Morning Ride to the Witching Hour
by Mitchell Sprinsky on Oct.30, 2005, under Uncategorized
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The sugar sand is still thick in some parts but the SS’s 29" wheels plow through it like a tank.
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There are miles of singletrack cut my moto-xers all
over this area. Some good and some bad. There also seems to
be an increasing amount of illegal dumping going on. This is sad
because it will cause the pinelands commission to start cracking
down. That means the dreaded "no mechanized vehicles". What
thy fail to understand is that by working with the MTB community, we’d
be glad to clean it up and watch over it (not that we don’t try
now).
over this area. Some good and some bad. There also seems to
be an increasing amount of illegal dumping going on. This is sad
because it will cause the pinelands commission to start cracking
down. That means the dreaded "no mechanized vehicles". What
thy fail to understand is that by working with the MTB community, we’d
be glad to clean it up and watch over it (not that we don’t try
now).
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We hit some nice fast sngletrack, then some
whoop-dee-doos, and then pop up on a ridge over looking one of NJ’s
most well known features, a DEP superfund site (IOW: Toxic Waste
Dump).
whoop-dee-doos, and then pop up on a ridge over looking one of NJ’s
most well known features, a DEP superfund site (IOW: Toxic Waste
Dump).
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We dump out to a cool little BMX track thats just down this hill.
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It’s nice and steep and the penalty for failure is not
stopping before you hit the 55 mph route 73, so we opt for the
switchback route instead.
stopping before you hit the 55 mph route 73, so we opt for the
switchback route instead.
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We take some more fast signletrack back to the start and call it a morning after 3+ hours of riding.
Night begins to fall and the stars are out in force. The
halloween ride is scheduled for Wharton State Forest (part of the
1,000,000 acre pinelands) on brand new trails just built by the local
clubs with the help of REI and the State Forest. We assemble at
the Atsion rec area and get ready to ride. Some of us are in
costume and even Brittany Spears shows up.
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We had out into the pines in search of the Jersey Devil. Jeff provides us with spooky music for the ride.
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The new trail utilizes some old fire cuts as well as
new fresh trail. It’s nice and cold tonight, so the breath just
lingers in there air creating more of a spooky effect.
new fresh trail. It’s nice and cold tonight, so the breath just
lingers in there air creating more of a spooky effect.
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Shortly into the first part of the new trail we are
stopped by what appears to be fllen branches in the trail. We
move them, head up another 20 feet and more branches. After
another 20 feet there are even more with trees freshly cut to fall
across the trail. Someone doesn’t want us here. The
devil? Tree huggers? Why would they cut down trees?
Hunters? Probably. For the next two miles it becomes a
trail maintenance day picking up what some asshole did. We don’t
let it stop us. In fact it brings out the devil in all of
us! Just check out the eyes.
stopped by what appears to be fllen branches in the trail. We
move them, head up another 20 feet and more branches. After
another 20 feet there are even more with trees freshly cut to fall
across the trail. Someone doesn’t want us here. The
devil? Tree huggers? Why would they cut down trees?
Hunters? Probably. For the next two miles it becomes a
trail maintenance day picking up what some asshole did. We don’t
let it stop us. In fact it brings out the devil in all of
us! Just check out the eyes.
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We laugh knowing their efforts are fruitless and that
someday when we catch them, we’ll have some fines to collect that will
help pay for more trails.
someday when we catch them, we’ll have some fines to collect that will
help pay for more trails.
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I didn’t actually see the Jersey Devils face
tonight (legend says that if you see it, you won’t live to tell about
it), I did see his shadow dash out across our path on one of the darker
sections. It happened very fast and it was not the shape of a
deer and too small to be a raccoon. We also got to see a
fantastic shooting star that lasted almost five seconds, and countless
number of deer.
tonight (legend says that if you see it, you won’t live to tell about
it), I did see his shadow dash out across our path on one of the darker
sections. It happened very fast and it was not the shape of a
deer and too small to be a raccoon. We also got to see a
fantastic shooting star that lasted almost five seconds, and countless
number of deer.
