Michaux’s Southern Gas and Surroundings

It rained heavily the day before, making Michaux a little more challenging with a bed of wet leaves to hide the rocks.  I was parked at the bottom of Rattlesnake Run Road where the AT crosses.  The air was thick with moisture and cleansed. 

Mid-morning. Temps in the upper 40s with forecasted highs to reach up near 60.  December 22.  I was wearing shorts, with some layers up top.  I was in no hurry, meaning I had the day to romp around the woods. 

I took the trail that is often used in the race to meander and climb my way back up to High Rock.  Rolling along, I desired to be nowhere else.  I decided to take #20, a trail I hadn’t ridden in years.  It was dirty and near unrideable in sections.  I hike-a-biked a fair share. 

Up on High Rock, I climbed to the high point to ride Southern Gas.  The topside of Gas is a blast:  flows fast, riding over and through big rocks and boulders, the views across to the other ridge with the trees being leaf-less, some nasty rock gardens here and there.  Continuing on, the middle to end of the trail rolled and wandered, going on and on, it seemed.  More nastiness and flow characterized the ride as it eventually came to an end back on High Rock.

Winter View up on High Rock

Southern Gas Entrance. What, No Sign?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trail Marker

Appalachain MTB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michaux = Ride the Rocks

Southern Gas Fun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riding Towards the Light

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forest Roads Are a Nice Break from the Rocks

 

Back out on High Rock, I jumped on Rattlesnake and climbed up to the Deer Ponds, continuing up toVirginia.  Playing up on Virginia Rocks was a real hoot. The air was warm and the views from the edge couldn’t have been better.

 

 

Hope for No Endo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VA Rocks Vista

 

After getting bounced around on Virginia, I ventured out on Mackey.  The leaf cover was heavy.  I decided to turn back after twenty minutes or so, having satisfied my need for riding with an old friend again.  From Mackey I rode up to Rocky Ridge, very happy to be able to see the trail in the dead of winter.  Climbing through the several deer fences, the backcountry riding feeling was emanating all around me.

 

 

Rocky Ridge, Michaux State Forest, Pennsylvania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vertebrae of an Appalachian Spine

 

Bone-jarred, I dropped back down to High Rock and descended to Rattlesnake.  I then climbed up to #13 and then went down it to jump on the trail that zig-zags and slowly drops back down where I started.  The day was pretty much perfect. 

 

Ride’s End

 

(No idea what happened with the layout on this one…)