Watchung Reservation

[thegock]

Has anyone tried to cross one of those deer overpasses the wildlife folks demanded to get the highway built? Everytime I look up at them I wonder if they are being used.

One "Deer Bridge" runs south of Glenside and let's you access the trail behind the soccer fields on Glenside toward Summit. You can access it from the north end of the causeway over Surprise Lake east of WR Tracy Drive. From the driveway to the soccer fields and police training facility you can cross Glenside and ride up a trail 3/4 mile to Elephant Graveyard ending on Oak Ridge Ave near Primrose Place. (TM tip: Can we get rid of that 3 foot high log on this trail?)

Another Deer Bridge on the east side of the Deer Tunnel (mad urban art) parallels Baltusrol Rd over 78 and allows a rider to get to the Hidden Valley section of public land on the north side of 78. From there, you can ride all the way to the back of the Knights of Columbus at the end of Harvard St. or take the first right back under the north side Deer Tunnel to access the trails going west toward the soccer fields.

 

[TheLonerider]

Been singlespeeding there lately, great park, but some horribly maintained trails

(and I realized my hack 32/19 gearing conversion might be too hard for some stuff!) Lots of washed out trails, etc. Hopefully they follow up the sign removal with allowing us to bring tools and fix it up. Right now it's an adventure but some downhills are too sketchy for my taste as a guy who's only coming back into mtb'ing lately.

Shout out to Sven, your fatbike is awesome, too bad I'm broke I kinda want one.
...........................................................
"Who was that masked man?"
That's TheLonerider.

 

[TheLonerider]

Add me to the list!

Me as well eager to help and to ride.

TheLonerider

 

[Steve Vai]

Been singlespeeding there lately, great park, but some horribly maintained trailsView attachment 34710 (and I realized my hack 32/19 gearing conversion might be too hard for some stuff!) Lots of washed out trails, etc. Hopefully they follow up the sign removal with allowing us to bring tools and fix it up. Right now it's an adventure but some downhills are too sketchy for my taste as a guy who's only coming back into mtb'ing lately.

Shout out to Sven, your fatbike is awesome, too bad I'm broke I kinda want one.
...........................................................
"Who was that masked man?"
That's TheLonerider.

I run a 34x19.

 

[TheLonerider]

I run a 34x19 in there and it's fine as long as you skip Steep as F coming up from McDonald's. We'll go down that way on SS days.

I hear that, problem is I'm kinda chubby and outa shape. Also could swap the 170s fer longer cranks...plus I built the bike out of spare parts!
Sometimes I just run out of steam at the top of a rise if the terrain is rocky or rooty and have to sadly put a foot down!

Make it most days though.
And of course on a geared bike no prob. Plus on a geared bike i can ride to the park!

TheLonerider

 

[Sven Migot]

I run a 34x19 in there and it's fine as long as you skip Steep as F coming up from McDonald's. We'll go down that way on SS days.

I'd be down for SS days. Kinda new to SS. I'm running 32/17 which is ok for the pine barrens. Took 3rd place @ March Mayhem (maybe there was only 3 SS racers. So What!?). Just picked up 18T & 20T cogs to experiment with.

 

[Steve Vai]

32x17 is the same as 34x19.

 

[Sven Migot]

32x17 is the same as 34x19. Tuesdays at 6:30pm, we ride!!

Wang Chung? Meeting are you where?

 

[Patrick]

I hear that, problem is I'm kinda chubby and outa shape. Also could swap the 170s fer longer cranks...plus I built the bike out of spare parts!
Sometimes I just run out of steam at the top of a rise if the terrain is rocky or rooty and have to sadly put a foot down!

Make it most days though.
And of course on a geared bike no prob. Plus on a geared bike i can ride to the park!

TheLonerider

ride what you got!
thanks for the maintenance offer - seems like more info will flow in over the next few months.
keep riding, it has helped many of us with our chub (more than once for some 😉 )

 

[TheLonerider]

32x17 is the same as 34x19. Tuesdays at 6:30pm, we ride!!

Where do you start? I assume you are going tomorrow evening.

 

[Steve Vai]

We do a weekly ride that leaves Summit.

 

[Bike N Gear]

I run a 34x19 in there and it's fine as long as you skip Steep as F coming up from McDonald's. We'll go down that way on SS days.

Is there an actual loop on that side of Seeley's Pond or just the trail down to McD's? There used to be a hiking trail, but it was more hike-a-bike than pedaling.

 

[Steve Vai]

Is there an actual loop on that side of Seeley's Pond or just the trail down to McD's? There used to be a hiking trail, but it was more hike-a-bike than pedaling.

There's a loop. One trail stays along the creek and goes up and over the overlook before climbing up that steep hill from McDs. Then it heads over towards Glenside and crosses back over Skytop at the Gazebo.

 

[Steve Vai]

See my Strava loop I posted a few up.

 

[RSAmerica]

There's a loop. One trail stays along the creek and goes up and over the overlook before climbing up that steep hill from McDs. Then it heads over towards Glenside and crosses back over Skytop at the Gazebo.

That's at

There's a loop. One trail stays along the creek and goes up and over the overlook before climbing up that steep hill from McDs. Then it heads over towards Glenside and crosses back over Skytop at the Gazebo.

That's a Strava Cat 4 climb, sound like fun.

 

[Dingo]

Another memory of watchung. Going to Sears with mom and dad, and standing in awe of this. Yea I did ....pretty awesome when your in 2nd grade living on the second Watchung mtn.

https://saxtonstudio.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/art-time-travel-and-sears-roebuck-co/

 

[pooriggy]

Another memory of watchung. Going to Sears with mom and dad, and standing in awe of this. Yea I did ....pretty awesome when your in 2nd grade living on the second Watchung mtn.

https://saxtonstudio.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/art-time-travel-and-sears-roebuck-co/

I remember that painting, it was on the wall going down the stairs. Nice find.

 

[TheLonerider]

Oh my gawd! When I was a little kid my folks took me there to buy my first wristwatch. I remember that painting -- it was like looking through a time portal. Everything others have said about the size and scope is totally correct!
Darn now I have to think of a reason to go back to see it again in person one day!

For what it's worth if you are in that area there's an awesome road climb you turn off Somerset up Johnston Drive. Used to be called "13 bumps". Many years and pounds ago I did it on a steel framed track bike with 39/15 gearing in seven minutes and thirty three seconds (number forever burned into my brain by pain). You come out on top of the ridge overlooking rt 22.
Now it's a chore on a geared roadbike but still fun.

 

[Patrick]

...

For what it's worth if you are in that area there's an awesome road climb you turn off Somerset up Johnston Drive. Used to be called "13 bumps". Many years and pounds ago I did it on a steel framed track bike with 39/15 gearing in seven minutes and thirty three seconds (number forever burned into my brain by pain). You come out on top of the ridge overlooking rt 22.
Now it's a chore on a geared roadbike but still fun.

For those interested.....
https://www.strava.com/segments/8127103

 

[terrabike01]

For anyone who hasn't been to the Watchung Reservation lately, watch out for huge washed out areas in the hard packed/gravel trails especially if you plan on riding there at night. The trail will look great then all of a sudden there's a hole that would swallow a small car up right in the middle of the trail. There's a few of these areas around Lake Surprise. Stay safe!