2/28/2010: There Will Be Mud

[The Lazy Destroyer]

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/Copy-of-Header-pic/801924130_dsUSx-XL.jpg



Sunday... February 28th, 2010

I've been keeping a strong eye on some roads up north. Time to check them out. Head up to Dahlonega with Judd as my tour guide. We make our way to the south side of Coopers Gap Rd.

No more pavement:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01182/799559355_wAQgY-M.jpg

Taking some air out of the tires:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01183/799559694_HdHmr-M.jpg

Further up the road:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01185/799560383_pPUtL-M.jpg

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01186/799560731_2BByN-M.jpg

We take a quick break at the intersection of Coopers Gap Rd, Gaddistown Rd, and the Appalachian Blue Ridge Rd. We make a left on Appalachian Blue Ridge Rd to head towards Rock Creek. The background is kinda hard to see but the view was spectacular from up here:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01188/799561403_Ls8mR-M.jpg

Shortly after we came upon a few guys rock climbing near the road. It was still pretty cold up here and there was still lots of ice on the rock face.

Now to say it was cold was an understatement! It was probably around 30° by now. I was liking my heated jacket liner, but the roads were too rough to wear the electric gloves. They're just a bit too thick and heavy to really control the clutch very well without wearing me out.

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01189/799561787_kVGEX-M.jpg

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01191/799562551_Wzypg-M.jpg

Things started getting a bit muddy on the descent, nothing terrible but things were still a bit damp around here from the weather, and I had to pay attention to where I was putting the bike. The other problem was that with all the recent crap weather, the cars/trucks were making some good sized ruts in the road. We're still doing pretty good as it sounds like it was a real mess a week ago.

There were a few guys camping across Rock Creek Lake

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01193/799563265_rXCZ7-M.jpg

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01194/799563639_dChFM-M.jpg

The fish hatchery off of Rock Creek Rd:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01197/799564706_HwxVk-M.jpg

If you are familiar with the Hwy 60 run up to Morganton from Suches, this is the fish hatchery you might remember seeing signs for.

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01200/799565714_U4niX-M.jpg

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01201/799566074_PUGEB-M.jpg

The road ahead was looking "interesting", nothing but gravel ahead:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01202/799566424_yNXcs-M.jpg

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01199/799565359_YdeR5-M.jpg

Shortly up ahead we finally get back to pavement and make out way to Hwy 60, hang a left to head toward Riders Hill for some warm food!

...continued...

[Seca]

I have been up to the hatchery many times. Its a nice ride.

[The Lazy Destroyer]

The ride down 60 quite the handful, since Suches is always cold as hell during winter, and my Pirelli Stradas were at only 24psi (warm) and these tires hate being so low, really sketchy and hard to predict. We eventually make our way back into town and get to Riders Hill. I've been there a handful of times but still haven't actually been inside, and I was impressed! Very nice store they have inside.

The food was good too! Could not take the time for a "before" picture, but I assure you it was appetizing:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01203/799566760_7wkRs-M.jpg

I was thinking the day was getting a bit late but Judd talked me into at least hitting Helton Creek Rd. He mentioned water crossings and I really can't resist. We head out towards 129 without hesitation!

Not far away from 129, after winding through some tight residential roads, the pavement ends yet again:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01204/799567114_p2pEP-M.jpg

The road gets a little rough pretty early on, things are still a little wet and some of the sloppy stuff is hard to avoid. I did okay but there was one spot I about lost it. Front tire couldn't track at all in the ruts, lost my balance in it but was able to gas out of it before it fell. Close call!

Just up the road there was a pretty nice waterfall, tough to see through the trees though:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01205/799567482_xvf6r-M.jpg

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01206/799567821_HqQPx-M.jpg

The first of two crossings:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01209/799568161_Sgp4r-M.jpg

Not gonna to lie, mildly intimidating:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01210/799568493_oJLQy-M.jpg

Rocks didn't shift much when walking on them but some were pretty decent in size:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01211/799568826_8KCJJ-M.jpg

Here we go:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/Copy-of-1000670/802010649_uXAgV-L.jpg

This second crossing was a bit worse I thought. A bit deeper, further across, and there was no good line to take without hitting some larger rocks:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01215/799557606_prrTp-M.jpg

A bit bumpy ride:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/Copy-of-1000671/802010629_boik7-L.jpg

Videos of both crossings are posted below in the next post.

