Sometimes a ride is perfect and last weekend was one of those, although it was more about the whole experience than just the riding.
My wife hints at me that she would like to ride, occasionally, so I invited her along and suggested a picnic. As luck would have it I had remembered the Arch Trail recently and had been thinking with the new main trail up into the park, that it would be a great ride for the less technical riders. Ride up the main trail from the parking lot, past the lake, and up the arch trail and then to the Jockey Junction loop and the picnic table there.
It great for an introduction to Rockville even though it is mostly all climbing, its mostly downhill all the way back!
This it a bit of the Arch trail, it starts on the southwest side of the lake where a lot of the trails all come together, and it climbs up to the back side of the park. Its nice because it is not as rocky as many of the single track in the park and is easier to ride because of that. It starts in trees and climbs till you can see views of Green Valley, then goes back into trees till it ends at the Jockey Junction loop.
Jockey Junction loop is a flat high little peninsula with a bit of oak forrest that overlooks Green Valley. It has shady places, a picnic bench and views through the trees. We took a couple of old blankets with us and I dug out my panniers to carry food and drink. Normally panniers are not very practical at Rockville, as I usually have to hop and jump rocks and roots, and chatter away at the rocky downhills, but this route didn't dislodge them. Well at least till the end of the ride when I got about 2 inches of air over a tree root almost at the parking lot and off they came!
Our trusty mounts. Yes they are from the 1980's! But they got us there, and we don't know any better, as we have never ridden full suspension bikes. We think we're cool so don't spoil our illusions!
And cool we were in the shade, with views, with food, and with sparkling wine! Thanks to Mike Peterson of Main Street Cellars in Winters. http://mainstreetcellars.com/ He had given me a couple of bottles of this wonderful Australian bubblly wine and this was the perfect place for it. It was not dry and fancy, but fruity and fun.
Thanks Mike! It made the day! (and sorry Ranger Terry if you see this, I think I am probably breaking the rules here, but all is fair in love and war!)
Note the boots off, the books....we even took a nap! I had been wanting to do this for a while, relax and enjoy the park. Rockville has some great places in it and I usually just ride through them.
My wife hints at me that she would like to ride, occasionally, so I invited her along and suggested a picnic. As luck would have it I had remembered the Arch Trail recently and had been thinking with the new main trail up into the park, that it would be a great ride for the less technical riders. Ride up the main trail from the parking lot, past the lake, and up the arch trail and then to the Jockey Junction loop and the picnic table there.
It great for an introduction to Rockville even though it is mostly all climbing, its mostly downhill all the way back!
This it a bit of the Arch trail, it starts on the southwest side of the lake where a lot of the trails all come together, and it climbs up to the back side of the park. Its nice because it is not as rocky as many of the single track in the park and is easier to ride because of that. It starts in trees and climbs till you can see views of Green Valley, then goes back into trees till it ends at the Jockey Junction loop.
Jockey Junction loop is a flat high little peninsula with a bit of oak forrest that overlooks Green Valley. It has shady places, a picnic bench and views through the trees. We took a couple of old blankets with us and I dug out my panniers to carry food and drink. Normally panniers are not very practical at Rockville, as I usually have to hop and jump rocks and roots, and chatter away at the rocky downhills, but this route didn't dislodge them. Well at least till the end of the ride when I got about 2 inches of air over a tree root almost at the parking lot and off they came!
Our trusty mounts. Yes they are from the 1980's! But they got us there, and we don't know any better, as we have never ridden full suspension bikes. We think we're cool so don't spoil our illusions!
And cool we were in the shade, with views, with food, and with sparkling wine! Thanks to Mike Peterson of Main Street Cellars in Winters. http://mainstreetcellars.com/ He had given me a couple of bottles of this wonderful Australian bubblly wine and this was the perfect place for it. It was not dry and fancy, but fruity and fun.
Thanks Mike! It made the day! (and sorry Ranger Terry if you see this, I think I am probably breaking the rules here, but all is fair in love and war!)
Note the boots off, the books....we even took a nap! I had been wanting to do this for a while, relax and enjoy the park. Rockville has some great places in it and I usually just ride through them.
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