readers trails

[jazclrint]

I live in Plymouth, ME, USA.  There are a ton of snowmobile trails in the area that were good to ride when I was in college, but after 5 years in the Navy I got home 2 years ago now and haven't ridden too much, but I have ridden in the park in Bangor (30 miles away).  It is reffered to as the "Bog", or the "Dump"  These are BY FAR the most technical trials in Maine, and maybe the whole east coast.  I raced in VA, WV, and MD while I was in the Navy.  I did some riding in the San Diego area and they weren't very technical at all, and almost boring, if they weren't so nice an flowing at times.  

[Sprucey]

I live on the South coast of the UK about 30mins drive from Simon.

I ride all the trails around the ridgeline of the Southdowns, a range of chalky hills running along the south coast.

We have a group that meets every Tuesday evening - rain or shine, winter or summer, light or dark. We meet at a different pub (bar) at 7pm, start riding at 7.15 and do 2hour ride - then back for those all important beers! [smiley=beer.gif]

There are purpose built trails in south Wales which are day trippable from here and I also ride in the French Alps a couple of times a year.

As Simon says, I have ridden the 100mile South Downs way on several occasions but this summer we aim to do the whole 100miles in a day - an informal ride for charity. It will be tough but I like a challenge!

Sprucey

[bmwcarver]

I live in Kansas.  Used to ride trails at an old rock quarry called Rockville (imagine that [smiley=laughing.gif])  It was shut down a few years back.  Teenagers looking for places to party illegally found this place and were actually using guns to shoot at trees until they fell so they could start bonfires [smiley=disbelief.gif].  Local farmers closed it off due to that, so now all I can ride locally is some trails along the Arkansas river, unless I want to load up and drive for an hour just to get to a lake that has some nice sandy trails.

Have taken the bikes along with us on trips and found some good riding that way, just can't afford to do that often enough.

[GaryF52]

Here is a link to a panoramic view of my local stomping grounds.  I live in Los Baņos California; smack dab in the middle of the Central Valley, which is shrouded in fog in this photo.     The hills that are just barely poking through the fog in the center of the photo are Pacheco State Park, where I do most of my riding.  The photo is taken from the southern border of Henry Coe State park, looking south.

As you can see, there is a lot of brutal climbing and ripping downhills.

Another local riding spot is Los Baņos Creek State Park, about 10 miles further south.

I also ride occasionally in the central Sierras and sometimes get out to the Santa Cruz area for some coastal riding.

[Matno]

Speaking of panoramas... Here's a picture of one of my favorite trails. Guardsman's Pass is up Big Cottonwood canyon overlooking Solitude and Brighton ski resorts. You also get a great view of the valley on the other side (behind where this pic was taken). Great technical sections, but mostly a short gruelling climb followed by a long screaming descent on fantastic singletrack.

I don't live in Utah anymore, but this is about 20-30 minutes from where my parents now live in Salt Lake City (as of last week - they moved from Manhattan), so I hope to be visiting "them" often! I was out there last month, but the mountains are still covered in snow so I had to "settle" for southern Utah and the fabulous trails system in the foothills of Alpine, UT...

http://idriders.com/proflex/galleries/matno/Guardsmans_Pass.jpg

(If your browser autonatically decreases the picture size to fit on your screen, I highly recommend zooming to get the full panoramic effect!)

[shovelon]

Very, Very Nice.

Terry

[Frankd3000]

I wanna mooooove! [smiley=laughing.gif]

Sounds like some great places to ride.

My turn... location is Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I'm blessed with a plethora (today's "big word" kids!) of places to ride - unfortunately not always the best weather (at least on the weekends).

Hardwood Hills and Blue Mountain are about an hour drive North. I've been to Hardwood (way back when) and I loved it. Now that i'm back into things i'll be there more frequently - I hope. Never been to Blue Mountain, but i've come to understand it favours DH riding. I plan on going there. Both are ski resorts in the winter - and you gotta pay $$$.

Immediately North is Albion Hills Conservations area, which has mostly single-track riding. Been there once, but to look, not ride.

To the East there's Durham Forest and a few other places that I don't remember the names of, that i'd like check out. Durham is free.

To the West, within a half-hour drive, is Kelso Conservation area, which also has mostly single track, but a little DH, too. Pay to get in - like with all Conservation areas.

Also, I recently learned of a trail that connects with Canada's world-renewned Bruce Trail. Several access points are available in the area, so i'll hopefully have time to check that out, too.

Seeing as how i'm only "getting back in the saddle" this year after years of not riding i'll be busy this year (IF Momma Nature and that Murphy guy stop goofing off   ) driving-to and discovering what all these places are about. Yes, i'll be sure to bring my digi-cam and post on my web-site (no, it's not up yet).

Also, locally there is a network of paved walking/biking trails. They must span over 100 km when put together. They're free, make for great exercise rides (well, that's what I call them) and can be a lot of fun if you go out at the "right time" as not to get caught in "traffic". Small, short, off-trail dirt paths abound. They all make they're way down to TO's Lakeshore, which always has lots of (take's a quick look around) "pretty's", shall we say. (I call it "bird watching"   )

There's also an off-road trail network on the East end of town called Don Valley trails. Never been. Might go. It's encompasses TO's Sewage Facility, so i'm not sure I want to find out what it smells like - if it's a problem at all.

Okay, maybe I don't wanna move afterall.

Okay, i'm finally done yammering-on.

[jeffhop]

nice to hear where everyone rides on here, its very interesting to see just how many english place names there are in the us and canada. suffolk, richmond, plymouth, toronto!!  (ok my toronto is a small village not far from where i live but its the same name) and my own personal favourite durham, which is where im from in england

[Vexableman]

Minneapolis Minnesota, USA is home base.  I ride at Lebanon Hills.  Spend some time in the site I linked below. It is awesome and will give K2 Proflex Riders Group members a sense of the great local bike culture which exists here.  

http://www.morcmtb.org/trailreviews/metro/lebanon.shtml#Pictures

Used to live in Phoenix AZ.  While there and when visiting, I ride at South Mountain Park which is AWESOME. If you visit there to ride, go during the last week of March.  Sunny, 90 degrees, and sprng training baseball games.  Perfect!  + the best quickie Mexican food is a mere 5 minutes from the mountain. Ask me and I'll hook you up!

[sammydog]

I ride in Newcastle Australia, generally at a place called Glenrock. The trails are only a 10 min ride from the centre of town and are on a strip of land only a few km's wide bounded on the east by the ocean.

I'll start with some links to a few picks of some of our single trail.

http://home.kooee.com.au/lennyvonne/glenrock/down1.jpg

http://home.kooee.com.au/lennyvonne/glenrock/down2.jpg

http://home.kooee.com.au/lennyvonne/glenrock/down3.jpg

http://home.kooee.com.au/lennyvonne/glenrock/mcalpinecnr.jpg

http://home.kooee.com.au/lennyvonne/glenrock/switchback1.jpg

http://home.kooee.com.au/lennyvonne/glenrock/switchback2.jpg

http://home.kooee.com.au/lennyvonne/glenrock/switchback3.jpg

If you want to know more about our trails and our fight to save them come have a look at http://www.glenrocktrailalliance.tk