Day 4 on the trails: Blue Ridge MTB excursion!

September 29, 2022 I was getting constant updates from Rebecca about the storm, and its effects on our home. We were lucky in Brevard County as it appears that only minimal damage was sustained, and most of it it just windblown branch clean up. My first stop was in the LBS: local bike shop called “Just the Right Gear”. When I told him I was from Florida, he exclaimed, ‘so you’re ready to climb?” I said I didn’t mind climbing, but I totally underestimated what that meant. In order to do the trail I had read/youtubed about, it required a climb up a trail called The Trough. Wow, it was over a mile ascent over loose shale and I will admit that I did a fair amount of hike-a-bike. It took 30 minutes to get to the top of that trail, and then there was still some climbing to do up a fire road to the Gauntlet. Another admission: this was a very compelling case for an e-bike mountain bike. My first admission of this! It’s coming, eventually. I felt the effects from 4 days on the trail today, took it at about 75% effort. Well, Gauntlet was pretty fun, but it begs the question, “was the juice worth the squeeze?” I am not so sure, since it seemed pretty treacherous on that screaming downhill with the loose shale and root filled trail surface. Back on the road to Mac’s in Hague Va. 4.5 hours to arrive in time for the beautiful sunset, maybe the last sky seen that’s not overcast due to Ian hitting the East Coast now.