DuPont State Forest and my Battle against the Raging River

DuPont has always been one of my very favorite places to mountain bike. It is very close to Brevard and Pisgah but it offers different terrain. Not necessarily better, just different. For one, there are a few trails where you ride entirely on granite rock. It's strange and it seems like something you might find out west. 

The climb up Cedar Rock

To the descent down Big Rock

The above trails are my favorites along with Burnt Mountain. There are more trails that are less rocky and consist of extremely fast single track but I'm not as familiar with the location of those. 

After hanging out on the top of Cedar Rock and enjoying complete silence and a view of the mountains I decided I would have lunch at Bridal Veil Falls. It's a really cool granite slab with a waterfall running down it. Scenes from the movie, "The Last of the Mohicans" was filmed there. I made my way to the typical creek crossing to find that the creek/river was running quite a big "bigger" than normal due to the heavy rains. 

See, it doesn't look too bad!

I saw three guys on the other side who were preparing to come back to the side I was on. I figured if they did it, I could too. I took my shoes off, picked up my bike and began working my way across the stream. I got to the middle only to realize that the rocks beneath my feet were as slick as ice. I could turn back or keep going. Seeing as I was almost across I figured I could still do it. That's when I completely slipped and became submerged in the water. I started laughing cause it was really funny, but quickly stopped when I realized my bike had fallen perpendicular to the current and was acting as a sail pulling me downstream. I scrambled to try to keep going down stream but it was just not happening against the slick rock. One of the guys ran out and grabbed my hand and I was forced to drop the shoes. Gone. At this point things were not very funny at all. The guy had me by the hand pulling with all his might and at the same time, trying to keep traction. I was holding on to my bike which was completely submerged in the water and pulling me just as hard in the other direction. The other two guys were trying to find a way to get to the bike realizing that if I were to let it go it would be gone gone gone. The thought actually crossed my mind.The point was quickly approaching where unless I wanted to go sailing down the river pulling the guy who was trying to help me along, I would have to let go. By calling upon SBS's powers, some how the the guys got my bike and I was dragged back to safety. My camera was sealed in a plastic baggie :-)

My rescuers. Many many thanks guys. 

The worst part was once I made it to their side they informed me that there was no way back but to cross again. I found a much deeper part where there was no current and inched my way back across safely. 

Next, I was faced with a rather painful problem. I was completely barefoot. So I rode back to the car barefoot on egg beater pedals. I experienced some mild discomfort with that (insert sarcasm). 

Stank foot (at least my toenails are cute). 

So my ride was cut short. But that didn't cause an end to my fun day. DuPont has beautiful waterfalls so I went to visit Triple Falls to hang out for awhile. I walked right out next to the water and had some food and laid in the warm sun like a lizard. 

Triple Falls

Hanging out at the 3rd Fall

So with the exception of trying to figure out why water hates me so much, it was a fantastic day!