All Things Bikes and Tacos! (...and every vehicle imaginable)

I better invest in better winter gear.
Looking like end of January or beginning of February for Asheville.

 

that’s fair. And actually a consideration in us moving to Texas. If it’s so brutal and hot that we can’t do anything outside why not just stay close to family?

turns out the cold sucks more. And, we went in august 95 and humid and both me and the dog had a damn blast doing 4.5 miles in the Austin heat for a walk mid day. She got to wear her booties and was the talk of the lake trails.

Anyway. You’ll get used to it. And eventually grow to enjoy it. I used to ride bmx all summer in jeans (not shorts) and learned to love the hot humid swamp ass weather.

 

Swamp ass and monkey nuts are terrible but I grew up there so I can handle it. My kids are probably going to lose their shit.

 

If you're riding solo, I recommend one day at DuPont State Forest and one day at Kanuga or the Kitsuma Loop. If you find someone to meet up with, then check out the epic Black Mountain Loop is Pisgah (or some variation thereof, involving "Turkey Creek" to make it a bit shorter, etc).

Either way, you're in for some of the best riding you've ever experienced. No joke.

Relevant Links:
1) Black Mountain Loop
2) Kitsuma/Point Lookout Loop
3) Kanuga Bike Park
4) Dupont State Forest

Here are my recommended routes in DuPont Sate Forest:
1) From Lake Imaging Parking Lot: Lake Imaging road -> LEFT on Jim Branch -> RIGHT on Issac Heath -> RIGHT on Locust -> Straight into Hilltop (CCW) -> very brief LEFT on Grassy Creek Falls Trail -> RIGHT on Lake Imaging Road -> LEFT Buck Forest Road -> LEFT on White Pines -> LEFT on Hooker Creek -> As you climb up you'll come to a "T" -- to the left is Ridgeline and to the right you can do Hickory Mountain Loop, which I like to do before Ridgeline down to the parking lot.

2) From Corn Mill Shoals parking lot: Big Rock Trail -> Cedar Rock Trail CW -> Little River -> Cedar Rock Trail CW -> back down Big Rock Trail to the parking lot.

For DuPont, the #1 route above is mandatory for any visit. The second one is an additional loop you can hit afterwards if you still have your legs -- simply load up the bike, drive up the hill to the second parking lot, and launch again.

You're going to have a blast, I promise.

 

Thank you, saving this post for later!

I'll have my RTT, 1up rack attached to the bed rack, and pulling a trailer. Should be interesting.

 

Let us know when you are making your trip! I am definitely an average skilled rider but I’ll happily get out on the trails with you if I can as I am near the area

 

Those are some of the exact routes @Bannerman took us on and I can confirm must do and worth it. Get ready to be amazed at Big Rock. Nothing like that trail around us at all. Also, good luck. It kicked my ass.

 

I’d stay off Turkey Pen, it can be brutal. If you want to ride Black, and you should, park at the stables and ride up Clawhammer to 5099, ride Middle and Lower Black. You’ll come out at Davidson River Campground.

 

I will definitely post on here the week before I leave.

I'm excited, time to hit peavine road to the top of oak mtn more often. lol

 

Right on. Make sure you check out your camping options using the Hipcamp app on your phone. (When Bannerman and I organized TacomaWorld get-togethers during the last two summers, we used the Pisgah Forest Mountain Meadows campsite for both trips).

If you need a campsite with a shower, check out The Bike Farm -- they even have a private downhill trail with a gap jump directly on the campground! Pretty sick.

 

I'm going to build a game plan week before on must do trails and best routes.

I do need to know is the camping any good there, not really looking for primitive. Just safe and has showers.

 

I should've waited like 10 seconds before replying to Bannerman.

 

@SummitBound let me know if you go. I need to get up there again soon. Need an excuse to put the RTT back on the truck.

 

@jjones.yota im riding with Jeff tomorrow, first time I’ve ridden with him since he broke his back on Black on our spring trip. ​

 

Oh no I had forgotten about that! I hope he’s doing well. Tell him I’ll be a better climber next time, promise.

 

The whole Pisgah and Brevard area will have a good amount of campsites, especially if you’re not going during large tourist times. As mentioned, check out Hipcamp, nice to know you have a spot reserved before you ever get there (I usually use it when headed to areas I’m not familiar with)

absolutely man! I will wait to see what @whitedlite ’s plans are and go from there!

Generally just feel free to hit me up if you have a good weekend to camp and ride and I should be able to make it work!

Can get up there on a Tuesday or Thursday pretty often too as those are slower days

 

Gahdang y’all are making me miss NC. That was such a fun trip even for my fatass.

if I wasn’t getting married and honeymooning next month I’d make the trip over too.

 

meh... push that damn wedding back! It's for a good cause, and I'm sure the future wife will understand...

 

Brevard is a beautiful place to get married, there you go! Perfect excuse to get out there

in all seriousness, I did get married in the blue ridge mountains like 2 months ago and I highly recommend

 

We are getting married locally then heading to St Lucia. I need a damn getaway, my last vacation got crashed by a hurricane. Literally. Gonna drink 2020 memories away in St Lucia lol