It took me nearly two months but I finally finished it: my Santa Cruz Tallboy FS 29er was ready to ride! After dialing in the suspension, checking every cable, and adjusting brake pads and levers, I chose the Bear Creek – Pinhoti Trail (P1, P2) loop outside Ellijay, GA for the maiden voyage. It turned out to be an incredible day of riding!

I first rode the Bear Creek trail in the late 1990s, and in those days it was considered one of the best, if not the best, mountain bike trail in Georgia (in 2008 Bike Magazine was still rating it the best in the state). Perfectly spaced water bars, moderate slopes, and clear water crossings are just some of the highlights here – not to mention the incredible views this time of year.

Since the time mudhunny and I first rode the Bear Creek loop, there’s been a new major trail addition in the area – the Pinhoti trail – which starts near Bear Creek and runs west into Alabama. These days a popular ride pieces together an 18-mile loop with the Bear Creek and Pinhoti Trails which I decided to tackle on an overcast December morning.

I parked at the Pinhoti Section 2 trailhead (known as P2) and started on the gravel road heading clockwise around the loop. Less than a mile from the trailhead I passed Mulberry Gap, a “mountain bike getaway” where many bikers choose to stay or take advantage of the parking, food, repairs, and other services. I haven’t personally visited Mulberry Gap but it’s a pretty unique set-up and friends have nothing but good things to say about the place. I made a mental note to stop by another time and kept pedaling into the cold morning fog. Off to the right side of the road I spotted a flock of wild turkeys, appropriate, given the name Pinhoti is a Native American term meaning “turkey home.”

Near the top of the forest road climb I pulled off at the Bear Creek overlook and checked out the views (or at least what I could make out with all the low clouds). Another half mile of climbing lead me to the official Bear Creek trailhead (the upper one) and the start of the descent. For about half a mile the trail was rockier and rootier than I remembered and featured a couple sharp switchbacks before landing at a gated forest road. Apparently many riders choose to skip this first section, opting instead for a shorter initial climb up the road, but I enjoyed the old-school feel.

After about a mile of forest road descending, the singletrack begins and it’s glorious. This trail had “flow” way before the term became popular with mountain bikers and it still does today. But just as quickly as it began, the descent seemed to come to an end and I found myself staring up at the enormous Gennett Poplar, famously one of the largest trees in the state. From here I started climbing again, this time on the Pinhoti trail section 1, aka P1.

For those who are familiar with the Snake Creek Gap time trial series, this section of the Pinhoti trail isn’t nearly as technical as the stretch from Armuchee to Dug Gap but there is enough climbing to keep things challenging. In between P1 and the next section, P2, the trail briefly follows forest roads and former roadbeds, quickly narrowing to singletrack as the forest reclaims the corridor.

Up until this point my new bike performed flawlessly and I was actually kinda surprised since this is the first bike I’ve built up from scratch. Well, ok I didn’t install the fork and headset but I did everything else myself – which is probably why the rear derailleur decided to stop working on P2. It didn’t take a pro mechanic to see the derailleur cable had slipped out from the anchor bolt which was fortunately an easy fix.

Bear Creek – Pinhoti video.

The trail topped out as it made an unassuming bend around one final peak and began descending for the next two miles or so. To me this was the best part of the day thanks to the smooth trail, long sight lines, and carefully sculpted, wide sweeping turns. This is what North Georgia mountain biking is all about!

Even though I’ve probably done hundreds of rides like this in the southeast, this was the first time I’ve ridden a full suspension bike on one of them, and you know what? I kinda liked it. Sure, I had to work the ProPedal lever like a DJ spinning a record thanks to all the short climbs and descents, but to be able to smooth out the rough carpet of medium rocks and thick roots on Bear Creek made a fast, flowy trail even faster and more enjoyable. Feels like I’ve finally found a little bit of Santa Cruz right here in Georgia!

My college gives us one day off for “Fall Break.” I’m not sure how a 3-day weekend qualifies for a vacation, but apparently it does! I decided to make the most of this precious time, so I hit the road and drove over to Ellijay, Georgia to investigate a couple of trails I’d never ridden before.

Ridgeway

First on my list was the Ridgeway Loop. I had heard that the hills were short, very steep and anaerobic, and that the trail didn’t receive much traffic… these reviews were dead on.

This photo is very characteristic of the entire trail.

This is definitely an old-school trail design that sends the singletrack straight up and straight down all the hills. Still, in spite of the design flaws, most of the climbs are manageable due to their short overall length; going anaerobic can be tough, but it can be done for a short time.

As for the condition of the singletrack itself, the trail doesn’t seem to receive much traffic at all. There were sticks, branches, and leaf litter on the main tread for miles. It was hard to tell, but it looked like the brush on the sides of the trail had recently been mowed down by a brush hog, and some of that debris fell on the singletrack as well. As a result, it might possibly receive more traffic than it appears to, but from one ride it was very difficult to tell.

Of course, the entire trail wasn’t actual singletrack… some rather lengthy sections were old doubletrack forest roads, and one section ran through what looked and felt like a tilled-up field, but there were a couple of singletrack jewels thrown in, too.

