So John G had just about had it with Memphis and decided to take a drive on down to Bombingham for
some barbecue and single track.
On Saturday we met up a little before 2:00 and got him set up with a tent site. After a few minutes
of the usual pre-ride fluffing with [censored], we set off. We rode from the North trailhead as it's only
about a mile or so from the campsites.
We opted to ride the 7-bridges section first (rather than start with the dirt road climb) - Clyde on
his Monocog, I on a geared but rigid Fat. And it was beautful. It's been hot and dry for the past
few weeks and the trail was hard and fast with a light coating of dusty graveling loose stuff on
top. Did I say fast?
This bit of trail at Oak Mt is way swoopy and twisty, with good berms, some tight spots through the
trees, (what a shock) a whole bunch of wooden bridges. There aren't any sustained brutal climbs, nor
downhills - it just rolls up and down and refuses to go straight for more than about ten yards at a
time. It's a hoot. And did I say the trail conditions were fast?
Clyde kept the SS humming along very nicely through the swoops and showed what a manly man he is by
getting that damn thing up just about every climb he pointed it at. We traded bikes a couple times
so I could try out his Redline (and share the pain of climbing on the SS). I gotta say - that thing
is awesome. I can't wait to get one.
As we had started later than originally hoped, we only rode half the loop (a nice 9 miles or so
nonetheless) as far as the South Trailhead where my car was waiting. Not a huge epic, and we didn't
do tons of pausing to admire scenery or any such nonsense - it was just a damn good ride with a damn
good guy. An afternoon well spent.
I had to get back to the wife and kids so I didn't get to join John for any barbecue. I'm hoping
he'll chime in with a BBQR and let me know what he though of Jim & Nicks.
-Andrew