|
Post by Angela on May 22, 2011 21:48:47 GMT -5
June Explore The Trail Ride and Picnic What: Ride and picnic celebrating National Trails Day Where: Long Cane Horse Trail When: June 4th meet at 10:00 the ride starts at 10:30 - picnic follows This ride/picnic can be cancelled due to weather or trail conditions so please check the website prior to leaving for the event! sorbacsra.org We need a count of people interested in joining us for this ride/picnic. If you plan to join us please let me know by June 1st so we can ensure there is enough food. If you have questions you can call me (Angela) at (706) 799-0209 Explore the Trail Series Ride and Picnic in celebration of National Trails Day at the Long Cane Horse Trail near Greenwood , SC allow about an hour and 30 minutes from Augusta . Meet at10:00am at the Fell Horse Camp (see directions below). We will be serving lunch (hamburgers, hotdogs and sides) at shortly after noon at the pavilion at the Fell Horse Camp. Members and non-members are welcome! Upstate SORBA and newly added Midlands SORBA chapters will be joining us. This trail system is a great flowing trail cut through varying terrain - tremendously fun and well worth the drive! You can easily put in 14 miles but many do the entire 25! Even if you have not ridden this trail before, please join us, the Greenwood SORBA-CSRA members are always fantastic hosts and they do do an excellent job of maintaining this trail which makes it an even better ride. We will have some ride leaders and people sweeping and with the various ride options available everyone should have a great time. Read more: sorbacsra.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=Ridepost&thread=2548&page=1#ixzz1N8k5ODfy
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 1, 2011 18:27:31 GMT -5
Today is the last day to sign up and have a burger, brat or hotdog with your name on it for this weekend's National Trails Day Ride and Picnic. Just received word from the SORBA-CSRA guys up at Greenwood and the trail is in great shape and they are out this week doing a little bit more tidying up so the trail will be in spectacular shape. I do want to mention that the Greenwood guys will be leading a 30 mile ride for those who want to hit it hard. I've ridden (or attempted to ) with these guys so the 30 miler won't be a casual stroll through the woods but plenty of other options will be available as well.
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 2, 2011 11:02:33 GMT -5
This map might assist people in locating the Fell Horse Camp -
|
|
|
Post by EdgeE on Jun 2, 2011 12:19:35 GMT -5
Well it has happened again - 3rd year planning on making this ride and something else has priority Nice map, I'll have to put it to use on my own.
|
|
|
Post by Mark Y on Jun 2, 2011 16:56:35 GMT -5
Going to be a hot one! I might just hang out more than ride.
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 2, 2011 21:14:01 GMT -5
Okay - Saturday high in Greenwood is 94...............it won't hit the high temperature for the day until between 3 and 5pm. If you hit the trail at 10:30 and finish up your ride at 12:30 the temperature should not have even hit 90 yet...........AND you are going to be in the woods most of the time on LCHT so that is probably good for 5 to 10 degree cooler (or at least feeling that way)........... Come get your ride on! Just stay hydrated and ride a little slower and it will be great! While it is on my mind, looks like we will have 50+ attendees - we have the pavilion area up at Fell but to make sure we have plenty of shade we will be bringing an extra pop-up tent or so - if you have a folding chair bring it along!
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 3, 2011 16:13:06 GMT -5
Looks like tomorrow it will be about 80 degrees at ride time in Greenwood and then 87 by 1pm. If I can pull it together I will bring cold towels for after the ride.
|
|
Homer
Gear Masher
Posts: 47
|
Post by Homer on Jun 3, 2011 21:30:45 GMT -5
The Greenwood crew is doing a water drop at the intersection of 505 and 506 which is where we normally do our Tuesday rides from. Coolers will be up the trail at the kiosk which is about 25 yards to the left of the parking area. It's about the half way point around the loop.
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 4, 2011 5:59:13 GMT -5
There will be cold towels for after the ride and we will have a limited number of veggie burgers available. Can't remember how the cellphone coverage is but ..........706-799-0209 if you have any problems getting there!
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 4, 2011 15:09:46 GMT -5
Just left Fell Hunt Camp - our regional National Trails Day ride and picnic was a great success. With CSRA, Midlands and Upstate SORBA participating we had 60 people come out for some great riding and socializing. Thanks so much to everyone who came out and special thanks to our Greenwood members who were the trail hosts. The trails were in impeccable condition and we appreciated the ride guides to make sure no one got lostm
I did recover a helmet, gloves, and gutter that was left behind - send me a message at dan-angelaallen@comcast.net to identify it and ill make arrangements to get it back to you!
We'll post pictures, etc soon!
|
|
|
Post by azdrawdy on Jun 4, 2011 20:33:30 GMT -5
I did recover a helmet, gloves, and gutter that was left behind - send me a message at dan-angelaallen@comcast.net to identify it and ill make arrangements to get it back to you! Darn it Angela! I was just at AJBW last week, trying on a new pair of BG gloves and a fancy, high-dollar Specialized Prevail helmet. Drew told me that the rumor on the street was that if I had the new Speccy gloves and helmet I would not need that Sweat Gut'r. Now that you have so graciously met me and given back my OLD stuff, I will never know... MD
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 5, 2011 7:47:56 GMT -5
Love that - guess you'll just have to try to "lose it" again when I am not around. Interesting ploy to get something new..............hmmm what should I "lose" ...........hmmmm ps I actually get so attached to my old, comfortable stuff that Daniel generally has to pry it away - click shifters, v-brakes, etc
|
|
|
Post by robg on Jun 5, 2011 11:53:39 GMT -5
Thanks for a great day , the midlands group really enjoyed it . We look forward to doing it again.
|
|
|
Post by azdrawdy on Jun 5, 2011 12:39:57 GMT -5
Thanks for a great day , the midlands group really enjoyed it . We look forward to doing it again. Glad you two showed up. Good seeing ya'll again. I'll have to shoot your killer Speccy next time. Until then: MD
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Jun 5, 2011 14:05:13 GMT -5
I thought that was just dandy. The trail was the best condition I've ridden it in, maybe ever. Just perfect, really. The Greenwood contingent of SORBA CSRA (12 strong) did a fine job of having the trail in perfect shape.
