Road Redemption

I'm getting out of here on Sunday. It's back to work for the Fuller brush man. I think this trip could not have come at a better time. Athens, GA is well known as a Southern Mystic Power Center. I think it's high time I make a pilgrimage. S'quatch & Sqwatch are minor royalty in the Athens scene, so I'm counting on a nice letter of introduction to grease the wheels.

I plan on "reconnecting" with my bike. We have both been so busy lately, that we ignore the little things that made us fall for each other in the first place. Oh sure, the paint is a little chipped, and that red-wall Panaracer XC-Pro makes its ass look big, but its still the same sweet hardtail I fell in love with back in 2003. I guess I'm a little worse for wear myself. I lined us up a hot date at a local singletrack, to get the flames of passion rekindled.

Here's the description...


Not much in the way of big hills but highly technical with tons of 3-5 dropoffs, sharp switchbacks, tight trails, tough rock gardens and one very nice 20-25 foot drop-in. I have only ridden the first two sections (about 6 miles) but there is more along the power lines, I am told. Definitely not for beginners although a good place to hone technical skills. One section has 5 3-5 foot dropoffs in a row and is quite an entertaining little series of jump opportunities/break your bike and neck opportunities. Not much room to build up speed and a few rock gardens and vertical uphill spots that only a select few can conquer without dabbing a toe or two. I got a stick in the eye, stabbed in the leg with my own skewer, and nearly lost my lunch. It was awesome.

It will either break us up for good, or make us stronger as a team, don't you think?

I've scheduled a lot of cushion into this trip, so the Dauset Trails south of Atlanta are on the menu, along with some lazy swimmin' in the Oconee. Athens will straight up feed a hungry man too. The GRIT, The Bluebird Cafe, The Five Star, and a variety of "meat and three's" to tour. I'm talking cornmeal battered fried green tomatoes with ranch dressing, kitchen sink style burritos, gumpy vegan gruel platters smothered in Bragg's and Brewer's yeast. I'm an equal opportunity feeder. In my world pork chops and tofu get along great.

Yes, a little foreign dirt in the treads is going to snap me out of this funk.

I'm going looking for a little road magic.

Later muggles,

Juancho