... been feelin' pretty strong on the few "easy" trails we been ridin', so decided to try a "little harder" ride that we hadn't done for over ten years...
(all mapping courtesy of 'Hillmap': www.hillmap.com)
... trail route highlighted in blue - ascends the main "unimproved" dirt and rock township road for around 1850ft then follows some great singletrack that more or less circumnavigates 'Johns Hollow' before returning via the same...
... the route viewed in "shaded relief" - mapped the route through the hollow by eye - have some old GPS co-ordinates en-route in an old field book but didn't plot them - sure that this is close enough...
... trail profile - a little over ten miles if done from the start - we chose to begin this day from the top of the first steep hill considering the difficulty of the remaining ride and still suspect physical condition - eventually was glad we did...
... Ha - just like the "old days" - fixin' a blown tire and tube right from the start - yesterday it was a broken chain - opted for the "hunter orange" hats today considering it's currently 'Black Bear' season...
... a second steep hill ascending the main road...
... beginning the actual 'Johns Hollow' trail...
... lots of deep mud holes this day...
..."ditto"...
... entering "deep space"... those orange hats turned out to be pretty nice for photography...
... some pretty good ridin'...
... final approach into the unnamed stream bottom in the heart of 'Johns Hollow'...
... and descent...
... difficult, rocky ascent beyond the stream...
... photos do this trail no justice - a lot steeper and more technical than it appears.... personally was feelin' somewhat "whooped" by this point, with the "crux" of the riding yet to come - was gettin' pretty hard to muster any "second effort" power... some nice contrasting color with those ferns...
... still a great ride, however - just need to work on the current level of physical endurance...
... last plot of "flatland" for a while to come...
... an old abandoned 'Jeep Wagoneer' - been here for as long as we can remember - bet those guys had some fun getting this thing to here...
... all technical uphill from here with many rock ledges...
... and several soupy mudholes ta' boot...
... before reaching the site of an old abandoned "homestead"... there's a good freshwater spring adjacent - good for refilling water bottles...
... and before beginning the aforementioned "crux" of the ride...
... a long, very steep and severely washed hill climb - completely filled with leaves this day to make it all the more difficult... Howie crankin' it out...
... and crankin' it out...
... and crankin' it out - still a long way to the top - with a very difficult final rock ledge awaiting...
... easier grade beyond the top of the hill...
... before reaching another shorter rocky incline...
... right before top-out and remaining flat to downhill fast terrain...
... pretty nice boulder field just off the trail with quite a few very large blocks...
... not a good view, but a few big ones off in the woods... did some bouldering here way back in the 80's, but not much - a lot of good stuff to be done if remembered right - used to "off road" to this point to make an easy approach...
... droppin' back down to the main road and a fast 3+ miles back to the vehicle...
... what a great ride... would have liked to have been in better condition to enjoy it more - but that's OK... don't know what we'd rate it - definitely difficult and technical in most areas - but every inch is "ride-able" and has been many times...
