Trail Talk: Gearing Up For a New Season
Trail Talk: Gearing Up For a New Season
WNYMBA and local mountain bike enthusiasts gearing up for the season; trail maintenance day planned.
As the saying goes, time flies when you’re having fun. And so just like that, the ski and snowboard season has come to an end. But with every ending comes a new beginning, and for many of you that means it is now time to break out your bike and get ready to ride!
When it comes to mountain biking in Ellicottville, the area generously offers a little something for everyone. From smooth pavement to tight and fast single-track, Ellicottville has done a fantastic job of cultivating a mountain bike scene that, for those old enough to remember, is reminiscent of the early 1990’s when the town was morphing towards becoming a true ski-town destination.
As you prepare for the upcoming mountain bike season, there are a number of things you should do in order to get ready to ride. Outside of both the physical and mental aspects of hitting the trails successfully, below are a few more things for you to consider as you get ready for your summer mountain bike adventures.
BECOME PART OF A COMMUNITY
The Western New York Mountain Bike Association (WNYMBA) has been a driving force when it comes to the creation and cultivation of the diverse trail system in this region. Currently, the group is embarking on its annual early season trail maintenance work.
On Saturday, April 10th at 10:00am, the group will be meeting at “The Hut” parking lot at McCarty Hill State Forest to kick off its spring cleaning efforts. Anyone is welcome to join and WNYMBA will provide the tools and a lunch to all participants (but feel free to bring your own snacks). WNYMBA Trail Stewards will have a predetermined agenda of what needs to be worked on so once everyone gathers, they will break everyone into smaller groups and hike to the various project sites that need to be attended to.
“Spring clean-up is probably the most important trail work for WNYMBA,” said Jacob Bodway, WNYMBA Club President. “We locate downed trees that need to be removed and work on ‘deberming’ the side of the trail. This typically involves using a McLeod tool and ‘out-sloping’ the trail to create drainage. We also look for chronic wet areas and work on armoring them with either rock or with logs (called ‘corduroy’). A good bit of our spring clean-up also involves leaf-blowing the trails, which helps speed the drying process. Without leaves to hold in moisture, the trails tend to air out and dry quicker.”
After a solid three to four hours of clean-up, the group will take to the trails for a group ride; assuming the trail is dry enough to ride. As the WNYMBA mission statement says: “Good places to ride don’t just happen. One has to work for them.”
Check out the Western New York Mountain Bike association at www.wynmba.org.
LEARN FROM A LOCAL
No matter what your experience level of riding is, chances are there is someone in the area who knows the local trails better than you do. In Ellicottville, that person is Israel (Izzy) Morris. Izzy, a self described trail rat and overall biking enthusiast, grew up in Ellicottville and has ridden all over the world but now resides back in his hometown and is using his knowledge of the trail system to run a touring company that is focused on showing people the ins and outs of the local trails.
EVLTours is Izzy’s passion business that allows him to merge his love of riding bikes with his desire to help people learn about the intricacies of the local trail system; thus helping to build upon the local bike scene.
What some people may not realize is that the Western New York Region offers a variety of riding conditions and opportunities. As Morris states, “Big Merlin always seems to be prime and has a great flow and is easy enough for a novice rider, but you can incorporate that into an epic ride and get techy on Black Trail and Bent Rim with some great rock gardens. Overall, the area has something to offer for everyone. You can ride to the top, drive or now take a lift (more on that later).”
You can find out more about Izzy and EVLTours at www.evltours.com.
SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHOP
Local shops are the lifeblood of any popular town activity and Ellicottville’s Bike and Bean is no different. This unique bike repair and rental shop, located at 11 Martha Street in Ellicottville, also features a full service burrito bar for all of your post-ride nutritional needs.
