RR: The Other Philly Park

I have always said that I am not a big fan of Wissahickon park. There
is just something about the "inner city" feel of it that has never
appealed to me. Even for it's size, it seems very disjointed.
Interestingly enough, Philadelphia has another city park. Pennypack is
located in the northeast section of Philadelphia. I guess you can say
the "newer" section of Philly. At 1300 acres, it is not a small park.
However, you'd never know it was there until you turn into the parking
lot. This park is also controlled by the Fairmont Park Commission and
although it has it's own "friends" group, it does not seem to be
controlled as much by the hikers/walkers/runners.

It's cold today. The clouds have rolled in for a little snow later and
kept the temps to 26 degrees. At start time, there's only three of us.
The three M's (Mike, Mike, and Mitch) are an odd lot. Betwwen us we
have a singlespeeder, a clydesdale, and myself. It's pretty much all
three speeds of riding, but we keep the pace steady. One of the
problems we face is that nobody seems to know the trail system here. So
we wing it and right away find some single track.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0277.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0278.jpg

The trails here are very sweet and perfect for testing the new Racer X.
Right away I notice that I never leave the middle ring. It's like
riding on glass and even up hill!

We check to make sure we heading in the right direction and hear some
other riders. We let them go by and decide that it might be a good idea
to follow them.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0279.jpg

Not a bad idea because they turn onto a very nice piece of tight
singletrack. It almost looks freshly cut.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0280.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0281.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0285.jpg

Mike follows us up the singletrack. What a trooper (literally)!

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0286.jpg

More singletrack awaits us. There is supposedly over 18 miles of it
here, but we only found about 12.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0288.jpg

At the top of one of the hills, the views of the Pennypack Creek make it
all worth it. I look forward to crossing the creek in the summer.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0289.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/public/imag...d/DSCF0290.jpg

I have to say, I'll take this place over Wissahickon. The only regret
is the lack of rocks. You have to really search this place to find some
technical riding.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Nice. How far are you guys from Medford, NJ? I may be down there
January 10th. I know it's flat and sandy, but I was considering
throwing the bike in the trunk.

/s

wrote:
Nice. How far are you guys from Medford, NJ? I may be down there
January 10th. I know it's flat and sandy, but I was considering
throwing the bike in the trunk.

/s


Right next to it. We are in the Cherry Hill / Marlton / Mount Laurel /
Medford area.

January 10 is a Monday. Will you be there Sunday as well? Thats when
we have the club ride.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

When you say the parking lot where? I'm not from the
area but I use to enter off of Holmes circle and Route 1 when fishing
ages ago. And horseback riding to the west off of Cottman ave. And last
but not least off of Penn- eypack circle near the now defunked Sears
building.

I MTB 2004

What happened to Cherryhill park. Ever try Ft. Dix.

I MTB 2004

wrote:
What happened to Cherryhill park. Ever try Ft. Dix.

I MTB 2004











By Cherry Hill, do mean Crows Woods or Cooper River? Not much there.
We ride Brendan Byrne Forest and Allaire which are right by Fort Dix and
McGuire.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

wrote:
When you say the parking lot where? I'm not from the
area but I use to enter off of Holmes circle and Route 1 when fishing
ages ago. And horseback riding to the west off of Cottman ave. And last
but not least off of Penn- eypack circle near the now defunked Sears
building.

I MTB 2004


We park in the Pine Road parking lot which is off Grant and Welsh Roads
which is west of Rooselvelt Blvd (Rt. 1). There are four different
parking areas now.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

wrote:
Must have goofed the date. It's probably January 8th. Do you guys line
up ride locations in advance?

/s


Yes. You can check the website at www.jerseyactionriders.org. If there
is nothing up for Saturday, we can line something up. Sunday is better
but I may be able to pull some people for a Saturday ride.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Must have goofed the date. It's probably January 8th. Do you guys line
up ride locations in advance?

/s

Grant and Acadamy is where I pick up my Yuengling
Black & Tan beer when I'm in area.I MTB 05