Into the Hills

Woke up bright and early, not wasting a minute of daylight. Pulled the throttle back on cindy and kicked my feet back and headed into the hills. The road to Roanoke is right along the Smoky Mountains. The scenery comprised of rolling grassy hills, barns, and scattered houses that give way to fully wooded hills. Every time I come through Virginia I cant help but imagine her in a younger colonial time. More overgrown back then I am sure and settlements far and wide apart from each other. I stayed mostly on the interstate but veered off for lunch at a place I discovered last time I was exploring the area. If you are ever in the Roanoke area look for Bent Mountain Bistro.

Coordinated a visit to the Hybrid Martial Arts gym with Dennis Hayes and trained with the guys. I don’t typically do ground work but put my Thai shorts on and… yes I rolled in Thai shorts. We worked on variations to a single leg takedown from a clinch position with under arm control;

1. From the clinch push then pull rotating your partner to create some distance between his lead and rear leg. Place left arm over partners bicep for control. Drop your level to scoop up the separated lead leg and pull it up between your legs maintaining control of the bicep with you left hand. Your neck should be kept fully erect and pressed up against the center of your partner’s chest. Release control of bicep as you pivot clockwise dropping your hips to drop opponent.

2. Same as above all the way through dropping your partner. Instead push opponent back while having control of the leg. As soon as you push back pull back and raise up fully standing locking the partners leg under your armpit. Step through with right leg planting it in front of the standing leg of your partner. Pull your leg back and with your free hand push forward to sweep partner.

3. Defense of take down requires breaking head position of partner by pushing head down and placing your chest on the back of your partner between shoulders. Once control is established slide left hand in to control the bicep of the arm locking your leg in. Slide your leg out from in between partners legs to the outside of the thigh. Simultaneously push off with your leg (to the outside of the thigh), your shoulder (that is weighing down on the back), and arm that is controlling the bicep. This push breaks the grip allowing for your leg to escape.

4. If your partner gets to a position 3 where your leg is locked up under the armpit, turn and roll in the opposite direction of your opponent to escape.

I would like to spend more time in Roanoke sometime. It looks and feels so cozy nestled where it is at the edge of the Smokys. The hip and artsy crowd makes it even more inviting. I rode for another 30 miles and camped out in the smoky Mountains along the North Creek. Pulled into the campgrounds around 11:30. Complete silence except for the soft gurgling creek helped reset my hearing from listening to Cindy all day. The skies were clear and moon was bright. Took a minute to walk around, left the flashlight at the campsite and let the moonlight do its thing. So peaceful, no sound, no hustle and bustle, no worries.