Single Track Sunday- South Mountain Emmaus, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: South Mountain Emmaus (Alpine), PA
Ridden: October 2013

Ride over logs and rocks and boulders...and keep repeating and you have South Mountain Emmaus, aka Alpine Street.

Most of this trail system is on Nature Conservancy land. The trails weave their way along the side of the mountain until reaching the top. For those who like to practice their skills while riding, this is a great place to ride. Many boulders, rock gardens, and logs to session.

If you are feeling adventurous, one can exit the main trail system and explore many side trails.  The power line is accessible from the main trails system, if ridden from bottom to top can be a nice climb.

Staying on just Nature Conservancy trails there is about 5 miles of trails, but venturing off onto many of the side trails (and maybe getting lost at time) can total around 15 miles.

Definitely another great trail system within the Lehigh Valley.

Video link for best quality video.

https://vimeo.com/77980993

Direct video for quick viewing.

Single Track Sunday-Undisclosed location

Single Track Sunday
Place: UndisclosedRidden: October 2013

The video this week is from a recent night ride. What, we ride at night?  Well, yes we do. As the daylight gets less and the temperatures drop, we are forced to bring out the lights.  

A typical set-up for mountain biking includes two lights- one on the handle bars and one on the helmet.  Total between the two lights is usually 1000-2000 lumen, which is about as bright as car headlights.  Winter clothing most often has reflective materials on it and often we have red rear lights, thus safe for when on the roads.

Even Cliff has his night riding gear, a reflective jacket.


For security purposes, the location of this ride needs to stay unknown. See, we really aren't allowed to be there after dark.

Night riding certainly is a challenge but it is fun. It's a unique experience to see a line of lights traveling through the forest.  Even the most familiar trails look a little different in the dark.

Video link for better quality video

https://vimeo.com/77367423

Direct video, fast loading but not the best quality. 

Single Track Sunday- Allegrippis Trails, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: Allegrippis Trails, Raystown Lake, PA
Ridden: October 2013

This week we traveled to Central PA to ride and camp at Raystown Lake Recreation Area. Riding there is unlike many other places; it's a unique destination.

Allegrippis trail system is 30+ miles of machine-built single track.  A bulldozer was used to build all the trails. It's like riding a roller coaster; smooth, flowing, twisty, and those occasional times where you feel you defy gravity and are airborne.  There are a few rocks scattered here and there, but nothing like most of the riding here in Pennsylvania.

If you feel like a picnic, you can bring your basket and stop along the way.  Picnic benches are scattered along the trails at some of the nicer viewpoints overlooking the lake.

Raystown Lake is Army Corps of Engineers managed.  There are many campgrounds within the recreation area, all within riding distance of the trails.  The campgrounds range from primitive to RV compatible sites.  Hot showers and flush toilets are the norm.

If you have never ridden at Allegrippis, it is definitely somewhere worth visiting.

Vimeo link for better quality video

https://vimeo.com/76837632

Direct video link, but not the best quality

Single Track Sunday- Walking Purchase Park (aka Sals), PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: Walking Purchase Park, Fountain Hill, PA
Ridden: September, 2013

This past week's #1 ride was one of our local trail systems Walking Purchase Park, known to the locals as "Sals".

The trails fall on public and private land in Salisbury Township, located near Fountain Hill. Valley Mountain Bikers have built and are responsible for maintaining these trails. On any given day, hikers, hunters, runners, dogs, and mountain bikers will all be enjoying time in the woods.

Trail report: fun!  This is one of Jess's favorite places.  Rocks, log overs, flowy single track, and views of the Lehigh River are all encountered during a ride at Sals. The trails weave up and down the side of South Mountain, so be prepared for some climbing and descending.  Total mileage is around 12.

The direct blog video is pretty low quality; for better quality video click on the Vimeo link below.

https://vimeo.com/76188245