[mud'n'sweat]

I had the day off yesterday and I decided to hit Reddish Knob with my friend Steve. I've been almost exclusively riding my single speed lately and I decided it would go on this ride as well. I wanted to see if I could make the climb up the road to the top on the SS without stopping or dabbing a foot. We started at 1950ft. and climbed all the way to 4397ft. and I made it with no problem (well, except for being on the verge of cramping before we even hit the long rough ridge ride down timber ridge and wolf ridge. The first several miles of timber ridge can be quite rough on a hardtail. The only other times I've ridden it were on my FS so it was like riding a whole other trail. Still, the steel frame did help out quite a bit, but couldn't save me from a nice pinch flat. I changed out my tires and went up to 38psi on my 2.4 Mutano's (was riding them at 28psi before the flat). The ride was a little rougher, but I felt more secure from another flat. The rest of the trail was great even if a little abusive! The botton of Wolf Ridge held a nice suprise consisting of about 8 or so nice jumps that we were really airing off of with all the speed and momentum we had built up on the DH before it. Had too much fun to stop and take pic's of this section, although I wish we had since it was really sweet and a great way to end the trail. All in all, the ride was 20 miles, with close to 3,000ft. of elevation gain in the mix. My best ride to date on the new found SS of love

not sure why the pic's won't link. Here are the clickable links.....

http://www.ridemonkey.com/mountain-bike-photos/showphoto.php/photo/4087/sort/1/cat/500/page/1
http://www.ridemonkey.com/mountain-bike-photos/showphoto.php/photo/4089/sort/1/cat/500/page/1
http://www.ridemonkey.com/mountain-bike-photos/showphoto.php/photo/4091/sort/1/cat/500/page/1

 

[llkoolkeg]

What a great way to spend a day off work. I'll have to make it up there sometime, as everyone I've spoken with about it says it's a fun place to ride. I just can't get over the name, though...reddish knob. :biggrin:

Cool pics, too, by the way. In fact, I never knew that Merlin Olsen rode mountain bikes before your post.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

I never knew that Merlin Olsen rode mountain bikes before your post.

oh damn, haven't gotten that one yet! :biggrin:

 

[urbaindk]

I can't believe you climbed that hill on an SS. I did climbed up from the bottom of North River trail head to the top of the North River trail head on the FS road on a geared bike and was crying like a little girl by the time I got to the top. The ride back down was worth it though.

 

[llkoolkeg]

oh damn, haven't gotten that one yet! :biggrin:

Well, if you're to be compared with a football player, he's not a bad one to list...and you do look like him. It could've been worse...you might have grown up looking like the Raven's heartbreaker Terrell Suggs who recently was presented with an award by his teammates at the end of training camp. :biggrin:

 

[wood-dog]

I would have to say that some of my best memories in Va was up at Reddish knob with our group rides, but we rode DOWN!!!! Wholly Crap, Rich! You rode to the top on your SS? You freaking ROCK!

 

[llkoolkeg]

Is the trail "shuttleable"? I get the sense that either it is not or that doing so is frowned upon.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

Is the trail "shuttleable"? I get the sense that either it is not or that doing so is frowned upon.

It is, but even with a shuttle it is not all downhill. The group rides last january accidently came out and down cali ridge, which is closed and lucky for us the private property it dumped us out on was vacant at the time (hunting lodge). That was a close call because had anyone been there, they would have had a small arsenal and a calvary of dogs with them. Unfortunately, the park service has still to this day not marked the trail off as being closed and the sign for the trail is still there. You have no clue you are riding on a closed trail until you leave the private property and look back on the sign at the gate you just passed to read about a dozen "warning, your ass will be shot if you trespass" signs posted. OUCH. Lesson learned. Unfortunately, instead of helping out and educating us on that trail being closed, the local riders just decided to heckle a bunch of us on here as we planned for the trip. You'd think if someone was worried about the trails and their safety, they would have been a bit more informative.

The trails left open are Timber Ridge and Wolf Ride. Both are more trailbike territory then DH as there is plenty of climbing to do. It's basically all ridge riding.

Woody, I was thinking about you when we were going through the rock garden at the top!

 

[VaNIlLin81]

I just can't get over the name, though...reddish knob. :biggrin:

 

[llkoolkeg]

I really need to get out there for some camping, partying and riding. Although I'd end up pushing my 42#er up a lot of those hills, I don't mind earning a downhill and Lord knows I could use the exercise!

 

[wood-dog]

You have no clue you are riding on a closed trail until you leave the private property and look back on the sign at the gate you just passed to read about a dozen "warning, your ass will be shot if you trespass" signs posted. OUCH.

and we have the pics to prove it

Woody, I was thinking about you when we were going through the rock garden at the top!

