Epic Post! Three rides!

I've been on my bike a few times lately but just have not had the time to sit down and write about them. Since The Babe is taking a nap and the house is quiet I'll try to knock this out.

 Yesterday was one of those days that was just about perfect. Erinna and I both got out on the bikes (I say almost perfect because we did not ride together) and Zoe and Sophiedog both got into the woods, too. We all drove up to Buck Springs and Erinna was on her bike by 10:30am for the second half of the Pisgah Monster Cross Challenge course.

Zoe, Sophiedog and I then hiked out and back on the M2C trail.

When Zoe was done walking we went down to the bottom of the mountain to play in the creek and to visit Looking Glass Falls.

We went to White Pines to play in the creek but the water was a bit too cold so we decided to head on over to The Hub, where we were to meet up with Erinna again. Along the way the sky opened up and I started to worry about Erinna. We drove to 475/475b and within three minutes Erinna arrived, soaked, but ready to continue. Zoe, Sophie and I then drove back to The Hub where we waited for Erinna and I had a beer (or two) and I readied myself for my ride: From The Hub back to West Asheville via gravel roads.

The rain was still coming down when I left. My ride plan was not concrete but I turned onto 477 and just couldn't bear riding it all the way to 276 again so the bars turned at Clawhammer and I was on my way to Buckhorn Gap.

THAT was a long, slow, tortuous climb, to state it mildly. I then took Buckhorn Gap trail to South Mills River trail, heading to Gauging Station Rd. I was finally getting into the groove and railing through the singletrack when I felt a hard hit. I was stopped and checking my rear tire before it was even all the way flat. I took my time (and had a bit of a freak out when I couldn't immediately find my pump) then continued with a bit more caution until I was off the singletrack.

I was feeling a bit of a bonk coming on when I got to Gauging Station but ignored it until the intersection with 1206. I should have eaten earlier though, the damage was done. I even had a 'where am I?' moment along the way to 1206. That was disconcerting. I gobbled down two packs of blocks to give you an idea of how hungry I was.
1206 was slow going. I had to conserve until the calories were absorbed. I stopped often to take photos and to hang my head low but got going super fast during the descents. I was literally thinking about the Monster and the warnings I had to give the racers about traffic when I had a very scary WAKE THE FUCK UP moment. Absolutely hauling ass through an outside turn and a SUV was suddenly right. there. Full brakes applied I went into a classic Nac Nac skid and avoided becoming a hood ornament by about 18". Holy hell. 
I decided it was time to take a few photos of the pretty flowers.

and collect myself. The climb up to Yellow Gap went by very slowly but I got there eventually. Only one more mountain to climb. The descent to North Mills was thrilling. I hung it out as far as I could and had zero traffic interactions. Down near the Big Creek Lodge I was in the big/little and flying. The GPS says I got going 36 mph along the way. Not bad for skinny tires on a gravel road.

I refilled my camelbak there and talked with a couple that had just spent the day swimming in the river then slogged my sorry ass up the mountain to Bent Creek Gap. I was in a daze at this point. I rode right past the Trace parking lot road without realizing it. I was at the first gate in a flash. Trace moments later. The third gate took forever to get to but I knew I was home free at that point. I know the false top so it didn't fool me and was at the bridge after a time/space continuum wrinkle.

I was starting to bonk again. I received Erinna's text asking where I was, responded, ate the rest of the food I had with me, took a couple deep breaths and hammered into the Bent Creek Gap road descent. I was hanging it all out, taking risks, cutting corners, and THUMP.... another rear flat.

450 strokes of the little road pump later I was on the road again. I descended into Bent Creek and took Campground Connector past the road to Hardtimes and forward to the Arboretum. PleaseletthegatebeopenPleaseletthegatebeopenPleaseletthegatebeopen Please. Let. The. Gate. Be. Open.

It was open. I cruised through the Arboretum to 191, stopped at the Hot Spot for snacks, then continued to the greenway back to West Asheville.

and was home minutes later. Erinna and I were in the Jeep heading to the local Cheap Mex restaurant minutes after that. Excellent.

Why were my legs so tired and I was so close to full-tilt bonk? It may have had something to do with the two hours of riding I did the night before. I got out just before 9pm for a little urban gravel. My mind was into it but my body was suffering for the warm-up so I stopped a number of times from Westville to downtown.

I stopped to watch this crew do their thing (Classic Motown meets HipHop) when RND showed up and laid heavy news on me.

He was willing to tag along on my ride for a little bit but cut out once the hill started to go upward.