Hands down, the best section of trail was the last mile that drops down from the paved road junction before the turn off to the mountain bike parking and runs directly to the parking lot. This mile featured a modern trail design, and it looked like it had been cut more recently than the rest of the trail. However, it didn’t ride with the feel of a brand-new trail, so it’s difficult to say when they put this section in. Hopefully there is more of this in store for the rest of the trail!

When I dropped out into the parking lot after finishing with this swoopy delight, I had to ride back up the pavement and drop in again!

Taken on the best section of singletrack.

Downhill Trail

I had heard rumors of a downhill trail here at Ridgeway, so I packed my downhill rig, just in case. As my downhill bike isn’t in the best condition at the moment, I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to find the downhill course. I figured that if I saw the trail on my cross-country ride, then I’d go and check it out. Well, I didn’t see it, but when I got home and looked at the reviews, I realized that I should have read GoldenGoose’s review before I left, as the downhill trail apparently doesn’t actually touch any of the cross-country trails, but is very close to the parking lot.

Perhaps that’s another reason to go back and visit, but I do need to do some maintenance on my DH sled before I return!

Woodring Branch: Amadahy Trail

After spending too much time riding and hiking around in circles at Ridgeway, I finally made it to Woodring Branch to check out the Amadahy Trail.

Both of these trails are on the shores of Carter’s Lake, but they couldn’t be more different! While Ridgeway was steep, old-school, and anaerobic, Amadahy was very flat, easy, and flowed like a water slide!

The singletrack featured a beautiful bench-cut design that circles a large knob right on the shore of Carter’s Lake. The tread was mostly smooth with a light gravelly feel and is very fast, but there were a couple of entertaining sections of rocks and roots to break up the action.

While Ridgeway only provided views of Carter’s Lake, if you took a detour off the main trail, Amadahy follows the shore of the lake for about two thirds of its length. There are stunning views of the blue waters around every turn, with many opportunities for gorgeous photos.

At only 3.5 miles long, I just had to do two laps on this trail. Even then, 7 miles didn’t feel like enough. This is a wonderful little gold nugget of a trail, but it certainly isn’t a gold mine. If you live relatively close and want to check this place out, I highly recommend it, but there’s just not enough trail to make me drive an hour each way to get here again.

Your Turn: Have you ridden a new trail recently? Which one was it?

The “granite side” at the GA International Horse Park.

Hot on the heels of the success of events like Outerbike, the Southeast is getting its own consumer-friendly cycling event: the Southeast Bike Expo. The SEBE is scheduled for February 25-26, 2012 at the Georgia International Horse Park, home of the 1996 US Olympic MTB course and 24 Hour of Georgia.

Details are still being hashed out but we’ve heard the event is going to largely cater to mountain bikers (yes!) and will include demo bikes from top companies like Trek, Specialized, Niner, and Felt. There will even be a special night ride where you can test the latest lights on the trail. Admission is $20 and a portion of the proceeds will go to IMBA.

We’re stoked to have this event right in our backyard and can’t wait to get more deets!

The Fool’s Gold 50 and 100 mile mountain bike race is presented by 55Nine Performance and takes place in the mountains of North Georgia.  It utilizes lots of forest service roads, some double track, and some sweet singletrack – including Turner Creek, Moss Branch, Bare Hare, Bull and Jake mountain trails, and Black Branch.  It’s got about 7,000 feet of climbing for the 50-mile route and double that for the 100 milers – they do two laps of the course.  As part of National Ultra Endurance Series it draws some of the fastest professional endurance racers in the country – but it also draws lots of regular Joes looking for a challenge, like me.

Background and Game Plan

This would be my third time tackling the 50-mile race.  In 2008 it was the first big mountain race I’d ever done and I had no idea what I was doing.  I made two big mistakes – I used a 1×9 drivetrain with no chain guide, and my nutrition plan consisted of water and two gels.  That didn’t work well at all.  Without a chain guide the chain bounced around like crazy, so at the bottom of pretty much every downhill I had to stop and put the chain back on the front chainring.  And I didn’t have nearly enough calories, and no electrolytes at all, so cramps started about halfway thru the race.  I finished with a time of 6:30.  In 2010 I DNF’d after 6.5 hours and only 30 miles due to horrible conditions.

I don’t think the hotel really understood the value of all the bicycles in their “secure” holding room.  I say “secure” because while they claimed it was secure, there was no control over who came and went into the room.  But as far as I know, none of the bikes “walked away”.

My goal for the day was to finish in less than six hours.  The plan was to spin a nice easy gear all day to save my legs and keep from cramping, and to eat every 45 minutes whether I wanted to or not.  I decided not to use a hydration pack and just used two big bottles instead, which I filled with Gatorade GPro.  I carried more drink mix in a few ziplock baggies and each bag had enough for two bottles.  I also took 4 Hammer gels and a package of Clif Bar Shot Bloks.  I had intended to take a flask of Hammer gel as well, but I accidentally left it at the car.  I carried everything in my jersey pockets so I had nothing to send ahead to a SAG stop.

Race Day

The three Augustans just a few minutes before the start.  From left to right: Ross, Ted, me. 

