[Inline version available at: http://tinyurl.com/bhgdl]
Jim Thorpe, PA
The fall camping / biking trip was supposed to be to the Catskills where
Hunter Mt. was having an Octoberfest (part of my food preperations).
Then the numbers started dwindling until the night before and plans
changed. Three of us left, we decide it's not worth the five hour
drive and choose Jim Thorpe instead. I call and get a tent site which
is very lucky. Friday morning Bob J. and I head up to JT. We get
there and set up camp. Mike N. doesn't arrive until later so we decide
to do a road ride (yes, we brought our road bikes). We do a nice 21
miler right from camp with a good limb thrown into the mix. It's the
first time I have had to use my little ring on the road bike.
The sun starts to set and we begin dinner. I am short one night because
I was planning on Bratwurts and Kraut at the Octoberfest. I'll have to
get something from town for Saturday night. So tonight it's ramen
noodles with shrimp. It's quick and good. As darkness sets in, Mike
N. shows up and gets setup. We light the campfire, sit back, and try to
stay warm. The temps dropped to 40F tonight. I was freezing my ass off
in the tent after making fun of the other two for bringing propane
heaters. What's up with sleeping bags that say 20F? That's BS!
Luckily, I had my bag insert and a fleece blanket as well. Even with
that and my underarmor beenie on, my face was freezing. Arrrrgggghhhhh!!!!
Saturday morning we take are time as the plan is to go to the bicycle
flea market at the Lehigh Velodrome. This happens twice a year and
there are some great bargains to be had. I pick up a jersey, shorts,
yellow gloves to match my Tour of Hope uniform, and Magura Marta SL
brakes. I have been wanting to change my Avid Mechs to hydros on the
Racer-X. For $200 I took the plunge. A great price for some of the
best hydros out there.
We get back to camp and prepare to ride.
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2950.jpg
Since it's getting late, we decide on the switchback trail (only we go
up and most people go down). So we head up the switchback trail which
is the remnants of the switchback railroad used during the coal mining
boom in the past.
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2951.jpg
Reaching the halfway mark, we head up the mountain to the "Surface
of the Moon Trail". Basically, the ridge line trail. It's a
great babyhead strewn tight twisty singletrack. Going up:
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2955.jpg
The singletrack:
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2957.jpg
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2958.jpg
With the leaves beginning to fall, it's easy to lose the trail as Bob
displays.
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2959.jpg
Everytime I ride here, I dread the boulder climb. It's the only way up
to the trail and it's getting worse. This picture does not show the
25% incline and loose nasty stuff. No, you can't ride it. It's almost
impossible to walk up it. One of these days, I am going to attach a
rope ladder to the top.
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2961.jpg
Eventually, we reach the top and take the proverbial for in the road.
We hit the lookout spot and reflect only to cartry on a conversation
with the local hillbillies (age 16, 13, and 12 not pictured) drinking
beer out of the back of their Jeep.
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2962.jpg
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2963.jpg
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2965.jpg
As is normally the tradition on this ride, we get lost. For some reason
we end up on the same rocky piece of singletrack that dead-ends. By
the time you reach the dead-end, you don't want to climb back up and so
you try to make it back down to the switchback trail through this [censored]
(not rideable).
http://www.schnauzers.ws/nobrats/IMG_2966.jpg
Once on the switchback trail, we bomb down (as in very fast) and then
always make the second mistake of the trail, the shortcut. A loose
rocky scree pile the always claims a victim. It never fails. I have
made it once on the pig bike so I try first on the Racer-X. Five feet
down and OTB I go. Bob comes from behind me sliding all over the
place. He tries to cross over and down he goes. F'ing trail!
Back at camp, I head into town and pick up a meatball sandich for
dinner. Mmmm... beef!
Sunday pack up and decide on A.S. (trail name witheld to protect the
innocent urinals - get it) as our final ride. After unloading the
bikes, the others worry they might not make it back for the losers, uh
I mean Eagles game so we decide on the Deer Path (another semi-legal
trail) off the Broad Mountain loop. Deer path is great fun. Tons of
tight rocky singletrack. We're buzzing despite the trail being
partially overgrown (that's what happens when MTBers don't ride it).
For the vertically challenged like me, it's no problem. I easily get
under all the branches. The other two being over 6' are getting whipped
on every turn. We get out to the powerlines and they decide to not
partake in Deer Path II as it is even more over grown. We head down
the powerlines thinking there may be another loop, but we stop before
heading into the valley of no return. Actually you'd have to ride the
trail tracks back into town. Not fun. We head back up and finish off
the Broad Mountain loop for a great day of riding and the weekend ends.
Not many pics, but if you look around on my site I have more than enough
pictures of Jim Thorpe.
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o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws