Arkansas Epic

So I rode 83 miles today on the monster cross down here in Arkansas. Fayetteville to Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area and the Hidden Discovery Trail System and back. At least 2500 feet of climbing, probably closing in on 3k...my legs and back are on fire right now, 4 hours after getting off the bike. Lots of hike a bike up some stupid steep gravel roads. But anyway, let me narrate this adventure:

So yesterday I decided to skip out on riding and make Wednesday my epic day. I had a route planned thanks to google and map my ride, notes taken and even a little sketched map. I got all my gear and food ready the night before so I could wake up and roll out. And that's basically what I did Wednesday morning.

Headed out of Fayetteville towards the northeast and Hobbs State Park. It was pretty pavement heavy going there (75% of 30 miles) but the gravel I hit was amazing! Super sketchy long downhills followed by unrideable LONG uphills...It was worth the view though...


I then caught War Eagle Road north through some historic river valley action...


And a couple miles later saw this weird house...its like someone had take a ranch style house and added 2 more stories, but on only half the house...



Then a few more miles in I stopped in and had a nice cup of coffee at the local grain mill (that still uses the water-driven mill in War Eagle/Clifty Creek) which also has an awesome restaurant on the 3rd floor overlooking an old wood plank/steel frame, one lane bridge and the creek...


After that goodness I rode up to the HIdden Diversity Trail and did the visitors center spur, little clifty creek loop out to piney road then across to the basehor ridge loop and dutton hollow loop, then came back across piney road to finish up the clifty creek loop and head out, when I ate it hard going down towards the south...I finished the loop and limped back to the restaurant/grain mill to get some more coffee, a bowl of soup and clean my wounds:


I headed back towards fayetteville and had to stop to take one last picture of beaver lake from the hwy 412 bridge:


somehow missed my turn getting back to fayetteville, probably cause I was concentrating on not dying, and added in a few extra miles and a most unwanted extra 500-800 foot of climbing. Finally got home a little after 6...I had left at 9:30 am. I did make quite a few stops though...breakfast, bike shop, coffee, trail snack, meeting people on trail, soup and coffee, getting lost and eating shit on the trail...I think my riding time was about 5.5-6 hours considering how many times I stopped...oh and I took a bunch of pictures on a crappy celll phone I had to pull out of my bag every time I wanted it.

today was one of those days you look back on during races...at least thats what I do...when ever I am suffering in a race, I always think about other times I've suffered worse...today was one of those days :)

peace and riding!!!