TNGA, Dog Bites and Driving, OH MY!

More from Shey later......

 

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First, huge thanks, again, to Dave Muse for putting together a great route for the Trans North Georgia. This year someone found some great yurts for the riders to stay in the night before the ride started, so we would only have a 30 minute drive or so to the SC border. Andrew from Mulberry Gap cooked an awesome breakfast.



When routes are this long (300+ miles), there will be reroutes over the years due to changes in the land itself, ownership, damage from storms, etc. This year there was a reroute around the Mocassin State Park area and as riders completed it the consensus was: It was brutal!

The gang listens as Dave gives info on the ride and reroute.

The start.

 Cruisin' through the first few miles of the route.

A storm hit at Unicoi and the leaders rode the trail that quickly turned into a muddy creek.  The lead group played leap frog all the way to Mulberry Gap, about 220+ miles into the route.

Jason headed into Helen for food, Shey rode on.  Then Shey bivyed at the top of Wolfpen and four guys rode by.  Shey got up and later passed others as they bivyed.  And so it went. 

 

Dave Muse and his girls on the right.  They were trail angels giving encouragement to all.

I got to hang out with Sherri, as we watched hummingbirds fly around until Ardie came rollin' down the road.

 None of us Lindners have smartphones, so the only time I knew Shey's location was when I was at Mulberry Gap.  Otherwise it was a guessing game.  His digital phone was dead, so no text for a pick-up time.  I called MG to let them know I was waiting at the border and could pick up anyone coming in soon.  Diane was brushing her teeth and said she would check on the trackleaders page and call me back.  Shey and Jason would be coming in soon.  I doubted that Shey knew how close they were to last years finish time.  They said the rails to trails section was rough and it was good to finally hit the pavement.

(It's interesting how smartphones have changed these type of races.  It was surprising to me after the Huracan ride to find out how much these phones are used to check positions, find stops and stay in touch.  I think Shey and I will probably get a smartphone soon for when we are traveling/flying, but I don't want it to interefere with that away-from-it-all feel on the trail.  During a ride/race we just need it for emergency calls and a pick-up call at the end.  Nothing else.  We keep ours turned off.   Jason just wants a waterproof phone, since our phones always get wet inside, not a smartphone.  He already has one picked out.)

 

There were so many friends riding the Ellijay area that the guys stopped often to visit.  I keep finding pictures of them stopped on the trail, talking.  It was a beautiful day to ride!!  I asked Shey about losing time doing this and he said he would "do it again".   And I know Jason would do the same, because during the ride in Florida he would veer off the track to offer words of encouragement and an invitation for a Subway meal to a bikepacker he didn't know, who was stopped and looking tired.....these guys are just that nice.



Shey's gps fell of on the snake creek trail and when he went to look through the foliage for it he was stung by yellow jackets....so if anyone finds a gps on the side of the trail, please let us know. 

 

 

Jason and Shey finished together and were very happy with their rides.  Jason just did this as a time trial a few weeks ago, then raced the Colorado Trail race recently, then was on the start line for the TNGA this weekend!  Crazy!!  Shey has been super busy with the boys and the shop this year, so I wasn't sure he would find the time to be prepared for this ride, but I guess he was!


After loading up on cold water and chocolate milk from the gas station, I took them to eat at Waffle House, so they wouldn't look out of place in their cycling gear.......oh, yeah, they blended........



Now for the dog bite.  Shey and I had planned on taking Friday to spend together and head up to the yurts early to relax.  Before we left, Everett called me to tell me that a dog bit him on his commute to work.  These dogs have been a problem and he was worried because the dog was eating a dead oppossum right before he was bit...yuck!  I called animal control and the police.  We were told that he would have to ride his bike, with his injured leg, back over the county line to file a report.  Then they said he could file a police report with the animal control over the phone.  We got that taken care of and headed out later than planned.  Then he called again saying that animal control had quarantined the dog because it was not up to date with it's rabies shots, so we stayed and took him to the doctor to find out what the correct protocol was for this situation.  He is on antibiotics and they will monitor the dogs before they decide whether he needs the shots or not.  Man!  So we got to the yurts well after dark and Shey was tired and grumpy.


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Driving.  Everett had the car for the weekend while we were out of town.  So instead of riding his bike to work and his dental appointment, he drove, by himself, for the first time.  It's probably very good that we were out of town.....


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