southerners to the Arctic

Plan was Hamburg > Grebeci > Salamander > Ijsberg> Hamburg

I took a lot more photos today, but for some reason, not many heads were captured in pixels. I wasn't just trying to protect the innocent. We sessioned Dirt Rag Rock for a while, though I wonder if it's also called Vulture Rock, since a very large one just sat on a rock about 15 yards away the whole time we messed around there.

Tom was the first single-speeder I ever rode with. Would that have been around 1998? I know it was in the Fridley Gap area of the GW. It was probably on that same bike. I think that was also the first day I rode with Glenn W, and remember thinking, holy shit, who in the world is this hammer??

On our Grebeci run, we encountered a group of riders at the Blue/Grebeci junction. They said/asked something about that being the exit. As we rode Grebeci (without that group), we encountered many many other groups, including a group containing 3/5 of the 2008 SM 100 podium. There was a DCNR Flagman out working the Table Rock section. We all had to wait our respective turns for a clean shot. Lots of giggles and gasps, a couple crashes, a flat, and lots of compliments to whatever mountain/trail/geologic meteorlogic or fuzzy logic force combined to arrange so many rocks in such a way. What was once the sole domain of raptors, rattlers, and bears is now attracting species from NUE studs to Sunday tourists.

So, we didn't make it back to Ijsberg the return way. Took Salamander to Sand Flats and worked back from there. These southerners will be back at the trough soon to try the other direction.

One other thing about the Shed: The fun:grunt ratio is so much better than Michaux or the GW. I always leave that place with a week-long grin. Almost as giddy as Raystown.
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