[canadmos]

So it looks like I should be able to swing some time off around/on Christmas. I'm not sure yet on the exact dates, but it'll be literally on or around Christmas. I spoke to some people up here and there are 2-3 people interested in coming down.

It looks like I'll be headed there sometime between December 20th-30th. Dates to be confirmed....

So......a ride in NC might be in store?

@jstuhlman @SuboptimusPrime @Nick @slyfink

 

[jstuhlman]

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

I'm usually pretty busy with work around Christmas so it's hard to go very far to ride. But Dec 26, game on...

 

[stevew]

i will probably be in a bears belly.

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

I shall begin the wife approval process immediately...

 

[Nick]

woot!

Not a good time of year for me, but I'll stay tuned. I'd love to ride down there again.

 

[slyfink]

@canadmos how were you planning on getting down? drive? fly? I have to see what my family situation is... if my wifes parents will be in Chile, if my mom is flying over from France, if my brother is going to Vancouver... so many ifs!

 

[canadmos]

@canadmos how were you planning on getting down? drive? fly? I have to see what my family situation is... if my wifes parents will be in Chile, if my mom is flying over from France, if my brother is going to Vancouver... so many ifs!

We'd be definitely driving. If I got solo, I'll have one extra spot for a bike/person. If we take my buddies van, depending on who goes, we'd have 1-3 spots open. This is a lot of ifs.

So NC dudes, is Pisgah the place to go (at that time of year)?

 

[6thElement]

Man that drive would hurt, it used to take 12 hours from NYC

 

[canadmos]

Man that drive would hurt, it used to take 12 hours from NYC

It won't be too bad, its mostly through the middle no where on the way down. Going west through Chicago is worse...

 

[Nick]

It won't be too bad, its mostly through the middle no where on the way down. Going west through Chicago is worse...

I've driven 9ish hours from Chicago to Brevard ... getting out of the city was worse than the next 600 miles

 

[jstuhlman]

So NC dudes, is Pisgah the place to go (at that time of year)?

yep. plant yourself somewhere near brevard, or if you want a little bit bigger-city vibe/more to do, in Asheville, which is about 1/2 and hour to the north (would also put you a bit closer to Bailey (shuttled dh) and some of the trails in the northeastern parts of Pisgah around Black Mountain (Kitsuma / Heartbreak / Coleman Buondary) and north of Morganton (Wilson Creek).

 

[canadmos]

This gone be good!

 

[jstuhlman]

for further reference, please consult this map, which was made last year for a different RM thread:

 

[canadmos]

Damn, so far from bbq!

 

[slyfink]

for further reference, please consult this map, which was made last year for a different RM thread:

where's the beer? everywhere?

 

[jstuhlman]

yesssssss

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Keep me informed.

 

[canadmos]

Looks like only one other dude from up here will be joining me on this silly Christmas adventure.

I think the plan for us is to depart Canadia on the 23rd/24th of December.

Does anyone have input on a place to stay?

 

[jonKranked]

can't join you, but if you pass through the philly area i can show you some trails

 

[jstuhlman]

how much coin you want to drop? if i'm in brevard w/wife for hiking we usually stay at the red house inn. owners are super cool. husband rides. they make a killer breakfast and you can walk into downtown brevard. i'm sure there are a ton of lower priced options nearby though. especially that time of year.

 

[StiHacka]

how much coin you want to drop? if i'm in brevard w/wife for hiking we usually stay at the red house inn. owners are super cool. husband rides. they make a killer breakfast and you can walk into downtown brevard. i'm sure there are a ton of lower priced options nearby though. especially that time of year.

I stayed in nearby Campbell House. Nice place, great breakfast.

 

[jdcamb]

We'd be definitely driving. If I got solo, I'll have one extra spot for a bike/person. If we take my buddies van, depending on who goes, we'd have 1-3 spots open. This is a lot of ifs.

So NC dudes, is Pisgah the place to go (at that time of year)?

Can you pick me up in Buffalo? I will bring supplies.....

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Can you pick me up in Buffalo? I will bring supplies.....

I recommend this monkey.

 

[Nick]

So is this looking like the week between xmas and nye then ?

I'm still 93.875% down if schedules can work out.

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

I stay at the Holliday Inn Express in Brevard. If it were any closer to the entrance to PNF, you'd have hikers in your bathroom. It's clean, has decent coffee and breakfast included, and is fairly reasonable price wise. And you can hop on the greenway and ride into the forrest from your hotel room.

Also there is an ok Mexican place about a 1/8 mile from the entrance to PNF.

Weather is hit or miss. It could be cold and snowing or 60˚ and sunny. But since y'all are from Canada it will probably seem warm to you anyway.

C'mondown.

 

[canadmos]

@AngryMetalsmith sweet. that sounds pretty good. That type of place might be best, cheap, easy access and I assume we should be able to sneak out bikes into the room..

@jstuhlman @StiHacka thanks for the tips. I'll run them by the guy I'm going with. I think cheaper will be better and of course they have to be bike friendly.

A random guy that I follow on Strava and have bumped into the trails around here just spent two weeks in NC and told me to check out Sycamore Cycles. He also recommended Dupont. Any good?

Can you pick me up in Buffalo? I will bring supplies.....

If we go in my buddies van, this is definitely something we can do.

 

[jstuhlman]

dupont is mellower and lots of short trails stitched together. it could be fun but i prefer riding in pisgah much more. sycamore is a good shop but the hub, across the street, has a bar

 

[6thElement]

Stick run down Kitsuma on your list too if you've not ridden NC before.

edit: Laurel to Pilot Cove is one of my favourites too.

 

[Jim Mac]

where's the beer? everywhere?

 

[AngryMetalsmith]

@AngryMetalsmith sweet. that sounds pretty good. That type of place might be best, cheap, easy access and I assume we should be able to sneak out bikes into the room..

There are tire marks on the walls, some are mine. They don't care. The whole town is bike friendly.

 

[cecil]

Can you pick me up in Buffalo? I will bring supplies.....

biking around xmas with no snow sounds tempting i might be in for this....im in the ROC so i could pick you up to

 

[canadmos]

biking around xmas with no snow sounds tempting i might be in for this....im in the ROC so i could pick you up to

I think you just signed up....

 

[jstuhlman]

hey now...no one guaranteed no snow. winter's like a box o chocolates down here....

(january 28-ish last year)

 

[cecil]

well there is a better chance of no snow there than where i live in upstate NY

 

[SuboptimusPrime]

hey now...no one guaranteed no snow. winter's like a box o chocolates down here....

(january 28-ish last year)

I've backpacked around there a ton (usual mini loop is park at bottom of Bee Mtn, hike along the river, then up to little lost cove cliffs, down to buckwheatish zone (?) then up and over Bee mtn back to car). What trail were you riding?

 

[jstuhlman]

I've backpacked around there a ton (usual mini loop is park at bottom of Bee Mtn, hike along the river, then up to little lost cove cliffs, down to buckwheatish zone (?) then up and over Bee mtn back to car). What trail were you riding?

that day it was a struggle to do lost cove plus what we call "mount dwi" which is the dh to the right after the first bit of dh on lost cove, then we climbed out and did little lost cove.

i hit bee as part of a ride the other day-it was in great shape.

 

[canadmos]

If it does snow, are there alternatives down lower or more south?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

If it does snow, are there alternatives down lower or more south?

Argentina.

 

[jstuhlman]

that's at wilson creek, which is a different part of pisgah, about 1:30 from where you'll probably be (unless you want a tour!). it's generally a bit warmer in pisgah proper. it'd be from a 1-2 hour drive further south to hit other trail options.

winter here is just totally unpredictable. it might be 60* and sunny; it might be 40* and cold rain. it might even snow. hard to say for sure.