Trace Ridge plus with DjD
The ride started with a fast paced climb all the way to Spencer. It was hot (well, Asheville hot) in the mid 80’s with what felt like 100% humidity. The climb up Spencer was hard as hell and I didn’t even attempt the steep up through the field. DjD was feeling the effects of the heat and humidity, too. He declared today as his hottest ride yet (remember folks, he’s only been at this for a year….) We made great time to Trace and didn’t take a break until the top of the hill on Trace.
Next was the reason we were there, the Trace downhill. The rain has taken a major toll on the tread though and the normal high-speed-with-little-attention-needed downhill has been replaced with a rutted out mess. After the little up the trail was in better shape and high speeds were attained. We popped out in the parking lot and lower Trace followed. That section is also in baaaaad shape from the rains. A few wheelie drops, 45* off cambers, and a bunch of plop! oooomph! ting! shhhwtt! and Oh No!’s later… I was waiting for DjD…. it was taking too long…. and yes, he came walking down after taking quite the header.
This dude amazes me though. I said, hey, next time we should take this trail that way and goo over…. and before I was done he said ‘Let’s do it!’. So off we went on an exploration. I knew where it went but I hadn’t beem back there in years so I, you know, didn’t know EXACTLY where the turns were… and at one point I had to *gasp* break out the map! Anyway, after three or four river crossings I found our Left and we climbed the old road bed up to the gravel. It was beautiful back there.
The rain started as we descended to 1206 and as we turned and heaed back to the cars we both noted that that gravel road would be a b!tch to climb….
Great ride Dennis. Thanks for getting me out there.