Owned and operated by Dennis Baldwin, Bike and Bean is the go-to spot for local bike enthusiasts to congregate and talk bike tech, get service work done and of course, grab a healthy bite to eat. And when it comes to service work, Baldwin’s recommendation is to plan in advance. “Now is a great time to get your bicycle in for service. Plan ahead for your tune-ups; as more bikes come in, the turnaround gets longer.”
Let’s face it, the past year has been, at best, an odd if not surreal experience for everyone. But as we have learned, the great outdoors is a fantastic place to be and an easy place to stay socially distant. And that is one of the things that Baldwin is looking forward to this summer. “I am excited for events to (hopefully) return in this upcoming season. Bicycle races, group rides and festivals were definitely missed last year.”
WNYMBA’s Bodway seconds that sentiment. “I really enjoy our camping weekend events. We have one scheduled on June 18-20th at Jake's Rocks in Warren, PA. This event is a great time. We have group rides, and everyone camps at Dew Drop Campground. I'm also looking forward to our Youth Series Program on Wednesday nights in August. This was hugely successful last year. Kids of all ages are invited to come to our Wednesday group ride at Sprague Brook or at Loud Performance. We have skill clinics, group rides led by ride leaders, and snacks once the ride is done. It's so awesome seeing kids on bikes, learning the basics, and improving from week to week.”
Make sure to purchase a WNYMBA local trail map when you are at Bike and Bean. Cell phone coverage out on the trails isn’t always ideal so while map apps are great, the WNYMBA map is a critical wealth of information that will serve you well this summer.
If you haven’t already, find and like Bike and Bean on Facebook to get updates on rides, hours of operation and delicious menu updates.
NEW FOR 2021: LIFT ACCESS
For those of you who view mountain biking in the same vein as skiing/snowboarding, pedaling uphill might not be your favorite endeavor. If you’re in that boat, Holiday Valley has great news for you. This summer, starting May 22nd, the resort will be running the Spruce Lake lift every Saturday and Sunday through October 31st.
“We’re offering lift serviced mountain biking for the first time this summer, weekends on Spruce Lake Chair,” said Jane Eshbaugh, Holiday Valley Marketing Director. “The plan is to give bikers a ride to the top where they can access the 35+ miles of WNYMBA single track trails, then take the Holiday Valley flow trail back down to the bottom. It’s a great addition to the activities we offer at Sky High!”
Ten bike carriers will be installed on the lift and for $30, riders will have the ability to ride the lift to the top of Spruce Lake and hit the single track trails back to the bottom of the lift.
Speaking of single track, last summer, HoliMont started the framework of a flow trail that runs along a good portion of its terrain; starting near the top of the Exhibition Express lift and ending at the Greer lift. There you will find a combination of manmade and natural features that will test your technical skillset while also putting a smile on your face.
WHEN EVERYONE WORKS TOGETHER …
As a riding hub with miles of great trails at its doorstep, the town of Ellicottville is an ideal location for your biking adventures this summer. The community of people and the local businesses who have supported the WNYMBA efforts have been instrumental in the growth of the sport and it seems likely that trend will continue.
“We've seen tremendous support from local businesses, local bike manufacturers, local breweries, and local bike shops,” Bodway stated. “This support has helped us secure monies for trail tools and trail expansion and has helped expose us to new riders within the region. Secondly, we're seeing the mountain bike community finally begin to work together to achieve common goals. It took a couple years to convince area riders that WNYMBA has their best interests in mind, and that as long as people get involved, their voices will be heard and the progression of our trails will reflect that.”
Mountain biking is about persistence. “I would urge new riders to be patient and to stick with the sport,” said Bodway. “Mountain biking is a challenging activity, but the rewards of building confidence, improving physical fitness, and gaining a renewed appreciation for nature pays off in the long run. Second, I encourage new riders to join us for a group ride or to attend a WNYMBA event. The main mission of the club is to ‘have fun on bikes,’ ultimately that's what mountain biking is all about.”
Whether you are pushing your riding to the limits or just going out for an evening cruise with your family, Ellicottville offers something fun for everyone.