caught in some rain for a few minutes, eventually managed to escape, got home, got all of my gear inside, and then got caught in it again just as I was taking the bike off of the rack. 10 minutes later my power went out and then came the wind and hail, which, as it turned out later, knocked all of the ripe blueberries off of my bushes. It was quite a storm.</p>
<p>So, two days in a row, my ride got cut short because of weather. While both rides were fun, they were unsatisfyingly short. Not the best weekend.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-53633141942463047002023-07-10T21:59:00.004-04:002023-07-10T21:59:38.506-04:00Blankets Creek<p>So that ride in Florida was fairly long, and while I could still kind-of feel some lingering effects from re-injuring my ribs, I seemed to have finally kicked whatver that upper respiratory infection that I'd caught in Dallas was. I felt like maybe a longer ride in Georgia was in order, with some actual climbing, but nothing too murderous. I eventually settled on Allatoona, and headed up there...</p>
<p>Only to find that it was race day.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999486291" title="Allatoona Race by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999486291_5b4dd4ae59_m.jpg" alt="Allatoona Race " /></a>
<p>They have like one race per year, and I happened to try to ride on the day of the race.</p>
<p>Lord.</p>
<p>The next closest place is Blankets Creek, which I'd ridden recently, but hey... If I combined it with Rope Mill, it would be a decently long ride.</p>
<p>So, I spun a lap around Dwelling and Van Michael. I even managed to stay ahead of some folks on eBikes on Van Michael until the very top, where I ran into my buddy Tom and talked with him for a while. I managed to catch them again later though, and only lost them a second time when I climbed 420 and they just kept going. It always feels good to be faster than a guy on an eBike.</p>
<p>After shredding Blankets, I headed over to Rope Mill, only to find all of the trails closed.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999486416" title="Avalanche Trail Closed by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999486416_6dea76e04e_m.jpg" alt="Avalanche Trail Closed " /></a>
<p>There had been pop-up showers all day, and though none hit Blankets, one had clearly hit Rope Mill. It was still pretty damp on the pavement, even.</p>
<p>Great! Just my luck. Just that kind of day, I guess.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-9433264823844221022023-07-10T21:51:00.007-04:002023-07-10T21:51:42.355-04:00Wilderness Park<p>In late June, I had an annual work thing down in Sarasota, and like last year, instead of flying down, I drove, and I brought my bike with me so I could ride somewhere on the way back to Atlanta. I hoped to ride somewhere in the immediate Sarasota area, but it looked like the local trail was actually a bit south and I didn't want to have an even longer drive home, so I started looking at what was on the way back. There was some trail that looked great, but various comments indicated that it was no good in the summer - always underwater. So, I kept looking, and eventually found the Wilderness Park Trails, AKA Flatwoods.</p>
<p>Looked like I had a plan.</p>
<p>It was a little tricky to find the trailhead. Mile 0 was kind of up on a levee, and there wasn't any parking nearby. The only thing in the area was this turkey.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999594304" title="Turkey by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999594304_edfe149d48_m.jpg" alt="Turkey " /></a>
<p>It turned out that the actual trailhead was in a big lot, out on the main road. It was really pretty obvious. Only I would have trouble finding it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999819500" title="Pay Station at Morris Bridge Lot by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999819500_8f1a068f08_m.jpg" alt="Pay Station at Morris Bridge Lot " /></a>
<p>I got changed, paid the parking fee, and studied the trail map for a bit.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999819350" title="Wilderness Park Trail Map by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999819350_703ae20ea9_m.jpg" alt="Wilderness Park Trail Map " /></a>
<p>It looked like I ought to spin a loop around the Flatwoods Loop, picking up some of the farther-out side loops when I got to them, then try to decipher the various southern loops when I got back, if I still had energy to do it.</p>
<p>The Main Trail was pretty well traveled and fairly easy to follow. The woods was mainly pine and oak, with a million palmettos, and the occasional cactus.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999921048" title="Main Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999921048_28226e3b78_m.jpg" alt="Main Trail " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999552484" title="Wide Singletrack by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999552484_cd9a974b2b_m.jpg" alt="Wide Singletrack " /></a>
<p>There were trail markers at nearly every intersection.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52998804237" title="More Signage by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52998804237_37a75992c6_m.jpg" alt="More Signage " /></a>
