Fireroad Free for all

Saturday came with overcast skies and a permanent drizzle that plagued my motivation to ride. As part of my bike training I try and get at least 6 hours of riding between Sat & Sun. That can be any combination, as long as they equal 6 or more hours. I missed the post regarding the Chilly Dawg ride so I decided to get started on some projects around the house and wait for the weather to clear some. I have been doing most of my training and riding solo. Becky rides a good bit, but she went into winter hibernation in late November. Late in the afternoon on Saturday I asked her if she wanted to ride , and to my surprise she gave me a "yes". We decided on the Lanier Islands route, which would give us respectable 25 miles. I decided to take the SS commuter and try keep pace with Becky. Now you should know, Becky is a hammerhead on the road meaning her body does not know how to "just ride along". So I spent the afternoon trying to keep pace with 36 x 16 gearing on a 29er. The sun poked its face out towards the end of the ride and the wind kicked up to keep us in check.
By bedtime Saturday night I had convinced Becky to tag along on a 40 mile fireroad ride in the Bull mtn area on Sunday. Some folks on the Sorba board decided to jump in on the fun. I had no clue how Becky was going to do. She said she was prepared to suffer and she normally does pretty well after a riding hiatus. We met up with our riding partners cRash, Rex and Trudy (funchik) and started out on Nimblewill Gap. Nimblewill is a 7 ish mile climb to where the AT comes out of Amicolola Falls state park. The climb is gradual, but scenic. As I was riding up the first climb I was joined by Rex, he said he likes to climb, I said sweet. We paced each other up the climb talking the whole way. Little did I know we would push each other the climbs all day.
Once at the top of Nimblewill we are rewarded with a rocky, rutted, nasty and fun decent down Old Bucktown Rd. It is an old jeep trail and a great ride. I have to ride up it one day.

The top of the Old Bucktown Descent

Becky out of retirement and railing the downhill

The downhill led us to some paved roads. The paved roads have some of the steeper climbs on this route. The first one is on Tickanetly Rd. It is short, but gets steeper the closer you get to the top. I was able to gap Rex early and hang on towards the top, but he was able to close some of the distance. Becky was not far behind and still smiling, so I was happy. We continued on the paved road to the toughest climb of the day. Doublehead Gap is about a half mile long and is steepest in the middle 3rd. This climbed was used in the Tour de Georgia and has all types of encouragement for Lance, Floyd, Tyler and Levi painted on the road. Bob Roll even gets a mention. I was able to push this climb early and hold on to the top. I was feeling good, the bike was feeling fast and we had one more climb to go.

Base of Noontoola

Noontoola is an 8 mile climb that leads to the base of Winding Stair Gap. It is the most beautiful climb in the area, in my opinion. It follows Noontoola creek and is gradual until the last mile or so. We took our time on this climb, keeping the group together for most of the climb.

Rex and Funchik

The bike enjoys a snack break
More Noontootla grinding (Becky getting ready to attack)
Bike admiring the view (you get 7 miles of this)

In the last 2 miles of this climb the group starts to split up and everyone enters there own little world. Knowing this was the last climb of the day. I wanted to push and I wanted to push hard. I really wanted to see what my legs would give me. I tried to stay in the saddle as long as I could tolerate it. Then stand as the road got steeper. My legs started to burn, then they started to scream, but they never quit moving. I was able to push all the way to the top. Rex came up shortly, then Becky. I was so proud of Becky. This is riding she hasn't done before and she hasn't been on the bike in 3 months. Her legs were in pain, but she was still smiling.

We quickly decended down 77a, they use it in the Fool's Gold route. It is mostly screaming downhill with a small climb thrown in. Rex and I pushed each other to the top of the little climb. We took 28 back to Nimblewill, then back up the road to the car.

This route is Rexpedition approved

Can't wait till next Sunday. I gotta fever and the only thing that will cure it....more fireroad