My route for the night? From Westville->Dowtown->Old Toll->Patton Mountain->Town Mountain->Webb Cove->Beaverdam->WT Weaver->Riverside->back to Westville.

The highlight of that ride was trying to beat my KOM Strava time for the one segment that I have created: From the top of the Town Mountain climb, down to the parking lot at Webb, down Webb, and all the way to Beaverdam. This time around I had no cars in my way, I maintained momentum through the turns, and peddled through the burn all the way to Beaverdam. Unfortunately the GPS was malfunctioning so all I have is the memory of that descent, no hard data. I didn't know that at the time so with a big smile knowing I had a new record I peddled out to Merrimon then back to Westville. I stopped along the way to take a few photos of the murals that are popping up all around town and made it back home in just over 2 hours with all my stops. Not bad.

The third ride of this post was a week prior to the last ride. Erinna and I took Zoe downtown and walked through the Goombay Festival then The Babe started to melt down. I had been battling a cold for the better part of the proceeding week and was ready to go home, too. It was a beautiful day, thunderstorms looming but not letting go, highs in the low 80's, and 200% humidity. After about an hour at home I decided it was too nice of a day to stay be off the bike, despite having just broke a fever the night before, and told Erinna my plan: Duck around downtown to avert the masses, up Macon->Old Toll->Sunset->Patton. I didn't make plans beyond that because I didn't know how I was going to feel.

Well, at the top of Patton I was wrecked. My illness was not gone. My lungs were burning and my head was not necessarily pounding but more like... I heard WHOOOSH WHOOOSH WHOOOSH with every heartbeat. It was time to head back home. I descended Town Mountain back into downtown. Past the city building and into Pack Square. I sat in the sun for a minute to collect my thoughts, particularly what the hell was I doing on the bike? and immediately realized the gotopless rally was still going on. Well, whattayaknow. If the ride isn't great the views always are. Asheville!

To the towers!

Last night I made the spur of the moment decision to knock out a quick ride. The route? To the towers and back.

Squirrel->Cantrell with The Pony, RND, and Dog Bleu.

Now listen. I'm going to do this stupid thing... then you repeat after me. Ready? Watch this.

Yesterday morning I posted on FB 'Who wants to join me for half or all of the Pisgah Monster Cross course starting at 9AM?' and I got a few replies, all of them of the 'I wish I could' ilk. I then dropped Z-Love off at childcare and hauled out to the forest. I was on the bike at 8:45 at the PMBAR start/finish and I wasn't completely convinced that I was up for the Monster.

Clawhammer ->South Mills ->1206? 477->475b->475->5003->who knows? There were choices to be made and I had time to make them. I decided on 477 to start. I was spacing out and getting warmed up when I ran into Art O. and we talked about sponsorship stuff. Wake up Eric, what's the plan? When I got to 276 I decided to do the second half of the course so I stopped at the pink beds for a water refill, a gel, a much needed breather, and to chug the one beer I had brought along. No need in carrying that all the way to the parkway, I thought. I had more than enough calories along for the ride, it was best to leave the weight down below. Next was 276 to the parkway.

I had a spirited ride to the parkway, to say it mildly. I passed Uber-Fred from the planet Tri-dork who was just finishing a flat change along the way and thought it would be a good idea to not let him catch me. I was on the parkway and headed towards Graveyard Fields in no time at all. Oh, it was an absolutely marvelous day to be on the bike. Temps in the high 60's- low 70's, high humidity, and cloudy skies. 

The climb up the parkway was casual yet deliberate. Except to stop and take a few photos along the way I kept a good pace and by the time I could see the road to Balsam in the distance I was ready to climb it.

Sometime before the climb I had checked my camelbak heft and realized I was getting low on water. Was there a faucet at the Balsam parking lot? I couldn't remember. I knew there was a creek on Flat Laurel though and it runs at just below 6000' elevation. I'd refill there if necessary. At the crest before the descent to the parking lot (my highest elevation of the day) these guys were having a quick bite to eat before continuing trail maintenance. 'Gentlemen, do any of you have some extra water?'

They kindly refilled my water supply and the guy in the grey shirt was amazed at my route choice (I had figured out a plan at this point) and warned of the imminent rain. The guy with the glasses and I locked eyes and shook heads 'Nope. Not going to happen.'

Flat Laurel Creek was next and I was feeling hungry from the start. Good thing I had that almond butter/nutella/raspberry jam sammy in the pack. The plan was to stop and eat at 215.

