Friday, June 22, 2007

exploring the tuscarora state forest

Did my riding on the other side of the valley today along roads that looked mostly like this:

I'd been up here before and rode two roads until they sort of turned into rough single track, then disappeared. But according to a dude from the DCNR (PA Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources) who I ran into today, the "trail" at the end of one of those roads is marked with red blazes which, if I follow them, will connect me with a whole network of remote roads and trails in the older part of the state forest.

It turns out that I'd been entering the forest from a swath of land purchased by the state just five years ago, and that's why the roads and trails didn't seem to go anywhere--old logging roads that hadn't yet been hooked up with the rest of the forest.

Anyway, I followed his advice, and after what seemed like about an hour of finding and losing the "trail" while shouldering my bike across acres of tree fall, I found my way across. Then I rode here:

From this overview you can see just about the whole valley. Those mountains on the other side, about twenty miles away, are where I usually do my riding.

...a self-portrait. Looks like the shrubbery could use a bit of trimming.

On my way back, I found this:

Interesting. Reminds me of the crash site on Timpanogos. But there, presumably because of the remoteness of the location, you can still walk around and inspect the fragments of engine, fuselage, and wing scattered about the mountainside. I didn't actually find this crash site, but my guess is all that's been cleared away.

Also, this:

Audrey was a little incredulous that I would take such a picture. "You don't like butterflies, do you?"

...

Components didn't arrive today. I'm steaming. I won't be able to get on my old front dérailleur, but I'm thinking of just throwing on the rest of the old stuff and racing all the same. Who needs a little ring anyway?

2 comments:

mrsmith said...

Darn right. Big ring all the way!!

k8 said...

if i keep reading this blog i just might end up having to buy a bike.