ride to everywhere, The

How to find new trails near and far

AFTER TWO MILES or PEDALING up the washboard dirt-road, you downshift into granny gear, then hang a left into the long, steep entrance to the third fire-trail. Four hundred thigh-burning feet later you hit the beech whips below the lip of the plateau and it's single-track through hemlock and open hardwoods for five miles to the old stagecoach path that runs behind the cedar swamp and a blazing 20-minute descent home.

It's your route at least three times a week. Good workout, but you feel as if you know every rock, stump and waterbar Let's face it: you're daydreaming about new scenery, a new challenge, the kind of ride that got you fired up about mountain biking in the first place.

No problem. With the eruption in mountain biking's popularity, there are myriad sources to refer to.

Tim Blumenthal of the International Mountain Bike Association has a system he relies on when he's in search of a new ride.

"I start with friends who understand my skills, pump them for information then hit on workers at reputable bike shops and ask them about local trails or dirt roads," Blumenthal says. "Next best are maps and guidebooks, then the Internet. In nearly every case, however, I try to keep in mind what kind of ride I'm looking for"

If you're after well-maintained dirt roads and fire trails, nearly every state forest and state park offers reasonable path systems and right-of-ways. Maps are usually available at ranger stations or on-line through Web sites such as the one maintained by the Eastern Fat Tire Association.

Another great source of gentle-grade trails is the network of abandoned railroad beds being reclaimed by the Railsto-Trails Conservancy The organization, based in Washington, DC, has been involved in the creation of 911 trails totaling 9479 miles. Maps for 700 of the railtrails are available on the Web, with more going on-line every day.

If you're after more adventurous terrain, the federal government can be one of the strongest sources of information. The U.S. Forest Service governs 191 million acres of public land, much of it open to biking. Maps that offer general information can be obtained through the various regional forest service headquarters, but for a more detailed look, riders should obtain topographic maps from the U.S. Geological Survey or a private mountain-bike cartographer such as Trails Illustrated.

An even larger repository of data is the Bureau of Land Management, which controls 271 million acres of land out West and offers up-to-date information on trail conditions through local offices and Web pages.

A smaller and less-wellknown bank of trails crisscross land managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. These paths and single-tracks usually loop around dammed waterways and offer phenomenal scenery and wildlife-viewing opportunities.

In the last five years, there has been a boom in the number of guidebooks published. Among the best are Dennis Coello's America by Mountain Bike series, published by Falcon Publishing. These books are by region and state and a worthy addition to any collection of potential riding sources.

But if you feel uncomfortable riding into the unknown on the basis of a guidebook or information from a federal agency, go the same way you might on a deer hunt or fishing trip to an unfamiliar area-hire an outfitter.

"If you can afford the extra money up front, I can't think of a better way to get acquainted with a new mountain biking area," says INBAs Blumenthal.

In this case, the Internet is probably the quickest and easiest method of tracking down an outfitter. Figure out the region in which you want to ride and type "mountain bike tour" plus the state into your search engine. After you've narrowed the search to two or three outfitters, ask for the phone numbers of past clients who are similar to you in age, physical fitness and riding experience and call them up for references. Mark T Sullivan's latest novel The Purification Ceremony (Avon Books: 212/261-6800; $24), recently won the WH. Smith Young Talent Award in Great Britain.

PREMIER PEDALING

The top five U.S. bike trails:

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL:

This multi-use trail stretches 3000 miles from one end of the Rocky Mountains to the other. Only the roughly 650 miles in Colorado are considered in good enough shape for mountain biking. The trail runs through mountains, forests, grasslands and deserts, enough variety to interest even the most jaded of riders. For more information, contact the Continental Divide Trail Society: 410/235-9610.

F. GILBERT HILLS STATE FOREST, Foxboro, Massachusetts: Less than an hour outside Boston, this 1023acre forest has become a destination for riders throughout the Northeast interested in a technically demanding ride. Call 508/543-5850.

THE LAST FRONTIER: Follow abandoned mining and logging roads as well as single-track trails for 10 days through some of southwestern Alaska's most scenic destinations. Contact Alaska Two Wheel Tours: 907/522-1430.

NANTAHALA NATIONAL FOREST: This half-million-acre forest in North Carolina offers excellent mountain biking for all levels of experience and stunning views of mountains, waterfalls, cliffs and rivers. 704/257-4200.

SLICKROCK TRAIL, Moab, Utah: This 15-mile trail crosses a scenic and rugged expense of rolling Navaho sandstone. The terrain is technical, with steep hills and rough rock set against the snowcapped La Sol Mountains. For more information, access the Web address www.blm.gov and look for the Moab BLM site.

Copyright Hearst Magazines Mar 1998
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