<p>The character of the trail changed pretty regularly too. Eg. it popped out on a right of way for a while...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52998803687" title="Right of Way by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52998803687_9aec74be64_m.jpg" alt="Right of Way " /></a>
<p>...then went back into some fairly open woods with wildflowers...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999402861" title="Wildflowers and a Bridge by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999402861_a1e94e8c5b_m.jpg" alt="Wildflowers and a Bridge " /></a>
<p>...and there were wetlands replete with cypress knees...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999552324" title="Cypress Knees by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999552324_2a84e5198a_m.jpg" alt="Cypress Knees " /></a>
<p>...and a little pavement...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52998803712" title="A Little Pavement by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52998803712_04d099a081_m.jpg" alt="A Little Pavement " /></a>
<p>...which included a crossing of the Hillsborough River.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999534639" title="Hillsborough River by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999534639_a907e5c109_m.jpg" alt="Hillsborough River " /></a>
<p>The first option I had was the Eubanks Parkway. Rather than take it immediately though, I followed the main trail up and around, then looped back on it. Oddly, there was also an Int 2 trail at the first intersection, which was not on the map.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999385081" title="Trail Signage by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999385081_cc30f8fdcc_m.jpg" alt="Trail Signage " /></a>
<p>Interstate 2?</p>
<p>Eubanks looked like it got substantially less traffic than the Main Trail, but it was still pretty fun.</p>
<p>I eventually realized that Int 2 meant Interpretive Trail #2. There were all kinds of interpretive signs along it, and some benches. It looked like it got a lot of traffic. Way more than Eubanks. It seemed like it ought to be a loop, but instead, it circled around and eventually teed in to the Main Trail. To get back to the start, I had to get out on the road for a while. That would have been weird if I'd been on foot. I could kind-of see where the loop might have once continued, but it was pretty overgrown when I rode it.</p>
<p>IDK. Weird.</p>
<p>So, the main trail teed into a road, which I had taken left, then looped back on Eubanks and Int 2. I eventually ended up back at the road where those 2 trails split off, and there was a kiosk with a map and a you-are-here there. While studying the map, a roadie rode up and we talked for a bit. He knew which way to go, and was headed that way, so I followed him on the road until I saw the trail.</p>
<p>Along that section of the trail, and really, along the entire rest of the trail, there was a good bit of hog rooting.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999385121" title="Hog Rooting by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999385121_5976d3f6c5_m.jpg" alt="Hog Rooting " /></a>
<p>I eventually started seeing pigs too. At first, just little black foot-long dudes, but eventually gigantic 200+ pounders. One was tan with big black cow spots all over it. That one took off running parallel to the trail and it seemed like every time it would turn, the trail would turn too, and I accidentally chased it for like a quarter mile before it finally crossed the trail and took off to my left.</p>
<p>At the far north end, there were more wetlands.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999384971" title="Flooded Area by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999384971_708c3f9ae0_m.jpg" alt="Flooded Area " /></a>
<p>The trail up there zigzagged back and forth across this doubletrack...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999385101" title="Doubletrack by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999385101_467c54ae70_m.jpg" alt="Doubletrack " /></a>
<p>...occasionally popping out and running down along it.</p>
<p>It was definitely more of an "enjoy the woods" kind of trail system than an "enjoy the trail" kind of trail system. While the trail was fun to ride, the woods itself was also just so beautiful. At least to me. The live oak, longleaf pine, spanish moss, cypress, and all those palmettos... you just don't see any of that in North Georgia. Well, maybe the occasional live oak, but they're usually pretty stunted. I'm sure if I rode there all the time it wouldn't seem like much, but seeing it so rarely, it made quite an impression.</p>
<p>The Panther Trail teed off to the north, so I took that loop. There were even more beautiful wetlands off of the Panther Trail.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999382406" title="Wetlands off Panther Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999382406_81ae8cc4c8_m.jpg" alt="Wetlands off Panther Trail " /></a>
<p>There was also a road up there that forded some other feeder of the Hillsborough, and some side trails. I think one was called Squiggy. I rode all of that before ending up on a Levee...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999857428" title="Levee by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999857428_dff1048749_m.jpg" alt="Levee " /></a>
