never could read no road map

Maps are funny things. I have lots of them. I keep them in a drawer or on a table and then sometimes at night or early in the morning over breakfast I like to get a handful of them and then spread them out around me. I look at them all and try to decide where I want to go next. I do this way too much and it leads to a lot of indecision and day dreaming.

This weekends dreams were kept the more local area with just a moderate trail run on Saturday:
Hendersonville Reservoir Rd. > Fletcher Creek > Spencer Branch > Never Ending Rd. > Fletcher Creek > Hendersonville Reservoir Rd.

I'd thought about going out and back on Big Creek but all my runs recently have been big climbs so I thought I'd mix it up and do flatter, more rolling terrain. Other than that the only notable thing about the run is that it was approaching 70 degrees and I ran it just a pair of shorts and shoes.

The warm weather held on Sunday and I met Yuri at the Pisgah Tavern for a road ride with a twist that took an unexpected turn near the end. We headed up 276 to the Parkway from where we would head south to Black Balsam where we would then proceed to hike the small section of the Art Loeb that goes from FR812 to the parkway. This small section of trail is one of the very few stretches of trail in the PRD I have yet to complete and riding our road bikes up there to knock it off made a whole lot more sense than driving a vehicle all that way. The weather was looking ominous and we both had an educated hunch that  things would be much different at 6000' than they were in the warm confines of the Hub. We carried running shoes and with rain gear as well both needed to carry packs. Yuri said something about bringing lights to which I scoffed and said I would be getting a ride down before I was coming back in the dark on a road bike.

I can't remember the last time I rode my road bike but after a gentle warm up on the bottom section of 276 I felt good and strong when the road kicked up on the climb out of the Pink Beds. After so long off the bike I was amazed at how easy cycling really is when compared to running. Even on the steep pitches I could let up a little and sort of coast for a second to rest whereas if I would have been running letting up would have meant stopping. But we were in no hurry and stopped at Wagon Road Gap and then a few other overlooks on the way up to Black Balsam. By the time we made the turn onto FR816 I felt like we were finally getting somewhere and the last mile of the 25 mile climb was pure gravy with us finally breaking into the ceiling.





The section of the Art Loeb we did is best described as Technical Road Biking. To say the least. I was glad I brought running shoes but even carrying a bicycle down this section of trail was challenging.











It was all Downhill from Here from there but we still stopped to pull into a few overlooks along the way down to 276.




Pulling out of the Looking Glass Rock overlook my rear tire went flat. No big deal so I changed it. We then regrouped at the Cold Mtn. overlook and when I pulled out I flatted my rear tire again. Uh, oh. I knew it wasn't good. Using Yuri's spare tube we carefully changed it again. Yuri methodically checked the tire and rim for potential causes while I thought about trying to patch a tube. We got it changed and discussed the plan. Yuri would have to ride ahead as he didn't have a spare tube but how long would he wait for me before assuming I flatted again and a rescue was in order. It is 15 miles down from there so I told him to give me 45 minutes and then come and get me. But before we even parted company we both heard a long hiss as my ride went flat. We went back up to the gap and while I looked pathetic Yuri used his stunning good looks and left thumb to arrange a ride down for me.



The first car had a spare seat and roof rack and just like that I was getting my first ride out of the woods, on a road bike no less, and thirty minutes later I was back at the Hub where it all always begins.