Monday, July 8, 2013

The best singletrack in CT?

I often get asked where the best riding in CT is, to me that's like picking your favorite child - picking one is impossible, so I'll list my top 8 according to their merits:

Best technical riding: Mesh - specifically the white dot trail. Its a trail that is 100% rideable, but in order to ride it clean it would have to be a very good day. Negative - a bit of dirt road riding to put together a decent length ride out there

Best overall riding experience: Bigelow Hollow - there are only 13 miles (or so) of trails out there, but if you ride them all its a great ride with excellent views and some killer technical trails (the white trail stands out). I have ridden every trail out there without a dab on various rides. I keep trying to put together that "one ride" where I ride the place front to back without a dab. Its probably never going to happen, but I will keep trying! Negative - lots of bugs!

Highest value, smallest package - Crandalls - I was reminded yesterday that no one would ever call Crandalls "epic", but if you ride all the trails out there its a quality 10 miles with plenty of hills, some technical sections and many turns on tight singletrack packed into a very small area. I am definitely biased, but this place impresses me every time I go there. Negative - its a small area so riding there too often tends to get  a bit boring.

Most unusual ride - Middlesex - considering the exposed rock riding, the cliff side trails, the twisted trails through the mountain laurel - there's not another place like this in CT. Really great riding with incredibly steep, yet rideable natural terrain. Negative - so freaking hot in the summer

Best place to ride when its wet - Case -Like everyone who rides there I have a love/hate relationship with Case, but if you pick your trails carefully, it really is amazing how quickly the place dries out. I've ridden there less than 24 hours after 3" of rain and its perfectly fine. Despite all the "bad" stuff, there are some really great trails at Case as well. Negative - blown out trails and a lot of people (but that can be good too!).

Best mountain biking specific trails - tie - Nathan Hale and Millers - I rarely get down to Millers, its a challenging ride with so many mountain bike specific features its incredible. I don't do the bigger stuff, but I truly appreciate the effort that went into that place, and its always great to ride where there is stuff I won't do. Nathan Hale is mountain bike paradise - so much flow, technical bits, rollers, it really is a great place to ride with well thought out routes and trails. Negative - this is going to sound weird, but sometimes I think these places are too perfect - sometimes I want to ride on a trail that is not made for a mountain bike (see Bigelow Hollow).

Best non-technical riding: Salmon River - I don't ride there often enough, the trails out there are amazing - flowy, relatively smooth singletrack where you can just pedal and make things happen. Every time I ride there the entire group of riders is smiling. Pretty universal praise for this place. Negative - the trails can be difficult to follow as they loop back on themselves.


2 comments:

  1. well put, I can agree with all your statements! We are so lucky to have so many good ride spots 20 minutes from this area its awesome!

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  2. I'm sure people from outside CT would be amazed to see the diversity and quality of riding we have here.

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