6th Annual Iceman Cometh (with a hangover)

The 6th Annual Iceman Cometh (with a hangover) ride was held Saturday January 5th in Damascus, Va. Originally held on New Year's day and in any weather, the ride has since evolved into the first weekend of the year to allow those that don't get off of work on New Year's a chance to ride. It is still held no matter what the weather which has ranged from sun and 60's to rain and snow mix and 30something.

This year it was just cold with some snow on the ground.

The ride starts out innocently enough with 5 miles on Virginia's famous Creeper Trail but the innocence soon gives way to the evil that lurks just beyond the Creeper and on the Iron Mountain trail system. Miles and miles of rolling ridgetop singletrack littered with babyhead rocks and nice fireroad/singletrack descents off the side of the ridges await those who can brave the opening 1 mile climb up Beechgrove from the Creeper Trail.

The Iceman lost his head.

Regrouping at the bottom of Feathercamp Ridge

No shifting problems here.

After a few hours of the Iron Mtn, you are treated with the descent down Mock Holler, a roughly 1 mile drop that is really rocky and always fun. I had a blast despite still recovering from the bruised lung I got back in December. I was coughing and hacking like a chain smoker pretty much the whole way. It was still fun though.