<p>...and taking that back north to eventually loop back to the Panther Trail.</p>
<p>The Main Trail eventually led back around to that same levee, further south, and just ran along it for a while. At that point, I was pretty close to where I started. Mile 0 was up on that levee. There was an almost separate set of trails down there, the Bayshore Trails, and I milled around on them for a while. They basically looped around a couple of lakes, in different directions. One of the trails was super rooty and bumpy, and I somehow ended up riding it twice. Not on purpose.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999759225" title="Bayshore Trail Sign by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999759225_ba59aeb5d9_m.jpg" alt="Bayshore Trail Sign " /></a>
<p>At at point, I realized that I'd explored most of the official trail, other than the maze on the south side of the main road, so I rode back and forth, and around the bottom end of the levee for a bit, and got a shot of the dam.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999469836" title="Hillsborough River Dam by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999469836_f05e95ed37_m.jpg" alt="Hillsborough River Dam " /></a>
<p>I also encountered three separate Gopher Tortoises!</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999946093" title="Gopher Tortoise by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999946093_47e3265fb6_m.jpg" alt="Gopher Tortoise " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52998847427" title="Gopher Tortoise by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52998847427_bf2f87d7ab_m.jpg" alt="Gopher Tortoise " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999819690" title="Gopher Tortoise by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999819690_bb220750b4_m.jpg" alt="Gopher Tortoise " /></a>
<p>Ok. Time to explore this maze of trails on the south side.</p>
<p>First up: Sinkhole.</p>
<p>I could totally see why it was named Sinkhole. It passed by not only one, but two sinkholes.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52998847367" title="First Sinkhole by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52998847367_39b9df47e5_m.jpg" alt="First Sinkhole " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999402716" title="Sinkhole 2 by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999402716_3756128af8_m.jpg" alt="Sinkhole 2 " /></a>
<p>The second of which had a pretty big snapping turtle floating out in the middle of it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52998846082" title="Snapping Turtle by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52998846082_9582e4e993_m.jpg" alt="Snapping Turtle " /></a>
<p>From Sinkhole, I tried to ride Grandpa, but ended up somewhere else, and had to figure out how to get back to where I meant to be. Somewhere in there I crossed paths with this beautiful yellow rat snake.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52999776360" title="Yellow Rat Snake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52999776360_2bf37ecfb7_m.jpg" alt="Yellow Rat Snake " /></a>
<p>I rode around the end of a tree that had partially blocked the trail, and it was stretched out on the other side. I had to speed-hop to keep from running over it. Fortunately it didn't flee, just contracted, and I was able to get a photo. The only yellow rat snakes I've ever seen have been in Florida. One on the CFiTT, way back, and this one. I don't think they exist in North Georgia, or if they do, they're super rare.</p>
<p>It wasn't long before I gave up trying to decipher the trails on the south side there. While the intersections were well marked, I couldn't always reconcile what I was seeing on the ground with the map. I was also running low on water and food, and honestly, the heat was getting to me. I also had a long drive back still ahead of me, and I didn't want to be crawling in at 2 in the morning, so I packed it in pretty quickly after seeing that snake.</p>
<p>Man! So much wildlife - turkeys, pigs, turtles, and a snake! It would have been a great ride just for all the wildlife.</p>
<p>I was a little sad that I didn't persevere and ride everything, but hey, If I'm back down there next year again, I'll see if I can pick up the rest of the system.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-70096676115122793212023-07-10T17:27:00.001-04:002023-07-10T17:27:34.345-04:00Potatopatch<p>The previous week, I'd managed to eek out a few rides on a questionable tire repair, but after waking up to it completely flat several days in a row, I finally bit the bullet and replaced it. Fortunately I had a spare on hand. Armed with an ostensibly reliable bike, I figured it was time to get in some time in the actual mountains.</p>
<p>I didn't have a goal in mind, other than to ride the general Bear Creek area, so I headed up to Mulberry Gap to get things going.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990615458" title="MGap Barn by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990615458_a12929fb27_m.jpg" alt="MGap Barn " /></a>
<p>Tori was there, but Kate and Andrew were up in Canada or something, experiencing actual Adventure, woo!</p>
<p>I headed over to Bear Creek via Shakerag...</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990140296" title="Farm on Gates Chapel Road by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990140296_deafe6fe8f_m.jpg" alt="Farm on Gates Chapel Road " /></a>
