17 Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic: Part Four and the Endo'ish

Our spectating spot is not where I thought we would end up.  My mind had pictured a spot that was on a whole nother trail, so Dan, by virtue of having a memory that retains knowledge, picked a most excellent place to stand... knowing that I was off my rocker.

A hard right after a charging straightaway that has three optional lines down.  Truly a place for bad decisions, displays of talented riding, and carnage.  We see everything from Cody's front wheel on the ground at speed Enduro™ turn to dangerous passes to just falling to the ground in abject failure.  All good things to scream at and providing much entertainment.

Eventually, we are outta beer and behind a lot of people we normally share the trail with, so we decide to head to the beer stash at the Troll Bridge at the bottom of Stillhouse.  We still had to descend the #4 Enduro™ section, and that was the trail I was thinking about spectating on, what with all the off camber rock fields and death.

It is not the easiest thing to do after a few beers and whilst only having 1.75 brake levers to control my speed.

I not ded so okay.

I race ahead to the top of Stillhouse so that I could get to the beers first and have them ready for my little friends.  They roll in, we sit down in the creek, and we enjoy the fruits of our forethought.  Beers finished, we get back on our bikes and roll back to the finish line... where things degrade a bit.

And a bit more.

Josh the 3 day winning single speeder showing us how to inhale a stack of ten Pringles.  It was like watching a wood chipper.

There is a raffle.  I don't know where my tickets are.  I improvise.

And then there are so many podiums for the deserving and then also for us and then for the deserving and also us at the same time.

The us.

The everyone (minus Evan Plews who left because... burrito?)  Mebbe minus Doug too because... Doug?

I think this is the actual podium minus one Evan but plus a Scott, Watts, Dan and Dick.

The evening further collapses, and when Watts and I realize we were the only ones still semi-kitted up and completely unwashed, we address those issues. We then proceed to the camping places, chat by the fire, mebbe I suck at a game of long distance cornhole, and then Watts, Dan, Doug and I retire back to Eagle Lodge. The place was empty save for Dave Pryor's belongings, Matt Spohn's forgotten luggage, and some bacon and eggs in the fridge.

So we make Ramen noodles, bacon and eggs and went to bed.

The next day, the long drive home fueled by so many Gu Stroopwafels I had intended to eat at some point but never did until I was in the car headed back to Charlotte.

Most of those photos came from Chris M... pretty sure... except the ones that didn't.

More musings and some long overdue stuff to come soon.