a high point

There are only a few miles of trail on the 780 map that I haven't seen yet. So Saturday I dusted off the road bike for the first time in months and headed for a pesky little trail that I have been eyeballing for awhile: Richland Balsam. At 6410' this is the highest point in the Pisgah District. It isn't clear just where the district ends so the trail might not even technically be a Pisgah trail but I wanted to go up there anyway just to have a look around.

I parked at the Hub and took hwy 276 to the Parkway and headed 20 miles south for what ended up being a 35 mile climb culminating with a mile long hike a bike to the top. I could have just stashed my bike near the bottom but it was rather fun pushing it up there.



Downhill from here:



There weren't many convenience stores along the way where I could buy a Snickers bar and a couple of tall boys so I had to stop at a little stream I knew of on the MTS just off of the Rough Butt Bald overlook. You know it is a good road ride when you have to dip a bottle in a stream!



Sunday I went back out to the Trace Ridge area to do something I've been meaning to for awhile but when I got there I just didn't feel like it so I just did a fun little afternoon loop:

5000 > 142 > Never Ending Rd. > Fletcher Creek > Spencer Branch > 142 > Trace Ridge > Fisherman's

It had been awhile since I'd spun all the way out the Never Ending Rd. which was fun as was the bottom section of Spencer Branch. Have you ridden it recently?