Pisgah!!!

What a weekend!! I could not ask for much more. The weather was scheduled to be better then home, but still could have been a little cold and wet. Everything worked out and I could not have asked for much better weather. Things were a little wet on Friday, but not as bad as I thought it was going to be.

The whole weekend is one big blur as usual. I have a hard time remembering what trail we are on, where we are going or where we have been. The only thing that I could remember is we either are climbing or will be just around the bend.

This is what I am told we did on Friday. We started up Pilot Rock for 100 yards or so and hopped on Pilot Cove - Pilot Cove Connector/loop to 1206 - Laurel Mtn trail - Pilot Rock. It was right around a 6 hour tour. Good thing it was not any longer since we were running out of day light. It was starting to get dark way earlier then planned. It probably had to do with all of the overcast, rain and fog. The darkness made the decent down Pilot Rock even more interesting then normal. But, everything worked out with out any major problems.

Saturday was a bigger day in the saddle. The ride ended up right at 8 hours and took the lights along this time because we knew we would need them. The day was up from gauging station on South Mills River to Black mtn. - left to Turkey pen - back on and down South MIlls River to Mullinux to Squirrel gap and then back to South Mills River. That was a hard fun day. He said there is normally issues with runnning out of water in the summer, but the weather was better and no one had any issues and the lights held up. I was getting a little nervous when we were riding in the dark and I kept seeing those Bear sactuary signs. Every little noise I heard I kept thinking I was prime pickins to be some bear food. I was the slower one of the group so I kept falling off the back just waiting to be supper.


Sunday was planned to be a short day so we could head on home. The weather showed it was going to be the coldest day of our trip. I woke up cold and bundled up to handle it. The problem was it really did not get as cold as it sounded and the snow was not in that area. So, I peeled all the layers off that I could fit in my bag and just dealt with what was left.
Sunday we moved from our prime parking area and went up to the ranger's station. From there we went up Claw Hammer road to Pressley Gap - right on Black Mountain trail to the M loop. From there we went down Sycamore cove to finish the ride off. It was close to 5 hours in the woods.

There are so many trails we did not hit I can't even imagine what I would do if I lived there. I have decieded that I am not waiting 4 years to go back. I need to make another trip before the end of the mystery machine's winter tour.

If you have never been there, it is a must for any serious bikers. Pisgah puts the mountain back in mountain biking. It kind of puts all these hills around here in perspective. I just wish it was not 9 hours away.