After a late start getting out of the hotel and a semi-hectic morning, me and two friends from Augusta, Ted and Ross, lined up together at the start.  The race was based out of the Monteluce Winery (a new start/finish location for this year) and began with a paved 3.5 mile neutral roll out behind a pace car.  I hit my top speed of the day, 40.7 mph, and lost sight of Ted in just a few minutes which didn’t surprise me at all.  Ted is strong and I knew he’d beat me by a wide margin.  Ross and I hung together for a ways but he eventually pulled away from me on the big climb of the day.  My pride wanted to turn up the pace and stay with him, but my brain knew I needed to ride my own race and not worry about anyone else.  So that’s what I did.  I hoped to catch Ross later in the day.

The 100 mile racers getting ready to start.  These folks are crazy.  The 50 mile field was almost twice this size.  Photo:  GeorgiaMTB

We climbed for a long ways at the beginning; at least, that’s how it felt to this relative flatlander.  Pretty much from the time we hit the gravel at 3.5 miles all the way to just past the 16 mile point it felt like we were climbing.  There were actually a few short downhill sections, but they were over so quickly I hardly noticed them.  SAG 1 was at the top of the big climb.  I topped off one water bottle then hit the big descent of the day, and killed it.  The next six or seven miles were all downhill, mostly on a gravel road but then on some singletrack.  While my fitness and climbing legs aren’t as good as many of my fellow racers, my bike handling is better and I’m more willing to take risks – I passed a ton of people on the descent.  In fact, I didn’t get passed on a downhill or on singletrack all day long unless I was stopped to eat.  It took me two hours to reach SAG 1 at 16 miles, but only 40 minutes to reach SAG 2 at the 25-mile point.

If you’re keeping track, that means I made it about halfway in only 2:40 – I was well on my way to making my sub-6hr goal.  I knew I’d be going slower near the end, but hoped I had enough of a buffer to still make the goal.  I didn’t stop at SAG 2 and rode onto a singletrack-heavy section of the course and had a blast.  My average speed between SAG 2 and 3 was really low though – it took me an hour and twenty minutes to cover the 10 miles.

SAG 2 was also SAG 3 – we came by this spot twice.  Most racers stopped at least once here, and the volunteers were awesome.  Photo:  GeorgiaMTB

A few miles before SAG 3 I caught up to Ross on a steep hike-a-bike section of trail and we stayed together for the next 10 miles or so.  We both stopped at SAG 3 where I refilled my two water bottles, drank about a third of a can of Coke, and ate a few M&M’s before Ross and I headed out.  That was when I noticed my seat bag was wide open… and empty.  My tube, two CO2 cartridges, a power link, tire levers, and a multi-tool were laying on the ground somewhere behind me.  If I had any mechanical issues at this point, I was screwed.

After SAG 3 my legs didn’t feel good the rest of the day.  I felt like I was slowing down, having to use a lower gear than I would have liked.  Then I had a mechanical and lost sight of Ross at mile 40.  My chain shifted past the big cog and got jammed between the cassette and spokes.  AHHH!  This happened to me at a XC race not too long ago and afterwards I adjusted the limit screw on the derailleur and fixed the issue.  But somehow it had come out of adjustment – a good bit too – and it was easy to see that the derailleur and big cog didn’t line up.  I’m still not sure how this happened since I had been using that big cog off and on all day long with no problems.  Since I had lost all my tools I couldn’t adjust the limit screw to fix it either.  Luckily it didn’t take long to get the chain free, and I made sure to stay off that big cog the rest of the race and didn’t have any more issues.

About five and a half hours into the race it started raining.  Hard.  Luckily I only had to ride a little bit of singletrack in the rain, then I was back out on one of the forest service roads.  It had gotten hot, and the rain actually felt really good since it cooled things off.  When I reached mile 50 five hours and fifty minutes were on the clock – but I wasn’t done yet.  I was still on some God forsaken gravel road, and I didn’t know how much further I had to go, but I knew I still had that 3.5 mile section of pavement to get me back to Monteluce Winery.  And it was still pouring rain, which was no longer nice and cool – now it was annoying.

The Kenda arch signaled the finish line – and the end of a long day in the saddle.  The sun wasn’t shining when I came through, but I was still stoked to finally get there.  There was food under that big tent in the background, and it was awesome!  Photo:  GeorgiaMTB

I hit the pavement with only five minutes left to make my goal.  For some reason I thought I still had a chance – apparently I don’t do math well when I’m exhausted.  I would have needed to average 42mph, but for some reason I thought I only needed to average about 18mph.  I put my head down and used the last bit of the energy I had in a futile race against the clock.  I was amazed my legs were still putting out some decent power after this long in the saddle; I passed about a dozen people and nearly ran off the road braking too late into a sharp corner.  When my stopwatch said 6:00 I sat up a bit and slowed down a little… the near-crash scared me, no point in risking a spill now.  I crossed the finish line with 54 miles behind my tires and 6hrs and 10mins after I started, with the rain still pouring down.  Ross had beaten me by ten minutes, and Ted kicked both our butts with a time of 5:20.  The winner of the 50-mile race finished in 3:55 which is crazy fast.  What’s even crazier is the winner of the 100 mile finished in only 7:11!!  He rode 50 miles further than I did, and he only needed an extra 61mins to do it.  Screw that guy.

