Peter's Mill Run (reverse!) In Gwnf - Sunday, 10/18/2020

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
I'm not positive on a meetup time yet, but open to suggestions. I'm planning to camp at Elizabeth Furnace (https://g.co/kgs/q61vXC) the night of the 17th. If we can't find a spot(s) there, we'll try the campground right next to Peter's Mill Run.

Sunday morning (18th) we'll cook breakfast and pack up to hit the trail starting from the north and heading south to Edinburg Gap.

I'm open to doing just the one way and heading out from there, OR turning around and running it both ways. If people are up for that, I'll plan to bring more food and maybe cook lunch on a campfire or something.

Another thing to consider is where to get a pass. It looks like the Fort Valley location only requires a slight detour if coming from the DC area: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/gwj/passes-permits/?cid=fsbdev3_000477
 

MiggieX

Bought an X
Im down to do the trail both ways, mind if i post it on the va xterra facebook page? Once time and all that is placed
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
Im down to do the trail both ways, mind if i post it on the va xterra facebook page? Once time and all that is placed

Yeah, sounds good to me! Are you going to just link them here? I think if we started about 9:30am we could be to Edinburg Gap about noon or a little later, do lunch there and 'pick up' anybody who just wants to do the one way. I'm fairly flexible, and would rather adjust to whatever gets the most Xterras out at once.
 

xterraography

Test Drive
I’m in for both camping and doing Peter’s Mill Run. Depending on when I get out of work Friday, I could run down and try and snag a spot.
 

MiggieX

Bought an X
If you’re in fairfax want to make a pre meet and we can cruise to peters mill? Im in manassas so maybe we can meet by the new dmv there its right off the exit
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
If you’re in fairfax want to make a pre meet and we can cruise to peters mill? Im in manassas so maybe we can meet by the new dmv there its right off the exit

Ha, I'm camping out that way the 17th, so I'll be heading out probably 24 hours prior to the ride - maybe a smidge early for you unless you're also camping.
 

Pro-4K

Bought an X
Location
Southeastern, NC
I’m down. Ot sure about camping yet, but let me know about times for Saturday and I may re-consider.

If I did come for the Sunday ride, where would we meet up? And I saw noon, is that the rough meetup time?
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
hmm i missed the noon part, so the actual trail ride is noon then?

I don't have any set times - we can make whatever work. I was thinking I'd like to be done the first half of the ride by noon. Or maybe even better would be to have gotten all the way to Edinburg Gap, and then back to the big clearing by noon for lunch.
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
oh ok, it's confusing, as host can you set a meetup time for everyone

Would 9am start time work? I know I can set a time, but I was hoping more would weigh in about what works or doesn't, because I'm trying to maximize the number of Xterras.
 

Pro-4K

Bought an X
Location
Southeastern, NC
Yeah, sounds good to me! Are you going to just link them here? I think if we started about 9:30am we could be to Edinburg Gap about noon or a little later, do lunch there and 'pick up' anybody who just wants to do the one way. I'm fairly flexible, and would rather adjust to whatever gets the most Xterras out at once.

Sorry, I was late to the game, so I was trying to catch up. That "noon" was me misreading the above.

Would 9am start time work? I know I can set a time, but I was hoping more would weigh in about what works or doesn't, because I'm trying to maximize the number of Xterras.

I'm trying to see if a buddy of mine wants to ride shotgun (he's a photographer, so hoping he comes). If he does, we'll see about camping - I should know later tonight (hopefully). If he's down to camp also or just wants to go for the ride, I'll do whatever he wants to, but if he declines to go at all, I'll most likely head out with you on the 17th and camp.

Once you have the times and meeting places set in Nova and near Peter's Mill for the following day, let us know. I know you're flexible, but you're the boss, so it's your call lol. (I'm flexible too) I left my house at 5:30am to meet up with the Jeep crew when we first briefly met at Peters Mill a couple of weeks ago... if you recall, we were 1/3 of the way through by close to noon.... yeah... it was a lot of hurry up and wait.

I planned my trip for a 9:45 Nova meet up because I like to sleep and it was a 2 day event, so we had time either way. It was great being able to get to the top, set up camp, then go wheeling again before dinner. It's a playground up there - love it. (flagpole)
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
Ok, so I won't have a guest riding shotgun, and I will be camping. @ffxcores, what time are you heading up to camp, and where in NOVA would you like to meet and ride up together?

I am planning to leave Fairfax no later than 10am. Risky since it's first-come, first-serve, but with rain today and it being in the 30s overnight I'm hoping we'll be fine as far as getting spots. I just got back late last night from out of town, so I need time to pull stuff together.

