AZ Mountain bike ride - CT/MA area

MR. evil · Apr 1, 2008

As the title implies, who is game for a CT/MA area mountain bike ride once the trails dry out a little more (and we have a little time to get back into riding shape)?

For those interested. please post some trail suggestions. I have never ridden Pennwood St Forrest in CT, but I have heard good things. Case Mt used to be one of my favs but I have not ridden it in about 5 years. I have read over on Bikerag.com that the place is very over crowded. There is also a sweet ride (so I hear) in the Northampton MA area
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/Holyoke.gif

Most people agree this is one of the best rides in western Ma. I have not ridden it yet but plan to this spring. Someone in my town I meet through MTBR.com rides there all the time and has agreed to give me a tour.

MR. evil · Apr 1, 2008

Another option is my backyard trail

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=332602

It is not really my back yard, but it is about a 5 minute ride from my drive way and it is technically behind my house. The loop we ussually do is 8 miles (4 out and 4 back), but the trail is part of the Metacomet can actually be ridden all the way to Pennwood in CT.

bvibert · Apr 1, 2008

I'm still not quite ready to accept that ski season is over (even though I probably won't get back out), but when I finally come to terms with that I'll be interested in a ride or two. I'm sure the mud will be dry by then...

SKIQUATTRO · Apr 4, 2008

i'd be up for a mtn bike gathering....CT is fine, I grew up in Glastonbury, folks now living in Berlin..would like to get off this island for ahit and bike elsewhere...

Paul · Apr 4, 2008

West Hartford MDC Resevoir #6 has some good trails. Could be done after work.

severine · Apr 4, 2008

Paul said:
West Hartford MDC Resevoir #6 has some good trails. Could be done after work.

Wasn't too wet yesterday either. At least, the trail around the reservoir wasn't. (Yes, I dragged both kids all the way around...) Too bad for today's rain.

Paul · Apr 4, 2008

severine said:
Wasn't too wet yesterday either. At least, the trail around the reservoir wasn't. (Yes, I dragged both kids all the way around...) Too bad for today's rain.

Can't ride on that side, though. Gotta go across the street, start on those levee thingies.

severine · Apr 4, 2008

Paul said:
Can't ride on that side, though. Gotta go across the street, start on those levee thingies.

If you drive all the way in, there are trails you can access from there toward Heublein Tower.

MR. evil · Apr 4, 2008

Paul said:
West Hartford MDC Resevoir #6 has some good trails. Could be done after work.

That is not a bad option. I used to ride there alot. I am pretty sure I remeber the ride we used to do there. All I remeber was the first 30 minutes was nothing but climbing. If i remeber we rode the ridge on the edge of the park along the Penwood side.

severine · Apr 4, 2008

Or you can go park by Reservoir 5 and go that way. (Brian and his Dad took me over there before... but it's been a few years.)

Paul · Apr 4, 2008

severine said:
If you drive all the way in, there are trails you can access from there toward Heublein Tower.

Hmmm... for some reason I though they had converted those to walking/hiking only. Cool.

severine · Apr 4, 2008

Paul said:
Hmmm... for some reason I though they had converted those to walking/hiking only. Cool.

If you go in from that parking lot heading North, when you get to the bridge on the left (West) it becomes walking only. If you keep going straight (North), bikes are still allowed.

powhunter · May 5, 2008

I try to get out once a week...usually its meriden mtn....or tyler mill in walingford.....id be down for an AZ ride

steve

MR. evil · May 5, 2008

powhunter said:
I try to get out once a week...usually its meriden mtn....or tyler mill in walingford.....id be down for an AZ ride

steve

I am pretty much open to riding anywhere.

Are you as crazy on a bike as you are on skis?

powhunter · May 6, 2008

Pretty mellow these days....I do it mainly for cardio...My downhill bike is in pieces...I have a gary fischer XC bike now....probably gonna hit something this sunday

steve

Greg · May 6, 2008

Maybe this thread is just what I need to get me back out on my bike. I used to ride a little bit of singletrack in the mid to late 90's. That old Trek 960 is kinda beat though. My wife bought me a Jamis XC 1.0 a few years ago, but it only has platform pedals so it probably would only be good for doubletrack / dirt road roading.

So, how well do you guys ride? What type of terrain? Mostly singletrack requiring clipless pedals or toe cages? If any of you want to do some doubletrack "cruising" let me know. Be advised I haven't ridden in a long time and I'm sure I have no wind.

bvibert · May 6, 2008

Greg, IMHO, you don't need clipless to ride single track. Lots of folks use platforms these days. I mostly ride doubletrack right now. Mostly because that's what's close to me and that I'm still sort of a newb. I did start doing some singletrack last year that was fun though. As I've told you multiple times over the last couple of years I'll be happy to go out for a ride with you sometime. I'll be happy to show you some fun doubletrack and dirt road riding up at White Memorial in Litchfield/Morris to get you back into the swing of things.

MR. evil · May 6, 2008

Greg said:
Maybe this thread is just what I need to get me back out on my bike. I used to ride a little bit of singletrack in the mid to late 90's. That old Trek 960 is kinda beat though. My wife bought me a Jamis XC 1.0 a few years ago, but it only has platform pedals so it probably would only be good for doubletrack / dirt road roading.

So, how well do you guys ride? What type of terrain? Mostly singletrack requiring clipless pedals or toe cages? If any of you want to do some doubletrack "cruising" let me know. Be advised I haven't ridden in a long time and I'm sure I have no wind.

I ussually ride single track, anywhere from easy to extremly technical rock gardens. Clipless pedals are not needed for any type of riding, they are mearly a preference. But if you ride platforms, never use toe cages. You can pick up a pair of clipless pedals for as cheap as $30. It is the shoes that are expensive, anywhere from $60 to $200.

If you and Brian want to ride some single track either up in MA, or down in CT let me know. The only CT riding I know is in the Hartford Area (Case MT & W. Hartford Res.). But I am always willing to try new places. I am sure we can arrange a nice easy paced ride somewhere fun.

Jamis XC 1.0 is a nice bike! I almost bought a Jamis XTL 2.0 last summer but ended up getting this.

MR. evil · May 6, 2008

Here is a link to some pic of my 'back yard' trail as I call it. The trail head is about a 2 minute ride out of my driveway. The pictures in the woods are a pretty typical representation of the terrain Randi and I ussually ride.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=3454974

A couple of weekend ago I was taken to a new spot near Northampton Ma they call Batchler St. About 5 minutes into the ride my first though was "there is no way people actually ride this on a bike". 6 miles and 90 minutes later I was all messed up. It was a fun ride:razz:

Greg · May 6, 2008

MR. evil said:
Here is a link to some pic of my 'back yard' trail as I call it. The trail head is about a 2 minute ride out of my driveway. The pictures in the woods are a pretty typical representation of the terrain Randi and I ussually ride.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?p=3454974

Can you post them here? That site wants me to register to see them.

AZ Mountain bike ride - CT/MA area

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