Union County New Comer

Taguilar90

New Member
Hello everybody I am Tim and new to the site I am located in Union County and I am trying to do some riding close to this area. If anyone has any suggestions of where to go, they would be highly appreciated. I am also new to mountain biking have only been on trails twice.
 
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mike_243

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
Welcome Aboard...
check out the rides section for info on that,plus there is a section devoted to the parks that has much info on the going's on in the area.
 

John Baumann

Active Member
Hello everybody I am Tim and new to the site I am located in Union County and I am trying to do some riding close to this area. If anyone has any suggestions of where to go, they would be highly appreciated. I am also new to mountain biking have only been on trails twice.

Welcome to the site and to the sport. Closest spot to you is Chimney Rock/Washington Valley Park. Just up Rte 22 a bit. Good place for you to get banged up...er, I mean practice.
 

rlb

Well-Known Member
What part of SP? My girlfriend lives there, I leave from her house to go riding on occasion. The closest trail is Chimney Rock, though I've never been there. I plan to check it out when the weather breaks. It's easy to find your way around a new trail...just post and ask for someone to guide you, and someone will offer.

I usually ride 6 mile. It takes about 45 mins to get from "down town" scotch plains (by the police station) to the trail, but the drive is well worth it. This was the first real trail I rode and it is very fun and beginner friendly. Unfortunately it is not rideable these days due to the weather. As soon as the ground freezes, or we get a nice stretch of dry/warm weather, it will be an awesome place to go.

What to do for now? Ride the roads. Also, if you're looking for a change of pace and want to get some good distance off-road, try the D&R Canal tow path. My gf and I usually start in Bound Brook or Hillsborough and ride south. However, if I'm going to drive there I rather take the 10 extra minutes to get to 6 mile.
 

Taguilar90

New Member
Welcome to the site and to the sport. Closest spot to you is Chimney Rock/Washington Valley Park. Just up Rte 22 a bit. Good place for you to get banged up...er, I mean practice.

I have one question if you or anyone else know, what trail in Chimney Rock/Washington Valley park is best for a beginner?
 

Taguilar90

New Member
What part of SP? My girlfriend lives there, I leave from her house to go riding on occasion. The closest trail is Chimney Rock, though I've never been there. I plan to check it out when the weather breaks. It's easy to find your way around a new trail...just post and ask for someone to guide you, and someone will offer.

I usually ride 6 mile. It takes about 45 mins to get from "down town" scotch plains (by the police station) to the trail, but the drive is well worth it. This was the first real trail I rode and it is very fun and beginner friendly. Unfortunately it is not rideable these days due to the weather. As soon as the ground freezes, or we get a nice stretch of dry/warm weather, it will be an awesome place to go.

What to do for now? Ride the roads. Also, if you're looking for a change of pace and want to get some good distance off-road, try the D&R Canal tow path. My gf and I usually start in Bound Brook or Hillsborough and ride south. However, if I'm going to drive there I rather take the 10 extra minutes to get to 6 mile.

I am right by the Saint Bart's Church.
 

John Baumann

Active Member
I have one question if you or anyone else know, what trail in Chimney Rock/Washington Valley park is best for a beginner?

It's my favorite place because it's basically where I went when I got more serious into the sport. The trails right near the ball fields @ Chimney Rock Park are probably a good place to start in terms of basic followed by the white trail. All the other ones(red, blue, orange, yellow) offer a variety of challenges but not to the point of being overly discouraging to a novice as long as he is reasonably fit.
I used to take a clobbering every time I went there but kept plugging away.

One real good trail for a "beginner" is Patriots Path in Morristown.

The best way to get better is to push yourself. I also found the group rides incredibly beneficial, not to mention what fun they are.

All the trails are in rough shape now so I've been sticking to the road.

Keep an eye on the Rides, Races, and Events Thread and you'll see the rides get pulled together.
 

Taguilar90

New Member
It's my favorite place because it's basically where I went when I got more serious into the sport. The trails right near the ball fields @ Chimney Rock Park are probably a good place to start in terms of basic followed by the white trail. All the other ones(red, blue, orange, yellow) offer a variety of challenges but not to the point of being overly discouraging to a novice as long as he is reasonably fit.
I used to take a clobbering every time I went there but kept plugging away.

One real good trail for a "beginner" is Patriots Path in Morristown.

The best way to get better is to push yourself. I also found the group rides incredibly beneficial, not to mention what fun they are.

All the trails are in rough shape now so I've been sticking to the road.

Keep an eye on the Rides, Races, and Events Thread and you'll see the rides get pulled together.

Ok so what your saying is really any of the Chimney Rock/Washington valley trails are canbe done as long as you are in shape. I have on mountain biked twice but I do work out everyday and am in good shape so I should be good?
 

John Baumann

Active Member
Ok so what your saying is really any of the Chimney Rock/Washington valley trails are canbe done as long as you are in shape. I have on mountain biked twice but I do work out everyday and am in good shape so I should be good?

What I'm saying is that you have to start somewhere... and being in shape will make you gooder than if you weren't. A keen sense of balance and stamina will play key roles as well.
There are parts of Chimney Rock that I still can't do in one direction or the other, especially on the lower side of the yellow trail and part of the orange. But, I have seen others do them so I know they're doable. That's part of what makes it so fun; the challenge and subsequent conquering of them.
 

Taguilar90

New Member
What I'm saying is that you have to start somewhere... and being in shape will make you gooder than if you weren't. A keen sense of balance and stamina will play key roles as well.
There are parts of Chimney Rock that I still can't do in one direction or the other, especially on the lower side of the yellow trail and part of the orange. But, I have seen others do them so I know they're doable. That's part of what makes it so fun; the challenge and subsequent conquering of them.

Ok cool, thanks a lot.
 

MST.ESQ

New Member
Welcome...

After my first few rides at Chimney Rock I swore I would never ride again. Literally beat the crap out of me. Now I love the place. In retrospect, it made me a better rider and accelerated my learning curve. Give it a shot, but take it slow and careful. This is not the type of place where you want your wheels sliding out from under you.

Best advice would be to join in a beginner ride posted in the events section. I wish I started out that way instead of fumbling around and hitting all the bad spots on my own...
 

Taguilar90

New Member
Welcome...

After my first few rides at Chimney Rock I swore I would never ride again. Literally beat the crap out of me. Now I love the place. In retrospect, it made me a better rider and accelerated my learning curve. Give it a shot, but take it slow and careful. This is not the type of place where you want your wheels sliding out from under you.

Best advice would be to join in a beginner ride posted in the events section. I wish I started out that way instead of fumbling around and hitting all the bad spots on my own...

Cool cool I will definitely look into the beginner group rides.
 

Taguilar90

New Member
Just curious, this sunday I am thinking about possibly going biking in the morning. Does anyone think the trails will be ridable since4 we just had snow?
 

John Baumann

Active Member
Just curious, this sunday I am thinking about possibly going biking in the morning. Does anyone think the trails will be ridable since4 we just had snow?

My guess is most trails will be in awful shape through the thaw and untill things dry up. It will be nice this weekend but mountain biking doesn't look like a good option.
When things get like that I get out on the road. One of the ways I try to develop some lungs and legs is to do the hills through Watchung, New Providence, and Summit, all right on the other side of Rte. 22
 
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