We scratched the surface yesterday, but IMBA’s Mid Atlantic Regional Director Frank Maguire was our guide to some fun and rocky State College, PA riding. We headed to Tussey Mountain at Rothrock State Forest for a little climb/ridgeline/mellow descent kind of ride, perfect for a crisp spring afternoon.
Next stop: Raystown Lake, PA, with a detour through State College. We’re currently stationed in State College, which is turning out to be a welcome stop full of good friends, tasty food, trail running and mountain biking. Tomorrow we’ll make our way to Raystown Lake, PA for the second annual DirtRag DirtFest. DirtFest is a combination of mountain bike festival, summit for Mid Atlantic mountain biking advocates, celebration of the area’s Allegrippis Trails system, and the classic music & beer that keeps it all running smoothly. We’ll be working with folks on advocacy issues, leading a trailbuilding session, and partaking in the general merrymaking. The Allegrippis Trails are described as “32 miles of buttery smooth singletrack bliss, built on the surrounding hill of Pennsylvania’s largest lake, Raystown; trails range in difficulty from beginner to expert with three stacked loops, making the combinations endless.” YES PLEASE!
And here we were, trying to get away from dirt! We decided to raft the Lower New River Gorge on Monday, to mix it up a little, take advantage of the beautiful places we see in our travels, and continue in our Monday Adventure Series (the first being our ride to Folly Beach from Charleston, SC). Monday happens to be one of our only true days off. Leslie noticed into our trip, that she and Chris realized the New River Gorge trifecta – climbing, biking and rafting the NRG. Hopefully Steve and I will brush up on our climbing skillz and be back next year for some of that. It’s been raining (more like downpouring) off and on since we arrive in WV last week, so the New River was a silty, dirty mess. I had never boated a river that brown, so it was a welcome novelty. The chocolatey
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It’s safe to say that Steve and Chris are friends. Real-life Fred and Ted!
On our way from Augusta, GA to the New River Gorge in WV, we took a little detour through Charleston, SC. Charleston is a perfect place to visit: very walkable, tasty restaurants, beautiful historic downtown and abounding outdoor activities. A day after the best Southern cookin’ I’ve ever had (I have little frame of reference, but I wholeheartedly welcome competition), we rode our bicycles down to Folly Beach, a little beachside community about 10 miles away from Charleston. We dipped our bikes in the Atlantic, and plan to do the same when we reach the Pacific in October! Here’s the evidence.
I’ve been trying to figure out a way to recount our travels through the United States, as well as characterize the sheer mileage we put in on our trusty Subarus. There are many factors that go into making a visit or trip a memorable one, and the factor that rises to the top is the food. So I’m going to start a new series – 50 States, 50 Eats. I’ll recap each state we’ve been to in culinary terms. For each state, I’ll mention my favorite restaurant, coffee shop, or food experience. And if you are passing through, you’ll know where to fill ‘ur belly! Since mid-January, we’ve been to 23 states – most of the Midwest and the East (aside from New England). We’ll visit about 6-10 more before the end of the year (fewer than the first half, as most of our visits in autumn are in California).
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Steve and I are currently in Augusta, GA, for the IMBA World Summit. We’ll get to meet cool mtb peeps, educate ourselves on everything mtb-related, and have FUN! I’ll post some pics of the Summit as we work our way through the week.
