Steaming Pee Ride I

After yesterday's good but mentally lackluster ride at Boyce I headed to the mountain today. Temps were only in the high forties here this morning, so the temps atop the mountain would be al lot cooler. And they were. I think this was the first Steaming Pee Ride of the season.

I parked at the bottom of Camp Run, rode up a bit and took Dead Guy to Mountain Streams and then took the Auckerman dirt road up to the top of the mountain. Going up was fine, but the Tunnel Road down hill to 31 froze the fingers fast. Like a moe-ran I left my cool weather gloves at home so the digits were freezing and hurting on most of the down hills.

Shot down and rode the pavement through Hidden Valley up to Lookout. Just as I was entering Lookout a group of horse people came trotting out. Super nice and apologized for the poop that I was about to have to ride through. I think this is the first time one of the horse folks apologized for the poop. I just said "no worries, I'm used to it."

I took the right hand option of the loop and went down to Fire Tower. I love that rooty down hill. Much fun. Wish it was longer. Headed down FT to Cherry and then looped back to Hit the rest of Lookout and then over to Camp Run and down to the car. All in all a short ride on the mountain at just 22.5 miles, but there was a good bit of climbing involved so it still took a good 2.5+ hours, and I didn't have all the time in the world since it was a "work day ride."

For some reason I envisioned the run down CRR to be easy, but it's really not. The forest road is washed out in parts, covered my leaves now, and has a good deal of embedded rock in it. Add in I really couldn't feel my fingers to brake well, and it was sort of a pain in the ass. Still much fat going DOWN than UP so I'll take that shit.

I was just glad to escape to the wood for nearly 3 hours, and even happier that the drizzle held off until I got home. For all I know that drizzle would have been sleet up there. Either way it would have been Witch Tit Cold, and I am in need of some new rain gear and cold weather gloves as I've lamented about earlier this month when I was soaked and frozen.

Sorry the pics were of the forest road sections. Sort of lame, but hands were cold and with the trails covered in wet leaves, rocks were hidden, traction was at a minimum and I was having too much fun to worry about snapping a pic.

The week is now 3 days in and I have to say NO ONE has done less (other than ride). I've done some web site putzing, sending some e mails to get some stuff for the next XXC, but that's about it. I can't imagine that anyone has done less than me. Trying to get hold of some Iron Cross pics, some Moab Pics (solo type people), and also looking for a creative types that might be racing or covering the Pisgah Mountain Stage race this week. Maybe I should go work on that eh?

Time to fire up some bung warming Mexican food.

Later.