This place is an awesome ride, and the folks that work on it keep it in GREAT shape. If you start on the tech side, it gives you a pretty good chance to warm-up: no big hills, just lots of sweeping singletrack. There a two good drops that will bust ya butt if you're not ready for the g-change. The ride is ROOTY, but not so bad that you can't get up some good speed. The first section ends and turns into a TIGHT path behind the ballfield. You're low enough that you're out of sight, but you still may want to be aware during practice or games. The path has some cool mounds to ride up and out of before it ends in a small wall that leads in to the climb before the basic trail. The basic trail is pretty awesome, esp. for new mtn. bikers. It's constantly rolling up and down and remains in great condition throughout the year. There are a few log crossings, but the highlight is the one super-fast rolling downhill. For a brief time, you can literally 'fly': as soon as you roll over the first hill, you bomb another downhill that throws you into some twisty, rooty singletrack that is awfully close to some BIG trees. The next hill is just a good aerobic workout that will put you into the first tech section. This is where the FUN begins. After doing some fast weaving, you roll into some singletrack next to the road that is peppered with granite. There is one nice drop that rolls into hill that pitches into another drop that shoots you up a hill. After making a short climb, you roll into a wicked downhill that weaves through the low area between the two hills. Before leaving this section, you ride through what has become an EXTREMELY WET and MUDDY section before popping over a fire road. Parts of this section have been closed due to the mud. I suspect it won't be long before there is another re-route. After bouncing through some small ravines, you come to THE HILL. In a short section, you climb a MONSTER of roots, tight turns and tighter trees. When it's wet, it stays wet. When it's dry, it's dusty. This thing is typically pretty slick and will work both your heart and your climbing skills. The first part is weaving and rounding over roots. The second is STRAIGHT Up and fairly wide but still rooty. Just when you think you're clear, you have a few more feet of DEEP roots to cross that will pitch off the trail with the wrong twitch. After I take a break and try to find my breath (yea, I'm a wuss) the trail is a gradual climb into the third tech section. It's short, but it can be the meanest. After crossing a good drop, you round over into a ravine that has a nice, jumpable water bar. Carry some good speed over this cause you have an EVIL switchback coming up that is too difficult for this guy, but I have seen it conquered. I keep tryin, tho. From here, its a good climb back to the basic trail. You come into a fire road that is super smooth and even faster. Be careful, cause it ends much too quick and turns you back into the singletrack. You will ride through some basic trail that when rode hard, gets really fast and really tight. After crossing the big log crossing, you have a nice downhill section that's not steep, but it is fast if you shift into the big gears. For the finale, you enter the lake section, the last tech section. It seems harmless until you hit the first rounder, where you're dropped into a fast, rooty, rocky, spontaneous ravine. If it's doesn't buck you, it's because it's pounded your bones into the bike. This drops you into an area next to the creek. Before the last flood, around the same time as Hurrican Isabel, you would cross the creek and ride Side Hill. That's GONE. You can get there, but I don't think you're supposed to since they've started on a new section. The new section is VERY new and fresh, and almost unrideable. I rode what I could and pushed what I couldn't. The ground was so fresh, you mired into it. However, this section is gonna be cool when it's done. It leads back into the lake trail, which was just after SIDE HILL. The lake trail ends when you come to the long fire road climb that leads you back to the remaining part of the first tech section. Don't miss out on the dirt mounds at the trail head; you can have some fun jumping and bouncing. For an extra kick, ride this one BACKWARDS. I did it for the first time today and fell in love with place once again...
Loading reviews...View more