Dead Woman’s climb was a labored effort, but when I rolled onto 3 Mile, my body was warmed up and ready to go. Little did I know that I’d come out on the other side without unclipping for only my third cleaning ever of the old enduro cut trail that at numerous other times has knocked me to the ground. I was feeling great climbing up Woodrow to Rattlesnake, only to have that ridgeline path knock me back to reality. Damnit if that wasn’t a high and low all wrapped up in a nice little Michaux gift package!
Licking my ego-wounds, I went over the ridge hoping to not pick up any physical wounds. Thankfully, I didn’t.
Off of Rattlesnake, I turned left and cruised over to Michaux Rd, climbing up to Ridge and then down to the cut-in for the Traverse. Traverse over to Vista is, for me, what east coast riding is all about: deep woods, rocky madness, boulders the size of houses, roots, sloppy wet spots, and views of rolling mountains.
I no-dabbed some sections I hadn’t previously, and endo-ed in a place I’ve always rolled on through. Along the way I met up and exchanged greetings with some local club riders, learning that Grave was pretty much destroyed by the logging. I axed that from my plan to ride before the day’s end. Pedaling on to make my way across the map in my mind, I connected the trails along the bottom of the ridge to my car back at Dead Woman’s Hollow. I was tired, and felt slightly beat up.
I can’t wait to get back in the spring.
I am extremely impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it yourself? Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a great blog like this one today..
Some of my favorite loops. I just got back into riding after 15 years of raising kids. I haven’t tried traverse or vista yet. I have it mapped now on AllTrails. I’m old school graves ridge, huckleberry and stubbys trails.
Oh, man … I loved those trails! There’s a lot of new stuff since then in ole Michaux. I live out west now, but when back visiting family, I get in some rides on the trails. Check out Southern Gas down Teaberry way. That is a ole school rocker kind of trail. Cheers!