An early morning bike ride, a new route to stretch the distance.
But still across the Linn Cove Viaduct and it’s freshly paved surface.
Then time to hike…. my original planned trail is closed, so we started up Rough Ridge Trail
it’s very rocky….
then over the top to the Wilson Creek Trail to make a loop.
A great day along the Blue Ridge Parkway!
First college visit: Appalachian State
A good day, Insomnia Cookies, wood oven pizza and craft beer (not for Sam) and a tour of campus
What I was supposed to wake up to this morning and what I did…. after 2 years of planning, life got in the way and I had to cancel a month long trip to Moab and this morning was supposed to be my first day on the White Rim Trail. I am still thankful for all I have in my life, but this morning I was thinking about where I had a reservation to be…. (PS Utah picture credit to JD Dorton, the guy who helped me plan a lot of my trip)
When I got back to my truck, a local high school student working a photography project, wanted to use my Taco as a prop…. either way (in Utah or at a trail head) the truck was photographed today.
Tibetan prayer flags sway in the wind on my back porch as a thunderstorm approaches.
Wikipedia says prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom.
I love playing on clay…
Since I posted the high of winning last week, here is today’s race report. The Southern Classic Mountain Bike Series presented the USAC North Carolina State Championships on the fast course in Mayodan, NC. I decided I wanted to race it hard and from the gun, went for it… my friend Micheal got the hole shot to the woods, followed by 2 fast guys I had never seen before and Chris, then me. The 2 unknown fast guys pulled away from us and Chris and I started chasing…. I got around Chris for 3rd as we finished the first lap but let him back around as we entered the woods again. As I settled in behind Chris we were half way through the lap when my sweaty hand fly off the handle bars going over “whoops” and I slammed into the ground shoulder first, losing another spot…. then Michael and I started closing in on 3rd and 4th when I washed out on a corner, twisting my knee and my leg got tangled in the main triangle of the bike frame. (That hurt) I was now in 6th and I started trying to chase again when I went down for the 3rd time…. I was done…. so a bad day of racing, but a great day with friends!
My camp spot for the night, the race start for the North Carolina Mountain Bike State Championships.
Wild Turkey joy!
Me venting…. after the day in the mountains, I had a USAT singles match… The first set, I got behind and had to battle back to win a tie breaker. The second set, I lost my serve, and was broken twice before battling back…even serving for the match…. but lost 7-5, so a 10 point tie breaker… I lost 10-8…. the guy was not better than me, he was consistent, but played smarter and used junk balls. I am most frustrated since the match went almost 3 hours, and I normally run others into the ground.
After a bike ride, it was time to hike, I chose MacRae Peak because I love the ladders…
and the views….
the actual peak.
waiting for a sun set!
