Trans North Georgia (TNGA) Ride Report

The Trans North Georgia is a mountain bike route that is 350 miles long with 56,000 feet of elevation gain.  It starts just east of Clayton, Georgia on the South Carolina border and finishes on Hwy 20, just west of Rome, at the Alabama border.  The route runs through the Chattahoochee National Forest and runs the length of the Pinhoti Trail (131 miles).  The course consists of single track, ATV trail, gravel roads, and some pavement.

The start, at the South Carolina border

Having missed the Grand Depart back in August due to my work schedule, Lisa and I finally decided to take the plunge last Thursday. The one and only time I had attempted this route was back in 2011. After 118 miles, I had to pull the plug on top of HogPen Gap due to intense foot pain.  I was filled with trepidation as this would be my longest ride ever.  Although my feet had been doing well, even allowing me to race a duathlon the weekend before, I was concerned about aggravating the nerves again and potentially causing a major setback.  I promised myself to listen to my body.

Day 1:  SC state line to Blue Ridge, 170 miles, start 6:45 am, finish 1:30 am, 18:45 ride time

- I didn't have to wait 15 minutes for Eddie O'Dea to show up.
- Riding with the fastest woman, who also has the third fastest time ever, is an honor.
- Watching the dawn break is one of my favorite riding times.
- With the drought, ALL the gravel came to the surface.

Wilson Gap climb

- Wonder how many dirty diapers I will see in the national forest?
- The Darnell Creek Trail was a blast, similar to Butter in Pisgah.

Darnell Creek

- Said the Rabun Post Office employee, "We are not supposed to give you any water."  WTF!
- Patterson Gap gravel climb took two pedal strokes to gain one pedal stroke's worth of forward momentum since the gravel was so deep and loose.
- Made it to Tallulah River Campground on 3 bottles.  Refilled here.

Tallulah River

- The climb up Blue Ridge Gap was WAY more pleasant with overcast skies!
- The descent off Blue Ridge Gap was still filled with chunks of gnar.

The potential for glazing over your brake pads was high!

- Tray Mountain ... the never ending climb.  Halfway up, we got passed by a 1990's blue 2WD tow truck.  We never saw him again.  How the heck did he get down off that mountain?  is a question that remains today.
-So this is what the Hickory Nut Trail looks like.  In 2011 there was so much undergrowth, I was bouncing off all the rocks and having to walk sections.
-Coming down the highway into Helen, two mountain bikers pulled onto the road about 50 yards ahead of us.  Even after 11 hours on the bike, my first thought was, "Let's race them!"  Can't take the competitor out of me, I guess.
-New pavement on HogPen was a delight.  I breathed a deep sigh of relief when I passed by the parking area where I bailed back in 2011.
-I thought it cruel that after climbing up to Wolf Pen Gap, there was still more climbing to be had going up Duncan Ridge.
-The Duncan Ridge descent was the gravel version of Heartbreak Ridge.
-When I am tired, 50 degrees feels like 30 degrees.
-I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.  A solid 4 hours.

Campsite, first night.  Thanks, Loretta!

Day 2, Blue Ridge to Dalton, 110 miles, start 8 am, finish 9 pm, 13 hours ride time

-7 am came WAY too early.  And this comes from someone who normally gets up at 5 am.
- My right IT band began to act up on the Stanley Gap trail.

Sunrise on Stanley Gap

-Stanley Creek gravel road descent down to Cherry Log was smoooooooth as pavement ... and blazing fast!
-The climb up Bushy Head Gap was straight up; must of had Costa Ricans putting this road in as there were no switchbacks.
- Riding through Cashes Valley, I began to smell the forest fire up on Rough Ridge, only 150 acres at that time. (now well over 3000).

Refueling and texting our loved ones.

- Watson Gap gravel climb was a powdery mess.  But powder is easier than loose gravel.

Watson Gap, poppin' with color!

- South Fork Trail was in excellent condition.  Nice to not have to ride through mud and horse poop puddles.
- Pinhoti 0 was a beautiful ride, but still a sum'bitch!

P 0 creek crossing

- 1/2 way up P 0, the smoke got thicker.  Just a wee bit nervous as to what we were headed into.
- Heading up to Potato Patch, the Three Forks parking area was blocked off and numerous forest service vehicles were parked.
- Bear Creek was the first time I needed to purify water.

The smoky Mountaintown Overlook

- The work done on Pinhoti 1 and 2 was well done.  Too bad I was too tired and had an extra 8 pounds on my bike or I coulda raged on those descents and big berms!
-Sunset came as we plummeted down Tatum Lead.
- New discovery:  trails grow at night.  The grassy single track leading to the Dennis Mill section of Pinhoti went ... on ... forever!
- Bats were dive bombing my lights as I descended the single track down to the Dennis Mill trailhead.
- Cracker Barrel never tasted so good at 10 pm, even though I believe my mashed potatoes sat under the heating lamp for the past 5 hours.
- The Super Eight in Dalton was a welcome sight.  I flipped/flopped like a fish all night, as every muscle ached.  6 hours of restless and painful sleep.

Day 3, Dalton to Alabama border, 70 miles, start 7 am, finish 7 pm, 12 hours ride time.

- The climb up Dug Gap was brutal.  I was praying for my taint to just go numb.  Thank goodness I had the ability to stand and climb, which is what I did alot of today.
- Lisa was on fire today.  I don't know where she got the energy.  I was dying a slow death.
- It took me 5 1/2 hours to ride The Snake course (backwards)!

So, this happened. The Pine Hill climb along The Snake.

- Logging ... a necessary evil, decimated the section of The Snake between the beginning of Pine Hill climb and the crossing on Pocket Road.
- I was wanting a dropper post, not for the technical descents, but so I could get off/on the bike easier.  After 300 miles, getting a leg over the saddle was no small task.
- Frito-Lay is making money selling air!  I was able to get a 12 ounce bag of chips into a small Zip-Loc.  The guys at the gas station were enthralled!

No guilt in eating the whole bag!

- Unfortunately I did not get to enjoy my Pepsi with the chips.  All the rattling in the Mountain Feed Bag on my handle bar caused the seam at the bottom of the can to come undone.  I had been feeling small drops of liquid the last 10 miles, but had no idea it was my Pepsi leaking. Very sads.

Desperately needed those 150 calories

-Second time I needed to purify water was at Dry Creek.  Bear Creek definitely tasted better than Dry Creek.

Chlorine dioxide.  30 minutes for most bugs, and 4 hours for Giardia and Crypto ... and no bad taste.

- We had to ride around Strawberry Mountain.  It was closed due to a fire.  That allowed me a much needed Coke in Subligna.  I hardly ever drink sodas, so this was a real treat.  I never knew that a Coke could breathe life back into me.  A much needed boost for Taylor's Ridge.
- Fifty seven hours into this journey and I still had some spunk to enjoy the single track on Taylor's Ridge.  Well, at least the flats and descents.
- I was so happy to see the rail-trail.  And that it was in excellent condition.

Lisa says, "C'mon, only 12 miles left!

- I swear I think Lisa had a motor in her down tube.  The final 12 miles she kicked it into high gear and pulled me ALL THE WAY!
- So blessed to have her as my friend.  I could not have done this without her.  She is the Queen of Adventure! When I was not feeling good (which was a lot), she was there to guide me through the dark places.  Her energy was good to feed off of.

P'd and Gap'd out!

60 hours, border to border.

Other than an angry IT band and a numb left pinky finger, I survived without any major issues.  My 2012 Niner Jet 9 RDO was flawless.  With two bottle cages, I was able to carry 3 bottles on my bike and keep the water weight off my back.  This helped to lessen shoulder and back pain, but did not help much with the taint pain.  I had a 1 x drive train with a 28T chain ring. More than once I was wishing for an Eagle drive train.  My bike, with loaded bags and water bottles, weighed in at 33 pounds.  My CamelBak weighed 5 pounds.

TNGA

It is 10 am on Monday September 5.  At this point I had expected to be pedaling up Strawberry Mountain, not blogging about calling it quits with only 13 hours and 115 miles into this monster of a race.  I had what I thought was a solid race/fueling/rest plan but I was also mentally prepared to adapt to hiccups along the way.

Pumped at the start!

I felt great at the start.  We all took off at a conversational pace.  Once we hit the first gravel climb, the pack broke up.  I was in my happy all day pace and slowly watched people pass me one by one.  A lot of standing and cranking going on around me while I just sat and stayed all spinny, using granny early on.  The roads were in good shape; there had been some rain the day before and the gravel was a bit more settled than when I had reconned this section back in July.

I slowly started reeling the others back in once we hit the climb up to Blackstump Gap along FS155.  This is a doozy with steep pitches and super loose gravel.  A couple times I had to get off and push a bit as my rear wheel would lose traction and spin out.  No worries, though.  Walking was good as it kept me from digging too deep too early.

I walked my bike down the Darnell Creek Horse Trail until I got to the purple painted tree.  Here I dropped trowel and urinated.  It was 10 am.  I then motored on and enjoyed the gradual descent down to Hwy 441.  I refilled my 70 ounce bladder at the post office; they had an outdoor spigot.  It was now 11:15 am.  A little over 3 hours in and I had drank close to 80 ounces of fluid.

From there I began the arduous task of climbing up to 3 more gaps before I would hit the fun descent down to Moccasin Creek State Park.  I was feeling great at this point and my mantra was, "Don't force the climbs.  Let the gaps come to you."  I alternated between my middle ring and my granny as the terrain dictated, keeping my feet light on the pedals.  I continued to drink every 15 minutes and eat every 30 minutes.  I kept my mind busy by going over my refueling plan and making sure my body was taking in enough.

I never really felt hot, but was later told that temperatures hit 96 degrees.  Granted I had sweat dripping from my nose and elbows, but I felt o.k.  That is, until I picked up FS164 off of Hwy 76.  This is at about mile 58.  When I started descending, I started getting "hot foot."  The pain was intermittent and more of a nuisance at this point.

I rolled into Moccasin Creek State Park at about 3:30 pm.  I stopped at the campground for water and a short break.  When I kneeled down to open my Camelbak, my left hamstring cramped.  Yowzer!  I stood back up and the cramping stopped.  It was then that I noticed just how salt-stained my shorts were.  After refilling with another 60 ounces of water, I ate a Hammer bar and took a few Endurolytes.

Although my chain was holding up quite well, what with all the creek crossings, I decided to do some preventative maintenance and lube it up with some ProGold Extreme.  When I reached in to my back pocket for the tiny bottle, I found nothing!  Apparently it had yard-saled itself in the past 3 hours.  I guess now I would get to see just how good of a product ProLink has. (BTW, the chain was quiet all day!)


After about 20 minutes, I headed for Addis Gap.  The climb up Wildcat Creek (FS26-1) is gentle compared to the previous climbs, but was not any easier.  It was here that I had the first inkling of fatigue.  I figured that this was just my 60-70 mile slump period which I usually have when doing hundies.  So as I climbed, I counted calories and ounces and was right on track.  However, I was continually interrupted by the nagging pain in my feet which slowly began radiating up my toes.  By the time I got to the top, it felt as if someone was stabbing the balls and toes of my feet with a searing hot dagger.  I stopped at the top for a moment.  I dropped trowel and attempted to pee ... nothing.  Let me remind you that this was about 7 hours after my first pee.  Not good!

I applied more Chamois Butt'r, forced myself to drink 10 ounces immediately and began the descent.  Man o man, that was some sloppy, stupid descending.  Every jolt sent waves of pain through my forefoot.  I was lucky to stay upright.

The climb up Tray Mountain was miserable.  This 10 mile loose gravel climb did me in.  What normally takes me 1 1/2 hours on a loaded bike took a little over 2 hours today.  Each pedal stroke hurt and then my knees started to hurt.  This was probably due to a sloppy pedal stroke caused by me trying to find a painless way to pedal.  I got off the bike and tried to walk; that hurt more.  So back on the bike. 