Not A Bad Day

I finished in 92nd place out of 158 guys in the Open Mens class, and 134 out of 233 total 50 mile racers.  I didn’t make my sub-6hr goal, but I’m still really happy with my race.  The course was a little longer than I expected and I couldn’t have done it any faster.  I stuck to my game plan and rode my own pace and didn’t worry with anyone else, although I may have pushed a little too hard in the first half.  My bike was 99% perfect all day long.  The course was a lot of fun, everyone else out there was friendly and having a good time.  The volunteers at the SAG stations were great, and the post-race lasagna was amazing - big thanks to those guys and gals who volunteered so the rest of us could ride.  Congratulations to all the winners and all the finishers.  Since I didn’t make my goal I guess I’ll just have to try again next year!

Thanks to 55Nine for hosting a great race, all the volunteers who made it easy for us to just focus on turning the pedals, and GeorgiaMTB for the photos.

The Ibex Asta Pro is a 26″ full suspension mountain bike with 100mm of travel front and back, and I have the opportunity to spend some quality time with one and see what it’s really made of!

Out of the Box

Ibex is a small direct-to-consumer company, and since every customer will receive their mountain bike by mail, Ibex wanted me to go through the entire un-boxing and building process to see what I thought.

The packaging was excellent and the bike was very well protected, and as a result the frame and all of the parts were in pristine condition.

The bike is finally uncovered!

And while that is good, it is to be expected. Where Ibex really impressed me is the attention to detail and all the little extras they throw in the box to make the life of the consumer easier.

Extras

For one thing, Ibex included a pair of Wellgo SPD clipless pedals complete with cleats. Most bike companies nowadays, whether in the shop or online, don’t bother with providing pedals. I think some of the reasoning is that with so many pedal options on the market, it is a very personal component and most people just stick with what they enjoy. Yeah, that’s what they try to tell us, but I think a bigger part of the equation is that these companies are trying to find a way to cut costs on their end. Ibex goes the extra mile and throws in a pair of pedals.

To attach the pedals to the bike, Ibex included a pedal wrench for plenty of torque.

As for all of the other wrenching that needs to be done when building a bike, I found an Ibex-branded multi-tool that was more than capable of handling everything for this basic build. Just in case you are new to the bike scene and don’t own any of the tools required to put this bike together, Ibex has you covered.

Finally, I found two bottles of touch-up paint, just in case the frame had been scratched, or in case you want to touch up any scuffs or scratches from normal use down the road.

These extras are all super thoughtful, and I wouldn’t have been bothered in any way if these things hadn’t been in the box. The fact that they were just highlights how serious Ibex is about going the extra mile.

After I removed all of the comprehensive packaging, the bike went together very easily. I adjusted the air pressure in the fork and checked the pressure in the shock, and I was ready to ride!

First Impressions

About 5 days ago I got out and thrashed the Asta on a 17-mile route that is sure to shake down any bike and expose any issues that need attention. I can honestly say that the Asta took all I threw at it and kept begging for more pain! The bike felt very stiff and precise as I shoved it in and out of corners.

The bike climbed superbly thanks to the low weight (27.66 lbs stock with pedals) and minimal suspension, but the 100mm of squish was ready and available when things got messy. The Asta definitely doesn’t have the forgiveness of a longer travel bike, but the suspension did its job and took the edge off of all kinds of roots and rocks.

These are still preliminary impressions, but the Asta is an amazing climber and a capable descender, and that is a very fun combination! I think this bike fits squarely in the category of “Trail Bike” that it is intended for. It just does really well at shredding singletrack.

Thoughts on the Component Spec

Shimano XT

I haven’t spent a significant amount of time on Shimano’s XT group before but so far I am enjoying my experience. The shifting has been super crisp and totally predictable! I am so thankful that the new Shimano shifters are set up to be shifted either like Shimano’s traditional shifters OR like SRAM’s shifters with just the thumb. After one or two rides, I gave up trying to use my index finger and just stuck with what I felt comfortable with: using my thumb.

Also, I think a full XT kit is a really nice spec at this pricepoint, as the complete bike only retails for $1899.99. It’s hard to find a full XT kit on a sub $3,000 bike, not to mention a sub $2,000 one!

WTB Wolverine 2.1″ Team

I’m normally a sucker for fat tires, 2.35″ being my width of choice unless I’m on a downhill bike, but the 2.1″ WTB Wolverines feel right at home on this style of mountain bike. In my opinion, they have been riding pretty dang well and have hooked up when I’ve needed it. I may move up to a 2.25″ tire for a little more grip in the corners… but just because that’s my personal taste.

FSA Carbon Handlebar

I thought the carbon handlebar was an interesting choice for a bike of this price range, but since all of the other components are so nice, it’s tough to say where I’d rather have had the money spent. Perhaps the grips? Bottom line, I think it’s a great touch, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it!

I could keep writing about my thoughts and impressions so far, but the fact is I want to feel like I have really ridden this mountain bike before I write about it so that when I do write, I can do so authoritatively. My plan is to put the Asta Pro through an abusive treatment of at least 300 miles of singletrack. I’ve already been thrashing it in the mountains of North Georgia, and I have a road trip to Colorado planned for the beginning of August. Rest assured: this bike will be TESTED!

