North Fork Trail-Abbreviated Version

Living in Petersburg has its perks like being 5 miles away from North fork mountain trail. I headed straight there after work yesterday. The plan was to ride out south branch road, climb up redman and ride the last third of the trail back to the car. Headed out the road mostly rolling climb to the entrance to redman. Redman started out as a road climb then turned off into some great uphill singletrack. As i climbed up i noticed a clearing ahead and it leveled off, then i could see the top. Could this really be the top already-Sweet. Headed out the ridge line catching glimpses of others fresh bike tracks and taking in the occasional overlook. Sometime after passing landis trail but before chimney rock i caught up with them. It was a couple of guys from charleston-prem and kevin. they told me to go ahead so i took off. I went on up and stopped at an overlook. As i went to find the trail i accidentaly found the spur trail up to the very top of chimney rock. I panicked for a second when i lost the main trail but as i headed back to retrace my route i saw the other guys riding just below and caught back up with them. The final part of the trail is the longest downhill in wv probably a solid 2 miles or more of rockin downhill. Back to the car. 2:20 and 18 miles. It felt way longer. The other guys had set up a shuttle and done the whole trail-major props wish i had the day off. I can't wait to do this whole trail this fall with the crew.
Start of Redman singletrack:
View from the top of redman on nfm trail. It is raining over on Dolly Sods-glad it stayed over there:Looking over at chimney rock:
Some of the milder singletrack:Looking out along the rock face on the final downhill:
Last chance at an overlook before the end:
Gotta work tomorrow here in pburg, then back to fairmont for saturday night. Sunday brings the WVU races at big bear. Not sure how i'll fair but hopefully middle of the pack in A.
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