Do you want to convoy up there? @xterraography is east of me and I think now he's coming up Saturday morning as well.

Also, do you have any radios? If not I have two extra GMRS/FRS radios. There are a couple others that have indicated they are coming but I don't know for sure. It's the three Xterras confirmed so far, and all of us camping.
 

Pro-4K

Bought an X
Location
Southeastern, NC
I am planning to leave Fairfax no later than 10am. Risky since it's first-come, first-serve, but with rain today and it being in the 30s overnight I'm hoping we'll be fine as far as getting spots. I just got back late last night from out of town, so I need time to pull stuff together.

Do you want to convoy up there? @xterraography is east of me and I think now he's coming up Saturday morning as well.

Also, do you have any radios? If not I have two extra GMRS/FRS radios. There are a couple others that have indicated they are coming but I don't know for sure. It's the three Xterras confirmed so far, and all of us camping.

I’m already packed up and ready to go. I have GMRS/FRS handhelds already I threw on the charger last night.

I also am down to convoy. I’m in Manassas Park, so if you want to meet along 66 somewhere I can do that. The commuter lot on Cushing road (PWC pkwy & 66) or the atlas walk shopping center in Gainesville.

I’ll let you pick and I’ll be there.

(Side note: my GMRS license was approved this morning. I ordered my mounted GMRS radio and a CB for good measure, so those are getting installed next week, so I’m excited for that)
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
I’m already packed up and ready to go. I have GMRS/FRS handhelds already I threw on the charger last night.

I also am down to convoy. I’m in Manassas Park, so if you want to meet along 66 somewhere I can do that. The commuter lot on Cushing road (PWC pkwy & 66) or the atlas walk shopping center in Gainesville.

I’ll let you pick and I’ll be there.

(Side note: my GMRS license was approved this morning. I ordered my mounted GMRS radio and a CB for good measure, so those are getting installed next week, so I’m excited for that)

Sweet. Let me talk to the other guy and confirm a time, and we can pick a channel (and privacy code if your current handhelds support them) and if you don't mind I'd like to range test as we approach wherever we're meeting.
 

Pro-4K

Bought an X
Location
Southeastern, NC
I have 22 channels and 122 privacy codes on my handhelds. I wish I had not waited until yesterday to order everything. It’ll all be delivered over the weekend and Monday. If you’re running mounted coms, I’m curious to see your setup.
 

ffxcores

[fully disclosed]
Supporting Member
Location
Virginia
This turned out to be a really great time. Elizabeth Furnace campground was full so we went up to Little Fort right by the north side entrance for Peter’s Mill Run. Only negative is we had to drive back down to the creek to fish (about 20 minutes), but there is no fee at that campground and the site was plenty big for three tents.

We didn’t catch any fish, but the weather and scenery was great, and we weren’t there that long due to losing daylight and wanting to get the fire going before it got dark and the temps dropped. Temps hit the freezing mark overnight, but we all survived it. All our stuff had a nice layer of “wet” on it in the morning though and slowed me down a bit. A 4th truck met us there in the morning and after I finally got all my junk packed up we headed for the trail.

I think we all agreed the trail was much more of a challenge running north to south, and it was a lot of fun. We stopped at the big clearing to make/cook some lunch while @Pro-4K explored some side trails. We stopped another time to play on some more side obstacles and managed to only do some minor pivoting on the frame.

Have a look at these colors:
14C440E2-F310-42F6-82F5-5C9A4041B7E2.jpeg
 

Pro-4K

Bought an X
Location
Southeastern, NC
This turned out to be a really great time. Elizabeth Furnace campground was full so we went up to Little Fort right by the north side entrance for Peter’s Mill Run. Only negative is we had to drive back down to the creek to fish (about 20 minutes), but there is no fee at that campground and the site was plenty big for three tents.

We didn’t catch any fish, but the weather and scenery was great, and we weren’t there that long due to losing daylight and wanting to get the fire going before it got dark and the temps dropped. Temps hit the freezing mark overnight, but we all survived it. All our stuff had a nice layer of “wet” on it in the morning though and slowed me down a bit. A 4th truck met us there in the morning and after I finally got all my junk packed up we headed for the trail.

I think we all agreed the trail was much more of a challenge running north to south, and it was a lot of fun. We stopped at the big clearing to make/cook some lunch while @Pro-4K explored some side trails. We stopped another time to play on some more side obstacles and managed to only do some minor pivoting on the frame.

Have a look at these colors:
View attachment 15786

Excellent recap. Replayed the entire weekend as I read it. Agreed this was a good trip. The color coordination was perfectly unplanned as well. Made for a more interesting unicorn in the wild. 23D26D3F-BAFF-403C-A457-25375F43DC68.jpeg
 
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