GNARLY NORTH FORK somewhere deep in WV

One of the leaders of H'Burg's magic mountain biking crew calls me up the day before setting out on a ride that is usually impossible in January due to deep snow and short days. It seems he had already fooled someone else into his crazy plan. This ride will often take 8 hrs! Outdoor phenomenon and a fantastic all around athlete from Blacksburg, Adam Childers, was in town and fired up to go for it.


Epic is the perfect word to describe this fantastic voyage! I woke just before 6 and the boys rode over to my house and loaded up the van. 8AM on the bike and 37 degrees, not shabby. A 1500ft climb and we set off on close to 30 miles of amazing single track. Big cliffs, off-camber rocks and ribbony trail snaking it's way to the biggest arm pumping, big hit, super juicy dicey yikes down hill! You descend for 5 minutes and stop to see a sick vista that reminded me of Durango. And then MORE descending. Mike and Adam got a gap on me and I chased but got to a rock ledge that freaked me out. Once I stopped I could see off the edge and got at it again but they where GONE, I was getting smoked! As their hoots and hollers got farther away, I carved further down the now fast and undulating, mind blowing, slate single track just smiling.

Now halfway between deliverance and salvation we began the last leg of our ride on some long lost mountain road. Mike starts singing, "country road... take me home ...to the place ..I belong ..West Virginia…mountain mama… take me home…country road". Man, I was thinking how much I wanted to get back to the Euro Van. Phew I was wiped out.

As we were driving back home we talked about Frisbee golf and as soon as I let Adam and Mike out they ran over to the park with Frisbees in hand! "You guys are nuts!" I skipped on the Frisbee and made some hot tea.

To Adventure!

Jeremiah
noth fork.html

posted by Jeremiah Bishop  # 10:38 AM

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