A big “thank you” to Ibex for providing this mountain bike for review!

Whoops!

Not as in “whoops, I dropped the hamburger on the ground,” but whoops as in “YEE-HAW!”

The new mountain bike trail at Paynes Creek is absolutely chock-full of whoop-te-dos! They vary in size from small to massive, but all of them are easy to negotiate, making this a very beginner-friendly trail. However, if you are an advanced rider (or just have an extra-large dose of crazy), you can blast through many of these whoops at high speed, airing off of the top of one and landing on the transition into the next. The landings added to the thrilling g-forces at the bottom of the U’s are sure to put your rear suspension to the test, despite the almost complete lack of rocks and roots on this trail.

And of course, being the great journalist that I am, I totally forget to take a picture of a single whoop. Sure, it might have had something to do with how much fun I was having riding them!

While the gorgeous flow of this trail encourages you to drop the hammer and rail through everything, make sure you don’t get complacent: some of the biggest whoops right at the beginning of the trail (on a counter-clockwise day) will throw you into the air and have you landing on a loose off-camber corner above the water!

And while you might also think that this trail is totally flat because it’s in Northeast Georgia and lies right next to a lake, a couple of the switchbacked climbs may throw a series of tough punches to your gut.

Whether you are a beginner trying singletrack for the first time, someone just looking for pretty views of the lake, or an advanced rider ready to drop the hammer, the 7-mile long Paynes Creek trail has plenty of awesome to go around!

History

At this moment, Paynes Creek is about as new of a trail as you’ll ever ride, having just opened at the end of April (2011). This is the first true singletrack mountain bike trail in this section of Northeast Georgia and helps fill in a large gap in the map. Paynes Creek was designed and built through the cooperation of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the crew behind the epic trail design of FATS, the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), people like you who were willing to volunteer, and even Singletracks.com.

So what are you waiting for? Plan your trip to Paynes Creek today!

I’m proud to call the the Central Savannah River Area, or CSRA, my home.  The CSRA is the the area surrounding Augusta, GA and North Augusta, SC and it’s home to some of the best, least-expected mountain biking in the southeast.  I say least expected because we don’t have any mountains here.  We’ve got hills, but no mountains.  But boy oh boy do we have trails, about 150 miles of them actually, with more in the works.  We have many of these trails because of the local MTB club, SORBA-CSRA.  SORBA-CSRA has done such a good job in this area that in 2010 IMBA held their biannual World Summit here.  So if you’re looking for a place to take a spring MTB trip, give the CSRA a look.  In this blog post you’ll find my five favorite trails in the area, in no particular order.

FATS: Forks Area Trail System (SC)

FATS, located in the Sumter National Forest in South Carolina, is the crown jewel of the CSRA mountain bike scene, and the only IMBA Epic in South Carolina.  It’s 37 miles of fast, swoopy, roller coaster like purpose built mountain bike trails.  There are six individual loops, each with a slightly different feel and the trails will satisfy both beginners and experienced riders alike.  There is very little technical terrain at FATS so anyone can ride here and likely clean every inch of trail.  What makes this trail fun is the speed – it’s easy to get, and easy to keep.  But you do have to be careful with all that speed: there’s a bunch whoop-de-doos that will throw you over the handlebars if you’re not careful.

Riders cruising through some whoop-de-doos on the Deep Step loop at FATS

Mistletoe State Park (GA)

Mistletoe is the anti-FATS.  It’s the most technical trail in the CSRA.  The trail was not built for mountain biking, even though bikes are allowed now.  There are lots of creek crossings – some are easy, some are not.  There’s some rocks, and some steep climbs.  The trails can be a little confusing your first time out so I suggest looking for a local to show you around.  The Rock Dam and Cliatt Creek Nature Trail are the most popular rides, and most locals link them together to form a loop around 6.5 miles long, with a lot of climbing for this area.  Mistletoe is the western most portion of the big Thurmond Epic route.

One of the deeper creek crossings at Mistletoe State Park

Modoc (aka Stevens Creek) (SC)

Modoc is another technical trail, for the CSRA at least.  Located in Sumter National Forest, the Modoc trail roughly follows Steven’s Creek and has some nice scenic views.  Several ditch and creek crossings keep you on your toes on this 6-mile out and back trail.  Between the technical bits Modoc is pretty fast and smooth.  There is plenty of really nice bench cut singletrack that has been in place for decades and it’s a lot of fun to ride.  Locals link Modoc to the Turkey and Wine Creek trails for longer routes.

Only 1/4 mile from the parking lot is one of Modoc’s most memorable creek crossings.  Photo: brianW

Bartram (GA)

The Bartram trail is one of the least technical trails in the area, but it’s also one of the longest.  The trail is an out and back stretching from the West Dam Recreational Area west all the way to Washington Road, and it’s 22.5 miles one way!  The trail runs right through the Petersburg Campground, making Petersburg a great place to stay if you’re planning a visit to the CSRA to ride.

East of Petersburg is known as “old Bartram” to the locals and it is the least challenging side.  It is very flat, smooth, and very fast if you want it to be; a great place to take the kids riding.  West of Petersburg, or “new Bartram” is a little tougher, with some climbing, whoop-de-doos, and a few technical challenges.  The entire trail hugs the shores of Lake Thurmond and has lots of nice views.  Bartram is the biggest chunk of the Thurmond Epic route.

