[urbaindk]

Hey y'all. I took a little vacation down south last week to my parents farm near Harriman TN. So I was away from the monkey for a little while not that you would have missed me. Unfortunately I was bikeless so I couldn't hit up Windrock while I was there but I had fun none the less!

First order of business was to help my Dad build a 16' x 32' extension to the deck. Here's Dad working on the handrails. I call this photo "Still life with Beer"

After about 2 days of work we were pretty much finished.

My old highschool buddy Shawn drove up from Chattanooga and we went up to the Lilly Boulder fields and did a little bouldering. Here's Shawn finishing a little v2. I think my best climb for the day was a v1. I suck. What's sad is that my forearms still ache 4 days later.

Other than that I just hiked round the farm checking out various flora and fauna.

Butterflies:

One of Ma's horses:

A somewhat shady character that helped me test the zoom on my camera:

Yes that is a diamondback rattlesnake!

I also hiked up to the top of Whetstone Mountain (my parents backyard) and checked out the view. Here's a rock formation that I call finger rock. I doubt it actually has a name.

Other than that all I did for the week was sleep in a comfy lounge chair on the new deck and drink lots of sweet tea. Pretty good vacation I'd say.

 

[rpk1988]

Sweet man. Now come out on the Sunday rides with us.

 

[urbaindk]

Sweet man. Now come out on the Sunday rides with us.

Dude, Change it to Saturday Morning and/or get up later. Who works Sunday's anyway?

 

[rpk1988]

Were only open from 12-5. Haha. Just leg it out one time. ONE time. Thats all.

 

[urbaindk]

I'll make it out some day, I promise!

 

[rpk1988]

Yea do it. Haha. I'll be rockin' a Chris King rear hub now...I hope.

 

[profro]

You were so close to Windrock. Shame you didn't have a bike.

 

[urbaindk]

You were so close to Windrock. Shame you didn't have a bike.

I know I know!!! Hell from the top of Whetstone Mtn you can see Windrock! My parents are sort of in the middle of that triangle between Harriman, Oliver Springs and Wartburg. My parents drove up to DC for my cousin's wedding and I rode down to TN with them and flew back. Originally I was going to drive and bring a bike but the wife and I are currently a one car family so that's just how it goes.

I've started looking for jobs at ORNL so I can move back home at which point I'm going on a building spree on Whetstone. There is already great ATV trail network up there now off the old Cumberland Trail. I've been riding there for years. Also some kick ass tech xc riding off some of strip mines right on 27 at Bitter Creek. If you know where to start you can Shuttle from somewhere near Oakdale to the Little Emory Gap. Mostly DH but not entirely. Its all Coal Creek land as far as know.

 

[SkaredShtles]

<snip>
My old highschool buddy Shawn drove up from Chattanooga and we went up to the Lilly Boulder fields and did a little bouldering. Here's Shawn finishing a little v2. I think my best climb for the day was a v1. I suck. What's sad is that my forearms still ache 4 days later.

Nice pics! The bottom of that problem must be hard, because it sure looks like a V0- from here.

 

[urbaindk]

Nice pics! The bottom of that problem must be hard, because it sure looks like a V0- from here.

It might be... I don't know much about rocks.

 

[SkaredShtles]

It might be... I don't know much about rocks.

Yer buddy was probably sandbaggin' ya.

 

[urbaindk]

That bastard! All I know is that I couldn't do the crimper that his right hand is on and the one he matched with just to the left so I figured it must be harder than a v.0 even with the good feet.

We had a little booklet that we downloaded which rated most of the obvious problems. We went and looked at a v.13 and one only described as v.sick. Sick indeed. I couldn't even spot the holds. Both were nearly flat roofs.