Dr. Kennedy says I don't have a cold, just wicked bad allergies. He gave me some sweet meds for that, and more for some pain I've been feeling in my neck and back since ORAMM. But, most importantly to me, since it's not a cold or flu or something, I can exercise without making it worse. In fact, after riding for 30 minutes or so, the cobwebs seem to clear out and I feel pretty good. The commute was good. The group ride was hell. "Cat'in up is harrr aaarrrr aarrd to do." I got dropped on the first hill. Later, everybody was talking about how fast it was though, so at least it wasn't just me.
The allergies make me drowsy, and the meds do too. It's possible they were a factor. I'm curious to see how this Fool's Gold's gonna go down, and the 6-hour next weekend.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Mount Tabor and The Silver Comet Side Trail
Last week, Scott Martin of Paulding SORBA sent me a link to the GPS data for some new trails at Mount Tabor Park. I put it up on my trails site, and all week I got more and more interested in checking the trails out in person.
My dad's in town this weekend too. He caught some cold on the drive over. We're both fighting some kind of illness, but neither of us wanted to miss the opportunity to ride together. It was almost Forcing a Ride. Almost, but not quite. He suggested Big Creek and that sounded good at first, but then I remembered Mount Tabor, called him back and we had a plan.
I picked him up from his place. He looked like he felt as rough as me. It would be the blind leading the blind, or something. Some metaphor like that for two sick people.
He'd gotten a new seat just yesterday. This one had lasted 10 years before finally exploding into dust on his last ride.
We followed a maze of roads out to Mount Tabor and got ready to ride.
When my brother worked at a car audio store in New Orleans, people used to buy speakers or amps or something, then go out into the parking lot and install them there, on the spot. In fact, I was even guilty of that on occasion, usually because I didn't want to have to drive all the way back the next day when I realized I'd forgotten to buy some some minor little thing that I didn't realize I needed. People who did this were called "Street Hookers"; they hooked up their speakers out in the street in front of the store.
At the trailhead, my dad realized that his headset was loose, he needed to adjust his seat, and his front wheel was creaking like he had a loose spoke. Most people take their bike to the shop for that kind of stuff. Not us. Once, I rebuilt my rear hub, sitting in the back of my truck at the Chicopee trailhead. This is where I got it from. Street Hookin'...
The trails at Mount Tabor are fun. Pine Pong lived up to it's name. I almost overran one of the first corners out there.
I tried out the EPIC video cam again today. I think I've got the angle right, I just need to keep my head straight. The video's too long for You Tube though. I guess I need to edit it down.
The trails are tight and twisty. The soil is pretty rocky, making for some steep, but sustainable climbs. There are three distinct personalities out there; dense piney woods, hardwood forest along a creek, and a more open area dominated by pine, sumac and underbrush. That last section reminded us both of Cedar Hill in Dallas.
Neither of us had any steam. We turned one lazy lap out there, though it didn't feel that lazy at the time, and jumped out on the road for phase 2 of the adventure; the Silver Comet Side Trail.
We rode about 4 miles of road from Mount Tabor over to the Silver Comet Trail and searched for about 20 minutes for the Side Trail. I'd marked the trailhead on my map but I forgot which direction we needed to go from there.
This sign clued us in.
The side trail basically follows a gasline, parallel to the Silver Comet itself, following the natural terrain, up and down, relentlessly. It's a case study in how to create a rideable trail through anything. "So, you're saying the trail has to go straight up this hill, across this stream, through this kudzu-covered washout, through this bog, and straight down that other hill?" "Yep." "Ok, do this..."
Five miles later we'd had enough.
The ride back was substantially easier. Probably took a third of the time.
It was one long climb from the Silver Comet back to Mount Tabor Road and a few rollers back to the park. All that road between trails reminded me of the TNGA.
I didn't realize it had taken four hours until I turned on the car and looked at the clock. "Long day lay me low."
My dad's in town this weekend too. He caught some cold on the drive over. We're both fighting some kind of illness, but neither of us wanted to miss the opportunity to ride together. It was almost Forcing a Ride. Almost, but not quite. He suggested Big Creek and that sounded good at first, but then I remembered Mount Tabor, called him back and we had a plan.
I picked him up from his place. He looked like he felt as rough as me. It would be the blind leading the blind, or something. Some metaphor like that for two sick people.
He'd gotten a new seat just yesterday. This one had lasted 10 years before finally exploding into dust on his last ride.
