Fort Mountain Special--July 28, 2018

Saturday the 28th, six riders (Larry, Dave, SteveD, Mel, BobK, and Don) met in Ball Ground for a leisurely ramble north toward Ellijay and the Cohutta’s.  We didn’t realize it, but we would soon ride thru the “Shine Peddler’s Metric Century” bicycle ride in the Jasper area.  On peaceful backroads like Grandview and Burnt Mountain, it really wasn’t any trouble for either us or the hundred or so cyclists we encountered.  “It’s all good” when you’re on two wheels.  

Our first stop was www.Apex Cycle Shop.com located deep in the woods outside of Ellijay (no one will ever stumble across this place by accident – GPS required!)  Apex is an award-winning custom bike builder converting old BMW’s and Ducati’s into cool works of art.  The owner Wes gave us an awesome tour of his shop, custom bikes, and a lounge worthy of HGTV.  At the risk of overstating it, this place just oozes cool – check ‘em out for yourself. 

Next stop was to be the awesome overlook at Fort Mountain State Park (W of beginning to rumble.  So… we took the “quicker and easier” option of stopping at the Cohutta Overlook on 52 outside the park.  A great view and quicker to lunch.  But before lunch was the wonderful ride down the mountain to Chatsworth on a true first-class motorcycle road!  Lunch at Edna’s was delicious

SteveD, Larry, Don, Mel, Dave, BobK

Our trip home from Chatsworth was a combination of “fast and straight” down 411 and “tight and curvy” down Henderson Mountain and Damascus roads which, as it kept getting narrower and narrower, I thought may just turn into a goat path.  About then we popped out in Ball Ground and made our last stop at the Chevron before heading home.  Total mileage was about 175 and home around 3. 

Couldn’t ask for a better day of riding.  Join us next time.