ALL TRAILS LEAD TO ICE CREAM

It's no secret that I love mountain biking.  It's also not a secret that like to ride in Michaux State Forest and that ultimately, no matter where I ride, all trails will lead me to ice cream.  Not just me though.   SOLO RIDES are few and far between...I love riding with friends. They are the ones that make every ride special...and over the years, their friendship, their personalities, their love of the outdoors, and their love for mountain biking have helped turned a hobby into a passion.  I'm so fortunate and privileged to have them in my life and out on the trails with me. All the links of the chain:  Mark Lentz, Kristian Hains, Glenn Medice, Timmy  Sindlinger, Mikey Nardelli, Kevin Hardy, Bill Graves, Mike Alicea, Matt Linnane, Brent Shirk, & Chris Keller Without my friends I'm not sure I would mountain bike nearly as much as I do...I'd be just one link of the chain. All of us, together, keep this thing moving.  I love Michaux, I l...

The ride winds down...the bikes are loaded up...ice cream is on our minds...but the day's adventure isn't always over.  So many times we find ourselves mountain biking in locations that are full of history, beautiful scenery, and hidden surprises.  These post-ride field trips add to the mountain biking experience, form lasting memories, and strengthen bonds of friendship. They are proof that there is more to see beyond the trail and, just because the the ride has ended...the adventure doesn't have to.  Here are just a FEW of the excursions, sights, and "nerdiness" that have highlighted our mountain biking trips over the years.  Enjoy! After riding some pretty swampy and humid trails (Plantation Trail comes to mind), Mikey, Glenn, Billy, Mark and I took in the sights of the waterfalls near our campsite at Blackwater Falls, West Virgina -- June 2008 Wrapping up a cold, January ride in Governor Dick park near Mount Gretna, Pennsylvania, Mark and I took ...

There was a time, when I first started mountain biking, that a flat tire would end my ride.  Not only was I not wise enough to carry what I needed to fix my bike...I wouldn't have known what to do if I did have what I needed with me.  Over the years, I've learned to deal with a whole lot more than just flat tires.  I have to credit any ability I have to fix my bike mid ride to Mark Lentz and Jay Zech.  Mark has given me a whole lot of "on the trail" experience and Jay was kind enough to teach me a thing or two while at the bike shop .   Doing a little maintenance on my bike -- July 2015 Flat tires suck...but when riding in places like Michaux State Forest (or even locally at Rocky Ridge)...they are bound to happen.  Generally, the rule of the ride is, each person carries what is needed to fix their own flat at least once...a tube, a pump or CO2, and the tools needed to get your wheel moving forward again.  The only times I had to push my bike...