The organizers put on a heck of a show. Well done by all the leaders of CSRA. Thank you. MD did a heck of job with the grilling. First rate.
This trail has it all. It has old school, fall line, eroded singletrack and modern day machine built FATS-like flow. But it has horses using it too and at times of the year, this can cause issues. But I came away yesterday saying the horses added an edgyness to the trails.
I can't decide if the middle piece is better going towards Fell or away from it. That piece of trail is a hoot. And 9 Minute Trail is great too, but getting too it is a PITA now as someone plowed up the field from the sign over to start of it. I thought Land of Double Wides was just fine. The gravel at the top is no good, but it is short. From the Lake to the metal bridge on the trail (H to I on map) is a Wooglin Delight. It is overgrown, lots of ivy, ticks and unmanageable downfall. I've ridden it twice in the last 3 weeks and I'd ride it again. Once you cross the metal bridge, it is blissful all the way back to Fell. Some climbs, but still fun riding. The highlight may be Sean's Mile that ends at Memorial Bridge.
Go ride this trail, it is a great one.
|
|
|
Post by azdrawdy on Jun 5, 2011 14:19:56 GMT -5
Good points all BV. YC and I ride this trail numerous times every year. Sometimes it hands our arses to us, other times it smiles on us. There are oh-so-many ways to make the miles here. I followed AllenB yesterday and found and may have found a new route. Loved it. Really enjoyed the new faces. Missed a bunch of familiar ones. Everyone there was so thankful for the event. The entire event. I think we found a winner at Fell Hunt Camp! MD
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Jun 5, 2011 17:38:19 GMT -5
I think the lake would be a far better scene for the picnic. Problem is the trail coming out of the lake is on the most primitive section of the southern loop. It needs alot of work with chain saws and DR's or hedgers. If mowed, it would be stellar singletrack. The part leaving the lake going north toward metal bridge is awful because you go thru a short slash section that needs a chainsaw crew, then vegetation and downfall. It's technical, and you can tell there is a cool trail under all the debris.
Nothing wrong with Fell. Certainly the trail access is better right now.
The Greenwood boys don't seem to ride/care about this section going to the lake, so I doubt the status quo changes much. They skirt from metal bridge to J by taking a gravel road up to Cedar Springs Rd and pavement to the bottom of 9 Minute Trail (J on the map).
If you were ever going to haul your camper up there, I'd advise you to camp near the lake, not at Fell. The trail going from the lake to J isn't bad at all. Some climbing and gully erosion in there, but I like the climbing. They call this the "Land of the Doublewides" and it is from 515 to 518.
I crossed the RR tracks starting to feel the miles, and that climb to 505/506 from there is a sleeper. It's 4 miles from the RR tracks to 505/506, climbing most of the way. It never gets really steep, but it sneaks up on me sometimes. I love the technical section after you cross 505. That is one of the better sections of single we have.
I'd be for this becoming an annual event. But I think if we want to attract the Upstate Chapter, it has to be in the fall when it is cooler. They are closer to DuPont/Pisgah and it is way cooler and less humid up there than here this time of year.
|
|
|
Post by Angela on Jun 5, 2011 19:14:21 GMT -5
One of the big draws to the Hunt Camp for me is that great pavilion with water pump nearby and a bathroom. Last year it rained and it was great to be able to continue the event by getting everyone up under the pavilion. Would love to see a pavilion like this out at FATS but I suspect in this time of budget cuts that would be a pipe dream! I'm sure we'll invite both chapters to join us for the BikeFest this fall!
|
|
|
Post by seenvic on Jun 5, 2011 20:04:08 GMT -5
Pretty sure the lake has better facilities in terms of restrooms, showers, pavilions, picnic areas....it is like Lick Fork, but with a nicer, larger, lake. All that said, Fell works fine and there is nothing wrong with it. The only way the consider the lake is if the trail in and out was SORBAised and I don't think those guys are interested in cleaning this section up.
Now the real reason I came back to post. I think the best route for the whole thing is this: Start at Fell. Ride the southern loop CCW. Come back to car at Fell and reload water. You've ridden about 14.4 miles at this point. Then go back and ride the northern loop CCW. I think that is about another 19.6 miles, for right at 34 miles. Or you can ride the northern loop CCW first, back to Fell, then the Southern Loop CCW.
This route, you get to ride the superflow from the "t" intersection below "G" on the map to C once each direction, from C to Fell 3 times, and the rest of the trail CCW with a stop by your car in the middle. This is as good of a 34 mile as there is around here.
|
|
|
Post by azdrawdy on Jun 5, 2011 20:45:37 GMT -5
I think the lake would be a far better scene for the picnic. You have to admit that the lake area resembles Lick Fork We staged from there several years back and one of the previous Lick Fork camp ground host was there. Great conversation with him. Don't see any reason though to move our one day event to that area. Fell offers a quick drop-in to the trail system. We always start from Fell when camping at Hickory Knob State Park. MD
|
|