Hey regulars; Compare this ride to Six Mile/Mercer?

Pearl

Pearl

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
I'm planning on heading to this area in the near future. I ride Six Mile religiously (within 2 minutes of my house) and Mercer every once and a while.

How are the trails compared to the ones I ride on a regular? Is there anything I should look out for, bring, etc?

Any input helps 🙂
 
Chimney Rock - much more technical, rocky single track. Moderate hills.

The only comparison to those other parks is that they all are a mess when it rains.
 
I was there last week. It's a lot more rocky than 6 mile and there are loops as opposed to out'n'backs. I couldn't find the trails beyond the red (yellow/orange?) so if anyone can point out where to hit the road to get to those additional trails then that would be great!
 
DANSPANK said:
I was there last week. It's a lot more rocky than 6 mile and there are loops as opposed to out'n'backs. I couldn't find the trails beyond the red (yellow/orange?) so if anyone can point out where to hit the road to get to those additional trails then that would be great!
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From the parking lot where you picked up the Red trail, go across the street (Newmans???), you find the blue trails in there.

From the same parking lot, stay on the same side of the road and head north to the other side of the lake and you will find the White Trails.

I believe the yellow and orange trails are accessible from the ball field parking lot on Chimney rock road.

There are maps located on this site.
 
pearl said:
I'm planning on heading to this area in the near future. I ride Six Mile religiously (within 2 minutes of my house) and Mercer every once and a while.

How are the trails compared to the ones I ride on a regular? Is there anything I should look out for, bring, etc?

Any input helps 🙂
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Great park for improving technical skills and endurance. It gets slippery after a good rain but should be OK tomorrow.

If you park at Newman's lane, cross the street and ride blue section first, then cross back over and ride the red section. Take the red trail that follows the quarry, go throught the fence near the lake and follow to the road. Across the road, turn left and ride about 25 feet, and just past the guard rail there is a little trail that ducks in behind the road and takes you up a washed out climb on the Yellow section. Ride there, follow back to the parking lot near the ballfields, and cross the road again, this time turning right and making a left onto the trail that sits between two houses. This takes you into the white section. The white trails meet at a small brook at the base of a gravel paved path - follow the path over a concrete bridge and back to the Newman's lane lot.

Ever want a tour, let me know. Have fun.
 
I'll lead a group ride here in the next month or so. It's hard to get it all without a guide.
 
The biggest difference is that Mercer and 6MR are almost flat and have few rocks. Chimney Rock has baby head size rocks everywhere and has some decent hills. All these places are fun in their own way. Go and explore!
 
Rocky? that doesn't sound like fun.
Rocky as in the bridge over the small creek by the red house at Six Mile? That doesn't sound like fun.

I am up for more technical riding.
 
pearl said:
Rocky? that doesn't sound like fun.
Rocky as in the bridge over the small creek by the red house at Six Mile? That doesn't sound like fun.

I am up for more technical riding.
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My first ride w/ any real tech features in it was at CR. It is definately a lot different and it takes some riding to figure out what the hell is going on.

That place is really not to difficult to find your way. It is all well marked. You may go in circles for a while but thats all. You really are so close that you can get out there a couple times a week.
 
But is it as rock as that one cement bridge is? I hate riding on that crap. If the whole trail is like that I don't know if I will enjoy myself =\
 
Yes and No. I could see that section at six mile being a bit nerve rattling bc it could knock you off into the water.

But id say give CR a try. It is not over technical. The park is great to advance your skills especially as a beginner. But, you may love it. You may hate it. Give it a shot.
 
I ride six mile all the time too - like four miles away from where I live. I ride Chimney Rock a bit too - and it continually kicks my ass and makes me buy shin guards and stuff. It's pretty much nothing like six mile to me - six mile is fast and fun and SAFE. I've found the white trail at Chimney Rock to be less rocky than the rest - and arguably a little like some areas at six mile - but in general it is very rocky with more difficult and techincial climbs than six mile. It's a good challenge for me - and it's been a good place to learn how to ride and how to crash.

Six Mile is bounded by a stream. Chimney Rock is bounded by a quarry. I've never been to Mercer.
 
I think you really have to make your own mind up. I didn't consider it to be overly rocky or technical on the blue, white and red trails that I rode. If you've got momentum then you make it through the rocky patches. The rocks are more rounded than the broken-up concrete next to the bridge you're talking about at 6mile.

After reading all of the posts about Chimney Rock I was expecting it to be extremely rocky with me constantly dabbing my foot, stopping and possibly falling but it simply wasn't the case. I found it quite fast. Just give it a try.

Now if you want rocks then get yourself on the yellow trail at Ringwood!
 
ChrisG said:
How about Saturday 9/15?

That's the only weekend w/o an H2H race in September.
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It's certainly a good candidate. I'm not sure that we'll have a big overlap of H2H and group ride people until after the season. But then I might be doing some/all/none of the H2H races as well. So it's a good date.

My plan would actually be to have a double ride. An early one for a faster roll, then a later hookup where pace is entirely immaterial. Does your reply indicate you'd be interested in the 9/15 weekend?
 
normZurawski said:
My plan would actually be to have a double ride. An early one for a faster roll, then a later hookup where pace is entirely immaterial. Does your reply indicate you'd be interested in the 9/15 weekend?
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Definitely interested, though I'm also looking to hit Allamuchy prior to the 50K and will need a sherpa for that ride as well, so we'll see...

No school 9/13 for Rosh Hashanah, so I may be trying something non-local that day too.
 
ChrisG said:
Definitely interested, though I'm also looking to hit Allamuchy prior to the 50K and will need a sherpa for that ride as well, so we'll see...

No school 9/13 for Rosh Hashanah, so I may be trying something non-local that day too.
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Well let's, as they say, coordinate schedules and figure it out. I have something like 13 vacation days even after this coming 4 day weekend so I could strategically take a day here or there. Are you doing all the H2H races?
 
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