|   My Saturday adventure | wc
Oct 1, 2001 8:26 AM | | The mission: Seek out new singletrack and enjoy the early autumn day.
The conditions: At departure, 58°F and partly cloudy with a slight breeze making things feel a bit cooler.
All last week I had been looking for someplace new to go ride on the weekend. Some of the people I usually ride with were going to be out of the area at a race, so I knew I'd be going alone. So Saturday morning I loaded up the car, made a final check of the weather and the map, and grabbed some lunch. I sat down briefly to contemplate doing this alone and to watch my alma mater run their first offensive series. If they hadn't looked so terrible, I may have stayed right there on the couch.
To heck with football, days like these will be getting fewer and further between in this neck of the woods, so I jumped in the car and took off. A little over an hour later, I'm sitting in the little town of Eagles Mere, PA, a tiny little community (pop 130) with more dollars than sense. Nothing but B&Bs, inns, quaint little shops, and one bike shop. I pulled up to the little shop to find Craig, the owner, in a mud covered jersey with a stack of trail maps. You know the place doesn't see too many mountain bikers when the first thing he asks is if I'm lost. Apparently he didn't see my bike strapped to the back of the car and I said "no, I'm here to ride."
Well after a few minutes of chatting and Craig laying out a route for me, I was off. Following his directions carefully, in about 15 minutes, I pulled up to the Canyon Vista parking area. Only about 4 other cars there and no sign of any other riders. As I was getting ready to go, several people stopped to ask me where I was headed and how far I planned to go. Two different couples responded with "you're going to ride the trails, we thought you were going to ride the fire roads." Trying to put there comments in the back of my head and thinking positive thoughts, I rolled up to the overlook to see what everyone was looking at.
The view from the Canyon Vista.
After snapping a few shots, I turned and made my way to the trailhead back by where I had parked. I forgot to take a picture but there was a nice sign signifying what was to come. In big yellow letters, the sign simply said "ROCK GARDEN." I started up the slight climb, made the first right and in front of me were two large rock outcroppings (about 15 feet high) with a narrow trail between them. If it hadn't rained the past few days I may have had a chance to climb my way over the roots but it wasn't going to happen.
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A shot of my steed from on top of the right-hand side outcropping. Forgive my drastically overexposed knees.
I made my way through the outcropping and saw why they call this the rock garden. I picked my way through on the closest thing I've ever ridden to slick rock, there is no designated line. I found the trail exiting from the rock garden and started down the trail know as "Sawtooth Ridge." The trail was aptly named as it darts back and forth between the pine trees then nearing the edge of a cliff that ranged from 4 feet to 30 feet high (a hucking paradise if you like flat landings). I normally don't deal well with exposure of that sort but I had no trouble on this trip. I continued on until the trail suddenly makes it's way off of the ridge on drops out on to a fire road. There is an option to continue on the singletrack but it resembled a flowing stream more than singletrack so I decided against it.
For the next few hours I covered several miles of singletrack, double track, and fireroads. At times I got a little turned around but a quick check of the map and the sun and I was back on my way. I had promised myself to take more pictures but as usual it didn't happen. I did however stop at Rainbow Falls to take a few shots.
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This is the upper water fall, the second water fall is about 40 yds down stream and several feet higher but the pictures didn't turn out so well.
A little further along I again felt compelled to dig the camera out and get another shot of some water falls.
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These I'd estimate to be about 50 feet high from where they first start. Supposedly there are close to 90 sets of waterfalls throughout the state forest. After this photo op, I was back on to some double track and a short climb back to the car.
Back at the car I was thinking that although I missed one singletrack descent entirely, and others were too wet, I had a great time. I will be going back I encourage anyone within driving distance to check it out as well. It was great to get outside, explore someplace new, and put in some more miles in the saddle.
Mission accomplished. |
| beats the h@ll outta watching foobal. nm | tomf
Oct 1, 2001 8:32 AM | | nm |
| looks great, Mike. | Stick
Oct 1, 2001 8:41 AM | | Nice photos. Is that Canyon Vista overlooking (duh) the Grand Canyon of PA? Sorta looks familiar...especially the waterfall shots. Reminds me of a backpacking trip through the Pine Creek Gorge a few years ago. Sorry I dind't have a chance to get back to you before. Lemme know if you plan to go again.
-joe (gonna go home and take inventory of backpacking supplies. gotta get my arse up there again SOON.) |
| Thanks Stick | wc
Oct 1, 2001 8:47 AM | | this particular Canyon Vista is overlooking the Loyalsock Creek and Worlds End State Park. The PA Grand Canyon is about an hour west from me (Wellsboro, PA area) and this place is a little over an hour SE of here. Let me know if you're heading up this way, I've got the topo map. By the way, there is a 22 mile XC race course near Wellsboro. Today I'm riding in Watkins Glen, slightly less than an hour from here. This isn't such a bad place after all. |
| Maybe the waterfalls reminded.... | 1WD
Oct 1, 2001 9:40 AM | | you of hiking the loyalsock trail. ha-ha hindsight is always 20-20. |
| Very nice. (nm) | Chip
Oct 1, 2001 8:53 AM | | |
| re: My Saturday adventure | 1WD
Oct 1, 2001 9:45 AM | | I didn't realize you were that close to this whole area. I vactioned in wellsboro before, backpacked near there, and backpacked some of the loyalsock (near worlds end). I love the northern central portion of out state. Sounds like tons of riding w/in an hour. I'm jealous. I actually considered moving to wellsboro before.
Looks like its probably a 3 plus hour drive. Have to make a weekend out of it sometime. I was hoping it would be only like 2 hours. That's a day trip.
Good luck on the 13th.
Dave
PS Nice pics |
| Been there, done that... | Goat
Oct 1, 2001 11:15 AM | | On foot, that is. I've hiked, run and backpacked through the area. In fact, I wasn't too far from there last weekend when I told you I was backpacking with my son...we were on the LT (Loyalsock Trail). I should be ashamed that I'm so familiar with the place and have yet to get my butt down there with the bike, then you come and just DO IT! Just like a dang Nike commercial or something. It was a great weekend for it. Good luck on the upcoming event. Hope we can ride again before the snow flies...
bc |
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