I slept in this morning and decided to ride Tsali’s Left Loop the recommended direction, then turn around and ride it race direction as a negative split. I then rode Right Loop as a cool down, before taking the fire road back.

Fontana Lake is low….

After riding, cleaning up and packing up I did some exploring. First was the tunnel on the Road to Nowhere…. I was disappointed, first it is a short hike, the tunnel isn’t long enough to need a light, but it is still a cool story. I wanted to hike further down to a waterfall, but I misread the description, not a 5 mile round trip, but 5 miles each way…. opps!

Tom Branch Falls in the Great Smokey Mountain National Park.

Juney Whank Falls

After a quick bite in Bryson City I drove around a bit looking for primitive camping, but gave up and started home. A great weekend!

April 7, 2018

Windy Gap Overlook off the Tsali Right Loop! I had planned to pre-ride Tsali before next week’s SERC/Southern Classic race. Bonus: Sam’s prom plans included friends coming over after prom….

Sept. 19, 2017

I shot something else, but it’s Taco Tuesday.

April 14, 2012

Saturday:
Sam and I started the day with a bike ride in Tsali, then the family hiked along the lake trail, including finding this old homestead and a mule shoe that I think was from when they forested the land before the damn was finished. Clay and Kay joined us and we rode the other half of the Tsali trails (Mouse and Thompson) – after dinner Clay and I rode Thompson on a night ride.
Great day!

April 13, 2012

We headed for the mountains for the end of Sam’s spring break. After we set up camp, Sam and I drove around looking for sunset pictures on Fontana Lake.

April 1, 2012

A See Rock City barn and on the podium (5th) after a great race. See yesterday’s pictures of the views, cause I didn’t see anything today… I went as hard as I could. I was in third at almost half way when I got caught by 4th, I could out climb him, but he was dropping me on the way down and pulled away…. then I was passed by someone going so fast, I assumed he was a fast guy from a later wave, but nope. I stayed at it as hard as I could go and had a blast. That night my mom and I played some at the casino in Cherokee, I did better in the woods.

March 31, 2012

Today was spend pre-riding the race course in Tsali in western NC, man this place is awesome! My lap will have three steep climbs with fast and flowing single track between them. The image of the guys climbing one is pro and one an expert… look at their body language… of coarse when they “caught up to me” they called me “sir”… That hurt ; )
I tried to ride with them to the next hill…. they were so smooth going down…. I have a long way to go!