We followed a maze of roads out to Mount Tabor and got ready to ride.
When my brother worked at a car audio store in New Orleans, people used to buy speakers or amps or something, then go out into the parking lot and install them there, on the spot. In fact, I was even guilty of that on occasion, usually because I didn't want to have to drive all the way back the next day when I realized I'd forgotten to buy some some minor little thing that I didn't realize I needed. People who did this were called "Street Hookers"; they hooked up their speakers out in the street in front of the store.
At the trailhead, my dad realized that his headset was loose, he needed to adjust his seat, and his front wheel was creaking like he had a loose spoke. Most people take their bike to the shop for that kind of stuff. Not us. Once, I rebuilt my rear hub, sitting in the back of my truck at the Chicopee trailhead. This is where I got it from. Street Hookin'...
The trails at Mount Tabor are fun. Pine Pong lived up to it's name. I almost overran one of the first corners out there.
I tried out the EPIC video cam again today. I think I've got the angle right, I just need to keep my head straight. The video's too long for You Tube though. I guess I need to edit it down.
The trails are tight and twisty. The soil is pretty rocky, making for some steep, but sustainable climbs. There are three distinct personalities out there; dense piney woods, hardwood forest along a creek, and a more open area dominated by pine, sumac and underbrush. That last section reminded us both of Cedar Hill in Dallas.
Neither of us had any steam. We turned one lazy lap out there, though it didn't feel that lazy at the time, and jumped out on the road for phase 2 of the adventure; the Silver Comet Side Trail.
We rode about 4 miles of road from Mount Tabor over to the Silver Comet Trail and searched for about 20 minutes for the Side Trail. I'd marked the trailhead on my map but I forgot which direction we needed to go from there.
This sign clued us in.
The side trail basically follows a gasline, parallel to the Silver Comet itself, following the natural terrain, up and down, relentlessly. It's a case study in how to create a rideable trail through anything. "So, you're saying the trail has to go straight up this hill, across this stream, through this kudzu-covered washout, through this bog, and straight down that other hill?" "Yep." "Ok, do this..."
Five miles later we'd had enough.
The ride back was substantially easier. Probably took a third of the time.
It was one long climb from the Silver Comet back to Mount Tabor Road and a few rollers back to the park. All that road between trails reminded me of the TNGA.
I didn't realize it had taken four hours until I turned on the car and looked at the clock. "Long day lay me low."
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Biello Park, Blankets Creek and West Bank Park
I don't know what this illness I'm fighting is, but it makes it possible to sleep 12 hours, wake up and still feel like your body needs rest. The way I felt this morning, I'm not sure I'll be able to ride the Fools Gold in a week. But a lot can happen in a week, so we'll see.
I wasn't feeling good, but I wasn't going to waste a day of the weekend, so Me and the girls got out, but we took it pretty easy.
We headed to Woodstock, found a park, Biello Park I think, and threw the balls around for a couple of hours.
I hate to say it, but it's conclusive. Sophie is uncoordinated, across the board. "Take a step forward as you throw." And she does, but it doesn't occur to her to use the momentum of the step to help her throw, or for that matter, to even take the step in a manner that could give her any momentum. Poor little girl. She learned to ride a bike, and she's got good instincts for that now, so I'm sure it's possible for her to improve. I just have to make sure it doesn't turn into that scene in the movie where the ex high school quarterback dad, who totally would have won that playoff game back in '92 if it hadn't been for that one bad call, is forcing his kid to play, while ignoring his kid's passion and natural talent for painting or something.
Post ball game, we headed over to Blanket's Creek to rip up the Mosquito Flats.
I had the helmet cam on, but this time I had it angled up a little too high, and somehow twisted to the right.
The girls love the dirt. Sophie needs a more capable bike though. Her 16 inch is barely cutting it. Iz could use some gears. No crashes today. No getting twisted up in the bike. Just rollin', rollin', rollin'. We probably rode about 8 miles.
Back at the house, I took a shower, picked up Kathryn, and we all headed over to the lake to try and catch some fish. It was overcast, windy, wavy, and zero fish were biting. I say zero. Iz caught two little bream. The rest of us didn't even get a nibble. No fish, but it was cool and breezy and a beautiful evening anyway.
We win.
I wasn't feeling good, but I wasn't going to waste a day of the weekend, so Me and the girls got out, but we took it pretty easy.
We headed to Woodstock, found a park, Biello Park I think, and threw the balls around for a couple of hours.
