Newbie in Bridgewater seeking new friends and destinations

[pooriggy]

61 too old. Stick to Allaire/WMA.?

FTFY

My goal on the mountain bike is to complete the loop in Washington Valley Park ably by the end of the season.

Welcome
It's good to have goals, once the quarintine lifts ride CR often and you'll get it. Use your dropper post on steep ascents, you won't go otb as much.

It's a tough time to be a mtber, most parks are closed. The only things open these days are Wildlife Management Areas. There's one at Allaire in Monmouth County and Wildcat up off of 80. Basically whatever you can find these days, people are riding.

 

[rlb]

Welcome. If you can do a century you have plenty of fitness, you just need to get over the rocks and hills part of it and you'll be doing fine at CR in no time. Whenever it opens, that is!

 

[rottin']

Welcome @jimicoltrane !

Use your dropper post on steep ascents, you won't go otb as much.

@pooriggy, do you really drop your post on the ascents?

 

[A Potted Plant]

yeah, only not as much fun.
more of a size, difficulty thing.

Cr feels huge compared to lm

 

[A Potted Plant]

61, too old. Stick to the road.?

I would say that but they've kicked my ass far to often

 

[pooriggy]

@pooriggy, do you really drop your post on the descents?

Yes

 

[Mitch]

I would say that but they've kicked my ass far to often

I know

 

[rottin']

Yes

Haha...I see what you did there

 

[icebiker]

im going to disagree there, (ok ill give you size of the park, but difficulty?) lewis morris has become washed out neglected doubletrack/fireroad for the most part, i wouldnt even consider it worth a trip at this point, CR still brings some fun to biking.

Sadly this is true. MCPC has forgone support of the organized trail crews that we used to run that built a lot of the singletrack, sections of which they have since closed down. In its place they began to support mud runs and other warrior-type mass events, even in bad weather. After a particularly bad one they eventually ceased to hold them, but the damage of thousands of participants navigating, er widening, narrow terrain had been done. I rarely ride there anymore even though it’s my closest park. Spending an extra 10 mins drive time to get to Chimney is totally worth it. There’s a little bit of everything at Chimney.

 

[Zack]

Hi all,

I just bought my first mountain bike today (Salsa Timberjack 27.5+), have pedals, shoes, a new helmet, and shorts en route, and was told about this forum.

I'm 61 and an intermediate road bike rider. I can do centuries without issue but don't love steep ascents.

My goal on the mountain bike is to complete the loop in Washington Valley Park ably by the end of the season.

I'd love some recommendations for nice trails for newbies in and around Somerset County as well as any bike clubs or riding groups I could ride with once it's legal again to do so.

Thanks.

Jim, I would be glade to help you with rides at Lewis Morris as I go there frequently after work as it's on my way home. It's also very mellow for new riders. I have been riding MTB since 1988 and I’m 66 years old. Race H2H, NYS MTB series and ride at Ringwood, Wildcat, Allamuchy, Kittatinny, Jungle, Sterling Forest, ETC. Let me know when is a good time to meet-up after all this COVID-19 goes away and the Parks open up.