Eric's Ride Log

Starting at the Fish Hatchery->475B->Cove Creek->red blaze connector->5046->Daniel Ridge-> up! Farlow Gap->140A->5031 (Kissee Creek Rd)->140 (Courthouse Falls Rd)->5003->471 (Cathy's Creek Rd)->471D->Butter Gap->Long Branch back to the Fish Hatchery.

26.2 miles, 7595 feet of climbing.

Mike Brown and I had an excellent ride yesterday. We started at the Fish Hatchery and 475B. The pace was pretty swift from the start and it took a little while for me to get warmed-up and to catch my breath. The turn to 225 came very quickly, much quicker than during the Swank, at least. Our goal for the day was to eventually climb Farlow so we could have taken 225 to the connector to Daniel but we decided against that and descended Cove Creek (Paint Shaker) back towards the Jeep. Down at the group camp we took the connector trail over to 5046. It's not on the map and it doesn't have a sign but it's blazed red so I figure it's an O.k. connector. Anyway, that was longer than I remembered and the first real singletrack ascent of the day. We popped out onto 5046 and took our first break of the day. It was sunny and warming quickly. I was overdressed in medium weight tights and 100wt. fleece. Roll the tights into knickers and push up the sleeves 'cause some serious climbing was next. Up Up Up, past this pretty waterfall:

and holy smokes we were at the intersection with Daniel! Up Up Up Daniel to the second killer singletrack descent of the day. The top of Daniel is pretty tech. Mike and I both were running the Nevegals F&R for the first time so we were really pushing hard throught the techs. Roots? Rocks? Off-Camber? Corderoy? Rockyrootyoffcambercorderoy? Yes, the Nevegal ate it all alive. We made our way to the bottom of Farlow and missed the connector to 225. We just wanted to scope it and figure-out if it's blazed, signed, legal?... I'll have to give my Forest Service guy a call. Anyway, up Farlow was next. No-one has ever suggested going up Farlow for any good reason to me ever. So why were we there? Dicky has planted some evil seeds in my mind.... that's all. Farlow is about 4 miles long and is a freeriders dream trail (going down). The first two miles were filled with *killer* singletrack climbing, switchbacks galore, huge obsticles, and spectacular creek and waterfall crossings.

Here's one of the waterfalls:

Landslide!!!

After about two miles of rolling singletrack we hit what we were calling 'The Wall'. Not a metaphysiological barrier, we're talkin about a MOUNTAIN. We hike-a-biked for a solid hour? after the last creek crossing. 

Mike B hike-a-bike up Farlow:

but, as it goes when you just let time pass and you continue to move through space, Time and Space pass... and we made it to Farlow: 

We had a few choices there and had planned on finalizing the route at that point based on how we were feeling and what time it was. We were feeling great and it was still early enough so we headed down 140A and took the right onto Kissee Creek Rd. Kissee was another place that the Nevegal just showed itself to be an awesome tire. I'm so happy to finally have some real knobs! We s e r i o u s l y hauled ass down Kissee to Courthouse Falls Rd. Down down down the gravel to the left at the mounds and up up up 5003. Mike was starting to show some signs of fatigue and I took the cue to slow it down a little, too. I've been back in that neck-o-the-woods a bit lately so I knew the landmarks and they rather quickly clicked on by. It took very little time to get to the 140A intersection but the next hill got me, my fatigue point was only 10 minutes behind Mike's. We passed an elderly hiking couple right as we passed over the top of the last climb. The man said something to the effect of 'It's all down hill from here'. Well Yes Sir! We got a little mojo back and started really turning the pedals and just like that, we were at Glouscester Gap.

Butter was our final trail of the day. We ascended Cathy's Creek, dropped down the backside, wondered if we had passed the turn, found the turn, and took a break. Next was the climb up the old gravel road to Butter Gap. We had sat for just long enough for a chill to come over us at the break but the climb to Butter was just hard enough that I was nice and warm at the top. Here's Mike at the top of 471D:

The final descent of the day was before us. Butter is sooooooo much fun. Tech moves, smooth and fast sections, tech moves, creek crossings, and tech moves. The bottom is super fast and has a cool perpetual S turn feel. The final final bit of trail was Long Branch back to the Jeep. Long Branch is classic Pisgah. Steep rooty slopes, fast flast running next to a river, rocks, roots, mud, slime, climbing, descending.... everything you could ask for in a two mile stretch! We passed a guy on a vintage Ibis right at the end. Nearly 6 hours in the woods and we saw 3 people all day. That's pretty cool.

Great ride. Maybe I'll call this one the West Side Nasty.