walter said:
I have off from work next week and im thinking about taking the the ride out to Blue Marsh and I've got a few questions. First, is it rideable, ive never been there so i dont know if it gets to sloppy during this time of year. Second, i hear its not to technical, just long, so would you suggest i bring the fs or the hardtail, and finally, wheres the best place to park and begin? I know i should bring some snacks and lots of water, but any other advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot for the time and help.
walter
It can be muddy at times, especially near the ski area, but it shouldn't be so bad as to be unridable. In other words, you'll get dirty, but it won't be a 30 mile hike-a-bike slog-fest.
Hardtail vs FS? I've done it on both several times, but can't say which is better. I suppose it depends on how much your FS bike weighs and how efficient it is. Also depends on how fit you are. Blue Marsh isn't a technically demanding ride, but it's not all buff singletrack either. The worst part for me is always the last 5 or 6 miles. It's full of relatively short but really steep hills. The HT's efficiency is good here, but after the hills I'm spent and would like to stay in the saddle and let the bike soak up the bumps on the way back to the lot.
That said, I've been riding my hardtail exclusively for ~ 2 yrs (gave the FS bike to my girlfriend). I guess what I'm getting at is that you might feel better at the end of the ride if you take the FS, but you'll probably get there faster if you take a hardtail. Really, you'll be fine either way.
Snacks and water....take as much as you can carry. Really. I take at LEAST 100 oz of water and 32 oz gatorade, some gels and a cliff bar. You might not need all of it, but some days are tougher than others and there's nothing worse than bonking or running out of water with 10 very hilly miles miles between you and your car.
Here's a little write-up I did about a ride there that you may find informative (or, at least, amusing):
Tuesday afternoon, Blue Marsh-style
Have fun, try not to get lost (it's easier than you think if you've never been there), and let me know when you're going. If I can swing a day off, I wouldn't mind showing you around.
P.S. Re: Parking. I always park at the Stilling Basin lot off of Palisades Rd. and just follow the trail markers (starts to your left if you're facing the dam.). You could park at one of the other lots, but then the mile markers won't reflect the true distance traveled (not that that really matters!)