NE Riding 2012

**biggins** · 02-26-2012, 04:59 PM

I like the irony of starting this on the heels of the first real storm cycle of winter, so here goes:

Logistics, meet up, TRs, information (beta is a foolishly used word), random pics and what-have-you can all go in here. There are at least a dozen avid riders and posters from these parts posting intermittent North East riding content, so why not consolidate.

I'll offer what meager stoke I have to start, me and my pooch in the winter light of Otis AFB:

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**icelanticskier** · 02-26-2012, 05:11 PM

otis stoke! i grew up down there.

amazing that some places north got like 4 feet of snow, yet the mtb riding is as good as it gets just a coupla hours south.

love the EC. let's hookup for a ride!

rog

**Yeah!** · 02-26-2012, 07:39 PM

Trail conditions are mixed here in western Mass. Some north facing stuff is still shitty, and some softer areas are now starting to thaw a bit, but I've barely touched my skis this winter because riding conditions have been so good. Here's some stoke from last year at Vietnam.

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**biggins** · 02-27-2012, 05:32 PM

For anyone out here who wishes the Whole Enchilada Enduro was only a few hours drive away:

http://www.endurorama.com/

**HankScorpio** · 02-28-2012, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by icelanticskier

otis stoke! i grew up down there.

amazing that some places north got like 4 feet of snow, yet the mtb riding is as good as it gets just a coupla hours south.

love the EC. let's hookup for a ride!

rog

Last week I was riding on perfect trails in 60 degree sunshine on Thursday then skied 3 feet of powder on Saturday and Sunday. Bike during the week, ski the weekends. That's been my routine almost all winter considering Southern New England has just been one long mountain bike season. I've been riding around Boston and the trails are great - no ice or snow, not too much mud. Looking to get do a lot more riding once the days get longer.

**scrublover** · 02-28-2012, 03:26 PM

Stop and play ride in Trumbull, some of the ladies wanted to work on some drops. Others from the last few weeks. I, for one, welcome our new global climate change overlords.

(climbed a tree for this one, got it while shooting blind. posting anyhow, even though it isn't the best shot.)

Don't see a lot of Black Sheep out here.

**biggins** · 02-28-2012, 04:19 PM

Outstanding nutmeg stoke. Happy bizarro-winter everyone.

**Natedogg** · 02-29-2012, 12:49 PM

Good idea... although I'm not sure I love the consolidated thread for photos... You get a lot less vews from non-regulars since they have to wade through pages and pages of bullshit (a la EC roll call thread). But I'm up for riding with peeps around here.

Scrub, your ladies are badass! Nice work. If your photo #4 is the roller that I think it is, it looks a lot bigger, steeper, and scarier when you're standing at the top. Although I suppose there are more than a few of those in Trumbull and vicinity...

**scrublover** · 02-29-2012, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by Natedogg

Good idea... although I'm not sure I love the consolidated thread for photos... You get a lot less vews from non-regulars since they have to wade through pages and pages of bullshit (a la EC roll call thread). But I'm up for riding with peeps around here.

Scrub, your ladies are badass! Nice work. If your photo #4 is the roller that I think it is, it looks a lot bigger, steeper, and scarier when you're standing at the top. Although I suppose there are more than a few of those in Trumbull and vicinity...

If you're thinking of the big green monster, nope, not it. This is maybe half the height, and way less steep.

**birdman829** · 02-29-2012, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by Natedogg

Good idea... although I'm not sure I love the consolidated thread for photos... You get a lot less vews from non-regulars since they have to wade through pages and pages of bullshit (a la EC roll call thread). But I'm up for riding with peeps around here.

I agree that roll call and the other regional threads have diluted ski and board but I think sprockets lack of traffic means it could work better here. Anywho after this mysterious white substance disappears I'll be back to riding. Mostly Harold Parker, Lynn, beverly commons, Willowdale, B&Ts, ft rock and other ne mass locales. See some of you out there hopefully.

**Lev** · 03-03-2012, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by biggins

For anyone out here who wishes the Whole Enchilada Enduro was only a few hours drive away:

http://www.endurorama.com/

Sent that out to my local riding group in Philly. That shit looks awesome. If I'm around at that point, i very well could be riding at least one of those.

**Natedogg** · 03-03-2012, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by scrublover

If you're thinking of the big green monster, nope, not it. This is maybe half the height, and way less steep.

Aha, maybe. I think we talked about that before, too, now that you mention it's name.

Originally Posted by biggins

http://www.endurorama.com/

Damn, I miss riding in Bethlehem... Some great great stuff in that area.

