Becca M
Active member
The purpose of this trip was to get the little link between the "Great Horseshoe Curve" and the Flat mtn pond shelter and see the leftover rails in that area that were never removed. 28.4 mi RT (about 6 hours). I'm pretty much intermediate at mtn biking and non-agressive.
I also wanted to avoid driving on the Sandwich Notch Road to save my car's suspension. So I started bicycling at the south end of the Beebe River RR near the south gate a couple miles east of Campton Hollow off 175. From the car north from the gate were 6 miles of nice river views up to Sandwich Notch Road.
Then, I turned onto Guinea Pond Trail - very nice and well-maintained - almost no bike dismounts needed until after the pond trail.
From there to the Flat mtn pond trail, the trail is harder to mountain bike. There are washouts, large rounded rocks, and many nuisance blowdowns plus abrupt waterbars which are hard to ride over uphill, but can sometimes be jumped going downhill. There were a few quarter mile stretches of nice smooth singletrack (my favorite) but many obstacles otherwise.
A few challenging brook crossings/bike carries (I never rode across them - I would like to observe someone riding across!).
In the past I've dropped the bike a mile before the horseshoe but this time I just pushed/rode it. Past the horseshoe, things are really easy until just about near the shelter. In that stretch I saw 2 rails (very cool!) and was pretty happy! I dropped the bike right before the shelter and snapped a few pics of the pond. The leeches were swarming in that pond!!! I've never seen leeches, so it was new for me!
At the pond I a saw a couple of trailrunners taking a break. They then passed me on the downhill and I never saw them again until Sandwich Notch Road as they were getting into their car - they were pretty fast!!!!
All in all, an awesome day!!!! I was happy I didn't break the bike!
--Becca Munroe
I also wanted to avoid driving on the Sandwich Notch Road to save my car's suspension. So I started bicycling at the south end of the Beebe River RR near the south gate a couple miles east of Campton Hollow off 175. From the car north from the gate were 6 miles of nice river views up to Sandwich Notch Road.
Then, I turned onto Guinea Pond Trail - very nice and well-maintained - almost no bike dismounts needed until after the pond trail.
From there to the Flat mtn pond trail, the trail is harder to mountain bike. There are washouts, large rounded rocks, and many nuisance blowdowns plus abrupt waterbars which are hard to ride over uphill, but can sometimes be jumped going downhill. There were a few quarter mile stretches of nice smooth singletrack (my favorite) but many obstacles otherwise.
A few challenging brook crossings/bike carries (I never rode across them - I would like to observe someone riding across!).
In the past I've dropped the bike a mile before the horseshoe but this time I just pushed/rode it. Past the horseshoe, things are really easy until just about near the shelter. In that stretch I saw 2 rails (very cool!) and was pretty happy! I dropped the bike right before the shelter and snapped a few pics of the pond. The leeches were swarming in that pond!!! I've never seen leeches, so it was new for me!
At the pond I a saw a couple of trailrunners taking a break. They then passed me on the downhill and I never saw them again until Sandwich Notch Road as they were getting into their car - they were pretty fast!!!!
All in all, an awesome day!!!! I was happy I didn't break the bike!
--Becca Munroe
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