Then I ran into these guys. I could hardly contain my laughter and enthusiasm. Only in Pisgah I thought. A hippy, a pig on a leash, and a three legged pit-bull out for a walk. Thanks Mike, for letting me take y'alls picture!

Then I pushed the All-Road bike to the limit, hauling ass on Flat Laurel. I thought about what I had told Walt I was going to do with this bike when we were in the discussion stages of the custom build. I don't believe I let him in on that one detail... that the bike would most probably see singletrack pretty often.

When I reached 215 I was ready to eat. I stopped and pulled off my pack and.... holy fuck.... it was wide open.... and the rest of my food was long gone. I dumped everything out on the side of 215 and thank the lord there were a few calories festering in the bottom of my pack. When had I opened this piece of beef jerky? It must have been weeks ago. Oh well.... I was ready to drink creek water a couple of miles ago... the jerkey wasn't sooooooo green looking so..... down the hatch and down 215! It was too late though. Knowing that was the last bit of food along and just being plain ole hungry was starting to get the best of me. It was just about all I could think of. The next place to refuel was the Fish Hatchery... I still managed to get up to 47mph heading down 215 even though I was soft peddling. 

Then I made a mistake. The piece of jerky had comforted my needs for the minute and I decided to take 140-140A-5003. Did I mention that was a mistake? I could hardly keep it together. I was in full-tilt bonk except I was not cramping. Hungry. Thirsty and trying to conserve. Seeing stars. not thinking clearly. and I was here: on a 'road' bike.

I figured it was still a good idea to take 140->140A->5003 (it wasn't) and I walked almost every bit of climbing along the way. I stopped and tore through my camelbak again. I licked the two emergen-c wrappers in my camelbak clean. Then I descended to Gloucester Gap. It was hardly fun even though I was again on overgrown, briary, nettely, singletrack. I've never been so happy to see Gloucester Gap. I was holding my bars far too tight for the descent to the Fish Hatchery and my hands had gone numb by the time I got there. I had no cash so the soda machines were inaccessible and the store was closed for inventory so I couldn't barter away my bike for a snickers bar either. I was out of there in moments and that rain the guy in the grey shirt was talking about? It hit HARD. I thought about putting my camera in a safer place but then forgot about it. Head down and peddling hard I was back at the Jeep about 10 minutes later. Then 4 minutes after that I was at taco bell.

We gotta get on the road, destiny unbound...

 Yesterday afternoon I got home from work and my mother-in-law texted offering to pick up Zoe from day care and to take care of her for a couple of hours. Perfect! I thought. I'll get a quick road ride in. My ultimate route for the day was one that I had not done exactly that way before: From West Asheville->Charlotte->Macon->Old Toll->Sunset->Patton Mtn->Town Mtn.->Webb Cove->Wolf Branch->Bartrams Walk(!)->Town Mtn.->Patton Mtn->Sunset->Old Toll->Town Mtn.->Downtown->back to West Asheville.

 I stopped on my way to Charlotte street a couple of times and with the heavy traffic and hitting every red light I didn't start the climb until 20 minutes into the ride.

 There was not only vehicle traffic but numerous riders out on that beautiful Summer day. Temps were in the high 70's-low 80's and humidity was reasonable. Winds were gusting pretty good and the threats of storms were gone as soon as I was on the mountain.

 The warm-up wasn't bad and it felt like I was at the top of Patton Mountain Rd. before I should be. I really started to feel great on Town Mountain and wondered if there was a Strava-ego-jerk segment for the Town Mountain->Webb Cove descent. (There is now)

 I had a blast going down Webb and hung it out almost too far a couple of times. I passed a car that had passed me on Town Mountain along the way. At the bottom I tried to hammer as hard as I could and realized I was A. making GREAT time and B. was not ready to go home. So, I decided to go back to Town Mountain via Bartram's Walk.

 That climb is insanely steep. There is no way houses would have stayed on that hill as originally planned. I got to the top in 18 minutes then took Town to Patton Mountain again, this time down. Two gravel descents and one climb from the house? Yeah, I'll take that. Patton to Sunset to Old Toll followed and then something happened, it felt like my legs had really woken up and they would do whatever I asked of them.

 

Too bad I had to start making my way home... To finish the ride I went back up Old Toll to Town Mountain again then down into town then back to West Asheville. When I got back and called Mona she was still out with the babe so I was able to rush off to the store and buy a couple things then get started on making dinner for the family. Taco night! Thanks for the help Mona!