ALL TRAILS LEAD TO ICE CREAM

There's a small section of trail located at the base of trail #7 at Rocky Ridge County Park that I have NEVER successfully ridden.  As a matter of fact, the only person that I've ever seen pedal over that rock garden is Mikey Nardelli...and he made it look like child's play.  There are some trails and obstacles just aren't worth it.  I think the older I get the more I appreciate my health, my body, my family, and well...my life!  A good sense of fear can sometimes be a good thing and I find no shame in sometimes saying, "I'll hike this one."   Riding a log build up at Patapsco Valley State Park , Maryland -- July 19, 2011 Through the years, all of our skill levels have increased exponentially.  I can remember, years ago, watching Mark and Tim descend down hills that I never in my life would think were possible to ride. I've seen Kristian hop his mountain bike from obstacle to obstacle with incredible grace.  I've witnessed Mikey ride,...

There's nothing better than the feeling of doing something you love, in a place you love, with people that you love.  Which is exactly how I said goodbye to 2016.  No bikes yet...but I was super excited to be able to head to Michaux on New Year's Eve with Robin, Alex, Blythe, and Foster to hike through Camp Michaux and up to the vista on top of Pole Steeple .   Hiking the ruins of Camp Michaux in Michaux State Forest .  Foster, Blythe, Dave R, Alex, & Robin -- December 31, 2016 I've been to Camp Michaux many times...but always on my mountain bike...and usually in the summer.  The ruins of the old CCC Camp/World War II prisoner camp/church camp are clearly marked, but I've always limited my exploration of the grounds because of the overgrowth of vegetation and my fear of snakes.  Yesterday, with a chill in the air and snow on the ground, we had a perfect day to explore the area.  I was amazed at what we discovered... the remains of the c...

American Standard Trail, located near Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, is one of the most famous mountain biking trails in Pennsylvania.  Mountain bikers from all over the world make the pilgrimage to ride this rocky, twisty, 18+ mile single track just to see (and more than likely take a selfie with) the American Standard urinal that somehow managed to find it's way eight miles deep into forests of eastern Pennsylvania! American Standard Trail .  Dave R, Glenn M, Mike N, Mark L, Bill G, & Kevin H -- 2008 Needless to say...it's not everyday that  you find a "bathroom" in the middle of the woods...and it's the reason why I've come to appreciate trailheads that have public facilities.  Spending as much time as I do in the woods, I fully understand that the restrooms in state forests, state parks, & county parks can be sketchy at best.  My first memory of experiencing a DCNR (that's Pennsylvania Department of  Conservation & Natural Resources) ...

As the saying goes..."We all have to start somewhere..." and for me, it was with a 1995 GT Timberline mountain bike that I purchased with my first couple paychecks from my new teaching job at Northeastern Middle School .  I had no idea what kind of bike I wanted....and  I had no idea what I was looking for.  I walked into Gung Ho Bikes (located at that time on White Street near West York) and met Jay Zech.  I told him that I wanted "middle of the road."  I wasn't even sure I would like this mountain biking thing.  That first bike cost me a little less than $500 dollars in 1995 (which was $300 more than my first car...a 1979 Fiat Strada .)  It had no front suspension (although I would upgrade to a RockShox front fork after massive crash in 1996 that mangled the my bike!), it had platform pedals (although I would eventually upgrade to toe clips), and I insisted on bar ends...the bigger and longer the better.  I had absolutely no clue. My bike was...

By April of 2007 my 2006 Stumpjumper was only a few months old...and there was absolutely nothing wrong  with it.  Yet, there I was test riding a demo bike from Gung Ho  that the shop was willing to sell to me.  A fluorescent green 2006 full suspension Specialized Epic.  I had no need for it...that 2006 Stumpjumper still ranks as one of my favorite bikes...but, for some reason, I found myself in my back yard, showing the bike to my buddy, Glenn.  To this day, I still remember his words, "It's all about the color, Davy!" Shortly thereafter, the bike was hanging in my garage permanently (well, as you're about to find out, not quite so permanently.)   Dave Raymond & Glenn Medice in Rothrock State Forest .  Notice my green Epic and Glenn's red Santa Cruz.  He's smiling in the pic...but believe me, he had some buyer's remorse! (well, did he?  He used Mikey's credit card!) -- 2007 Yeah...I raced that green Epic hard!  T...