P36 2010

Walking up Horse Cove on Saturday with sticks poking at every part of my body, hoards of gnats flying in every orifice, I could only think about walking forward and hoping I could get on my bike soon or I might just go whacko. It was approximately 2:30 in the afternoon on Saturday and I had been on the bike for over 14 hours.

Horse Cove was a low point for me on Saturday. I had knocked out stage one well enough but when I got done around 6:30 Saturday morning I had felt awful so I slept for over an hour and then suited up for Stage 2.

My route for Stage 2: Cove Creek campground -> Cove Creek -> 225B -> 475B -> 276 ->477 -> Club Gap -> Avery Creek -> (FS Road from Avery to the top of Clawhammer) -> Clawhammer -> Buckhorn -> S. Mills River -> Squirrel Gap -> Horse Cove -> Cantrell -> S. Mills River -> Turkey Pen Parking Lot (ba ck track all the way to Buckhorn but I continued up S. Mills to Pink Beds) Pink Beds -> 276 -> 475 -> Davidson River -> Cove Creek Campground

When I got to Turkey Pen Parking lot (self portrait picture) I was at my low for the weekend. It was all I could do not to beg for a ride back to Cove Creek. When I got to Pink Beds I lost my mind, pulled out my passport (which was not marked as 276 off limits) and cruised down 276. It probably took just as long but I was tired and done. DQ’d from the off limits 276 that was on the board, oops.

I had a great time while I was out in the woods, the only wildlife I saw was a mouse descending Farlow with me. I was so enthralled to see the little guy negotiate the rocks I almost forgot to look at the trail

Thanks a bunch to Pisgah Productions pushing my limits. Some day. . . . some day. (The last three pictures were from a group ride {with some of the dropouts} on Sunday) Thanks to D. Kuntz for the log ride pics.