Epic ride today

Errrr, almost. A few things could have made it epic. Decent GPS, more water, more fuel, blah...blah. Always something yeah know.
A special thank you to Seattlecronic and Gobious for giving me a good idea of where to start. I had no idea it was so vast of an area.

*Pictures didn't quite load in the correct order and i got turned around so many times and lost, some of the pics may not be in the right place

Desination...A lake (none of this ride is mine to name, sorry). Threw the GPS on the bike and loaded up. Contemplated taking extra stuff, but thought, no, this will be a short ride. Better to keep it light. Started out and found the lake. Next was to try and find a side street somewhere around the lake so I could get into the forest. Finally found one (don't know if i could find it again). No signs and no gates, this looked promising.
First of the trails started out very nice looking like this




Came around a turn and hit a little cliff. Picture doesn't show the heigth, but there would be no coming back from this one if you where to ride of of it. Looked like people used the area to shoot.

Most of the trails seemed to dead end or double back. Even though it was fun going up and down the trails, seemed to be a small area until i somehow found one that didn't dead end.


Actually i think this one did end. Like I said, can't really remember with how turned around I got.


Anyway, somehow kept going and hit a down hill slope while coming across this little beutty.



The whole way I have been looking for horse tracks. I wanted to be careful if there where any in the area. I don't think this is from a horse though, is it?


Came to a little metal bridge that made me wonder if I should really be in this area. I decided to press on but being extra vigilant.

Thankfully I was, because if not, might have missed the wild life. Strangly rode right by this little bugger, hopped off the bike and walked back to him without movement from him. If you look carefully you can see his head is raised a little. Crickey, this bloke could be dangerous. Better not get to close, (plus snakes make me scream like a little school girl).


Rode around on the main trail for awhile taking any little single track I found of to the side. Someone with a MX must be working the area...sweet.
Not sure about these pics



Came out of one run dripping sweat. Can't really tell but...


I highly recommend taking a right at the log.

You can see the pink ribbon where someone has market out a run.

Also took a pic of my new gloves since I was stopped. Thanks DualsportArmory. I'll have to do a review on them later.


I rode to and fro, fro and to, here and there, there and here. Heck, i don't know where i was. lol. Some (reads like most) of the trails dead ended. This one became over grown and some plant thwacked me in the throat. Thought I remembered that 3 on 3 was bad. Maybe nettles? Got a big old red welt there and it itches.



Decided after that it was time to head back, but which way? I forgot, it's kind of funny when you are hopping a log and you hit your head on another log. Ok, not really fun. Did that twice. Thank God for helmets.
Trying to head back and saw a little..something? I'm guessing mountain bikes use the area a lot.


Thought I was heading back in the right direction because I went past the car in an earlier photo. Tiny bit later ran across two guys on a trail 90(?) coming the opposite way. Stopped them to ask for directions. Nice guys going fishing. Told me to keep going and take a right at the Y. Did they say right? i think so, should have been paying attention. They also said I would be going through a bunch of puddles. (i don't remember going through puddles before). Any who...kept going and yep found the puddles they where talking about.

Followed that for awhile then it turned to something I like to think of as a creek bed. Water running down it the whole way.

The funny thing is I was following this for a few miles. I hadn't remembered having to come this far into the woods! The question is, do I keep going or turn around and go left at the Y instead? Common sense says go back, what did I do? yeah, you guessed it. Kept on going.
Don't know how or how far I went, but finally hit a logging road. Followed that and found a gate (off a side road which I didn't take). Since it basically says to keep out, I must be on the correct side for a change.


Kept going and came to another Y in the road. Stopped to take a pic. Should I take the high road or the low road. Since I need to go down, i used common sense this time and took the low road. (after the pics of course)

Looking off to the right.

Followed this and saw so tire tracks. Decided if someone else came this way, must be the right way. Looking back now, how is that logical?
After a few miles, how many i don't know anymore. I do know my gas is half gone now! The road starts to have some grass on it.

Logic learned from my last ride dictated that if a road looks less-used, it probably dead-ends. I like to think the road was fun, not that I forgot my learned lesson. So I kept going. Came to a small overlook, so i stopped to....look. Nice because I could see for miles. I could see miles of....trees.


Ok. now things are starting to dawn on me. Instead of taking pictures I decide to use the phone. Of course, no cell service. It's been a while since I had anything to drink, so I pull out the Monster and pop the tab. M M good. Took a couple gulps when I heard someone bombing down a road. Sounded like a truck but with the echoes didn't know where or how far. I'm thinking I'm thirsty, this is my last drink. Do I chase after a sound. Don't think so. Picture of a little pile of rocks and the Monster pre-opening.


Hop on the bike and turn around, heading back down. Hit up one side road. Once again the question arises, when do you give up and turn around? One side road looked like this before I finally gave up.


Some one must have been looking over me. Finally found a logging road that was bumpy and rocky, but it was clear. It looked like a tunnel witht the trees over growing it, but still clear on the road itself. Followed this for awhile when I finally see some power lines. Oooh, that is a good sign.

I can see houses and a road. That is where I want to go.
Ended up coming out about 12 miles due north of where i started, wasn't even close!

Ahhh, fun times. Got home, mowed the lawn, went to the store, showerd, cleaned the pool for an hour. The whole time I was doing those things, I was trying to figure out when i could go back!

Sweet ride and a sweeter car!