I hate to say it, but it's conclusive. Sophie is uncoordinated, across the board. "Take a step forward as you throw." And she does, but it doesn't occur to her to use the momentum of the step to help her throw, or for that matter, to even take the step in a manner that could give her any momentum. Poor little girl. She learned to ride a bike, and she's got good instincts for that now, so I'm sure it's possible for her to improve. I just have to make sure it doesn't turn into that scene in the movie where the ex high school quarterback dad, who totally would have won that playoff game back in '92 if it hadn't been for that one bad call, is forcing his kid to play, while ignoring his kid's passion and natural talent for painting or something.
Post ball game, we headed over to Blanket's Creek to rip up the Mosquito Flats.
I had the helmet cam on, but this time I had it angled up a little too high, and somehow twisted to the right.
The girls love the dirt. Sophie needs a more capable bike though. Her 16 inch is barely cutting it. Iz could use some gears. No crashes today. No getting twisted up in the bike. Just rollin', rollin', rollin'. We probably rode about 8 miles.
Back at the house, I took a shower, picked up Kathryn, and we all headed over to the lake to try and catch some fish. It was overcast, windy, wavy, and zero fish were biting. I say zero. Iz caught two little bream. The rest of us didn't even get a nibble. No fish, but it was cool and breezy and a beautiful evening anyway.
We win.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Weekly Beatdown
Today, I needed a miracle, but Johan Bruyneel says there are no miracles in cycling and dammit, I think he's right. I've been sick since last Thursday with some kind of crud that approximates every known minor illness but isn't precisely any one of them. It kept me home from work yesterday, and this morning the only reason I even went in was because I had a dentist appointment that sort-of "got me going". It goes without saying that I haven't ridden to work this week, and without my usual 25 mile warm-up, I got ejected from the A group like a spent round. P'ching! I don't think I could have hung on with B1 any more easily though. I'm starting to think that the A group has about 6 or 8 really strong riders, about 10 guys that are a bit stronger than me, and about 10 guys that are roughly my level, give or take. The B1 group, by comparison is just 30 guys that are roughly my level. The B1 group goes flat out, forms an awkward paceline and steadily drops riders off the back. That's the ride, every time. Unless you're tip-top, you're getting dropped, eventually. The A group has breakaways, chase groups, a peloton, and all manner of dynamics. It might be possible to sit on all day in the A group. This is next to impossible in the B group. Though sitting on with A is nearly as much work as taking your turns with B1. It's cool. I'm digging it, but I'm definitely digging it more when I'm healthy.
So, today I got shelled, teamed up with another guy who also got shelled, and eventually got caught by and jumped in with the B2 group. I can best describe that experience by quoting H.G. Wells, whom I quote often in this blog: "And this was no disciplined march; it was a stampede...without order and without a goal, six million people unarmed and unprovisioned, driving headlong. It was the beginning of the rout of civilization, of the massacre of Mankind." Basically, by that, I mean that I was terrified of crashing, almost perpetually. We realized quickly that we'd be better off getting ahead of and staying on the front of that particular stampede. Up there we ran into more A group refugees with the same idea. And so it was, all the way back into town.
What a day. I hope I'm well soon. Fools Gold is coming up. I guess it's not doing me any good staying up 'til 3AM screwing around like this though. Sleep.
So, today I got shelled, teamed up with another guy who also got shelled, and eventually got caught by and jumped in with the B2 group. I can best describe that experience by quoting H.G. Wells, whom I quote often in this blog: "And this was no disciplined march; it was a stampede...without order and without a goal, six million people unarmed and unprovisioned, driving headlong. It was the beginning of the rout of civilization, of the massacre of Mankind." Basically, by that, I mean that I was terrified of crashing, almost perpetually. We realized quickly that we'd be better off getting ahead of and staying on the front of that particular stampede. Up there we ran into more A group refugees with the same idea. And so it was, all the way back into town.
What a day. I hope I'm well soon. Fools Gold is coming up. I guess it's not doing me any good staying up 'til 3AM screwing around like this though. Sleep.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Ocee Park and the Alpharetta Greenway
Per yesterday's vow, I took it easy today. Waffle House, church, and a nap, of all things. It was around 2 when the girls and I finally got down to business.
We found a park in Alpharetta, kicked the soccer ball around for about an hour and threw the softball around for another hour. I haven't kicked a soccer ball since 6th grade, but it's funny how it all comes back.
