Ok, today is ride day! Been a while since we’ve been on the bikes, only one trip to Erwin in the last week and a half, so this is going to hurt. We get up, have some oatmeal for breakfast, and get on the trail by noon. We have GOT to start getting started earlier than this.

The drive is uneventful, though there is a BIG RUT not too far from the start of the road to Little Blakely. So big, I got a photo of it:

That one will jar your teeth if you hit it fast. How do I know? I didn’t see it yesterday, and it hurt to go over it at speed, that’s how I know.

And here’s a photo of Junior in the parking lot by the trailhead:

Anyway, the hills are STEEP – but we knew that. It’s still fun. The part we hiked yesterday is the steepest thing we do today, and we have to walk some of it. VERY rocky, and in some areas VERY loose. It’ll be fun coming back down, I hope, if that’s how we return.

I see about a dozen trees that evidently got hit by lightning – they’re burned up, and even the roots are burned out – hopefully you can see it in the photo:

We end up not doing more than a couple of loops, don’t want to overdo it, and we’re kind of tired on the way back. I get a bit ahead on the last mile, but I wait for The Bear about a quarter mile from the trailhead. And I wait. And wait. Ok, she’s not THAT slow, so something’s gone wrong. I start back up the big hill again (walking, of course!), and who do I see coming down? Yup. The Bear! Dirt all down her left side, a bloody arm, a banged up knee, and a jammed thumb. Ouch! She took a real hard fall on the really loose stuff, and it shows. She has a hard time getting back to the truck, so I go get her bike off the trail after I take mine to the truck. Here’s a photo of her injuries:

There’s a flap of skin on that arm, just barely hanging on – amazing it’s not bleeding more. At this point, I’ve already scrubbed the dirt out of it with a wet towel. She didn’t even flinch! She’s one tough bird!

Went in to town to get some ice, and saw a funny:

I’d get bitched at big time if I parked in a fire lane, but I guess the reasoning is “who’s going to tell off the firemen in their truck?”. I thought it was funny.

So – eventful day. And I’ll have to pack up by myself tomorrow – The Bear won’t be much help, I’m sure. She’s medicated now – Amazing how a little Jack or Jim can even out the mood!

Yup, tomorrow, we head for Clearfork! Seems The Bear can’t show up there uninjured …