Three years ago, my friend Puck decided to plan a trip to Asheville to bring together friends from Virginia & Georgia. We convened at an AirBnb and commenced to "shred the gnar" for several days.
With the bus project in full swing, I sat out the next two trips. Now that the bus is nearly complete, I decided that I could spare the time and join the guys again for another trip down to western NC.
This year I decided to drive myself since I'd need to bring along my dog Ruprecht. This did, however, allow me the freedom to break up the drive down with a stop at Elevated Wake Park.
With nearly SIX YEARS between my last ride at a cable park and this visit, I coached myself to take it easy this go-round. Even if I merely rode around in circles, that would be enough for this time out.
My first time out was just that - a relaxed few laps to get acquainted with the pull of the rope and the jerk of the cable at each corner.
Surprisingly, though, my next lap was action-packed! I jumped onto a slider with success and began attempting several of the features before eventually going down. I spent a moment watching some of the experienced locals shred and was soon back out hitting nearly every slider and both launch ramps!
Before I knew it, my 2-hour session was over and I again loaded the Crosstrek to complete the drive.
Once on the road, I called the guys to see their progress and figure out where and when to meet in Asheville for a ride before checking into the AirBnb. We decided to meet at The Hub before heading to Avery Creek for our ride.
The first ride was a rude awakening for some of our group. Gone were the quick, punchy climbs of the JRPS. Instead, the climbs were sustained - usually rocky & rooty as well. Eventually, though, we all met at the top of the ascent - ready to bomb back down to the parking lot with smiles from ear-to-ear.
That night we dined at El Chapala before heading back to the cabin to catch-up with a few brews.
The next day we planned on riding a mix of regular and E-bikes at Ride Kanuga Park. I decided to touch base with a friend that lives in the area to give him a rundown of our schedule and invite him to ride with us on Saturday, when we planned to return to pedal-powered means at Dupont State Forest. He replied that he'd be busy that day, but that he was actually on the way to meet another mutual friend for a ride there that very moment. I immediately asked him if a few of us [non-e-bikers] could join them, to which he gladly obliged. Brian, Scott, and myself grabbed our gear and headed to out meet him (Matt) and surprise our mutual friend (Park) at the trailhead.
The surprise worked perfectly, as we arrived just minutes before Park. It was a great reunion to see them both!
After some much-needed embraces, we were on bikes and heading into the woods. Park led us for a great tour of Dupont, highlighting some of the best trails in the forest. All the while, Matt was providing the banter to keep our minds off the burning in our legs!
After our ride, we swung by the house for a quick change of gear, then to Kanuga to rendezvous with our group. We took turns swapping between pedal-powered & e-powered bikes for a few hours before throwing in the towel.
The next day was another bike park - this time the shuttle-accessed Ride Rock Creek. Determined to get in at least 10 runs, we headed to the park just before opening time. After securing a shady spot in the lot, our group of nine took to the gravel road to catch the first shuttle of the day.
A full night's rain had perfectly conditioned the trails. Any wet spots found on the first couple runs gave way to grippy clay as the day progressed. We alternated between laps at the park and beers & food in the lot until the very last shuttle, opening AND closing the park!
On Saturday, our group was split in three. Puck left in the morning to guide a rafting trip. Brian, Joe, Rob, Matt & Scott all hit the road to get home before Father's Day. That left Tobje, Marshal, and myself to explore some more trails!
First we completed a ~10 mile loop at Dupont. After the ride, we grabbed lunch at The Hub with Matt just before he headed south. After the meal, Marshal was still itching for more, so he and I rode another ~9 mile circuit in Pisgah, featuring the Black Mountain Trail.
By the end of that ride, we were toast! The entire trip featured sore muscles (especially beginning with the cable park), but by the end of the fourth day I was confident I'd "left it all out there."
Although I'd planned on leaving Sunday, I knew another ride was not in the cards for me so I decided to leave that night in order to be back in town to celebrate Father's Day with my dad. We reconvened with Puck at El Paso for one more meal before I hopped on the highway to arrive home just before 1am.
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