Pisgah just for fun

 

This trip was originally scheduled as a race weekend. The race was eventually cancelled after being moved once already. The idea to still go and make it more of a couples weekend sounded like a great idea. I have always wanted to get my wife down here to see this beautiful place. It should be a little less hard core rides and a little more relaxing stuff. There is a lot of things I would like to see here, but most of the time is spent turning pedals over for very long days followed by drinking and eating. Not that I'm complaining about that. Sorry, but this will not be like most race recaps and maybe a little more of just a photo show and some highlights.

As the weekend was getting closer old Sally in the gulf was trying to ruin some plans. Thankfully as the weekend got closer, the weather improved. We had some rain on Thursday for the drive down. It messed up the activities planned for that day, but it ended up not really mattering. After the almost 8 hour drive I pulled up to the house and started to unload. It turns out that somehow a spoke decided to break on my back wheel. It was not broke when I loaded. This left me with once again a bike that was not fully functional in a place you need everything to work correctly or you could end up with a very long hike out. 

After unloading everything, I checked to make sure Squatch Bikes and Brews would still be open and able to work on my wheel. Thankfully they said it would be no problem and since they also serve beer, everyone decided to tag along. They saved my weekend twice in the same year. We hung out a little, had a beer or so and did a little shopping before heading back to the house to figure out what was for dinner and maybe drink another beer.

Friday's plan was to do Laurel/Pilot with some Slate loop. The ladies not riding were going to do a hike and Pinkbeds was decided on. With that being where it is, it helped us shuttle up to the Slate parking area to start our ride. I rode all of this loop better than I have done in the last several times trying. I still crashed pretty hard on Pilot right before the big rock stopping spot. This had me a little tentative on all the switchbacks and that was not all bad with how slick the roots and rocks were. Some of us were wearing out and decided to take the shuttle van that was parked there down the hill. The other riders were going to ride down. Everyone met back up at the Hub for a drink and some food. The ladies were already there and then Lexington group showed up. After last call we headed back to the house for more food and beer. 

Saturday's plan was Turkey Pen, Squirrel, Avery Creek and Bennett. The ladies were doing a nice ride at DuPont.  We shuttled out to a very full parking lot for cars, but an empty lot for horse trailers. It seemed like the horse to bike/hike parking area was a little too heavy toward the horses. I actually don't see how any of the horse trailers make it all the way to the parking lot. It is not the best road to travel. 

Right out of the lot is a ripping down hill to the bottom and then we start climbing. I rode way more technical little sections on Squirrel than I ever have. I contribute to having a full suspension bike and more than one gear for allowing me to ride stuff that I never would have made on the SS. After all the climbing and then hanging on for Avery Creek, I was cooked. I made the decision to skip Bennett and just ride on back to the Hub. I was glad that no one gave me any crap or tried to twist my arm because I would have ended up going and would have been even more blown out and maybe even crashed. The only thing I know is I was the first one with a beer in hand. 

We ended up hanging out at the Hub again for a little while. The Lexington group joined us and we were having a lot of fun. I'm not sure if it was last call again or what, but next thing I know I was back on my bike, not in my riding shoes and riding to the house. After slipping off the pedals and almost crashing I decided to settle down a little and just ride with out any wheelies or silly stuff. We ordered more food, drank more beer and had a great rest of the evening. I am so glad that a couple of the Lexington group stopped by. 

The next morning I was moving a little slow. Everyone was up and moving to hit the road or at least the ones who were leaving. I decided to take a little more scenic route back home and went up 276. This road was a nice change from the interstate. We stopped at Looking Glass Falls and we also made roadside stop for a breakfast picnic. Sometime I'll look at heading out the Blue Ridge Parkway, but I thought that would add too much time to the drive. 

It was a very fun weekend away. We did a good job of being socially distant overall and was only close contact with people that I have been with here in Indiana. We ordered take out every night and at at the house. I consider the trip a success since Becky had a great time and wants to go back. We just need to stay a little longer sometime and do all those tourist things I never really get around to doing. The group of people also make the trip fun even with all the verbal abuse. Now I just have to wait until we can do it all again.