The Bike and MORE: Catherine Furnace and Part of the Liberty Big Schloss

Day 1

This was to be the big epic biking weekend! Well it kinda happened. Sid and I went down to Catherine Furnace, and started this ride I had planned only by using Topo and PATC maps. Well lets just say there were a lot of re-routes. Well luckily I brought the PATC map with me, cause this ride was not what it seemed. We ended up hiking up the purple trail which was 3 miles with a good portion of that being hike-a-bike. We then went to the top of Catherine Furnace on the dirt road, and then instead of doing the bombing downhill that the MORE folks did in the fall we went down the orange trail, that I didn't mind but Sid Hated. We needed water and instead of doing the stream water with Iodine Pills we were able to get drinks at the gas station in New Market. We ended up doing a 10-15 mile gravel/road ride back to the car. I felt good on the day. The biking legs were in great shape. The hiking muscles not so much. The ride was a total of 42 miles and like 7 hours in 90 degree heat. The bike time was only like 4.5 hours though.

We then went to Harrisonburg and got some grub at some great burger/greek place. Finding a Hotel was the worst because of some stuff going on in Harrisonburg that night, and then in New Market stuff was booked there too. Finally got a place at Days Inn.

Day 2

The next day we met Jay at Liberty Furnace, and we all were tired(Jay had done a wedding the night before). I did good on the first climb, but had to really push it since I didn't have 34T in the back but a 32T so I couldn't go slower than 4mph. The Hike a Bike section killed me! my hiking muscles were sore from the day before, and so I just took my time. On the way down Big Schloss I ran into Mark and I rode with him and we regrouped at Wolf Gap. After Wolf Gap we went up the climb with Mark in the lead, me in second, and Jay and Sid behind. Sid's Chain broke and luckily I had some extra links, and was able to wait for them at the top of the mountain. Well Mark and I went to the lookout, and then Jay and Sid never showed up. I checked my phone (had to go up to the lookout to get reception) and they had to bail, and I had Sid's stuff in my car. Well they were waiting in the Wolf Gap parking lot, and Sid's bike blew up! This ride is not meant to be done I tell you! Twice this ride has not happened. Well I rode to the car on my bike, while the others drove there in Mark's Car. I was tired, I could have rode more, but I would have only done so if I was on the trail on the way back to the car. So the weekend wasn't a total bust, but I expected more. I think my Cross bike adventure in the fall will pan out better.