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After lunch we hopped in the truck
and headed out of Marlinton to where Scenic Highway 150
meets Route 219. Parking just off the road, we geared up
and made for the US Forest Service grazing allotment atop
Gay Sharp's Knob. (Gay Sharp was a Civil War hero,
seriously) The trek begins with a moderate climb on a
dirt fire road but soon leaves the road for open pasture.
Follow the XC skiing trail markers and watch out for the
cow patties. Once atop the knob, break out the camera for
some incredible photo opportunities of the Elk River
Valley. It's tough to pick a line for the descent but
looking west if you head for the pond below, you will
pick up a single-track that winds through small trees and
ends at a gate. Hop the gate and ride once again in open
pasture down to a barn and a dirt/gravel road that will
take you back to Route 219. At about five miles, the loop
was a perfect distance for an afternoon ride, especially
after hammering all morning. Back at ERTC, we hosed down
the bikes and compared notes with others. ERTC is filled with mountain bikers
during the summer months and the ability to share stories
and get recommendations on where to ride is one of the
great things about staying there. Outside the bike barn
after our Saturday afternoon ride we struck up a
conversation with one of ERTC's guides. Already thinking
about Sunday morning and our last ride of the weekend, we
asked her about Props Run, a long single-track that
careens down Gauley Mountain and winds up just outside of
ERTC's front door. After assessing our ability with a few careful questions, she highly recommended we give it a
try.
We
woke Sunday to a perfectly blue sky and temps in the
fifties. Since we were short on time, we had Gil take us
to the top of Gauley Mountain in the back of his Toyota
pickup to avoid the three-mile fire road climb that
begins the loop. With rain the day before, Gil said Props
would be wet but not the "stream" it could be.
We unloaded at the intersection of the Tea Creek Trail
and Gauley Mountain Road. This would give us a relatively
level three-mile warm-up on the ridge before getting to
Props. From over 4,000 feet the view was incredible. The
top of Props is extremely narrow and rocky. It was
evident that water routinely had its way with the earth
and rock here and we understood why the Forest Service
would be rebuilding this part of the trail later in the
year. This was by far the most technical riding we'd done
all weekend. The trail's grade lessens after a mile or so
but remains extremely rocky and wet. Numerous blow-downs
and boulders try to impede your progress and
"cleaning" these sections of the single-track is
personally rewarding. Maintain momentum and try to pick a
line. For nine miles, Props keeps throwing challenges at
you. It's relentless and loads of fun. Cross the Elk
River and emerge at the sawmill that you pointed at from
the top of Gauley Mountain. A few hundred yards on Route
219 and you're back at ERTC.
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