another Snake Ride...this one in Pisgah 8-15

[Broz]

Today Lee and I met at the Food Lion in Morganton. We road the Pisgah FR's. Total was about 115 miles for me. Here are a few pics in some from some closed sections of roads, literally on the ridge line. See if you can identify the mountain in the far right hand frame of the one picture. It has a distinct shape and is taller then all the rest.

[Bob]

Thats Table Rock, as seen from the east.

Rattler looks like he's shedding his skin.

Kinda hard to see that "road" lol.

[Broz]

and the waterfall?

[LeeDavis]

I've got crazy video from this ride but it needs processing then uploading to Vimeo. We came real close to getting stuck on a closed gate trail. I'll get to the video Sunday.

[Bob]

Waterfall----hmmm, doesn't look like the one on Anthony Creek....maybe up on Roseboro in the middle of a tight turn back in a cove?

[Broz]

It's Anthony Creak, on right side going in. You have to walk about 20-30 feet off road for this pic.
Here is a pic of the route. Do you see where the two tracks do noT meet up? That is the closed trail. From the north part there was a very steep rutted section I was not eager to attempt ( only for serious motocross riders). From the southern section there were some very large trees that were blown down stopping out progress. The southern stretch was a lot of fun.

[LeeDavis]

I made some short video clips from the ride and posted them on Vimeo. Our mission for the day was to check out Yancey Ridge trail then exit on Rockhouse Creek, all of which is gated shut by the forest service. When they gate these areas off it makes you want to see what's there even more!

Broz had moved a log that blocked the way around the gate to Yancey Ridge so we were on our way. The trail started great with a beautiful view off the ridge to the right.

https://vimeo.com/103634551

Soon enough things got dicey. We made our way through some weeds.

https://vimeo.com/103634550

We had to give it up when we came to a point of no return with no way to know if things were going to get even worse and the possibility that we'd have to walk out. The video doesn't do justice to how steep, rutted and rocky the trail is at this point. To get enough traction to climb back out I had to reduce tire pressure to 15/13 and still needed a shove off push from Broz to get the bike rolling.

https://vimeo.com/103634549

After lunch at Christy's we returned to the woods on Roseboro to investigate Rockhouse Creek, also gated shut, that would have been our exit from Yancey Ridge. Rockhouse Creek is a great little road but a couple miles in a huge tree has come down and blocked the way. There's no getting around it. Here's a clip at the end of our backtrack where we drive around the gate.

https://vimeo.com/103634548

We had a big time!