The girls are learning, but they're also learning about a whole new set of dangers too. Mainly, getting hit by the ball, unexpectedly. Iz has bruises all over now. I hope I don't get a call from DFACS tomorrow. Somehow Sophie managed to keep from getting all whacked up, but it wasn't for lack of trying.
Iz can throw overhand pretty well. Sophie's barely got it. She's getting better, but what might have been her first perfect throw went about 10 feet before crushing Isabel's face and busting a blood vessel in her temple. She's gonna have quite the shiner going on the first day of school tomorrow. Again, I'm praying I don't get a call from DFACS.
I call this shot American Happiness...
...but enough of that. They played on the playground until they got bored, then we ran by the Quicktrip, grabbed some Gatorade and Sweet Tarts, sat down on the curb in front of the store and snacked it up. When I was a teenager, skateboarding with my brother, we'd hit a 7-11 and sit out front on their curb, hot and tired, feeling the breeze. Today I did that with my kids. So nice. People looked at us funny.
We hit the Greenway next. They've got a little mountain bike trail off of the northern most section in Alpharetta. We rode that.
Sophie's shoe fell off a couple of times.
She needs better laces.
We did laps and laps. Every lap they did a little better. They figured out all kinds of good stuff.
But it wasn't all sunshine. Me and Iz talk about natural consequences sometimes. She doesn't always do the right things. She's a kid, after all. I tell her all the time, getting in trouble with me or Kathryn is the least of the trouble she can actually get into. Most bad behaviors have natural consequences that are much worse. She got a good taste of some of that today. We have this "Rule Zero" of being in the woods: Stay together as a group. There are so many reasons why. Yeah, one day they'll learn to be safe and confident in the woods by themselves, but for now, that's the rule. I told her like 5 times today, "Don't get too far ahead." But she gets tired of waiting on Sophie, wants to show us how fast she is, wants to be independent, and so on, so she kept taking off ahead. So far ahead that I couldn't see or hear her. And then she crashed. Not bad, just sketched and tipped over, but then she couldn't get the bike off of her, couldn't get started again, tipped over again, banged the back of her calves with the pedals, and more of that, over and over. She called for me, but I couldn't hear her, and all she could do was wait for us. Less than a minute, but to her it was forever and she got really, really scared. Natural consequences. Don't get too far ahead.
Other than that, everything went well. One more lap and she was fine again.
Back at the trailhead we found Muscadines growing all over the place.
Sophie wasn't too sure at first, but after seeing me and Iz eat like ten of them, I guess she figured it was safe.
We ate dinner at Taco Mac, dessert at Baskin Robbins, and they both had to take an extra long time in the shower before bed.
We found a park in Alpharetta, kicked the soccer ball around for about an hour and threw the softball around for another hour. I haven't kicked a soccer ball since 6th grade, but it's funny how it all comes back.
The girls are learning, but they're also learning about a whole new set of dangers too. Mainly, getting hit by the ball, unexpectedly. Iz has bruises all over now. I hope I don't get a call from DFACS tomorrow. Somehow Sophie managed to keep from getting all whacked up, but it wasn't for lack of trying.
Iz can throw overhand pretty well. Sophie's barely got it. She's getting better, but what might have been her first perfect throw went about 10 feet before crushing Isabel's face and busting a blood vessel in her temple. She's gonna have quite the shiner going on the first day of school tomorrow. Again, I'm praying I don't get a call from DFACS.
I call this shot American Happiness...
...but enough of that. They played on the playground until they got bored, then we ran by the Quicktrip, grabbed some Gatorade and Sweet Tarts, sat down on the curb in front of the store and snacked it up. When I was a teenager, skateboarding with my brother, we'd hit a 7-11 and sit out front on their curb, hot and tired, feeling the breeze. Today I did that with my kids. So nice. People looked at us funny.
We hit the Greenway next. They've got a little mountain bike trail off of the northern most section in Alpharetta. We rode that.
Sophie's shoe fell off a couple of times.
She needs better laces.
We did laps and laps. Every lap they did a little better. They figured out all kinds of good stuff.
