We then made our way to Wilson Mesa trail.
Understand, none of us are very experienced single track riders. We also live in MS and LA where you can see over the biggest hill if you stand on your tiptoes. Our only encounters with this type of terrain and elevation change is a couple times a year when we go to the Smokey's the Ozark's or last year when we came to CO.
Also, we have a GSA in our group. Peaches (he's 5'10", 170 lbs) rides it like a dirt bike. I'm not sure if he is crazy, stupid, or confident. All I know is he will take it wherever you lead him.
Supah is on a brand spankin' new KTM. He has about 3 hours of dirt experience on this bike and not a scratch on it, prior to the trip.
On with the story...
The road leading up to Wilson Mesa trail is FUN! Any other day I would have been content riding this road to the trailhead then turning around and riding it back down.
At the trail head
The trail started off wide and fast
Then quickly became more narrow and steep.
Then the tight, off-camber switchbacks started
This is Weave
Weave had a crash at the beginning of the summer and damaged his wrist. He wasn't able to ride much this summer due to the pain. He showed up for this trip, still wearing a brace, and without very much strength in his right hand. (I soon learned he's a tough SOB and I better bring my "A" game if I want to hang with him.)
Anyway, Weave took a bad bounce on a rock and crashed HARD.
I saw it happen and I thought he had to be hurt. By the time I could get to him, he was laughing and getting up off the ground.
The trail continued to challenge us
Then opened up into this incredible valley
Then to a creek crossing
This doesn't look good.
Then we started ascending from the valley on a nice little rocky climb
Ummm, that's not the line!
This is
and this is
Here comes Evil (RUN!!!!!!!!!!!)
Here's Paddle. I didn't get a lot of pictures of him today. He can be sneaky smooth. Just when you think you've gotten him in a bad spot, he rides through it like it's another day at the office.
Just before this picture, Peaches was almost attacked by a huge black bear!
I was following behind him, enjoying the ride, when out of the corner of my eye I see this huge freaking black bear charging through the trees, directly for him. I started screaming GO! GO! GO! but he couldn't hear me! My stomach knotted up preparing for what was about to happen. Then all of a sudden I see what looked like a bear through the trees was actually a black cow
. Everyone seemed to get a pretty good laugh at my expense. That's OK though, it made for a funny moment.
After that, we made our way to the end of the trail.
