FROTY

The FROTY, the First Ride Of The Year. Something that I had never heard of until this winter and probably would not have done until this year. It takes place in Carvin's Cove, which supplies Roanoke with fresh water. None of us, Chris, Allen, Jimmy, or myself had ridden there. Our friend Jen rides there often and met us to show us the way.
I love all the Derailler trails (except the hillclimb, which is not a mountainbike trail) and Candler's beats them all. But after one day, Carvin's Cove has become my favorite mountainbiking destination. We did not even ride half of the trails there. Even what we rode, had a little of everything: fast smooth and swooping, rocks, creek croosings, large log crossings, long climbs, and whoop-dee-doos that can easily give you some hang time.
Everyone had a wonderful time. There were a lot of fellow mountainbikers out in the cold. It was not too bad at first, somewhere in the low 40's. But the combination of high winds, wet feet from the creek crossings, and the setting sun, made it a very cold ride. It could not dampen the joy of the day though.
I can not wait to go back to the Cove. Thank you Jen, for guiding our ride. Good friends. Good times. What a great way to start the new year!