Ramblings from Moe Mountain

A cold 9° ride today, just over 7 miles out by the Red Dot trail.
I saw some Bobcat tracks right where I took a nice photo of it last year.
Last years photo.
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Cant place location. Where is this?
Kaleidopete said:
So there is this really crappy section of trail that crosses a stream in Wawayanda. It’s been that way for the last fifty years that I can remember. It’s not used very much because of that reason. Today I figured I’d go check it out again, I remember in the snowy winter last year I rode it and had to balance my way over a crappy tree / bridge. That tree / bridge is still there and it IS possible to get over the stream. Today I found a few more trees down in the area and I decided to elaborate on that crappy old bridge. I was able to add those few more trees into strategic places and it seemed to work out pretty good. This is in no way rideable, by me anyway, but it seems a lot more stable for crossing. The trail (road) used to go straight, but when a tree fell off to one side someone used it and some other pieces for this bridge. I think I can even add a few more smaller trees from the area to fill it in better, I’ll have to see. For today I ran out of time and energy.

The trail last winter
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Today when I got there
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After my additions
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From the other side
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This is how the original trail still looks alongside the tree bridge, way too much work.

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What might work is to nail some 2x8 plywood on top of these trees, ah? wadda ya think?
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Ah! Now I know the spot. Yeah, that is a mess out there. Haven't even gone out that way in a year since it just leads to the road. So, I usually take the Plymouth Lane turn. But, for you, being able to ride in from your home, that could be a handy point of entry/exit.
 
What a great day! I headed out a little later today so I could ride through the Winter Solstice, which happened at 11:28 AM. It worked out great. I started my ride on Iron Mt. trail and met up with another rider that I know! Wow, in my four years riding Wawayanda trails that has only happened to me five times or less, meeting another rider I know. It was a great surprise. I continued on and finished up my ride by doing big circles in the lot from 11:27 to 11:31, thus completing my coal of riding through the Winter Solstice. I am not prone to these superstitious events, but I just thought it would be a fun thing to do. My mileage was also a weird 11.11 miles for the ride.
From an old wives tale: Celebrating the winter solstice was a way to encourage the sun to reverse its course, remember its gift to mankind and slowly become kinder and more plentiful to the earth until spring.

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Had a great ride at 7AM this morning.
There was a fresh three inches of snow and I was the first one in the park making new tracks.
The trails were great, but the snow was wet and heavy and sticking like hell to my tires.
My Christmas present was that they didn’t lock the gate at the park and I was able to get in and ride. Yeah bikes!

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huffster said:
@Kaleidopete
Can't you ride right into the woods from the end of your road? Or is that little patch of woods there private property?
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I can ride right into the park from my house, it IS private property but the owner now lives in PA.
He used to be my neighbor and I don't think he'd mind me riding in anyway.
That last stretch of his land is only like 100 feet long anyway.
 
Nice ride on the Wingdam trail today.
I got into the park early, just before 7 AM. The ranger was running a little late too.
He starts at 7 AM. His firs job was to lock the gate on the park entrance. I figured
I would do my ride and worry about it later. By 9 AM they had re-opened the main
gate and closed off the other roads with cones, at least I could get out. A light snow
has covered all the trails and made it interesting as to where the ice patches were. I
survived and had a great time, very quiet and lonesome in the park today.

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Well it's the last day of the year and I totaled up my miles for the year.
Very weird! 2017 total miles was 1321.5 total miles in 2016 was 1322...ain't that strange!
Makes me want to go out and ride another mile.
My health has been better since last October which has allowed me to ride every day for the last 66 days in a row. (100 hours)
I don't even plan on trying to keep it going, It just happens as it does.
Happy New Year to everyone!

my little ride out onto the lake today
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Last edited:
Nice job on the mileage and the consistency!

Were you riding studs to ride on the lake? I always get nervous about riding or even walking across ice unless I see someone else already out there further than me. Kind of like in the summer at the beach - someone else can swim a little further out for the shark to eat.
 
huffster said:
Nice job on the mileage and the consistency!

Were you riding studs to ride on the lake? I always get nervous about riding or even walking across ice unless I see someone else already out there further than me. Kind of like in the summer at the beach - someone else can swim a little further out for the shark to eat.
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I do have studs, but it was total snow right now so they weren't necessary. and,
That's why my loop was so small, it makes me nervous too, especially when no one else is around.
 
It was a nice cold morning, 17° and high winds. I was dressed just right and never felt the cold.
I rode to Doublepond trail and found it quite icy in spots. Some I could ride and some I had to walk.
A tree had blown down and pushed some large laurel bushes onto the trail, so I cleared the path with
my saw and rode on. I quit when I came to a really wet area that was a combination of water and ice.
The wind gusts were really something up by the lake, the kind that almost blow you over. Anyway,
it was a great ride and I got my nine miles in.

The trail is great for riding
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Then the branches to cut away
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Then the ice to deal with
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