There’s something special about lakeside singletrack.  Photo: brianW

Canal Trail (GA)

This is probably going to a controversial pick as a Top Five trail but hey, it’s my list and I love the canal trail!  It’s a very short 2.8 mile loop inside the city limits of Augusta.  This is the only trail in the area that’s within easy riding distance from a large population area.  It sits on a small piece of land between the Savannah River and the Augusta Canal.  To make the best use of the land the trail is very tight and twisty, making it a great place to work on your cornering skills.  There aren’t any big climbs, but there are a few short steep rooty grunts that can test your skills.  It’s a little trail, but it is big on fun!

That’s me, playing hookie from work and enjoying the canal trail on a sunny Friday afternoon in the spring.  Don’t tell my boss.

Trying to pick the 5 “best” mountain bike trails in Western North Carolina (WNC) is kind of like trying to pick the 5 best $5,000 mountain bikes. They’re all amazing, but they’re all just a little bit different. So while I’m picking these trails because I think they’re really great and may in fact be the best, I’m also choosing these specific trails in an effort to portray the incredible diversity of the mountain biking opportunities available in WNC.

5. Sugar Mountain

Photo Credit: Goo. Rider: Unknown.

If you are coming from the south in an effort to find lift-serviced downhill mountain biking, Sugar Mountain is the first spot that you’ll find. While the resort doesn’t offer an expansive trail network or a jump park, it does have one full top-to-bottom trail packed with more rocks, roots, drops, steeps, and more rocks than you can shake a broken derailleur at! During my first visit to Sugar Mountain, I rode the trails non-stop for the entire 5 or 6 hours that the lift ran. While the trails may be few, the ones they do have are seriously fun! If you live north of North Carolina, though, there are probably some much better options available within a reasonable distance. But for those of us in the South, Sugar Mountain is a great asset.

4. Bent Creek

Photo Credit: ositoking.

I have not yet ridden this trail, but based on all the information I’ve gleaned from guidebooks, the listing here on Singletracks, and friends of mine that live in Asheville just a stone’s throw from the trailhead, Bent Creek is worth a trip! Based on my conversations with locals, the trails are apparently much, much tamer than the trails in Pisgah proper, and are even less technical than those found in Dupont. However, that doesn’t detract from the beauty of this trail system as a whole. There are climbs and descents to be found all over the place, and by all accounts the trails are well-built and narrow.

Bent Creek is designed as a tightly wound “trail system” with concentric loops, making it easy to do anything from a short 5-mile ride to a pieced-together all-day epic. Either way, you’re rarely far from the trailhead. For some people, this could be a welcome relief from the epic-quality singletrack in the rest of Pisgah National Forest that seems to take you deep into the heart of nowhere, completely removed from the constraints of civilization… and the safety of it. Riding a trail system such as Bent Creek requires much less overall commitment. Add in the benefits of a lake and campground and you have a classic mountain biking destination fit for you and the buddies, or you and the family.

3. Tsali

Photo Credit: Goo.

Photo Credit: Goo.

According to mtbikewnc.com, “The popular Tsali Recreation Area has long been a top destination for mountain biking in Western North Carolina, and even the entire eastern US. Containing nearly 40 miles of trails in a system with four excellent loops, it has been rated as one of the top 10 places to ride in the USA.” Historically, Tsali has been one of the great mountain bike destinations of the Southeast. I have spoken with several Georgia locals who can remember back to a time when mountain biking in the state was sparse, and that if a rider wanted to find true singletrack they would have to make the pilgrimage up to Tsali. Thankfully that is no longer the case, but Tsali continues to be a classic destination for mountain bikers from all over the Southeast, and from all over the nation.

Tsali’s popularity is due to the incredible undulating flow of its smooth trails, and the breathtaking views that it provides of Fontana Lake from several different vantage points. In many ways, Tsali is the antithesis to almost all of the other trails in Western North Carolina. Pisgah, Dupont, and many other areas are renowned for the technical challenge found within their forested borders. Tsali’s trails are renowned for exactly the opposite!

2. Black Mountain

Photo Credit: Goo.

As Timm Muth, the author of the North Carolina Falcon guide book, says, “Simply put, this is one of the top three descents in (Pisgah National Forest). It should be on the “A” list for any rider who requires an enormous dose of heartbreak, challenge, and adrenaline.” I know Timm personally, and he has done every single ride in his guide book, so I’ll take his word for it!

Black Mountain is full of quintessential Pisgah singletrack: incredibly steep climbs filled with drops, roots, and rocks like you’d never believe, followed by descents that are just as steep and just as gnarly. Black Mountain is no exception to this rule, and it is an intense 10-mile ride! Starting at ground zero, the trail climbs up and over Hickory Knob, back down the other side a bit, and then rockets straight into the sky to the top of Black Mountain. At the top, turn around, drop your saddle, and bomb back down! Highlights include tons of drops, crazy gnar, jumps, and 8-foot tall berms.

