I'm sure I'll get a C- for this, but a little post-ride write-up just for the hell of it.
My buddy Mark (KTM 500 EXC) and I got to the trail pretty early on account of having to depart by noon (he had to drive to NC for his niece's b-day), so we were riding by about 815am, which was nice. It was cool, but not cold, and we warmed up pretty quickly. We hit 433 (the quick and wide trail on the opposite side of the first parking lot) to just about the end, then turned around to hit the first 1/2 mile or so of 457 that has the fairly rocky ascent. It was my first time riding that hill clean and quick, so I was feeling like a real champ. We turned back around and got back to the lot because I really can't stand the rest of the ridge trail. Since our egos were pretty full, we figured it was time to beat ourselves down on 495, so we went down 493 from the parking lot to get there.
Now, I've only been riding off-road for about 2 years, and I feel like I've really grown since the last time 495 kicked my ass. I'm sorry to report that it still utterly demolished me. I didn't drop the bike, but I doubt I ever made more than 10 feet without having to paddle my feet or carry the bike over a rock.
We were about an hour in at that point, so we rode 553 (the big jeep trail) a few times to once again remember what it's like to go faster than 3 mph, then we did a few of the side trails like 553H and 553A. We then took 499/493 all the way back to the parking lot. I might be crazy, but there were sections of 499 that seemed a whole lot rockier than normal. Quite a few trees/logs down on 499 as well, we tried to move and clear what we could but it wasn't too bad.
I've been reluctant to get off the seat until this trip, so I finally tried standing up most of the ride and it was like night and day. Rockier sections were so much easier, I just had to build up enough confidence to feel comfortable getting off the seat. I think there were a few times that the going got kind of tough and I'd sit back down, but I made a conscious effort to be off the seat most of the day.
Mark has some good gopro footage of me dropping the bike a couple times when the mud stole my front wheel out from under me, I'll post it when I get it. For now,
Looking down on 495 and wondering why I'm doing this to myself
Mark in the middle of 495 pretending like it's no big D
At the top of 553 feeling better moving at speed