Shakedown at Tsali

After our chiro leadership retreat in the Blue Ridge Mountains on May 12, which was fabulous, I figured I was halfway to Tsali. With a brand-new red bike. It was time to introduce Siren to Singletrack :)

The weather was STELLAR - you seldom get such perfection. Deep blue skies, 78 degrees, fresh green leaves on the trees.

Our shakedown ride was so sweet - yeah, there are a lot of little adjustments I am making to Siren (seat height, angle) and more that I will be making when I return to Atlanta (swap out the afforementioned seat, slap on lighter outboard cranks, angle the brake levers in so I can reach them, raise the handlebars, add a little more cush to the front shock) but right away I could tell that this bike is a good fit for me. I can turn it just by thinking about turning. I have some things to get used to - the bottom bracket is much higher, which puts me and my center of gravity higher than i am used to, which did cause a few um crashes - but I am very happy. The rear suspension is just posh - but very supple on climbs, very little chain slack.

Did I mention she likes mud? When I was here with the boys last month, I veered around many of the mudholes, since I didn't know what was under the mud and therefore if my front shock would handle it. No such trepidation with this rig. SPLOOSH!! The dippy doos, which racked the crap out of me on my hardtail, Siren just absorbed at speed. I likey.

After a good muddy 12 miles, I stopped at Fontana Lake for a swim before heading back to Atlanta. I wanted to play more but I had homework to do. Didn't my parents teach me well?

Fontana Lake drains into the Natahala River just south of Bryson City. The Natahala hosts a long stretch of whitewater rafting and kayaking.

Headed out to Western North Carolina this weekend to hit Dupont with our bike club. Yeah, I seem to be spending a lot of time there lately!! It's quite a playground. I've got a thought somewhere in my head that I'd like to snag some property in this area for a vacation home. Might just be that I do that even before I buy a place in Boston.