life is a pantomime

I haven't been blogging not because I haven't been doing anything but because I don't know what to say anymore. It was easy when I first started this blog: go out in the woods, do something, report back. But how many times can you say you pushed your bike across Black Mtn. or wrestled the dog through some rhododendron before even you get tired of saying it? Anyway, Yuri said he hoped Saturday's Pisgah jaunt would make the blog so this one is for you, Yuri.

But first I'll mention briefly a really fun ride I did on Friday 3/6 under a full moon. Three of us left from Cove Creek at 7pm headed for Black Balsam and Flat Laurel Creek. The ride started with a ten mile climb that started as single track, then turned to gravel, then hiking only single track, then the Blue Ridge Parkway and then the final one mile grunt up FR816 to Black Balsam. We watched the sunset on Looking Glass Rock on the way up and then rode the Parkway using only the full moon for light. I was seriously under prepared with not nearly enough clothing for the temperature and not enough rest or food going into the ride and as such Flat Laurel Creek was everything except fun. I was cold, hungry and tired and Summey Cove seemed like an impossibly distant destination so when the others suggested we bail on the big ride and instead head straight for Farlow Gap I was happy to oblige. The mandatory hike and fast drop in elevation quickly warmed me and the ride became fun again!








This last Saturday six of us met at Smoker's Cove at 8am for a PMBAR Training Exercise. I had put a bunch of checkpoints in a hat and we drew five with the first designated at the mandatory. With nothing too distant and two right next to each other it made for a relatively easy day. I took the logical counter-clockwise direction and picked them off in order.










There is not much to report. I felt good and strong all day, saw a bunch of people out in the woods, got to ride some seasonal stuff one last time and had a lot of fun!

After I got Cat Gap I stopped at the Hatchery for the first time of the day and considered my options: Either spin back down 276 to 477 and finish with Maxwell > Black or take Horse Cove Rd. and hike/run down the Art Loeb and Connector to North Slope. After much deliberation I decided to take the non-pmbar route and headed up Horse Cove Rd. I still felt great but for the first time of the day it was clear I was gaining elevation. The Art Loeb still came much sooner than expected and my non-traditional ending was the highlight of the day and the perfect way to see the closing of the seasonal trails!