ALL TRAILS LEAD TO ICE CREAM

It's been exactly two months since I've been on either of my bicycles.  That's quite the cycling hiatus for me.  I'll always remember 2016 as the year of my two back surgeries...the first in March and the second in November . I am, however; pretty amazed at all I've been able to do and see and experience in 2016 considering the amount of time I've been relegated to my couch the last nine months.  In between two significant recovery periods I purchased a new mountain bike, made almost a dozen trips to Michaux State Forest, hiked (and biked) some pretty amazing stuff in Arizona, made a couple trips to Patapsco Valley State Park, returned to Rattling Creek for the first time in five years, toured the Gettysburg National Military Park, hiked in the mountains of North Carolina and western Maryland with my wife, made numerous trips to Rocky Ridge County Park, and played on the Allegrippis Trail System at Raystown Lake. One of my favorite pics of the past ...

Something incredible happened in Michaux State Forest during 2015 and 2016.  It wasn't the amazing new trails that we found and explored...and it wasn't the revisiting of trails that we haven't ridden for many years.  These two things alone would have made the last couple of years of mountain biking in Michaux some of the best.  However, 2015 & 2016 stand out because they saw the  return of so many friends (as well as one new friend) to our riding group...and we all know that mountain biking just isn't mountain biking without friends. Dave Raymond (and Tim Sindlinger) riding in Michaux State Forest -- May 30, 2015 Glenn, Mikey, Bill, and Kristian all returned over the past months ride with Mark, Tim, and I.  Matt Linnane began riding with us in 2015 after Tim and I made easy friends with him while crossing paths in Swatara State Park .  Together we laughed, talked, joked, and just rode.  It's greatest feeling in the world to have everyon...

"Here eat this..."  With that, I devoured the mashed up marshmallow and peanut butter sandwich that Mark had pulled out of his Camelbak.  It was, to the best of my recollection, the only time that I have ever truly "bonked."  Halfway up a seemingly endless fire road on a mountain near State College, Pennsylvania I got off of my bike and laid down.  No mas!  I had nothing left and I needed something to eat...now.  In those early years of what would become our "big rides" I really didn't have much of an idea of how to properly eat before a ride and what to pack for the ride.  Hence...there I was lying wasted on a dusty fire road eating my friend's peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich! Like bears in the woods, we all have different ways of finding sustenance on the trail.  Pictured from top left to right (top row first): Glenn Medice, Tim Sindlinger, Mark Lentz, Kristian Hains, Dave Raymond, Mike Nardelli, Bill Graves, Matt Linnane, & Kevi...