Enoch wrote on 05/23/16 at 7:57pm:


yep... Them thar hills are tough.

Sucks about the course sabotage.

I was not far behind you when you ran over that Snake. I grabbed a stick and tossed it out of the trail. Bad place to get bit by a rattler that far up Laurel Mtn.

If you were not familiar with the trails and the route I could see how you could get off course. Especially if someone messed with the signage. I didnt even notice it was wrong when I passed it but i heard quite a few folks made the wrong turn there. 

On the bright side... you missed out on the two worse hike-a-bikes on the course. The one up to Pilot is short but nasty and the one coming over Black at the end is long and requires all fours to get up some of it. Hitting that late in a race can be demoralizing. Save the hardest parts for the end I guess... And you got to ride one of the gnarliest off map descents in Pisgah! 

yea great write up! that sounds like everyone first pisgah race. once ya learn the trails up there it's much more fun and less a mental grenade. do the 111k next year, it's longer but ya get a lot of ride time, if it's not downpouring that is. Oh and the SS is a much more reliable tool up there

pearl wrote on 05/24/16 at 1:56pm:


Its more of everything. You start with much less hike-a-bike and more actual trail climbing up Clawhammer on the way to Squirrel Gap. The main difference is that at the Laurel aid station after climbing Bradley Creek gravel road you go down to ride N. Mills (Spencer Gap/Branch and Fletcher Creek) and then climb back out and do the rest of the 55k course (Laurel/Pilot -> S. Mills/Buckhorn -> Black mtn.)


I think I did rode with you for a sec or two... I smashed my thumb on Turkey Pen and couldnt ride much of anything after that. I think you passed me shortly before you saw the snake.

The 55k route is arguably the hardest route in that mileage you can do up here. There are longer, harder races but none that pack in that much suffering in 35 miles. Also, if you arent used to the terrain and the trails its just that much harder.

Ride Pisgah more and learn the trails. Do fun rides and figure out the lay of the land and you'll be ready to crush next time around...

Banjopickin wrote on 05/24/16 at 2:22pm:


Sweet! What kit where you in? I felt great once I could climb and actually pedal my bike, the hiking made me want to cry!

PainkillerSPE wrote on 05/24/16 at 2:59pm:

Always wanted to do Shen but in NJ cross starts first week in September (not sure if CX is forbidden discussion on this board ) but now that it seems to be in October I have thought about it more and more... I recently did the Stokesville 60k which had a bunch of the fun trails (I think) that SM100 does... having a baby in November so it may be difficult to swing these things in the future. Thankfully my wife rides too and is super supportive of me, for now anyway!