But it wasn't all sunshine. Me and Iz talk about natural consequences sometimes. She doesn't always do the right things. She's a kid, after all. I tell her all the time, getting in trouble with me or Kathryn is the least of the trouble she can actually get into. Most bad behaviors have natural consequences that are much worse. She got a good taste of some of that today. We have this "Rule Zero" of being in the woods: Stay together as a group. There are so many reasons why. Yeah, one day they'll learn to be safe and confident in the woods by themselves, but for now, that's the rule. I told her like 5 times today, "Don't get too far ahead." But she gets tired of waiting on Sophie, wants to show us how fast she is, wants to be independent, and so on, so she kept taking off ahead. So far ahead that I couldn't see or hear her. And then she crashed. Not bad, just sketched and tipped over, but then she couldn't get the bike off of her, couldn't get started again, tipped over again, banged the back of her calves with the pedals, and more of that, over and over. She called for me, but I couldn't hear her, and all she could do was wait for us. Less than a minute, but to her it was forever and she got really, really scared. Natural consequences. Don't get too far ahead.
Other than that, everything went well. One more lap and she was fine again.
Back at the trailhead we found Muscadines growing all over the place.
Sophie wasn't too sure at first, but after seeing me and Iz eat like ten of them, I guess she figured it was safe.
We ate dinner at Taco Mac, dessert at Baskin Robbins, and they both had to take an extra long time in the shower before bed.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Bowers Cove
Bowers Cove. Yeah, I've never heard of it either. Up north of Neels Gap somewhere, kinda by Owltown, which is equally obscure. I drove around up there a few years back while scouting the TNGA route and finally made it back up today.
I've been feeling pretty bad lately. No energy, tired muscles. I figured I just needed rest and a break from the bike. This morning I slept in until I couldn't sleep anymore, which ended up being about 11:30, and no bike today, just feet.
I wasn't riding, but plenty of other folks were, all up in the Gaps. Some struggling. Stay strong guys. I feel your pain.
To get to Bowers Cove, you have to go through a neighborhood. At the time, I couldn't remember which, but then I saw Bowers Road. That might be it.
Last time I was up there, I drove out to the end of FS298, but skipped 395. Today I drove out to the end of it too. It was bumpy and overgrown. I haven't done much 4WD in a while. Fun stuff.
But enough screwing around. Topo's show 3 trails in the area. All three lead up to Duncan Ridge from down in the cove. I would hike them. I parked out at the end of 298 and walked around the campground a bit. Two dudes were panning for gold in the creek. Seriously. Kinda looked like fun actually.
But, again, enough screwing around. I took off up along Roaring Fork. The trail was there, just like the map said. And a pretty good trail too. Old roadbed, not too overgrown, lots of creek crossings. The first one was this cool loggy ford.
I'd heard of those before, but never seen one. It is alleged that Mountaintown used to have lots of them, but over the years, the logs rotted or floated away.
Another ford.
There were like twenty of them.
Near the top, there was a spur leading off to the east. The map showed the main trail going that way, but the trail-most-travelled headed south. I went south. At the top it tee'd into a road. Not like an old roadbed-turned trail, but an actual, I-could-drive-my-truck-on-it-if-it-were-open road. One not on the map though. I figured it would join up with FS108 at Bull Gap if I headed east, so I headed east.
My phone rang. How did I even have service? I just bring it with me to take pictures. Eddie O was out scouting the TNGA and had some questions about the Pinhoti. It was weird that he had service too.
The road led to FS108 just where I thought it would. Apparently 108 just used to keep going, but now it's blocked off big time. Dirt, humps, giant rocks, staggered along the trail.
I backtracked and followed the old road the other way. It was flattish and clean for a while, then it turned hard left up a super steep ridge and got crazy rutted and nasty for a really short little bit, then it was clean again. Somebody didn't think ahead when they built that road. Maybe that's why it was closed. But why all the way back at Bull Gap? Later I'd discover that there's apparently some kind of Bowers Cove/Coosa Creek Ecosystem Project going on. Maybe they're trying to exclude all vehicular traffic from the headwaters of the East Branch of Coosa Creek. Who knows though.
There was an ton of striped maple up there.
Not that rare of a tree, but still, surprisingly abundant up there.
Apparently somebody rides bikes on this trail too.
Millipede.
These things are all over North Georgia. There's like one every 10 feet.
The trail crossed the Duncan Ridge trail and tee'd into Duncan Ridge Road. I took the trail west.
Check out this sign.
It's like the tree's eating it.
The map shows a 4WD road leading down from some unnamed gap to Jones Branch, then up over Jones Gap and back to where I was parked. It also showed a shortcut leading down along East Branch too.
