SQUEEZING IN A RIDE AT ROCKY RIDGE WITH CHRIS//August 19, 2015

The mountain biking gods got together today and arranged it so that I could squeeze in a ride with Chris Keller this afternoon at Rocky Ridge.  I really was on a time crunch so we tried to get in as much as we could.   Today we decided to stay up on top of the park and not do a lot of climbing.  With the temperature in the 90s again I was just fine with that.
Chris and I estimated that this black snake was about 4 feet long!  It was so big that I honestly thought it was a branch laying across the trail.

Our ride today was only six and a half miles.  The view from the top of the park was amazing.  The highlight was the four foot black snake I ran over on my Stumpjumper.  I honestly thought it was a branch lying across the trail until I saw it move in my peripheral vision as I rode across it.  Let it be known that I HATE SNAKES.  I must be getting better because I was willing to get off of my and go back to take a picture of it.  
A nice ride with a great friend.

David A. Raymond//August 19, 2015

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HIKING TUMBLING RUN & POLE STEEPLE

Image
A day off of the bicycle doesn't mean a day spent inside.  With the end of summer in view, and the school year encroaching soon, I took my sixteen year old son, Alex, and his buddies (Robby and Austin) to Michaux State Forest  for a day of hiking, picnicking, and exploring.   Our day today was split into three parts.  We planned to hike up through Tumbling Run Game Preserve, have a picnic lunch at the furnace stack in  Pine Grove Furnace State Park , and then hike up to the top of Pole Steeple. Although the trail head at   Tumbling Run  is not marked, it is easy to get to if you  know what you are looking for.  After passing  Pine Grove Furnace State Park  on state route 233 (headed South) you will be looking for a obvious gravel parking area located on the right between Woodrow Road and Dead Woman's Hollow Road.  It is important to know that the last "nice" bathrooms are located at the furnace stack at Pine Grove Furnace ...
Read more

BACKTRACKING 2023

Image
My wife took me to Alaska this year.  I had never been to that part of the world, nor have I ever seen such immense natural beauty in my entire life.   For our 10th wedding anniversary we took a six day cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Alaska and back.  Along the way, we visited the Alaskan cities of Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan.  We took a train ride into Yukon Territory, Canada.  We saw whales, bald eagles, and countless salmon.  Robin and I had the opportunity to hike along Bennett Lake, explore Glacier Bay National Park, and sail through Tracy’s Arm Inlet.  It truly was one of the “bucket-list” trips that I could only dream of and it was fitting that I got to visit the 49th state during my 49th year on the planet.  Thank you, Sweetheart! Robin and David Raymond.  Welcome to Alaska! -- July 18, 2023 David and Robin Raymond in Tracy's Arm Inlet -- July 17, 2023 Approaching a glacier in Tracy's Arm Inlet -- July 17, 2023 ...
Read more

RETURN TO ROCKY GAP

Image
In the early 1980s my mom and dad began taking my brother, Jake, and I camping at Rocky Gap State Park near Cumberland, Maryland .  During the summer months we seemingly went every weekend.  I loved it there.   Rocky Gap was just a short drive from our home in Bedford, Pennsylvania.  We spent our days playing on the beach and fishing in the lake.  My mother made incredible meals for us at the campground and each evening my dad would make a campfire.  The campfire was my favorite part.  My dad made mountain pies, my mom would make popcorn over the fire, and my brother and I would roast marshmallows and hot dogs.  Our camping trips ended in the late 80s when both my brother and I reached high school.   Our schedules were just too hectic.  That was the last I would see of Rocky Gap for 25 years.   Rocky Gap State Park and campgrounds sits at the base of Evitts Mountain in western Maryland -- May 30, 2016 When I began dating m...
Read more