Eric's Ride Log

Sarah Camye, and I went on a fast torture-fest yesterday. Well, at least it was torture for me. I don't have all the road numbers right now but... We started at Glouscester Gap and climbed to Farlow Gap. Sarah was on FIRE and took off like a bat out of hell. Camye and I held back and had a nice steady climb together. That road is tough. At the bottom I mentioned that it's the only gravel road around that I worry about being able to keep it in middle ring to climb. I gave it a valient effort but dropped into granny after only a mile or so. We got to the gate at the top of the road (not the top of the climb) and Sarah and Camye did some yoga to prepare to kick my ass:

The climb continues past the gate and goes on for about another mile on old logging road cut. After the first very rocky descent we were at Farlow Gap. We took the left (straight?) option and headed around to what we call 'the backside of Farlow'. That old road is rocky rocky rocky and super fast if you're on. We stopped at the one option, to head down to Courthouse Falls and Summy Cove trail or to stay on the backside, and decided to go for the extended route. We took a right and bombed down the stinging nettle road. That was a ton of fun. I knew there were no black holes of doom or anything like that around the corners so I put it into big ring and really let loose. The trail crosses a creek:

but otherwise is just a super fast eroded double track that's overgrown into singletrack.
That road really goes on and on for quite a while and finally drops into Courthouse Falls Road. We had to pull out the map
once on the way down because of an unmarked road that merges in about 2/3 of the way down. A left then a quick right laterand we were at Summey Cove. A few yards into summey is the trail down to courthouse falls. We stopped there a took in the beauty
of it all.

I'll have to go there agin on the hottest day of the year. What a perfect place for a swim.

Anyway, next was about a mile of gently rolling Summey. Cross a little log bridge though, and the steepest climb of the day
laid ahead. Waterbar after waterbar up up up. It's like the top of Black Mountain Trail or some of the steepest sections of Turkey Pen.
As we approached the top a thunderstorm was coming in. I started to pick up my hiking pace, even though it really made me suffer, because
I wanted to get over the ridge before the storm got to us. There waas a LOT of lightning. I'm usually not phased by lightning
but as I saw the ridge up ahead I knew I wanted to be on the other side when the storm arrived. We did make it. The backside of the ridge
is just as steep as the other side so riding down involved many moves that felt a lot like sking. I ruddered a few times, too.
(one foot dragging behind, toes pointed into the ground, acting like a 'rudder'). As all steep descents go, it was over in no time.
Here's Camye at the bottom:

Next was a section of 215, Left onto Courthouse Falls Road again, Right onto unmarked road number something, and the next big
climb. That's where the storm caught us and my weekend warrior riding caught me. I slowed way down on that climb. My legs felt
fine but my stomach didn't. The rain felt really nice and I just kept moving forward. I even got off and walked once! Yikes!
The rain was really coming down and the thunder and lightning was right on top of us all the way to the top of that climb.
We stopped for a moment at the top and I took the lead for the final descent. Well,It's never 'all downhill from here' in
Pisgah, but I was able to use momentum to get up the rollers. The combonation of the rain and the true final killer downhill got
my spirits up and I big ringed all the way. Here I am at the end with a psycho smile

Back to the Jeep in 3 hours flat. 16 miles, 6400 feet of climbing

oh, one pretty flower photo taken at the ridge on Summey. Yes, even when running from lightning I'll stop and take pictures of pretty things: