A very Happy Halloween
We spent our third weekend in a row at Mulberry Gap….I know it’s a rough life, but someone has to do it.
This weekend was the Halloween MTB Bash and it was good times. Harvey and I headed out around noon on Friday and arrived in time for a hike before dinner. The land around Mulberry Gap has such potential for amazing trails….but that is a project for another weekend. As the afternoon progressed into evening more and more guests arrived. We had a great beef brisket and mashed potatoes dinner then retired to the fire ring to tell tall tells and have a few beverages.
Saturday was the big ride. There must have been 40 people already to go….and I was still getting ready. I was the last to roll out, but we made our way into the group as we rode up Pinhoti from Bear Creek. The trail poporatzy was out in force and took some great shots.
Photo by Regular Joe.
We rolled through huge group at the top of P1 and then kept a steady pace all the way to the top of P3. Harvey, Namrita, Mark, Marc, & I sat at the Cohutta Overlook on Hwy 52…the colors are amazing! …Harvey, I need some pics!
From there Harvey, Mark & I continued on to Tatum Lead and then in search of the single track that heads to Ft Mountain SP. It was one of my freestyle navigation rides and we ended up sticking to the Pinhoti all the way out to Chatsworth. When I saw the sign for the Rockcreek ATV trail I knew we were in trouble…..that and the fact that we descended for 35 minutes in the opposite direction of dinner. We took the hwy back over Fort Mtn which is a 6 mile climb that just crushed me. Harvey had great legs though and just rode away from from Mark and I. It took some encouragement, but Mark and I caught up to Harvey the top of P3 and we headed home. I think I stared at my Coke for 20 minutes before I could even hold a conversation. Still, it was a great ride. I can’t wait to go explore that side of the mountain again.
Saturday night was a huge Mexican feast served in the newly sided barn at Mulberry Gap. I had my fill after 4ths. I then built a tall fire in the ring, sat there the rest of the evening and “hydrated” with the others.
Sunday was a less ambitious ride with a short jaunt to P3 & 4 again. My legs were still wrecked from Saturdays efforts. Once back to Mulberry it was feed time again with baked potatoes and lots of fixin’s. I followed that up with a long soak in the hot tub.
Good times!