Part 1:
In order to get to the trailhead, the only available route looked like this.
It felt like a real life version of Gran Turismo, but instead of the Jeep, I really needed this.
Dupont State Forest is a huge area, so I had narrowed my plan down to the Fawn Lake and Corn Mill Shoals trails. At this point I was so excited I could barely take the time to take this picture.
Then I got up to the main map and saw just how many trails there are in the DSF system.
I know most of you could care less about the actual biking or trails, so I will keep this to a minimum. So far these were some of the best, most challenging/technical trails I have ridden. I had to keep things within reason since I was riding solo in some pretty remote territory, so I can only imagine how much fun these would be once you got to know the trails and could really let loose. Here are a few shots of the trails & scenery, then I'll move on.
Ok, enough biking pics, but suffice it to say it was an incredible trip and I hope to be back. I won't even get into how much it sucked to have my ride cut short by a flat tire (thorn) about 1/2 mile from the end, but I had already gotten in close to 20 miles. At that point I was just happy to be hiking out in one piece & not in an ambulance.
*Side note - if you want to dork out with the .GPX track files and elevation gain, click on the Strava links on the righthand side of the page to see details of the rides. If you have no idea what that means, ignore this.
After a ride like that, I needed some time to celebrate, so I swung by nearby Brevard, NC to see the Oskar Blues Brewery. What an impressive place. Their main brewery is in Colorado, and one of the reasons they chose this area is so they could be close to the mountain biking culture, and more importantly, these trails.
Here's a few shots of their operation, it is nestled just outside downtown Brevard on Mountain Industrial Drive, rather fitting.
Part 2:
So... while this was going on, Kimberly and Jordan were back at the park exploring the trails, playgrounds, and as it turned out - the wildlife. More on that in a minute.
They started out down by the trailhead to Pinnacle, Table Rock, and a few other shorter routes.
As her spider sense kicked in, you know where she was headed. Almost there...
Found it.
Apparently after they made their way back to the campsite, the kids from the neighboring site (we referred to them as the Ricky Bobby kids - yes, Walker & Texas Ranger) were talking about the bear in the campground. Just after that Kimberly & Jordan ran into one of the park rangers at the camp store, and they were sounding the airhorn. They had just seen a momma bear & two of her cubs come into the campground.
Not exactly what I wanted to hear when I got back, but at least I got to explain to Jordan that this is how her dad would have handled the bear.
Part 3:
Once I got back from biking, it was time to get ready and go visit our friends Kevin and Audrey Cook, who had recently moved from Grand Rapids down to Greenville, SC.
It was a great visit, we were just about to their house when we saw this interesting sign on their street. Just how much more than 15mph does a car have to be going to perform that maneuver, and wouldn't 'Bump' be a bit more applicable?
Interesting signs behind us, we headed out for a nice dinner and a stroll around the downtown Greenville area. It was very cool, so many different attractions, and all very accessible and kid-friendly. Jordan was loving playing with their two girls, Keira and Ayla.
Our first stop was the highly regarded Falls Park on the Reedy, which if you are ever in the area you need to visit. Lots of green space, a suspension bridge over a rocky waterfall, just a cool scene with tons of locals mixing with tourists.
My sweet phone pics will not do this justice, so just go see it. Here are a few other shots of the downtown area, as we made our way down to the free public concert, where it's basically a huge block party every weekend.
Just before getting to the point where the kids could hear the music & play, we got a quick family shot. And yes, I did get sunburned by the flash.
Overall it was a fantastic day, and the drive back to the campsite got pretty quiet. Kevin, Audrey & family, thanks so much for your hospitality & time, it was cool to see you guys and we loved the city.
Day 7 marks the transition of the trip from mountains & woods to beaches and ocean. I'll make sure to have a muumuu and shawl with me everywhere I go, as tomorrow kicks off with a drive to Charleston for a couple of days.
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