I've returned to the Ridge a number of the times in the four months since I moved here to observe the changing of seasons and enjoy its solitude. It seems that the Black Mountains absorb the bulk of the region's weather and so i've run it coated in snow and ice, littered with deadfall, muddy and slick, and, last May at Quest for the Crest, jungle-like. Today was dry, sunny and dry. The trail was in perfect condition. A crew must have come through in the last couple of weeks. It was in the 80s down in Burnsville but the Ridge was pleasantly mild. Aside from the Mt Mitchell summit area and right at the start at Bolens, I didn't encounter a single other person. Effort wise, I didn't need to push at all and so kept a nice metered tempo which allowed me to really enjoy the experience. I found going for time mentally easier than slogging out the ridge at a totally easy pace but more pleasant than frantically darting up and down all of those punchers chasing splits. I think the reason the historic times on this route are so relatively slow is the intimidation factor of having in front of you such a long technical ridge that you have to go out and back on. Having run quite a bit on the Long Trail and in the Whites, this out and back was pretty tame and didn't feel like a huge obstacle to grind away at psychologically. Kit wise I brought a headlamp, Spot Mini, phone, earbuds, couple of gels and a liter of water with drink mix. I didn't eat the gels, but got through both bottles by the 4hr mark, somewhere around 60g CH all together. The Bolens climb and descent can obviously go much quicker, but pushing there while leaving room for the ups and downs on the ridge might prove challenging for someone challenging this time.