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...

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) ...

Usually, mountain biking provides me with a good dose of GROUP THERAPY .  Although I always road ride alone...I consider it my "me" time...I very rarely head out solo on the mountain bike trails.  Mountain biking for me has always been about sharing time and experiences with friends.  But sometimes schedules, calendars, and life just don't come together the way we would all like it too. Taking a short break on a hill overlooking Lake Redman.  Nice view.  You can check it out HERE  -- September 18, 2016  So, when I sent the message out that I was going to ride at Swatara State Park this afternoon (which was the only time free riding time this weekend) Kristian was the only person who was able to give me the thumbs up.  Even that didn't turn out we expected.  My time frame got pushed back an hour and Kristian had family stuff that needed attention...which (in my book) is always much more important than mountain biking.  So...wi...

"Squirrels with cameras."  That's the tongue in cheek answer I sometimes give when asked who takes the pictures of my friends and I mountain biking.  The real answer is, most of the time, I do. I often wonder if the guys I ride with are annoyed with my constant picture taking.  Every ride will be interrupted at least once and documented with, at minimum, a group shot.  It's how I make connections and memories...but by no standards whatsoever am I a professional photographer.  I have no real concept of the science, dedication, and hard work that goes into professional photography.  All that being said, I love love pictures...so I take a lot of them.   Back in 2006, when I first started riding with Mark, Tim, and the rest of the guys, I had the brainiac idea to go to Wal-Mart, purchase a couple disposable 35mm cameras, and shove them into my Camelbak with the rest of my gear.   I did this for about a year.  The end product being a bun...