**skibumnh** · 03-04-2012, 09:15 AM

Been loving "endless fall" in the GB area. I do nights in Vietnam and weekend days on some of the gnarliest singletrack in southern new england, 30 minutes west of boston. PM me if you want to link up to ride either.

**biggins** · 03-05-2012, 02:57 PM

I'm guessing most of us traded bikes for boards this past weekend, I did and it was delightful. That, however, was then. Now- I want things to dry out down here. I'm headed back to Otis this weekend. What do you suppose the chances are that Metro Boston trails will be dry by Wednesday?

**Anospa** · 03-05-2012, 03:25 PM

Wednesday/Thursday look like really nice days!

With the new RMP for the Fells, we aren't supposed to ride in there until the end of March, so could be a good idea to look elsewhere in GB area...

I plan on doing as much riding I can this year; I let work get in the way too much last year. I do some riding leading for GB NEMBA during the week, other group rides on some other nights, and then hit up Highland on the weekends. It should be a fun year, looking forward to getting out more!

**biggins** · 03-05-2012, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by Anospa

With the new RMP for the Fells, we aren't supposed to ride in there until the end of March, so could be a good idea to look elsewhere in GB area...

True true. Thanks for posting.

**buttahflake** · 03-06-2012, 02:49 PM

good stuff y'all!
i just got back from a week in Utah.
best i've had it out there in years.
fifty inches while i was there!
today was bluebird after a wicked cold night.
snowmachine trails were nice and firm in the woods.
and a little soft in the fields.
studs on the old bike. fun, two hour sesh.
woot!

**skibumnh** · 03-07-2012, 07:23 AM

Nam usually dries out fairly quick and driving through milford on 495 the other day it didn't appear they got much in accumulating snow. The gb trails I spoke of are well built and dry out in a couple days, might want to wait till the weekend on those though, not to mention riding them at night is sketchy.

**Ksyrium** · 03-07-2012, 09:27 AM

Id be down for meeting up for some rides this spring/summer, I usually ride Ft Rock or FOMBA.

**scrublover** · 03-07-2012, 12:35 PM

A NE "gathering" would be cool. I'd be in. How about a price of admission being a half rack of whatever your local favorite brew happens to be, for group sharing, eh? The hard part is there are so many good spots. I'm in Danbury, CT - anyone passing by, let me know and I'll try to give a kick-ass tour of our local goods.

Lived in Boston 1999-2001, rode a lot of stuff within a two hour radius of the city. Lived sort of between the Fells and Lynn, rode the two of those quite a bit, but my knowledge of the area trails is now very dated. Have only been back to ride Nam since then, and would love to get back with a bike for a few days to ride other stuff, just haven't made it happen.

Harold Parker SF was a good spot then, as was Foxboro. Otis, Trail of Tears on the Cape, Wampatuck, some stuff around Gloucester (the name escapes me) was all good stuff as well.

My in-laws live not too far from Bradbury SP in Maine (and Sunday River!) and the supposedly great trails I've heard about in the Portland area, but all our trips up to visit so far have not let me get away for some riding.

**Anospa** · 03-07-2012, 02:03 PM

Lowell/Dracut/Tynsboro (LDT) forest has some really fun techy singletrack. Hook up with the MV NEMBA guys on Tuesdays at 5 or 6 for a tour of the place. If you want fun techy trails that have a lot of flow and want to be able to hit everything in the park in two hours, check out Russell Mill in Chelmsford.

Neither has the gnar of Lynn or Nam, but they're two of my favorite spots (mostly because I'm a pussy when it comes to stuff over five feet haha).

**Natedogg** · 03-07-2012, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by skibumnh

The gb trails I spoke of..., not to mention riding them at night is sketchy.

Ok, I'll bite. I'm intrigued. 30 minutes west of Boston is within the 495 belt... any hints on where these secret gnar trails are? Flamingham? Southborough? Hopkinton?

This 'GB' thing is screwing me all up--I keep thinking Great Barrington. Ha. Just about as opposite ends of the state as you can get.

**Patrick55** · 03-07-2012, 06:05 PM

Some north facing stuff is still shitty, and some softer areas are now starting to thaw a bit, but I've barely touched my skis this winter because riding conditions have been so good.

**biggins** · 03-07-2012, 09:15 PM

For Fells riders who don't know [/oldnews]:

http://www.gbnemba.org/entry/fells-update-2112012

Thanks again Anospa for reminding us all of this- don't ride there in March. The new RMP is very favorable for MTBers, we shouldn't jeopardize the new trail opportunities it will allow for by mucking things up this month. I saw a good number of riders in there today (I was hiking with the dog off leash, also an apparent no-no under the new RMP so I'm a hypocrite)- don't draw the attention of the FOF.