This was just not fun anymore.  Yeah, I love to suffer, all ultra-endurance racers do ... but not in this fashion.  With night falling, I made the decision that if the fun did not come back by Helen, I was out!  I got to ride Hickory Nut in the dark.  Thankfully, the 4 racers ahead of me had cleaned it up a bit.  As riding was less painful than walking, I rode more of it than I ever had.  Got squirrely a few times, but managed to keep the rubber side down.

I stopped at the convenience store at the intersection of Hwy 356 and Hwy 75, went inside, and purchased some food to see me through to the next refueling point.  By this point, it was 9 pm.  My feet actually felt slightly better, so I motored over to Wendy's, eat, and reassess my body.

Hoping this would make me feel better.

While waiting in line for my food, I started getting light headed.  I then began to see stars.  Sensing that I was going to pass out, I immediately sat down.  The dizziness subsided, but I got some strange looks from those around me.  I guess they were not used to seeing (or smelling) a fully kitted dirty mountain bike racer who had just raced 102 miles through the Chattahoochee National Forest.

After eating one of the most delicious Wendy's meals EVER, I made the decision to ride up HogPen and find some place to settle for the night.  I went to the restroom and urinated.  A decent volume but pretty yellow.  This was my second pee of the day. 

My feet were still hurting a little, but I was praying that the pain would eventually turn to numbness.  I called my family and told them of my plans.  I left Wendy's at 10 pm.

I was feeling o.k. riding out to the base of Hogpen.  But once the pavement started going up, my body imploded once again.  It was taking me 12-14 minutes to ride one mile and my foot and knee pain returned with just as much intensity as before. 

With no regrets, I stopped at a pull over and called Zeke.  At 11 pm it was game over!  Continuing would only be stupidly selfish on my part.  I had not only myself to be worried about, but I have a loving husband and wonderful daughter who need me.

Looking back at that day now, I could have made some choices that probably would have prevented my moderate electrolyte depletion/dehydration.  I could have stopped and layed over at Moccasin Creek or Helen, replenished, and rested.  At the time, I did not think I was dehydrated.  During the first 12 hours, I had drank 200+ ounces of  fluid. Apparently I was sweating it out faster than I could take it in. 

However, I don't think that would have fixed my foot issue.  In prior races, I would have bouts of metatarsal pain, but it always went away.  Today it did not go away; it only intensified.  Ultimately, I would have had to throw in the towel at some point. 

Then there was the fact that Tropical Depression Lee was fast approaching.  Prior to my debacle, I had accepted the fact that I was probably going to have to ride for 12-18 hours in the rain.  On a good day, I have the strength and will power to do that.  But when my body started failing, so did the mind. 

I guess my only regret is that I did not make it to Mulberry Gap.  I was so looking forward to the camaraderie and Ginni's fabulous grub.  Bailing there would have been a lot more fun!

Live and learn to race again!

TNGA Recon

With the TNGA only 2 months away and I being a bike packing virgin, I decided to pull an overnighter on a section of the course.

At the start

I began my adventure at Moccasin Creek State Park at 8 am.  My bike and gear weighed in at a hefty 45 pounds.  That is 41% of my body weight!  Having never ridden with weight like this before, I immediately felt it ... even on the beginning flat section of asphalt.  Climbing up the Wildcat Creek forest service road gave me a chance to get used to the weight and how it was distributed on the bike.  I think I packed Stumpy, aka The Yak, pretty good, as the bike felt balanced.  The downhills took some getting used to, especially the tighter turns.

The morning hours were quite pleasant with the forest service roads offering plenty of cover from the sun.  I was just at a cruising pace and had planned to make Helen by 11 am.  But ......  then I made the approach to Hickory Nut Trail.  I looked for it for several minutes, first going to the right and then to the left on trails that led nowhere.  I then came back to the intersection, switched my GPS from breadcrumb trail to compass.  The cue sheet said proceed around dirt pile and head south.  So I did and entered the bushwack from hell!   Poison ivy, poison oak, and blackberry briars greeted me.  Nice!  I finally found a resemblance of trail, only because of the wild hogs that had cleared some small sections looking for breakfast.  The next 2.5 miles was a combination of pushing, soft pedaling through derailleur-eating sticks and large rocks, hoisting Stumpy over downed trees, and hoping no copperheads were lurking in the thick underbrush.  A few choice words were said, including "tartar sauce!" and "pickle juice!"  (Carly has taught me well.)

