Above is the intersection of FS 17 and old hwy 2, the start of the "big loop", 68.6 miles and 11,273 feet and one big circle around the Cohutta Wilderness to get back to the car.  Since the ride goes around the wilderness, there is no short cut to get home, thus a "death march".  Weather was a bit chilly, started in the hi 30's, at the lower elevations, in the 40's, and once on top near potato patch, perhaps in the hi 20's.  I felt like I was 1/2 of a gel away from a bonk, once I got to the climbing just before Tumbling creek.



The Kiosk at the gamecheck station.  A nice clean Moots, ready to get dirty.



This is on a ridgetop, just past Watson Gap, proof that it was a cold day!










The Mountain Town sign, is always a welcomed site on a "CDM", it means you are returning to friendly territory, 2 more hard climbs to go!  If you make a left, you go down Mtn Town creek, 20 + creek crossings, and once the most technical stretch of the FW 50. 





The Overlook just past the 3 Forks Trail head,  ....grat view.


7 hrs in the saddle, counting stops, Davey Boy a little tired.............

Well, a great day on Pinhoti 2 and 3.  Just cold enough to make you appreciate warmer weather.  Rode with Kevin and Mary, possibily two of the most "positive" and "enthusiastic' people around.  They don't have a negative vibe ti them, glad i got to spend a few hours on some single track with them today.  We seen a few hardy riders out there today, always good to see some bikes on the dirt.



This is the very top of the Pinhoti, and two of the best bikes around, Santa Cruz and Moots.





Kevin and Mary, all smiles at the top.




I hope you like switch backs~!!! Pinhoti has a few of them.


Davey Boy





The guiding blaze of Pinhoti, Turkey feet








Kevin reaches the top.








Mary reaching the top.

Overall a great day, 3 hrs in the saddle, having fun on some excellent single track.  Tommorrow the CDM, the first in 2008.  It is amazing how a window of good weather on a weekend can really put a wedge in the winter time blues!!!

Well cold weather has made winter base training a bit harder.  Luckily I have a HID helmet light to shine my way through the winter.  I can't stand getting on the trainer, so nite rides are my means of carrying the torch in winter.  I live just 2 miles from a forest service road, This Thursday i got toride the middle and the ft mtn stretch of the Pinhotti, 23 miles and 5900 ft of climbing.  The temp was in the low 30's or so, the bottles froze about 2 hrs into the ride. This weekend will try to tackle the Cohutta Death March.  I can't say enough good things about the 3 stretches of the Pinhotti trail near Bear Creek, excellent views, single track at it's finest, and some stout climbing.  Forgot my camera, but will try to remember it for the weekend, so I can throw some pictures up.

The "CDM"is a 65 mile forest service ride that circumnavigates the Cohutta wilderness, climbs 14 gaps, about 12,000 feet of climbing, and no bail outs once you are out there (due to the wilderness).  This will be my first cdm of the year, many more to follow. 

This is a picture of Shawn Downing and Davey Boy at Ironcross V.  Talk about a small world, I raced with Shawn as a Chesapeake Wheelman, and this is the first time we have seen each other in 24 years!


                                               

Today was a great day, my bud Kevin talked me into a ride on the River Loop, and with Missy Girl and Mary we had a great day playing in the snow.  Great commercial for hydraulic disc brakes, riding in the snow with 1 finger breaking. 

I plan on posting many of my misadventures bike riding, experiences training and racing ultra distance races, and discussing some of my times in the U.S. Marines.

In parting I must say, "It is tough to have a bad day when you are riding a Moots".