Not the transcounty epic. But still rad.

Getting an inch and a half of rain the day before the proposed transcounty adventure left us high and not very dry at all.  No way that such a disorganized, classless bunch of ruffians should roll prized, local, public singletrack on a muddy day in the name of...well, I'm not sure why we actually do the things we do.  But Preddy Creek, the RTF, Ohill, FoLakes, and Walnut Creek are all in better shape for us not having plundered their sloppy goodness. 

But, as Dad's time on the bike goes, when it's your day to go it's your day to go.  And with kiddie coverage already dialed in for Wednesday, something epic had to happen.  So we headed high, for the ridgelines, to seek out a ride I'd wanted to do for a while - linking Whetstone Ridge and Sherando in the same day. 

From C-Ham, Tuesday 10:10 PM "Hydrating."

One of the great things about knife-edged ridges and sandy jeep roads: rain doesn't really bother.  And the views don't hurt either. 

living the dream indeed

The beauty of Whetstone Ridge.  And perfect iPhone reception

Down Whetstone we went, 5 of us shortly before 10 AM.  A-game singletrack as the saying goes.  Game on.  I believe the recordsetting time down Whetstone in a Giro of yesteryear is 1:08 or some such nonsense.  We popped out on Irish Creek rd shortly after noon, split up, and three of us made the one hour road ride around through the Valley to Vesuvius while the other two headed back up Irish Creek and home. 

An hour up the road to Gertie's, formerly known as Pinkie's, in the boomtown of Vesuvius:  a really quality store stop.  They had hot Chili and grilled cheese on special, plus 2-32oz gatorades for $3.  We'll take 6.

From there, 35 minutes around and up the backside of the Coal rd to the Jeep trail.  3.5 miles up to Kennedy ridge, and pushing darkness and the depth of C-Ham's mucus-filled lungs, we banged a left and came down Kennedy Ridge through frozen, tacky dirt and specks of snow and iced over moss with the sunset straight ahead.  Unreal.  We made it to our shuttle vehicle at the entrance of Sherando at dusk, success.

The Transcounty Epic?  We shall prevail.  ISO a dry or frozen Sunday in January for the big north-to-south. 

Details to follow.

January 1st.  No where else to go but up, up, up.