<p>...but only felt-kind-of okay. I hoped that, like last time, I was just feeling weak, but was actually strong. This would not turn out to be the case.</p>
<p>On Gates Chapel, across the bridge from where people usually park, I could see this horse with its head over the gate, I guessed hoping someone will come by and say hi.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990519620" title="Friendly Horse by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990519620_c61ec71591_m.jpg" alt="Friendly Horse " /></a>
<p>It turned out that I guessed right. It was really friendly and really happy to see me (or probably anyone) and I gave it lots of pats and rubs and scratches, and it kept gently pushing its head into the side of mine, for 5 minutes at least. It was so nice, that I hope I see that same horse again next time I'm up there.</p>
<p>The climb up bear creek was a little difficult. I mean, I had it, but it wasn't easy. I was still feeling the ribs, and honestly, not 100% recovered from being sick almost a month earlier.</p>
<p>Fortuantely, it was a really nice day, and the conditions were perfect.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52989543287" title="Gennett Poplar by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52989543287_74c909812a_m.jpg" alt="Gennett Poplar " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52989543367" title="Bear Creek Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52989543367_037923cfed_m.jpg" alt="Bear Creek Trail " /></a>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990159746" title="Bear Creek Trail by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990159746_baedbf1e54_m.jpg" alt="Bear Creek Trail " /></a>
<p>There was this washout up near the switchback, that I hadn't noticed before.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990616058" title="Washout on Bear Creek by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990616058_7da2900196_m.jpg" alt="Washout on Bear Creek " /></a>
<p>Which, I guess one could consider a detractor, but it was interesting, so I'm not counting it.</p>
<p>At the overlook, it was hazy.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990141426" title="Fort Mountain from the Overlook by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990141426_044a741b8e_m.jpg" alt="Fort Mountain from the Overlook " /></a>
<p>Maybe poor air quality was also dragging me down. Who knows?</p>
<p>On the way up to Potatopatch, I toyed with the idea of riding Mountaintown, but by the time I got there, I'd long abandoned the idea.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52989559237" title="Potatopatch by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52989559237_1f2d85f435_m.jpg" alt="Potatopatch " /></a>
<p>The rollers on the way over would just eat me up. Maybe next time.</p>
<p>The descent back down was amazing. I managed to set a few PRs coming down, somehow.</p>
<p>I also managed to ride the switchbacks, which I felt good about, because I'd missed the first one the last time I was up there. A lady that watched me ride the third one, and we joked that I had to make it, since someone was watching.</p>
<p>About 1/3rd of the way down the section that runs directly along the creek, I pinch flatted my brand new tire. First ride on it. Great. That's just my luck lately. I pulled out my plug kit, and I was out of plugs. Yep. I'd forgotten to get more after using them all up the last time. Time to go old school and put a tube in it.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990504125" title="Fix-a-Flat by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990504125_b793de5547_m.jpg" alt="Fix-a-Flat " /></a>
<p>How embarrassing.</p>
<p>I managed the rest of the descent without incident, and the ride back was actually lovely. Even the cows made me happy.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990139916" title="Cows by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990139916_0c50ae2b3f_m.jpg" alt="Cows " /></a>
<p>I got to MGap just in time to grab a shower and say goodbye to Tori. They were closing up right as I was heading out.</p>
<p>I grabbed dinner at Shane's in Ellijay, and my name was DDAVE on the receipt.</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990141451" title="DDAVE by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990141451_4ca6134fdd_m.jpg" alt="DDAVE " /></a>
<p>Heh, DDAVE.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2974633221126587982.post-64239451388226657592023-07-10T17:02:00.006-04:002023-07-10T17:02:55.952-04:00Dirty Sheets<p>On June 11th, I got in some easy miles down at the Dirty Sheets, and wouldn't have even thought to write about it, execpt that I saw this long boy out there:</p>
<a target="flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/8526081@N08/52990221309" title="Black Rat Snake by david_lee_muse, on Flickr"><img src="http://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52990221309_830c0856bd_m.jpg" alt="Black Rat Snake " /></a>
<p>First snake I'd seen in Georgia, yet this year, so kind-of worth mentioning.</p>
<p>I also saw a million deer, but that's actually a pretty common occurrence out there.</p>David Musehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17642486619298975505noreply@blogger.com0