48 mph

30.6 miles, 2646' gain, 2:17 total time, 14.8 mph moving average, 48 mph max!
Town Mountain->BRP->Ox Creek->Reams Creek->Merrimon->WT Weaver->Riverside->Craven->Waynesville

View 2011-09-07 11:48 in a larger map

The shortest ride ever!

Erinna, Sophiedog, and I had to bail on a ride yesterday. We started at Turkey Pen parking lot at 9am and were headed down the singletrack just a few minutes after arriving. We were out for a shakedown ride for Erinna. Her tiny pink WaltWorks bike received a refresh after 6 years of faithful service. A new fork, new wheels, and new drivetrain bits needed to be seated in. On the way down the hill I noticed two things: 1. the trail has been recently worked on and the numerous grade reversals have been sculpted into perfect jumps. 2. my rear tire felt soft. We stopped and I pumped up the tire and asked if everything felt good for Erinna then we continued to the bottom of the hill. I got off to the side to take a few photos as Erinna arrived and must have stepped right on a yellow jacket nest. As soon as I snapped the photo:
I felt the first sting, then the next. I started yelling RUNRUNRUNRUN!!!! and we hauled ass. I dropped my bike at the horse ford and ran across the river. That took care of the rest that were attached to me. We stopped, got the remaining few out of my backpack, took a breather, and were ready to get going again when I noticed something odd: Somewhere along the 1.5 miles I had DOUBLE flatted. crap.
We then realized that If I used the two tubes we had with us we would be spare-tube-less for a ride in Turkey Pen. That and Erinna's spare was actually a road tube. Uugh. The decision was made to just walk back up to the Jeep. The three of us had a pleasant walk back up the hill then cracked open the after ride beers. That was good enough, it had been a stressful week, it was time to chill out, let grandmona take care of Zoe for a few more hours, and have a nice relaxing morning at home. I love my wife!

Lazy and with lead weights for legs.

29.4 miles, 2675' gain, 2:18 total time out, 13.9 moving average, 39.2 max

From West Asheville->Kimberly->Beaverdam->Webb Cove->BRP->Biltmore Forest->Meadow->Amboy->State.
I finally was out and on the bike at 12:15 after what felt like 100 unexpected phone calls and emails that had to be answered. The temps were already near 90* but lucky for me that was the high for the day. Severe thunderstorms were arriving just as I finished and the temps had dropped nearly 10* over the course of the ride.
I stopped often as the hot warm-up was especially tough and mediocre photo opportunities were calling me. I was happy to stop every time. The climb up Webb Cove was very dusty and every vehicle that passed made it especially so. The descent to the Folk Art Center was a welcome breath of fresh air and my legs were finally working correctly.


Once my legs, lungs, and heart were all on the same page I was able to pick up the pace. The rollers to Biltmore Forest were tough but smile inducing. I was on top of the gear and moving quick. I blew through the stop sign right in front of a Biltmore Forest cop and thought for sure I was getting a ticket but I guess it was my lucky day. Once on Meadow I was standing and hammering and made every green light back to State. Up the hill and home took just a minute and I knew I had salvaged the ride.

Jody F arrived at my house promptly at 6PM this evening for a night ride even though that's about as far ahead as we had planned. A route was discussed on the way and at the last possible moment we were headed to Bent Creek Gap. We actually started at Spencer and the warm-up was a bit over my head. I had to ask Jody to stop a couple of times but we were at the gap very quickly. We talked about the route a bit more then started the descent of Spencer Branch. We rode that section of trail as fast as I've ever ridden it before. We were borderline dangerous but made it the NER unscathed, with huge smiles, and whooping and laughing like we had just gotten away with murder (or our lives). Up NER to Middle Fork->Big Creek followed. Swoopy fun. Once we made it to the reservoir the route was again up for discussion and Jody suggested an out and back on Fletcher. I was game, I hadn't seen the new work yet, so we climbed all the way back up to the NER. Jody's lights were signaling their eminent demise so we decided the fastest way back to the Jeep would be, rather than descending Fletcher to the res rd and back up 5000.... You guessed it, we climbed back up Spencer Branch to the gap then descended Spencer Gap to 5000 (above the Jeep). The climb up Spencer went by much more quickly than I had anticipated and was punctuated by some sort of HUGE yellow jacket type thing that was harassing me. Right as it (they?) were getting aggressive I decided to just turn out the lights. It worked, they left me alone, and I continued to granny gear/hike all the way back to the gap. The descent to 5000 was again right on the edge of dangerous and really dangerous and Jody was able to keep a 50' lead all the way down to the road. Great ride Jody, thanks for getting out there.

Enka?!?!? How the F did we end up in ENKA?!?!?

It was all the gnomes fault. I met up with Jody F. and Ben W. this morning for a ride that was not to be. The plan was to park at Bent Creek, grab the gnome, head over to Trace/Middle Fork/Big Creek area then make it home by 12:30 so all three of us could relieve those in charge of childcare duties. Well, we got the gnome then decided to try to navigate Tony Michaels to the Parkway. We followed the past Greenslick, past Betty, past Mo', and beyond following the blue blazes. We made a navigational decision and continued on Blue but soon the blazes were gone and we were nearly bushwacking. We were following the forest boundary, made it to a peak, then had the most hairball descent I've been on in a loooong time. When we reached a T intersection with a doubletrack it was Jody that mentioned, I think we're headed to Candler. I pulled out the phone, checked the GPS and yes, we were. More later.


View 2011-08-27 08:15 in a larger map

I can hear Coach Jamie now....

Pffftttt. A REAL man would have climbed it twice.
or.... 18 minutes? You could have done it in 13 if you didn't stop and take all those pansy-ass photos...
Thanks Jamie. That sucked. Next time I'll do it faster.... and twice.
Oh, it was a beautiful day to be on the bike today. Temps in the low 80's and the threat of storms at any minute. My route for the day: Clingman->Kimberly->Beaverdam->Wolfe Cove->Bartram's Walk->Town Mountain->Webb Cove->Beaverdam->WT Weaver->Riverside->Waynesville. 23.4 mi, 2937' gain, 14mph avg moving, 37 max, 1:39 moving, 1:55 total time out. I got out at 4:30PM after 2/3 of the visitors were on their way home.

Quick light test

I got out this evening for a quick little ride around town. 13.8 mi 1138' climbing 37mph max 13mph avg moving. My real goals were to get just a bit passed warmed-up so tomorrow's ride won't be painful due to lack of work and to test the new lights Jay at Amoeba sent. I didn't really have a plan but my front tire took me down Clingman and over to Kennilworth. I missed my turn a couple times and ended up on Tunnel Rd so I took the automobile way over to Beaucatcher. I was feeling that warmed up feeling I was looking for then and the sun was just about set so I turned the lights on, too. I wound through the neighborhoods and again, with no plan, ended up in Montford and then by the Bywater. Up Waynesville and back home in just over an hour. How did the lights perform? They are bright but too floody for the road. Without my triclops on I could outrun the new mega. Oh well. Let's see what Jay comes up with next.