Mt. Bike Now

Dead Woman’s climb was a labored effort, but when I rolled onto 3 Mile, my body was warmed up and ready to go.  Little did I know that I’d come out on the other side without unclipping for only my third cleaning ever of the old enduro cut trail that at numerous other times has knocked me to the ground.  I was feeling great climbing up Woodrow to Rattlesnake, only to have that ridgeline path knock me back to reality.  Damnit if that wasn’t a high and low all wrapped up in a nice little Michaux gift package!

Locally, Michaux isn’t called such by many.  You might say to friends and family that you’re going mtbing at Caledonia, or up by Laurel Lake.  Some know it as South Mountain.

Another three days of riding there resulted in happiness.  I’ve always liked this poem by Wang Wei, from the 8th Century:

You Asked about My Life. I Send You, Pei Dei, These Lines

View from atop Tumbling Run, Michaux State Forest, PA (aka South Mountain)

The “new” Wildcat Trail shouldn’t be called “new.”  If we’re talking about the reroute that is to replace the portion of Wildcat that was the fast, rocky, scree downhill, then it is an entirely different trail.  There’s no “old” versus “new” Wildcat to compare.  The reroute is a cross-country trail along a ridge that is classic east coast riding.

I like it, a lot!  Perhaps the best thing about the reroute, other than how it joins up with red, other than how pretty the forest is while riding it, other than the loamy twist and turns, other than the occasional rocks to keep your focus, is how it begins.  You roll into it on soft, rock-free trail for about three minutes, you’re feeling high, and then you enter the Michaux welcome sign:  uphill through rocks that stretch on.

Way to go trail builders!  No need to get too soft on us!

Reroute’s Front Door

Anthills of Michaux (not by Achebe)

The backside of the ridge on red before dropping down to the reservoir is seeing more traffic.  The original trail/lines have become wider in the rock feature sections, riders choosing to not go mountain biking.  That’s too bad.

Riding the original lines, I cleaned it from the intersection up top down to the rock garden that sits right before dumping out at the rez.  That was a Michaux a first for me.  It felt great.

Around the rez, I went:

Pretty Pines

Long Pine Reservoir, Michaux State Forest, PA

I climbed up Yellow on blue and rode around back there where the deer fencing is before coming back to the powerline cut and dropping down to Milesburn.  Up Milesburn to Stillhouse and up some more on the powerline cut, is a nice rest for the arms and wrists.

PA Built

I rode Ridge to a seldom traveled multi-use trail that drops back down to Milesburn.  Proceeding north on Milesburn to where Ridge comes in and up to a trail that contains my favorite little Michaux downhill, I put it on cruise control. I then cut into the trail to the right after the gate, passing a few more anthills before the fast ending that’s a ripper down to Milesburn.

Satisfied, I spun down Milesburn to Birch Run and jumped back on rez trail to my car.  The stream was my mountain shower, cold and refreshing.

The storms and tornado sirens ended last evening around 11:00 after a day of disgruntled weather.  No funnels hit here.  I’m not feeling thankful as much as I am feeling lucky.

Later this morning the road trip to PA begins.  Tomorrow morning three days of Michaux mountain biking begins.

I never tire of riding there.

It’s home for me.  My uncle had a cabin in Caledonia.  Growing up, we–mom, dad, bro and sis, aunts, uncles, and cousins–would all go there and spend a weekend walking the forest roads and trails, cooking, relaxing, playing games and biking.  Imagine the freedom a kid surely feels when set free to wander the woods and streams behind a cabin all day long.  We’d return, my cousins and me, to the little cabin hours later, dirty-bodied, bug-bitten, and occasionally bloodied in search of food and sometimes, healing.

Family picnics by the Conococheague, swimming in Laurel Lake, AT backpacking and sharing love are Michaux memories from adolescence through early adulthood.  My first mtb adventure there was in 1994 on Bender, Huckleberry, Fuzzy, Grave, Logsled and a few other nameless trails.  I went solo on a rigid campus bike, with a fanny pack wrapped around my waste that contained a patch kit, tire levers and some granola bars.  Hydration was a water bottle in a cage.

This time around, I hope to find some of the new stuff Michaux is offering, and in between the fore casted storminess, hopefully I’ll get to sleep on one of her ridges.  I’ll be dirty for sure, and probably bloodied a little, but I have faith that being there will be all the healing I’ll need.

Rattlesnake Ridge, Michaux

Race maps from over the years.  Official recreation, shared-use, horse, snowmobile and ATV trail maps put out by the District Forest Office.  PATC topos.