I found the old road, found the shortcut and debated which way to go. It wasn't that late, I wasn't that tired, but it looked like a long trail. Five miles or more. I definitely wanted to check out the shortcut trail. Eventually I convinced myself not to be lazy and go for the long loop.
At first it was fine, then it got a little ferny.
Then it led up a draw and disappeared into nothing. I looked where the map said the trail should be. There was no old roadbed or anything like it. It kind-of, sort-of looked like there was maybe a trail there, but it was indistinct, and I was in no mood to follow anything indistinct, not when there's a clear trail back the other way.
My guess is that there's an old road leading up from the other way that ends near there and people just sidehill till they hit the creek and pick up the other old road. Maybe. I've done that before.
Not today though. I just went back and took the shortcut, which was a great trail. Reminded me of Lovinggood. Almost exactly like it. Maybe a little steeper.
At the bottom, it tee'd into the road I'd driven in on. Not exactly though. Same road, but I parked out at the end by a gate. Past the gate, the road used to keep going, but now it's a grass track, and marked foot traffic only.
From there back to the truck was long, flat and boring. There was this cool thing though.
An orb weaving spider (I think) had caught a butterfly and was chowing right down. Never seen that before. I got all close to take the picture, but the spider was all "dude, I got no time for you, look at this feast right here."
Right near the truck, there was this sign.
Which maybe explained why the roads were all closed. Not much info on the sign though, and I can't find anything on the net about it. A mystery.
So, I'd forgone the bike, thinking I was just burned out on it. But hiking sucked too. No energy, sore muscles. Maybe I've got a cold or allergies or something. Terrible.
I drove back a different way, by Helton Creek Falls, drove around on a bunch of roads over there that I've never been on before and found some more 4WD fun. One of the roads looked like it might lead over to Hogpen, but there was a big rock I couldn't get over without collecting and stacking up a bunch of other rocks, and man, it just wasn't worth it.
I did drive back up over Hogpen and into Helen for dinner. I called Clark, but they'd just finished eating so I was dining solo. Chile Colorado del La Cabana. Muy delicioso.
Tomorrow I'm going to take it easier than today.
I've been feeling pretty bad lately. No energy, tired muscles. I figured I just needed rest and a break from the bike. This morning I slept in until I couldn't sleep anymore, which ended up being about 11:30, and no bike today, just feet.
I wasn't riding, but plenty of other folks were, all up in the Gaps. Some struggling. Stay strong guys. I feel your pain.
To get to Bowers Cove, you have to go through a neighborhood. At the time, I couldn't remember which, but then I saw Bowers Road. That might be it.
Last time I was up there, I drove out to the end of FS298, but skipped 395. Today I drove out to the end of it too. It was bumpy and overgrown. I haven't done much 4WD in a while. Fun stuff.
But enough screwing around. Topo's show 3 trails in the area. All three lead up to Duncan Ridge from down in the cove. I would hike them. I parked out at the end of 298 and walked around the campground a bit. Two dudes were panning for gold in the creek. Seriously. Kinda looked like fun actually.
But, again, enough screwing around. I took off up along Roaring Fork. The trail was there, just like the map said. And a pretty good trail too. Old roadbed, not too overgrown, lots of creek crossings. The first one was this cool loggy ford.
I'd heard of those before, but never seen one. It is alleged that Mountaintown used to have lots of them, but over the years, the logs rotted or floated away.
Another ford.
There were like twenty of them.
Near the top, there was a spur leading off to the east. The map showed the main trail going that way, but the trail-most-travelled headed south. I went south. At the top it tee'd into a road. Not like an old roadbed-turned trail, but an actual, I-could-drive-my-truck-on-it-if-it-were-open road. One not on the map though. I figured it would join up with FS108 at Bull Gap if I headed east, so I headed east.
My phone rang. How did I even have service? I just bring it with me to take pictures. Eddie O was out scouting the TNGA and had some questions about the Pinhoti. It was weird that he had service too.
The road led to FS108 just where I thought it would. Apparently 108 just used to keep going, but now it's blocked off big time. Dirt, humps, giant rocks, staggered along the trail.
I backtracked and followed the old road the other way. It was flattish and clean for a while, then it turned hard left up a super steep ridge and got crazy rutted and nasty for a really short little bit, then it was clean again. Somebody didn't think ahead when they built that road. Maybe that's why it was closed. But why all the way back at Bull Gap? Later I'd discover that there's apparently some kind of Bowers Cove/Coosa Creek Ecosystem Project going on. Maybe they're trying to exclude all vehicular traffic from the headwaters of the East Branch of Coosa Creek. Who knows though.
There was an ton of striped maple up there.
Not that rare of a tree, but still, surprisingly abundant up there.
Apparently somebody rides bikes on this trail too.
Millipede.
These things are all over North Georgia. There's like one every 10 feet.
The trail crossed the Duncan Ridge trail and tee'd into Duncan Ridge Road. I took the trail west.
Check out this sign.
It's like the tree's eating it.
The map shows a 4WD road leading down from some unnamed gap to Jones Branch, then up over Jones Gap and back to where I was parked. It also showed a shortcut leading down along East Branch too.
I found the old road, found the shortcut and debated which way to go. It wasn't that late, I wasn't that tired, but it looked like a long trail. Five miles or more. I definitely wanted to check out the shortcut trail. Eventually I convinced myself not to be lazy and go for the long loop.
At first it was fine, then it got a little ferny.
Then it led up a draw and disappeared into nothing. I looked where the map said the trail should be. There was no old roadbed or anything like it. It kind-of, sort-of looked like there was maybe a trail there, but it was indistinct, and I was in no mood to follow anything indistinct, not when there's a clear trail back the other way.
My guess is that there's an old road leading up from the other way that ends near there and people just sidehill till they hit the creek and pick up the other old road. Maybe. I've done that before.
Not today though. I just went back and took the shortcut, which was a great trail. Reminded me of Lovinggood. Almost exactly like it. Maybe a little steeper.
At the bottom, it tee'd into the road I'd driven in on. Not exactly though. Same road, but I parked out at the end by a gate. Past the gate, the road used to keep going, but now it's a grass track, and marked foot traffic only.
From there back to the truck was long, flat and boring. There was this cool thing though.
An orb weaving spider (I think) had caught a butterfly and was chowing right down. Never seen that before. I got all close to take the picture, but the spider was all "dude, I got no time for you, look at this feast right here."
Right near the truck, there was this sign.
Which maybe explained why the roads were all closed. Not much info on the sign though, and I can't find anything on the net about it. A mystery.
So, I'd forgone the bike, thinking I was just burned out on it. But hiking sucked too. No energy, sore muscles. Maybe I've got a cold or allergies or something. Terrible.
I drove back a different way, by Helton Creek Falls, drove around on a bunch of roads over there that I've never been on before and found some more 4WD fun. One of the roads looked like it might lead over to Hogpen, but there was a big rock I couldn't get over without collecting and stacking up a bunch of other rocks, and man, it just wasn't worth it.
I did drive back up over Hogpen and into Helen for dinner. I called Clark, but they'd just finished eating so I was dining solo. Chile Colorado del La Cabana. Muy delicioso.
Tomorrow I'm going to take it easier than today.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Weekly Beatdown
I missed the B group rollout today, took it as a sign and jumped on with the A group. I almost missed them too. I ran off into the woods on top of Sawnee to pee and, of course, that's when they decided to roll by. If I hadn't carried my bike on my shoulder into the woods with me, I'd have missed them. What luck. Apparently I'm now strong enough to sit on with those guys. And by sit on, I mean SIT ON, like donkey kong. I took zero pulls but I did bridge several times. Playing it safe today. It was a cool ride though, they added an extra loop onto the route and skipped a hill that I hate. Woohoo!
I got to hang out a bit with some mountain biking friends too including Rob and Michele Z. I also met David Sagat who works at the shop. Very cool guy. He told me his name, but I didn't put it together at first. Later I saw it written on his water bottle and it all came back. He was a Junior Expert ripping legs off the field back when GSC was GAP, before the NORBA affilliation, back when NORBA even existed on it's own. I was a mid pack sport rider back then. I can't imagine how he remembered my name. Maybe Bruce Dickman had something to do with it. "Here comes David Muuuuuuuuuuse!" Those were the days.
I got to hang out a bit with some mountain biking friends too including Rob and Michele Z. I also met David Sagat who works at the shop. Very cool guy. He told me his name, but I didn't put it together at first. Later I saw it written on his water bottle and it all came back. He was a Junior Expert ripping legs off the field back when GSC was GAP, before the NORBA affilliation, back when NORBA even existed on it's own. I was a mid pack sport rider back then. I can't imagine how he remembered my name. Maybe Bruce Dickman had something to do with it. "Here comes David Muuuuuuuuuuse!" Those were the days.
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