Revisiting prior parks.

extremedave

extremedave

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
We rode at Jungle today. I’ve only ridden there a few times and didn’t remember it fondly. After a season or two of steady Wildcat the place suddenly was super fun.
Have you gone back to a park and had it be more (or less) than you remembered?
 
Yes. I ride NOX a few times a year. Initially I was slightly underwhelmed, but I appreciate that place a little bit more each time I ride there. Although there is very little elevation change, there are some nice flow lines with some fun jumps, great skinnies, and a handful of other neat features. The trail crew there is on point with maintenance as well.

I think for me my approach changed since I'm now usually riding with my 10 yr old daughter whereas in the past I was riding with a group of faster people. A slower pace with her allows me to "see" more, and then we just go back session things and I try and stop to teach her a thing or two. Whereas I used to be more focused on just trying to hang with the pack as we raced to ride everything in short order.

I'm also fatter and in worse shape now so I'm forced to go a little slower., so there's always that.
 
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Perspective definitely changes with ones skill and fitness level as well as the bike they are riding. I remember the first time I rode Jungle I was just getting back into mountain biking and was on a 26er. Was stumbling all over the place and wasn’t loving it. Then a couple of years later my fitness and skills progressed, went back riding a 29er and Jungle magically transformed into a mountain biking dream. Same thing happened at Wildcat as well as most other chunky techy places...
 
I returned to Round Valley after 10 years. I remembered the climbs were tough but 10 years of aging has humbled me. I had to walk a couple of uphill sections. It wasn’t so much the pitch, but the relentless uphill grade. A few more switchbacks would be nice!!
 
A couple of weeks before getting injured, I rode at Wissahickon for the first time in a few years - a place where I basically learned how to ride a mtn bike almost 30 years ago. While I'm still not 100% fond of some of the changes that have been done, some of them aren't bad. And all things considered, it is still as challenging as it ever was.
 
Would like to get back the Watchung. I rode and hiked there back in the 70's, and my first mtb ride in '91. I hiked there 2 yrs ago, what a mess the trails are.
 
I grew up in Queens and rode mostly Long Island stuff. Now that I live up north I rarely get out East. When I do, the trails always deliver the goods with fast and flowy single track.

Now I’m thinking I’ll make an effort to head that way this week. Thanks!
 
icebiker said:
I returned to Round Valley after 10 years. I remembered the climbs were tough but 10 years of aging has humbled me. I had to walk a couple of uphill sections. It wasn’t so much the pitch, but the relentless uphill grade. A few more switchbacks would be nice!!
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I rode Wildcat with my old 26" when first got back on a MTB and I sucked, the place kicked my ass and broke mybike. I went back with my super-duper 29" FS, I still suck, the place still kicked my ass and broke my bike. But I think the place hates me. I need to go back with my SS or fat bike, maybe I'll enjoy then...
 
Victor I said:
I rode Round Valley 2 years ago and yup, those climbs really really really suck. I don’t plan on going back, but if I do it will be in 10 more years and on an ebike. I do have to say the views on the ridge are 👍🏻.
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i'm working on the switchbacks - well at least 1, and that isn't in RV proper.
I do have an idea for another, and found an old mid-mountain trail last time i was out.
will report back in the spring.
#makeRVgreatForThe1stTime
 
icebiker said:
I returned to Round Valley after 10 years. I remembered the climbs were tough but 10 years of aging has humbled me. I had to walk a couple of uphill sections. It wasn’t so much the pitch, but the relentless uphill grade. A few more switchbacks would be nice!!
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I like RV, but the one climb with switchbacks (by the fence and utility cut) is still really steep!
 
Patrick said:
i'm working on the switchbacks - well at least 1, and that isn't in RV proper.
I do have an idea for another, and found an old mid-mountain trail last time i was out.
will report back in the spring.
#makeRVgreatForThe1stTime
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Anything you could do would be really helpful... for someone... not me, but someone. 😂
 
GSTim said:
Anything you could do would be really helpful... for someone... not me, but someone. 😂
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you'll get your 1x per year in this summer - just to remind you.....
oh, you'll crush it on your e-bike.
I think i've mentioned it before - this is the perfect place for the state to do an e-bike experiment.
it would bring people to a less used area of park. Including opening up the camping sites to more people
(right now they drop everything at the back gate, and 1 person rides in)
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as far as the OP - it is always interesting to re-ride trails that i've only been on once or twice,
and maybe at race-pace. Also going back with local knowledge people. Riding the Sourlands alone for
the first time, vs going with @J-Dro who identified all the alternate lines. Made a huge difference.
(not that i can ride half of them, but i know they are there for my "guests")
 
I need to get back to all of the parks I raced for the first time this year... so many fun lines and features missed because the fun line is rarely the fast line.

Also need to get back to all of the south Jersey trails. I used to scoff at them but after smashing north jers rocks for so long 6mile would probably be a nice refresher. Haven’t been there in 3 years.
 
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