Category: trail rides

  • 2 trips to Rockhouse this week

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    The Yukon and Sells Pond

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    Mac powers up Rockhouse

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    me by the pond after some sweet single track.

     

  • Lunchtime ride on Rockhouse

    Lunchtime ride on Rockhouse

    Managed to squeeze a ride in at lunch on Rockhouse at Sells Park.  Mac was supposed to go as well, but his meeting ran 45 minutes over.  I rode from Grover out to Sells, with a quick out and back on Rockhouse.  I turned around about 100 yards before my usual gotta-be-back-fast turnaround spot.  I would have loved to ridden longer, but it was still great to get some dirt under the tires.

    Temperature was around 37 degrees with full sun.  I was chilly in the wind when starting out, but otherwise comfortable when I got warmed up.  Wore a long sleeve underjersey, a regular jersey, full finger mountain bike gloves (summer weight), shorts, tights, wool socks.  Round trip about 7.5 miles (5.5 miles pavement and 2 miles dirt).

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    My buddy and me
  • Sucking Wind

    This was my first mountain bike ride in 6-8 weeks, and it shows.   I rode from Grover Center to Sells Park via the Bike Path and Avon.   Once I hit singletrack I rode Rockhouse to Basswood, to Athens Trail, back to the trailhead.   The hills killed me, but hopefully next time they’ll be easier.

  • My rides lately

    It’s been hard to get rides in lately, as it seems the schedule continues to get a bit more hectic as the weather gets warmer. I’m trying to find time to ride when I can, and right now the time is during my lunch break. This week and last I rode my mountain bike out to Sells Park; two days last week and two days this week. Due to time constraints of my lunch hour, I can only get about a mile into the trails before its time to turn around. I usually just stick to the Rockhouse Trail, as I can ride all of it without walking anything. I’ve yet to make it up the hill to get on top of the Athens Trail without walking, so I reserve that section of the Athens Trail System for when I have more time. With the two miles out and back on Rockhouse, and the 5.5 miles there and back, it turns into a decent lunchtime ride. Here’s the route to get there:

    Since I’m so pressed for time, it’s almost like a time trial getting to and from the trail, and I usually face a massive headwind coming back to work. I can usually get there and back, get a shower, and be back at my desk in an hour. Sometimes I get held up at the red light crossing East State Street, and if that happens, I sometimes have to adjust my time on the trail. It may seem crazy to ride 5.5. miles round trip for 2 miles of singletrack, but the brief amount of time I get on the trail is very much worth it. It’s a good amount of riding to wet the appetite for more riding, while also getting a decent workout for the lungs and legs. I’m hoping to be able to work in some longer trail and road rides once things settle down a bit. It’s tough to be patient, but I have to remind myself that it’s only the middle of April. The riding season has only just begun. However, many of my riding buddies have been able to log a few more miles than I have, so I am a bit concerned about keeping up with them on the road. Maybe my gym workouts and lunchtime time trial/trail rides will be enough to keep me from being blown off the back. Time will tell.

  • Let’s do lunch sometime

    Mother Nature’s treat. I’m fortunate that it’s a 2.7 mile ride to the trails from my car. Here’s where I sometimes take my lunch.