Riverside Friday/Monday

(like some national TV broadcasts, this blog is on a time delay)

Rode the Pugsley N/R out to Riverside last Friday in hopes that all the snow and ice on the trails had disappeared. It's a strange thought for a fatbikeer to have, but last time I went out there many of the trails were tough riding. The snow had melted a little, froze, melted, re-froze so that the trails were extremely slippery. We haven't had enough new snow since who knows when to cover up the ice.

After riding up the icy road/trail from the swinging bridge to the Centennial Trail, found Trail 211 mostly clear. Sweet! The Pugsley loves dirt.

It didn't last long, and soon the trail was covered in ice again and I lost traction and went down.  I headed back to the Centennial Trail and on the other lower side saw a clear road to explore. Only one problem - there were 3 or 4 deer up ahead grazing. I waited a bit for them to move on, but they weren't going anywhere and weren't concerned about me. Moral dilemma - should I plow on through, make them scatter and expend energy so I could get some dirt riding in? I decided to leave them be and turned around. Found a few other trails to fart around on.

Tried to get an Ungulates pic for Pat S. (you might be able
 to make them out in the middle by the two poles)

Then on Monday went out for more of a road ride on another bike to build up some endurance. Ephrata Gran Fondo is coming up soon - March 16th! Started out on the Centennial, but then the old nemesis Trail 25 beckoned. It rises up to meet the trail and then heads back down towards the river. It was clear and dry. Couldn't resist. Of course, once the trail gets close to the river, it's covered in ice and I was walking again.

Then there was one of those unexplained mysteries of Trail 25: a trail marker pointed left to a little used trail up a steep hill to the Centennial, while the main, well-trodden unnumbered trail continued on along the river. I guess it's no mystery that the steep trail is little used. I climbed up the hill, crossed the Centennial just before the CCC area and found an almost unnoticeable trail that headed towards that cement vault (or whatever it is) by the cyclocross area. No Trail 25 here or I lost it, so I headed back to the Centennial and back to my original plan: get some legwork in. I think I went up 7-Mile Rd to the turn off to Deep Creek, more walking, and then back home along the Centennial Trail and Aubrey White Pkwy.

Forgot - there's a new parking lot and entryway to the Airstrip area out at 7-Mile in the works:

And might as well throw in some pics from the Deep Creek Overlook: