Yesterday I jumped on the 15 DOLLAR late morning train to the Pisgah with
Dicky to meet
Eric, Mike Brown, Sophie Dog and Eli. We started from the fish hatchery in S. Mills going upwards through the bright light white covered ground under a stunningly spectacular Carolina Azure Sky above the clearly frozen etched Blue Ridge. What normally would have taken prolly around 30 minutes took just over two hours because the surface did not make pedaling easy, for that matter in most spots it was impossible. Snow is magic. While slogging up Daniel I told Mike about
Sir Douglas Mawson and Lennard Bickel's narrative describing Mawson's survival during an Antarctic Expedition in 1911 that went horribly wrong in the unforgettable book:
Mawson's Will. After a few hours playing around in this section of the woods we followed Eric to West Asheville and a new set of local trails in the woods near the French Broad River that Mike Brown built called Richmond Hill where there was going to be way less riding obstructive snow. There we rode some more in the chilly forest above he swollen French Broad. At one point twice I saw the Women's Prison across the river, an eerie institutional facility adobe yellow for sure. It gave me the creeps and I was across the river. After another couple of hours messing around there we headed out to the lot then Rich and I started the 2 hour drive back home. It was a good day out of town no matter how much distance was covered. Thanks Eric and Mike B. for showing us around a bit, as always a good time and a feeling of something rather than nothing accomplished in physical body mountain transfer.
Cock Pit view driving into S. Mills.
"Yeah Eric, it's me Rich...are you sure there is no snow in the Pisgah? Really? We will be riding a lot, right?? Okay Eric, I'll trust you, this ride is very important and I want to ride as much as possible, okay??!!"
Eric made this picture of me barely descending the snow covered gravel road below Daniel.
Mike Brown and Rich pushing up the normally easy Davidson River Trail.
Check out Sophie Dog, the bravest dog that I have ever ridden with.
Should we cross the frozen waters of the creek?
While we regrouped near Cove Creek I had the time to make life. A short snow man that after we left came to life and was found rolling around on the ground laughing hysterically at the 5 guys that were trying to get to a mountain ride in. This snow man was arrested by the ranger for laughing so uncontrollably and was sent to the Women's Prison in West Asheville where he was seen being catered to by a bunch of women who had not seen a man in a very long while, let alone a snow man.
Pushing up the connector.
Swollen falls...
A closer look at the top left tier.
Eli all smiles.
Sophie and Eric...
Eric and Eli fighting against the friction surface, Sophie not so much.
Dicky and Mike Brown.
Check out the frozen white Blue Ridge Above.
Eli leading us back to the car on the one section of dry pavement in the entire forest.
Richmond Hill switch back up.
The story of the day.
Great work Eric!
"Yeah Eric, it's me Rich...are you sure there is no snow in the Pisgah? Really? We will be riding a lot, right?? Okay Eric, I'll trust you, this ride is very important and I want to ride as much as possible, okay??!!"
Eric made this picture of me barely descending the snow covered gravel road below Daniel.
Mike Brown and Rich pushing up the normally easy Davidson River Trail.
Check out Sophie Dog, the bravest dog that I have ever ridden with.
Should we cross the frozen waters of the creek?
While we regrouped near Cove Creek I had the time to make life. A short snow man that after we left came to life and was found rolling around on the ground laughing hysterically at the 5 guys that were trying to get to a mountain ride in. This snow man was arrested by the ranger for laughing so uncontrollably and was sent to the Women's Prison in West Asheville where he was seen being catered to by a bunch of women who had not seen a man in a very long while, let alone a snow man.
Pushing up the connector.
Swollen falls...
A closer look at the top left tier.
Eli all smiles.
Sophie and Eric...
Eric and Eli fighting against the friction surface, Sophie not so much.
Dicky and Mike Brown.
Check out the frozen white Blue Ridge Above.
Eli leading us back to the car on the one section of dry pavement in the entire forest.
Richmond Hill switch back up.
The story of the day.
Great work Eric!
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