The last mile of the trail was rideable but not what I would call fun.  Those 3.5 miles took an hour to get through!  And then I had to stop at the lake, remove socks/shoes and scrub the ivy/oak resin off my legs.  Was I ever glad to get to Wendy's!  Although I had to wait in line due to the lunch hour rush, it was worth it.  The last time I had a Wendy's burger was after the 2006 12 Hours of Oleta in Miami, Florida.

Hunger satisfied, I began the long pedal up Hogpen Gap.  This is a 7 mile paved climb, with grades ranging from 8-15%.  Pedaling a fully-loaded mountain bike was a far cry from riding a 16 pound road bike during the 6-Gap Century!  From there it  was a 4 mile descent to my next turn.  As I began my descent, my speed approached 40 mph.  As I came around the second sharp turn, there stood a mama bear and 3 cubs!  I had nowhere to go and could not stop.  I managed to wrestle the bike to the middle of the road and just as I became even with the bears, she jumped over the guard rail and the babies followed.  Whew!  That could have been ugly.

The remainder of the day was anti-climatic, just turning over the pedals while a steady drip of sweat fell from the tip of my nose.  I was happy that I had chosen Stumpy with 120mm of travel, fore and aft.  I call her my "recliner" bike and felt comfortable all day.  Some of the fire road descents were pretty eroded and rocky, but seemed effortless and fast aboard my full-suspension steed.

After 11 1/2 hours, 95 miles, and 10,500 feet of climbing, I found a nice spot along the Toccoa River and set up camp for the night.  The ThermaRest Neoair pad, size M (14 oz) was very comfortable and the Kelty Lightyear down 40 (11oz) kept me warm when the temps dipped down to 60 degrees.  Yes, at about 3am, I got cold and had to burrow into the bag.

The next morning Loretta joined me for the ride to Mulberry Gap.  We got moving shortly before 8 am and the Aska trail system was the first real bit of single track that I encountered on my HEAVY bike.  A bit more pushing was involved and it was harder to steer through the switchbacks.  Amazingly, my legs felt great and I was able to ride more than I thought I would.  My body had finally adapted to The Yak.  The descent off Stanley was fast, but not screaming XC fast.

Loretta and I refueled at the small grocery just before the climb up to Watson Gap.  Unfortunately, this store won't be open when I come through during the race.  This section from Shallowford Bridge Road to Mulberry Gap is devoid of stores.  It will be imperative to find water to purify (easy enough) and have enough food on board to make it without putting myself into a deficit.  At least on this section Mulberry Gap will be my carrot.

Mulberry Gap food!

The South Fork Trail was chewed up by recent horse traffic.  We encountered a group of five horses, but the people were very congenial.  Surprisingly, if you just use common sense and give the horses and their riders respect, you come to find out that they are mostly good people. 

The climb up the remainder of Potato Patch from Buddy Cove was brutal.  It was here that I hit my lowest point of the ride as I had expected a short journey from the Pinhoti to the 3-way intersection.  Fortunately I had drunk a Red Bull which helped to see me through.

It gave me eagle wings, but I was really needing condor wings at this point.

We finished up our ride with the Bear Creek descent.  We opted to skip out on the P1 and P2 as time was getting away from us and we both had families that were expecting us home soon.  Mulberry Gap was fulfilling, what with a hot shower and Ginni's cooking.

A PR for Loretta ... longest MTB ride, ever!

We covered 61 miles and 7500 feet of climbing today.  This was a great test for both my gear and myself.  I felt sparkly the whole way, save for Potato Patch.  This also had been the longest I had been on the bike this year.  If I can keep my bike and body working well and the weather is good (meaning hot and dry), the TNGA is definitely doable ... and perhaps winnable!

My hands held up well, but I think I will swap out my Ergon GC2's for the GS2's.  With the GS2's having a slightly longer bar end and with the grippy rubber, my hands and ulnar nerve will be happier over the long haul, especially if I get wet during the race.

The Chamois Butt'r 1oz packets did their job well.  No chafing/sores, but I still had some sit bone soreness after the ride.  I suppose the only way to fix that is to ride more ... which I can do.

I had so much fun than another bike packing session is being planned for late July.

2011 Prep Work

My 2011 racing schedule is finalized and got Coach's seal of approval.  My big event will be the TNGA, the Trans North Georgia.  This is a multi-day, self-supported/partially supported race across Georgia through the Chattahoochee National Forest.  350 miles and over 56,000 feet of climbing.  2010 was the inaugural event which took place over Labor Day weekend.  18 started and 12 survived.

I started my prep work for this event last week by riding sections 6, 7, and 8.  Zeke was a big help as he is very familiar with this area.  On Thursday, we shuttled my vehicle to Buddy Cove Gap and then started our adventure at Shallowford Bridge.  Starting out in 24 degree weather was definitely not my cup of tea, but with layers and hand/toe warmers, I managed to stay warm as long as I was pedaling up.

It had been a couple years since I had last ridden the Aska trails.  Stanley Gap is definitely more difficult going in this direction = lot of short hike a bikes.  I expect that come race day, these trails will be ridden in the dark, so I hope to be able to come back at a later date and do a night ride.

Once off Stanley Gap, there is a lot of pavement/gravel road pedaling.  I passed a lot of churches, but no outside spigots were available.  I thought that was kind of unusual as in my neck of the woods, I have several churches I stop at to refill bottles on my road rides.

Close to the turn onto Bushy Head Road, I saw an automotive mechanic shop that had a hose bib.  Hoping that will still be there in 10 months.  Further on down the road, I saw the barn where Eddie had a couple hours of fitful sleep. 

I was back in familiar territory when I hit Watson Gap.  From there I rode part of the Cohutta 100 course, down to Jacks River Fields, then entered the South Fork Trail.  Zeke had painted a bad picture of this trail as well as the most eastern section of the Pinhoti; think wet, sloppy, and horsed-up.  Aside from just two muddy sections which we were able to skirt around, it was actually a very pleasant ride.  When we came to the 15 foot long, foot deep creek crossing, we pondered for a few minutes.  Seeing as how the air temp was only 37 degrees, we did not want any wet body parts.  Zeke found a good line, neither of us bobbled, and we were dry upon exiting the other side.  Whew!

The climb up the Pinhoti to FS 64 was slow and soft, but kept me warm.  We ended our day with 6 hours on the bike and roughly 46 miles ridden.

On Friday, we shuttled my truck to Dalton and started our ride from Mulberry Gap.  Up P3 to a brief pedal on Hwy 52, then on P4.  This was my first time on this section.  Let me tell you, it was a hoot.  The funnest part was descending Tatum Lead.  As I was flying down this section, all I could think was how fast I would really be going at this point in this race with a belly full of Ginni's finest cooking!  Which then led to the thought of how hard the P3 climb was going to be on a belly full of Ginni's finest cooking.

Back on to the Pinhoti, this section of trail was really steep and loose.  The leaves made it difficult to see what lay ahead so I took it nice and easy.  Once it flattened out along Rock Creek, it was a beautiful ride to FS3.  FS3 was a stark contrast to the previous trail, what with strewn beer cans and fast food trash.

A few more miles of gravel and then the remainder of the course was pavement into Dalton.  Pretty uneventful once we found our way onto the correct road across 411.  The cue sheet was a little confusing so I went up 411 instead of just crossing over it.  Oh, well, that is why I am reconning.

Feeling a little frisky on the paved roads and trying not to get bored, I saw some road kill up ahead, a guinea fowl to be exact.  Upon trying to bunny hop it, my rear wheel grazed the bird and I swore I heard the thing make a noise, a weak squawk!  Being a fresh kill, I must have hit the thoracic area, forcing air out of the bird.  Hilarious!

Airport Road was FOREVER so I can only imagine what it will feel like during the race.  We ended our day at the Walnut Square Mall with 4 hours and 40 miles in the saddle.

So now I am familiar with Sections 6-9.  Only 6 more sections and roughly 220 miles left to go!