So we are back, Brent and I made the 17hr drive down to Seneca SC for 7 days of riding in the sun. Can't say we didn't get good weather as it was between 20-30 degrees every day. We got our jump start on the cycling tan lines early this year. Ha ha.
The drive down went smoothly, we had access to the house we were staying at on Saturday, so we stayed in Grenville SC on the Friday night, great town, even checked out how much apartments are going for, could you imagine 10 months of warm weather riding, it's pretty tempting!
the house we stayed at. there were 15 of us. it was great meeting all the new people that were into riding.
Post ride beverages on the front doorstep.
It was great, most days we had a good group of us that rode.
Day 1
we arrived at the house and headed out for a ride at Issaqueena trails that were about 25km from the house, awesome riding, close to what we have here, all single track with punchy climbs. Felt great to be in shorts and short sleeves. Ran into Damien in the parking lot and he showed us a couple of loops. thanks a bunch!
Day 2
made the drive to Dupont forest for a full day of riding. we had a group of 10. everyone at about the same fittness level. Really cool trails and so many to check out, started off with a river crossing which you had to take off your shoes for. Everything went smoothly, we were told to bring extra socks for grip on the slick rock, Didn't need them on the way across.
We kind of wandered around the trails until we ran into David a local who took us under his wing and showed us around for what ended up being a 4 hour mtb ride.
When i say the river crossing went smoothly, i meant the first time, on the way back Brian was crossing and next thing you know he was down, the water was flowing fast and the rock was slick as ice, not to mention how cold the water was.
Now my turn, started crossing, all is good, even kept my socks on this time, until all of a sudden I'm surfing this slickrock, bike hits the water and starts pulling me down the river, i was just along for the ride but not sure where i was going to stop. We got some good video of it, I will post as soon as i get it from Bob.
you can see how fast the water is around Damien's legs!
Picture of our group at Dupont
Almost lost her!
Bob loving life!
Some cool waterfalls in the background
Post ride Refreshments. Hammer Recoverite in the bottle and Carb replacements in the cans!
Day 3
More mountain biking in Issaqueena with Brent, we woke up had some coffee and rode our bikes to the trails, 25km ride there, some of the other people from the house were out already so we decided to try and get lost and maybe bump into them. Success we hit them about an hour into our ride, The K-Man was fighting the affects of his barley beverages from the night before, it was pretty funny watching him suffer.
Day 4
Decided to do an easy road ride around Seneca and Clemson, we put in 70km with Bob and Trevor and decided to round it out to 100km on our own. It was a great day winding our way around the back roads.
Only one bad turn, totally my fault. Look that road to the right looks awesome!! lets take it, it's got to take us somewhere. Down and down the hill we go into some town (i should say Shanty town) which i'm not sure had a name. The road looped us around and we had to the main road we came in on. No escape, we looked left, there was a dog coming after us, we looked straight, there was a dog we looked right dog, we quickly sized them up and decided the oldest least in shape one was to the right and went that way.
When we came into this shanty town there was no one out, but a couple guys in a front yard, Trying to be nice I nodded and said hello, they looked at me like they had not seen a newcomer in years, thank god I was with a group, otherwise i might have ended up locked up in a basement or in the bottom of a well.
Almost at the top of the hill we descended we got chased by another dog, I wasn't too worried because i had the most jump left in my legs. ha ha suckers.
typical South Carolina Road.
just another teaser.
Bob and the K-Man
KHS chillin on university campus.
Day 5
OH Pisgah
What can I say, Pisgah National park, open up any mtb magazine and there is bound to be an article about riding in Pisgah. We had a good group again and checked in at the Hub bike shop at the entrance to the forest, got a map and directions, not that they helped. rode some fun stuff of the bat, then wanted to check out some of the higher stuff so we climbed an access road for about 45min. (that's the longest mtb climb I have ever done) hit some super fun singletrack and bamm, we're not quite sure where we are. Oh well we have 5.5 hours before it gets dark, Right?
we found ourselves on a hiking trail that also made for great mtb riding, couple creek crossings but still didn't know where we were.
Finally after some navigation and some kind of new tangled device called a gps we found the top of the road we started on. everyone was pretty happy to be back and decided to ride the road to the trucks. But wait, look there is the black mountain trail, I have heard such great things. 10-15min of straight down hill, who wants in.
There were only a couple of us brave souls. Brent, Tanya (who is my new hero)i will tell you why later, Brian, his wife Claudia, and Mike from Tall Tree Cycle in ottawa.
Well so far not too much down hill, the part I blanked on was that there was about an hour hike a bike to get to the top. Oops. You will be happy to know that we didn't have to spend the night but i though we would. that 5.5 hours of daylight over the day dwindled to about 30min left as we started our decent.
Was it worth it? I think so the down hill was burly to start and the turned super fast with some huge berms that were a blast to ride.
some navigation with the map? we had it under control the whole time!
We don't look lost at all right?
Big Trevor ripping the water crossing
Mike from tall tree Cycles
This is where people were starting to feel it a bit
found this place in the middle of the woods, i think i may have heard some banjos as well.
one more crossing, I was the foolish one on the right trying to ride it, ended with wet feet.
On the way up black mtn, the views were worth it for sure
Tanya on her way down black mtn, notice she doesn't have any gears( that's why she is my hero)
and a rigid fork to boot, I love my single speed but on this ride i think i may have hung myself.
Props to you Tanya!!
Mike ripping it
There he is our very own K-man (nice bike can't wait to throw a leg over it)
and a rigid fork to boot, I love my single speed but on this ride i think i may have hung myself.
Props to you Tanya!!
Day 6
Blue ridge parkway
I was looking forward to this all week, even got a little nervous in the morning. Ride went something like this
Parked in a church parking lot to get changed got in trouble because a lady that lived across the street didn't like the look of our buts.
Started riding, or should i say climbing. rode up hill for about 50min to get to the park way, has a snack and kept it going
What goes up must come down, i forgot to mention that the climb was something like 4000 vertical feet.
The way down was like the roads in the Tours fast with huge hairpin turns. woo hooo!!!!
Stopped at the Hub bike shop again and replenished some nutrients and rode the 30km back to the car.
Got changed in the church parking lot hoping I don't get shot by the lady across the street.
top of the parkway
K-man and i riding, if the road looks perfect it's because it is!
our road group infront of the waterfalls
Eleveation
Nice switch back!
time for a little tunnel.
Day 7
Legs were getting pretty cooked so we decided to ride the trails at Issaqueena again, ended up putting in 80km on the mtb. what a way to end off the week, there was only one bummer though. We had to come back!
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