Packed for a fun safari at Jungle Habitiat and ended up with a broken derailluer, bear poo on my tire, and wondering where was that fun downhill I rode last year. Jungle Habitat (mentioned it awhile ago) is a network of trails that kriss cross abandoned paved roads which at one time meandered through a safari park. Trails are littered with rocks and roots. There is plenty of man-made rock paths that twist around trees and over big boulders with a few opportunities to catch a little air time. Its also exciting to see new trails being expanded in this park and acknowledging there are still efforts within this place to expand the trail network.


There is so much terrain to cover in this park that we actually got lost… and somehow missed the one downhill I remembered doing the last time I rode this park… that was a bummer. What made up for it of course was the great view from the top of the park, forcing myself to ride single speed for most of the ride; 32X18 (not by choice, but had to due to a snapped derailluer) and last but not least, encountering a black bear the size of a Toyota Yaris. The black bear just ignored us while crossing the trail, but it defintiely was an interesting experience to see a bear that size close up…
All the pics:

Awesome videos by 2 English lads completing the CDT.

The trip is all planned and we’re ready to go… We’ll be visiting the Kingdom Trails soon. Located in Vermont, this trail system offers 100+ miles of premium singletrack.

Somehing to stick in your head while your hiking or biking on your favorite trail…

After trying silicon glue, duct tape (there are pictures) and a little bit o’luck, the outsole finally detached and my Sidi’s became very expensive SPD flip flops during a recent ride at Ringwood… Those shoes were an awesome fit, light and effective and its been tough to part with those shoes, but now I’ve seen and tested a LAKE.

During a visit to our local camping / outdoor store I picked up a pair of LAKE MX190 shoes. These “all-mountain” shoes look burly and seem as if they will hold up well to the challenging conditions in the North East.
Lake MX190 All Mountain Shoe. Available in Black and Silver. Shoes are a combination leather & mesh with a Micro-step buckle with dual straps.

The outsole is the “Vibram Mountain V with Mudstuds” and is
SPD two-hole compatible.

These shoes are very comfortable and stiff. The buckle adds a secure fit much like the Sidis. The tread pattern is agressive and the “mudstuds” are a must for some of the knarly trail conditions we’ve been experiencing. These shoes are priced competitively to other “all-mountain” shoes and once you try them on… For more information visit LAKE.

The original plan was to head north up to the High Sierras and explore some of the glacial lakes nestled in the mountains but mother nature had a different plan. For 2 weeks the High Sierras was hit with thunderstorms and snow fall (in June!). We were over camping in snow storms and decided to revisit San Gorgonio and finish what we started. This time our group was 8 people and the conditions were beautiful.

Here are some photos from the trip with captions. Enjoy. (photos by Tom Rosenquist and Craig Metzger) Read Full Post

2 brothers?