If you’ve been looking at this list closely, you’ve noticed that Black Mountain is the only trail listed that resides in the Pisgah National Forest (barring the Bent Creek trail system). There are literally hundreds of miles of trail in Pisgah, and if you took almost any one of them and placed it in one of the nearby states, it would make a top 5 list such as this with ease. As you can imagine, picking out the “best trail” is difficult at best and arbitrary at worst; in any case I think Black Mountain does a good job of standing as a representative of the entire forest!

1. Dupont State Forest

Photo Credit: Goo.

Putting “Dupont State Forest” in first place is a little bit of a cheap shot, as there are over 80 miles of trails available in the forest. The various trails contain steep slickrock, flowy singletrack in the trees, scenic waterfalls, jumps, rocky technical sections, steep climbs, rhododendron tunnels, and more. I have not explored every single one of the trails yet, but so far the trail combination that includes the most slickrock is easily my favorite. In fact, it may be one of the best trails I’ve ever ridden… ever. This East Coast slickrock experience is not to be missed!

Have you ridden in WNC? What’s your favorite trail?

Before I met my wife, the entire state of Georgia rarely crossed my mind. I knew nothing about it, except for its geographic location and the fact that it was one of the 13 original colonies. Moving to Georgia never occurred to me as a possible course for my life… not even in my wildest dreams!

As you might imagine, I had never thought about the prospect of mountain biking in this state either. Sure, I had heard of the legendary riding in North Carolina and West Virginia, but Georgia? C’mon now.

Having lived here for more than 2 years now I can personally attest to the fact that life will take you places that you’ve never dreamed you would go, and that Georgia is a mountain biking hotbed. Specifically, North Georgia is the place to be. While the bottom three-quarters of the state are really quite flat, the upper quarter bordering North Carolina and Tennessee contains legitimate mountains… and legitimate mountain bike trails. Add in a mostly year-round riding season and active trail clubs and you have a formula for great mountain biking.

Pinhoti Trail, Dalton / Ellijay

The Pinhoti trail is a massive, mostly singletrack trail that stretches from the upper reaches of North-Central Georgia all the way down to Central Alabama. The trail is 330 miles in length, and Georgia contains 164 of those miles. Unlike many trails of this scale in the eastern US, most of the Pinhoti trail in Georgia is open to mountain bikes.

As you might expect, IMBA (the International Mountain Bicycling Association) recently bestowed the venerable title of “Epic” to the Pinhoti. The word is out, and everyone knows what an extraordinary ride this is.

Due to its length, it would be nearly impossible to write a concise review of the entire Pinhoti trail. Some of the sections further to the south and west near Dalton are considered to be some of the most technical mountain biking in the state. The sections near Ellijay are beautifully-constructed, narrow singletrack and unlike the sections around Dalton, they are relatively smooth and fast.

If there’s one thing that you can be sure of when riding the Pinhoti, it’s that you’ll definitely be doing a lot of climbing and a lot of descending… and you’ll probably love every minute of it!

Bear Creek, Ellijay

It doesn’t seem fair that Ellijay should have so many incredible trails in such a relatively small area… but they do. Another classic ride, the Bear Creek trail intersects the Pinhoti trail here (mentioned above).

The Bear Creek trail lies in a gorgeous section of the Chattahoochee National Forest and many different factors contribute its scenic nature: Bear Creek tumbling alongside the trail, the mighty Gennett Poplar, and the scenic overlook of the Cohuttas found at the top of the trail.

Not only is this ride stunningly beautiful, but the trail is a blast to pedal on as well. This is a simple out-and-back, with the singletrack climbing steadily for 5 miles. Then at the top, you get to turn around and bomb back down. The descent back down Bear Creek is fast, amazingly flowy, and best of all it is uninterrupted. Continuous downhills of this length are pretty rare here in North Georgia!

Stanley Gap, Blue Ridge

While this is just one trail in the Aska Trail System, Stanley Gap is definitely the crown jewel of the Blue Ridge area. Best ridden as an out-and-back, the trail climbs steeply from the Deep Gap parking lot all the way up to the high point, and then descends back down a little ways to Stanley Gap.

After turning around and climbing back up that shorter section, the main downhill back down to the start is your true reward… and it is to die for! The speeds you can achieve dropping down this steep, steep section of trail can honestly be scary: make sure you either bring the balls or the skills to deal with the tight trees, big rocks, and sudden turns whipping past at mach 5!

Bull Mountain, Dahlonega

Since this trail is practically in my backyard, there is a special place in my heart reserved for the Bull Mountain trail and the surrounding trail system.

Admittedly, the standard 11-mile Bull Mountain loop isn’t the best singletrack ride in the world. Much of the climbing takes place on old roads and doubletrack. However, the descent back down more than makes up for it! Expect rocks, rocks, and more rocks, high speeds, rhododendron tunnels, and the need to pick bugs out of your teeth after grinning all the way down.

In my opinion, two of the greatest things about the Bull Mountain loop are the large amount of elevation gain (and loss), and the remote feeling in the outer reaches of the loop. Up on the high Bare Hare trail, I always feel as if I am totally removed from civilization. It’s just me, my bike, and the mountain peaks!

I recommend adding in this approach trail to turn it into a 17 mile lariat.

