Tyler Mill - once more

 I did an hour and half ride around a good amount of trails at Tyler Mill today (late afternooon

Heck - I am beginning to really like the place!

These are the trails I rode:

• Red
• Brave Ulysses (North)
• Brave Ulysses (South) - a couple of surprise hills caught mere here!
• Weed Pile
• Middle Kingdom
• Tamarac Swamp road
• Boy Scout
• Wall Oven
• Middle Kingdom
• Bridge-Streambank to Red Loop
• Swamp Loop
• Green 
• Rivertime
• Teeter
• Totter
• Sidewinder
• Field Perimeters
• Red

Ya win some - ya lose some :-(

I decided to check out Rockland Preserve today but it was a disaster!

Rockland Preserve

It was a 45 minute drive and when I arrived, I was the only car in the lot - that made me a little apprehensive from the start. Not having ever been here before, I of course checked my Trailforks map at every intersection but somehow I ended up on this abandoned trail with deadfall logs blocking the trail every 10 feet or so. The initial blue trail climb was kinda tough in spots - lots of rocks and a continual climb but I cautiously managed it! But after getting way off the beaten track I decided to bail and headed back out, somehow hitting a loose rock and bashing my knee on the easy trail out!

I thought - crap - I can't call it a day... lemme go over to Tyler Mill and redeem myself.

'Tyler Mill

The Tyler Mill Ride was great--a mix of easier (green) and some challenging (blue). Somewhere in my travels I bloodied my leg but the ride was definitely worth it. I have totally changed my thoughts on this park - I love it now and will try to return more frequently.

Trails I Rode;

• Maze Connector
• The Maze
• Lazy Maze
• 12 1/2 Walls 
• Tyler Mill Rd
• Laurel Brook
• Buck Sheds
• Pink Blaze
• Bridge to Purple
• Red Swamp
• Red/Green Connector
• Blue 
• Flat Blue

1st Time at Hurd

It was a beautiful day so I headed down to Hurd State Park mid afternoon for a mountain bike ride.It was my first time here so obviously I relied on the Trailforks map quite a bit!

The River Trail has a fun wicked descent but the ascent was even worse--rocky and steep so this old man had to walk it :-(

It a nice park but not that much of a thrill for me. I'll be back but probably only occasionally.

Descent to the River

Once back up in the forest

Case Kicks Your Butt!

Today I wanted to ride a section of Case I hadn't really explored before (Splinter, Mr. Pickles trails, etc.)

 Trails I rode:

• Black Mamba (up)
• Cornholio 
• Cornholio Connector
• Splinter (heading northward)
• Mr Pickles
• Old Blue
• Cornholio Connector
• Gray/White Blaze
• Yellow/Red Blaze
• Cornholio
• Black Mambo (down and out)
  
  

I was on the Pivot pedal assist so every climb obviously was a lot easier but there are some wicked rocky sections that kicked my butt. Nothing really thwarted me until I got to Mr. Pickles. I missed the turn into it and found out it was impossible (for me) to ascend the steep rocky section from a stand still. After falling a few times and bloodying my finger, I had to walk about a 25 ft section until I could restart riding.  

Sections of the Gray/White Blaze trail were pretty rocky as well but I was able to plow through those without an issue. Of course, the final descent down Black Mambo to the parking lot was freakin' amazing!