[Fleas]

I had the pleasure of riding some of Jakes and Rimrock this past weekend. Enjoyed both very much! Part of the experience was that hikers were beyond courteous and cooperative. I've never seen anything like it. Many folks even spent time watching our group (8 or 9 of us) attempt various obstacles and climbs at Rimrock, rather than hurrying off or skulking away while giving us dirty looks. I was blown away.


BTW - trails at Jakes look to be built on an entirely different level. If I'm reading the terrain right, it looks like they moved a LOT of dirt and rocks (...BIG rocks! ...and placed them in specific spots!) to make that place what it is. I'll send those people money every year if they keep that up.

Rimrock seemed more natural - which is more my thing - but both systems rocked.

Highlight of the weekend was dropping down Ursus for the first time ever. My mojo musta been woikin, cause I rode it like I'd already been there. So fun! When I rolled into camp folks were like "You look pretty excited." :thumbsup:

-F

 

[WHALENARD]

This is easily 98% of my encounters. A large percentage of the time I'm telling hikers they don't need to get that far off the trail, or "your good there, thanks so much", or convincing them they should come through Canadian stand off style. I don't particularly care for strangers watching me attempt techy moves though. Other bikers is fine & I may show off a scootch, hikers make me self conscious for some reason.

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[bigkat273]

I find that most hikers at Jake's or Morrison/rim rock are cool because they expect bikers and don't really care. Most of the hardcore delta bravo hikers stay on the hiker only Tracy's ridge area or the North Country Trail.

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[SuperStang]

I hear you there, I felt the same way about hikers this past weekend when I was riding in Virginia. I certainly got a super friendly vibe from them compared to the typical hiker I encounter in SE PA. I think bigkat hit on it that they expected bikers and I believe I saw a few signs that gave bikers the right-of-way which the hikers honored.

 

[justriding]

I rode Jake's last week and was blown away. Those guys that build it were real artists. Its a unique system for being machine built - loaded with features and just super fun. Its funny about the hikers - generally outside of SE PA, they are pretty nice and the interactions are good. (imo- people in NW PA and WNY are generally nicer). Now in SE PA, there are still a ton more people walking around the woods because of the 'rona, but they are not hardcore hikers and seem amused by mountain bikers. I think a lot of them never thought about mountain biking or have seen someone really doing it, so the interactions have generally been way better. Down here in SEPA, we also have the hikers who go 10' off the trail and turn away from you and kind of cower with their masks on, I feel like trail royalty - "do not dare to look directly at me, peasant." But overall hikers have been pretty nice lately. its kind of weird.

 

[jpa102]

I haven't run into any problems with hikers in the ANF while biking. The anti-MTB crowd pretty much stick to the trails where bikes are not allowed.

 

[alex345]

So few bike trails in the ANF so I imagine it is easy to avoid MTBs. Don't get me wrong, Jakes rocks is great but I with there was more backcountry long epic rides.

 

[jpa102]

If you know which "hiking" trails in the ANF allow bikes and connect them with ATV trails, snowmobile trails and logging/lease roads its not hard to put together a 50-100 mile ride.

 

[justriding]

jpa102 is correct. ANF and surrounding area is a spider web of trails. If you know where you going or have a sense of the the area, you could put together epic rides. I lived on NY side of boarder and we would ride old logging/lease roads, single track, atv trails from NY into PA for some big all day rides. You just kind of have to have a sense of where you are at or it can be a long slog back home.

 

[Bluegrassbiker]

Awesome to read the positive feedback about The Trails at Jakes Rocks!! The hikers are awesome here! Crew members who are extremely talented and fit riders, machine operators and hand finishers make for stellar machine built trails. Your comments made our day(s). Thanks and have a great rest of the week!!

 

[justriding]

Bluegrassbike - I cannot say enough good things about my experience at Jakes. I was geeked out by the rock work, trail layout and use of the existing boulders through an unbelievably beautiful and unique forrest. I have ridden in a lot of places and it was one of the coolest trail systems i have ever ridden. You could tell that the builders (you) had a real talent for building and know how to ride. I can see Jake's becoming a popular regional (NE/Mid Atlantic) destination as the word spreads. Fantastic job.

 

[jpa102]

Word is starting to get out. We had riders from Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Cleveland a couple of weeks ago at Trailfest.

 

[NEPMTBA]

Its really awesome for you! We too in my area have hikers who help work on the trails and use them just as we mt bikers do! win, win!