Did you SS it over the rockgarden too?


Rich, you remeber how cold it was the first time went there? if not, then here is a reminder

 

[BIRDMAN111]

wolf ridge is bad ass. i loved that run, speaking of reddish we need to go there once Snowshoe is closed.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

wolf ridge is bad ass. i loved that run, speaking of reddish we need to go there once Snowshoe is closed.

It gets even better, you guys took the bail out that heads back to the parking area. You can continue down the ridge to Tillman rd. for another 6 miles or so. Gotta hit it up sometime.

Woody, definitely didn't SS the garden. There is a couple of small trees now growing down the middle making the approach completely trials type **** now.

Those [ic's bring back some fun memories

 

[wood-dog]

yea, that was a good day! We spent what.... a month planning it, and I think 13 people showed up for it so we got to meet some new people. The view at the top was incredible, the conversation.... great! The weather sucked, but it made for a greater experience. The riding, even though you were not sure as to where you were leading us, was awsome... even for the month of March? Febuary? April? I can't remember.

 

[BIRDMAN111]

march maybe. all i know is that the mountain loral was definatly growing.

 

[Bearmntpicnic]

yeah man, as soon as i heal up we need to get up there again

 

[BIRDMAN111]

yeah man, as soon as i heal up we need to get up there again

what did you do?

 

[Bearmntpicnic]

merked myself

 

[BIRDMAN111]

what part of your self did you merk

 

[wannabeabonedoc]

and we have the pics to prove it

Did you SS it over the rockgarden too?


Rich, you remeber how cold it was the first time went there? if not, then here is a reminder

that was probably the best rides I've ever been on and if memory serves me correctly, it was ended with burritos in H'burg....mmmmm:biggrin:
Even if Rich you messed up your brand new rear der. and I broke my seat off just about 1/4 of the way down... that was a long ride.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

Pete! Where ya been hiding at man? Hope school is going well, I'm sure things are pretty busy for you.

The broken seat post and derailler incident was one to remember. We had a LONG way to go to get out of there at that point.

 

[wannabeabonedoc]

I've become a professional RM lurker. I sold my bike thinking I'd lost interest in the sport but DAMN YOU ridemonkey, you just keep pulling me back in. SO, I'm stuck in blacksburg VA, in a little room studying for 8-9 hours a day. w00t.
Oh yeah. I'm flat broke too so no new/used(new) bike for me

 

[fonseca]

I accidentally rode California Ridge back in July myself. I knew I took the wrong turn as soon as I hit the endless mountain laurel so overgrown you can't even see your wheels on the trail, but by then it was too late. They really need to take that sign down and cover the start of that trail.

Reddish Knob is perfectly shuttleable. Who wants to climb 7 miles of pavement? Plus that means you only get one run instead of 2-3. But if riding it on a SS does it for you. . .well, you're a better man than I. Or possibly a masochist.

My favorite trail is actually Hone Quarry Ridge, and a short enough ride up the road to be worth it. It's really fast, much of it smooth, some climbing, and one steep rocky section you need to be ready for. Park at Briery Branch Reservoir, ride the pavement until you can turn right onto the dirt road (Flagpole Rd IIRC) at the sharp bend. Then right onto Hone Quarry Ridge. Following HQR all the way will put you out near the Hone Quarry campground on the other side. Taking the only side trail brings you back to Briery Branch. Awesome trail.

 

[mud'n'sweat]

My favorite trail is actually Hone Quarry Ridge, and a short enough ride up the road to be worth it. It's really fast, much of it smooth, some climbing, and one steep rocky section you need to be ready for. Park at Briery Branch Reservoir, ride the pavement until you can turn right onto the dirt road (Flagpole Rd IIRC) at the sharp bend. Then right onto Hone Quarry Ridge. Following HQR all the way will put you out near the Hone Quarry campground on the other side. Taking the only side trail brings you back to Briery Branch. Awesome trail.

Not a bad one either, but you still do the major part of the climb up to timber ridge/reddish parking by the time you get to the turn for flagpole and it is a much shorter ride than if you take Wolf Ridge all the way out to Tillman. This whole area from Hone all the way over to the southern traverse off of deerfield valley rd. is just a hotspot for riding in va. I feel very lucky to have all of this so close to my home.

 

[urbaindk]

I feel very lucky to have all of this so close to my home.

I'm applying for a faculty position at JMU. Maybe if I'm lucky I can live there too. (fingers crossed)

 

[mud'n'sweat]

I'm applying for a faculty position at JMU. Maybe if I'm lucky I can live there too. (fingers crossed)

We'll definitely have to hit up some epic rides together if you do!