I'm 54 years old and overweight but, in my home area of the Florida Panhandle, I can ride OK. A friend suggested that we go up to Dahlonega, Georgia and ride the fifty mile version of the Six Gap Century, Three Gap Fifty. We both trained pretty well and felt like we could handle it with no problems.
Well, we made it but I had forgotten just how steep Wolfpen Gap is and how long Neel's Gap is. By the end of the ride I was in some serious pain.
I got in the truck to drive back to Tallahassee and turned on the radio. I felt that the gods must have been mocking me as Toby Keith sang "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was."
Olebiker <[email hidden]> wrote: :> I'm 54 years old and overweight but, in my home area of the Florida :> Panhandle, I can ride OK. A friend suggested that we go up to :> Dahlonega, Georgia and ride the fifty mile version of the Six Gap :> Century, Three Gap Fifty. We both trained pretty well and felt like :> we could handle it with no problems. :> :> Well, we made it but I had forgotten just how steep Wolfpen Gap is :> and how long Neel's Gap is. By the end of the ride I was in some :> serious pain. :> :> I got in the truck to drive back to Tallahassee and turned on the :> radio. I felt that the gods must have been mocking me as Toby Keith :> sang "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was."
Well, keep working at it and you might find "I'm Better Than I Ever Was."
I'm 54 years old and overweight but, in my home area of the Florida Panhandle, I can ride OK. A friend suggested that we go up to Dahlonega, Georgia and ride the fifty mile version of the Six Gap Century, Three Gap Fifty. We both trained pretty well and felt like we could handle it with no problems.
Well, we made it but I had forgotten just how steep Wolfpen Gap is and how long Neel's Gap is. By the end of the ride I was in some serious pain.
I got in the truck to drive back to Tallahassee and turned on the radio. I felt that the gods must have been mocking me as Toby Keith sang "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was."
What exactly is a gap? The only one we have around here is the Deleware Water Gap, which is basically a big river between some hills.
I rode Six Gap, and it was tough on my 56 year old bones. I had two objectives; finish the ride and don't walk any of the route. It took ten hours, but both objectives were met. "Hurt So Good" by John Mellencamp would have been an appropriate driving home tune. Are you going to ride it again next year?
Art
Olebiker said:
I'm 54 years old and overweight but, in my home area of the Florida Panhandle, I can ride OK. A friend suggested that we go up to Dahlonega, Georgia and ride the fifty mile version of the Six Gap Century, Three Gap Fifty. We both trained pretty well and felt like we could handle it with no problems.
Well, we made it but I had forgotten just how steep Wolfpen Gap is and how long Neel's Gap is. By the end of the ride I was in some serious pain.
I got in the truck to drive back to Tallahassee and turned on the radio. I felt that the gods must have been mocking me as Toby Keith sang "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was."
The word: "gap" in this context seems to have a specific colloquial association with the Appalachia Mountains. In the Rockies, a pass is just a pass.
"Three Valley Gap" is just east of "Eagle Pass" in the Monashees. It's a weather bowl and the first breath of mountain air as one approaches the Rockies from the Shuswap. -- zk
I rode Six Gap, and it was tough on my 56 year old bones. I had two objectives; finish the ride and don't walk any of the route. It took ten hours, but both objectives were met. "Hurt So Good" by John Mellencamp would have been an appropriate driving home tune. Are you going to ride it again next year?
Art
I think of the song "Hurt So Good" every time I get off the bike. Before I get on the bike I sing... "She's a mean, mean machine If you start me up Give it all you got You got to never, never, never stop" ;-) -Stones
How bad is Hogpen Gap compare to Neel's Gap and Wolfpen Gap? The profile looks scary.
Hogpen Gap averages a 7% grade for 7 miles. In spots, it has a 15% grade. Being from flat Florida, I found all the gaps grueling. The payoff was in the descents.
"Hogpen Gap averages a 7% grade for 7 miles. In spots, it has a 15% grade. Being from flat Florida, I found all the gaps grueling. The payoff was in the descents."
Did you happen to notice, on the descent from Woody Gap, the motorcycle tire skid marks that ended up at the edge of the woods? I understand that motorcyclists get injured or killed on those roads pretty often.
Did you happen to notice, on the descent from Woody Gap, the motorcycle tire skid marks that ended up at the edge of the woods? I understand that motorcyclists get injured or killed on those roads pretty often.
Don't recall the skid marks from Woody Gap. But at different points we came across a motorcycle and Subaru WRX that went off-roadin' unintentionally.
