Mianus then Old Mine

Early Morning Mianus Ride

I got out early today and arrived at Mianus at around 8am - the parking lot was already crazy full but I did get a spot. I rode pretty good today cleaning some terrain spots I normally don’t but the new reroute on the Treetops side still defeated me :-( . There’s a protruding stone near the bottom of the ascent I clammed on after trying a few times. But the ride down it was fun! I left Minaus around 11am and headed to Trumbull.

Old Mine

I decided to grab lunch and ride Old Mine - and parked in the back. Had a nice ride around the trails in the back and then did the top loop - no one was there and it was beautiful. I occasionally misjudge the width of my wider 29er handlebars and clipped my fingers on a tree on the edge of the trail.

I then headed down to Little Eden and descended on the easternmost single track. Nearing the bottom it got pretty overgrown but it was rideable. Of course, descending is easy!

Once at the lower level, I decided to take a rest at the top of the hill by the river at the rocky area and catch my breath before ascending.

I rode back to the eastern single track and did OK riding up until Little Eden. This superbly built up and over was a blast both ways.

The section from Little Eden up to Caldron Drive was super steep so I hiked it. But I did ride the last blast back to the double track and the slug back out up the hill. I was tired and headed on home! 

Quarry Head and the New Reroute at Mianus

Quarry Head

I had some Corp IT work I had to run in the morning but I got over this park to help build trails late morning. Its an interesting place. There are remnants of the former land owner's summer house abandoned in 1988.

You can see Long Island on the horizon on clear day from this spot!

It's hard to tell from this photo but there is quite a drop off here. Note the compass etched in stone.

As soon as we finished the trail work, there was an enormous heavy downpour and my plans to ride the new reroute over in Mianus seemed unrealistic.

The heavy rain kept up for quite a while so I opted for a fancy pizza and beer at Stamford Coalhouse Pizza (expensive for lunch but exquisite!) and waited it out until the rain cleared.

Mianus

I got to Mianus and the sun peaked out off and on, The forest was a freakin' steam bath and I stupidly had long jeans and my rain parka so I was dripping...

But I got to the new reroute on Indian Rock. I didn't clean it first time but I'll be back. It does not seem impossible (even for a XC weening like me!)

The new way up
(old trail on the right)

Looking back midway up

Looking up -  midway up

This is a great trail!

Connecticut Trails Day - Old Mine Park, Trumbull CT

We did a complete loop of the park, going to all the mine ruins and observing the verdant plant life and scenery.

Old Mine Park Hike Leaders

Gathering in the Parking Lot

The Dynamite Storage Tunnel

Alice in Wonderland?  These mushrooms were HUGE!

At Little Eden (note circular dam)

The Lime Kiln

Inspecting the Rock Formation at Lane's Mine (the Upper Pit)

Lane's Mine (the Upper Pit)
it's a bit of a moonscape here...

At the recent rockhound dig

On the Upper Trail Loop... 

Observing the unusual growth on this tree
(there were others like this nearby)

The Champion Lode (from the back)
 There’s a spring at the bottom