About a mile away, we reach pavement again:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01216/799557954_pJvju-M.jpg

We met up with Richard Russell on the west side. We figured the top would still be quite a bit frozen over, or possibly even closed entirely, so we headed back towards 129.

Took a break at the church near Helton Creek Rd to get my tires back up to a good road pressure.

Looking back where we came:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01218/799558701_VXek3-M.jpg

I rigged up my air pump and after only a second, it turned off. After checking the plug, looks like I popped a fuse. Looks like another interesting ride on 129 into town.

The church off Richard Russell:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/DSC01219/799559017_XsSJW-M.jpg

A lady pulled into the parking lot with us and chatted about the condition of Richard Russell. Sounds like it might be alright other than some gravel. It's tempting to head that way for more fun but it's getting a bit late for me and we're running out of daylight. The ride back into town was totally uneventful, except for getting a bit loose on 129 from some gravel in some spots. Other than that, just trying to keep warm as the temps dropped pretty quick once the sun set.

Pretty wore out, not sure from the cold or the riding, but all in all a great day out exploring some areas I've never seen before!

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/Spot-Tracks/802028327_E9NxT-M.jpg

[The Lazy Destroyer]

First crossing:

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Link (http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/11380384_TLqT7#799667360_LibxR-A-LB)



Second crossing:

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Link (http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/11380384_TLqT7#799594778_JnkVQ-A-LB)



Link to all the pictures from that day:

http://thelazydestroyer.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/There-Will-Be-Mud/11380384_TLqT7#802010649_uXAgV

[Seca]

I swear there were pics that Dan took of us on a DS ride throught the first water crossing. Of course....on a GSXR is much more impressive. Great write up as usuall.

[eddie98]

Blake, you need something like this
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/Danthe125man/PICT0016.jpg

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/Danthe125man/PICT0023.jpg

[Ibleedgreen]

^^ Now that would be fun.

Great ride report. Looked like fun.

[The Lazy Destroyer]

Blake, you need something like this


Is that the guy who did a short section of the TAT on his red CBR? Where did you find that? Need more info on how he did his knobbies...

[eddie98]

Is that the guy who did a short section of the TAT on his red CBR? Where did you find that? Need more info on how he did his knobbies...

I saw it on ADV. I was browsing a 250cc and under DS thread and there they were.

[A1willson]

If you guys do that again I would love to join you guys. I was going to start doing some DS riding up there and I'm hoping to find some people to ride with.

[FlyingFish]

Awesome trip report. I enjoyed the read. Very impressive water crossings especially on a sport bike. Have you done much to the GSXR besides letting air out of the tires to make it handle better on the trails / dirt roads. Looks like a lot of fun.

[The Lazy Destroyer]

If you guys do that again I would love to join you guys. I was going to start doing some DS riding up there and I'm hoping to find some people to ride with.

I'm gonna try and make it out there more often but if you have anything capable on the Forest Service roads then I'm probably the worst person to ride with, super slow and have to research some roads carefully :lol:


Awesome trip report. I enjoyed the read. Very impressive water crossings especially on a sport bike. Have you done much to the GSXR besides letting air out of the tires to make it handle better on the trails / dirt roads. Looks like a lot of fun.

Thanks! The bike is pretty much all stock. Have a Tygershark crash cage and a radiator protector for more peace of mind. Probably might try different tires next time though.

[NISxMO]

I too have been up to the fish hatchery a few times, great road it lies on and the hatchery is kinda fun to walk through. Im looking forward to some good weather for a trip up 60 and 129. I miss the summer days where T.W.O and the shell gas station on the corner were completely packed out with bikes.

Only a few more weeks!

The crossing vids looked even more precarious than the pictures, nice work though!

[FZstaR]

Blake, you need something like this
http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/Danthe125man/PICT0016.jpg

http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/Danthe125man/PICT0023.jpg

Why would you give him ideas like this Eddie?!?!? You trying to give me a heart attack??? lol