Stonewall Falls, Clayton

Stonewall Falls is one of the only legitimate singletrack mountain bike trails in the northeastern corner of the state, and it is definitely worth a little bit of a drive to reach it. This 11+ mile loop is a challenging ride that will at least stretch you physically if it doesn’t test your bike handling skills.

In short, this trail never feels like it is on flat land. It is either climbing a hill or descending the other side. There is no break, there is no respite: your heart will be going the entire time!

In the end, the descents, narrow singletrack, and beautiful forests make all of the pain worthwhile. As a grand finale, Stonewall Falls sits at the very end of the loop, signaling the end of your ride from far off with its roaring water: a fitting end to a mountain bike trail in Georgia.

I’ve done enough writing, now it is time to hear from you: Have you ridden in North Georgia? What’s your favorite trail?

If you haven’t been here, what is your favorite trail where you live?

This Saturday I’ll be heading to Lake Hartwell on the Georgia/South Carolina border to help with the trail work day at Paynes Creek, soon to be SORBA’s newest mountain bike trail. Assuming all goes well and plenty of volunteers show up this weekend, the official grand opening is scheduled for the following weekend, April 29.

This is a great opportunity to volunteer for a number of reasons:

1. Helping build new trails is exciting and it’s a chance to preview the course before it’s officially open!
2. Trail work days are a great chance to meet other mountain bikers.
3. Singletracks is giving away free trail membership certificates ($19.99 value) to EVERYONE who works this Saturday.
4. The weather is going to be fantastic and any excuse to spend time outside is a good one.
5. There’s a free lunch for the volunteers.
6. It’s a good chance to learn trail building techniques from the pros while getting a “hands on” application of best practices.
7. Giving back to the trails always feels good and if you ride often it’s the right thing to do. If you’ve never volunteered before, this is your chance!

Full details are available here and on the SORBA calendar. See you Saturday!

photos courtesy recreation.gov

SORBA is working with the US Corps of Engineers to open a brand new 6.7-mile mountain bike trail loop in the Paynes Creek recreation area on Lake Hartwell on the GA/SC border off I-85. Professional trailbuilders have already cut the rough trails (the same crew that built FATS) and SORBA is organizing two work days to get the finishing touches complete in time for an April 29 grand opening!

Singletracks is all about new mountain bike trails and so we’re offering free trail memberships ($19.99 value) to everyone who volunteers on the April 23 trail work day. There’s also a trail work day this Saturday for those who can’t make it April 23 and it looks like the weather should be amazing!

Paynes Creek offers camping and access to beautiful Lake Hartwell which means this new trail system should become an instant classic. The topography in the area is rolling and although I haven’t seen the site yet, I predict these trails will be both fast and family-friendly.

Details, including links to directions and start times can be found on this forum thread. Check in and let us know if you can make it!

As mountain bikers we all have an arch nemesis – something that keeps beating us.  It might be a steep technical climb, a man-made stunt, or a rock garden you just can’t seem to clean.

My current MTB nemesis is a local route known as the Thurmond Epic.  It combines the Bartram Trail, Keg Creek trail, and two trails inside Mistletoe State Park: the Rock Dam and Cliatt Creek Nature Loop.  It’s about 67 miles long, and 58 of those miles are singletrack.  As of this writing, no one has ever ridden the entire route – even though I’ve tried twice.

Attempt 1 – The Scorcher

My first attempt was with a group of friends in June and was not a smart idea.  A recent wind storm had left over 20 downed trees on Keg Creek, and temperatures that day went up into the high 90’s.  The heat was just too much for any of us to handle.  We made it 37 miles to the Mistletoe park office before calling it a day.  We all vowed to try again once the weather cooled off.

Attempt 2 – Long Way Alone

I made a second try in December and none of my usual riding buddies were able to go, so I went solo.  The first 30 miles were fun and good until I was on the singletrack that leads into the back side of the Rock Dam trail where the track suddenly seemed to disappear.  It’s a very rarely ridden trail with pink flagging to mark the way but suddenly there was no more flagging, and the heavy leaf cover gave me no chance to see the trail on the ground.  I got off the bike and walked around for nearly 20 minutes trying to find the trail, or some flagging, but had no luck.  I was about to give up and turn around, but then I noticed a blue blaze on a tree on the other side of a creek.  Ah ha!  The Rock Dam trail has blue blazes!

I did some bushwhacking across the creek and continued on the Rock Dam trail.  Everything was going well until I crashed hard and unexpectedly in an off-camber corner.  I slammed my thigh into some roots and tweaked my knee a bit.  I sat there for a while, then finally got up and continued on.  I had to walk all the climbs, my knee was really hurting, and my single speed didn’t let me gear down to spin easily.

I finally made it to the park office 5 hours after starting the ride.  I was done, my knee was killing me, and I still had 25+ miles of singletrack left to ride.  I decided to take the road back instead.  Fifteen boring (and cold) miles later I arrived back at my car, 6.5 hours after leaving that morning. I had 53 miles under my tires which is not a bad day -  but I was disappointed. The Thurmond Epic had beaten me again.  I’m definitely not giving up and I’ll be back to try it again – but next time I’m bringing some friends.  My latest attempt proved that it’s a long ride by yourself.

So what’s been giving you trouble on the trail lately?  Tell us about it in the comments section below.