This is the time of year where the weather changes quickly; the first major rains of the winter season have made the forests come alive with full fall colors. The mountain biking has been beyond description; fantastic scenery and challenging trails in perfect condition. We are so fortunate to have this kind of riding available. Much of the land around here is private property and the owners let us ride; that is very generous of them, that’s for sure.
The colors are all just a blur on the twisting singletrack. The rocks and roots are a lot different when they are wet; you still have to pay attention to the trail.
The moist weather brings out the wild mushrooms. Some look pretty tasty, some look pretty deadly.
Higher in elevation; it gets wetter and greener. The air is still with all the moisture hanging in it.
The deeper into the hilltop forests you go; the darker it gets. The trails are in perfect condition although the wet conditions take a little getting used to again after a long summer of dry, dusty riding. These are not well known trails; no one has been here for days.
At the highest elevation you reach the evergreen groves. Nothing but bigger trees and trails carpeted with pine needles.
On the trail to the lower valleys the foliage turns from brown to green and finally to the brilliant fall colors of red and yellow. The colors make it an unbelievable ride downhill.
I have ridden about seventy miles over the past four days; it has got to be one of the best mountain bike experiences I’ve ever had. This place is one of the best places to ride a mountain bike anywhere. Being able to sneak into that glory nature break between summer and winter and ride these trails in perfect condition has been amazing.