2nd Fat Bike Ride

 As luck would have it, all that good snow last week got washed away in what I call the Vermont December Warm Up. Saw this last year skiing at Killington, we were skiing knee deep powder the first two weeks of December and then there was a warm up and some rain, and then freezing temperatures to reinforce the meaning of Ice Coast skiing again. Apparently, there was still some snow at Pine Hill so I threw the Fat Bike into the back of the truck and headed over to do some riding.

This time I headed in the other direction on Pond Road towards the Evergreen Avenue entrance and there was still some snow to ride.  I knew this would be an easier climb, or so I thought. Temperatures were below freezing but I decided to try one less layer under my sweatshirt and I added a vest.  It worked but I need to ditch the sweatshirt for an insulating layer that has way more ventilation.

What I thought was going to be any easier climb turned into a Napoleon's Death March as I hit a real steep trail called Evergreen.  I was able to ride most of it but there were a few sections that I had to walk because I couldn't get enough starting momentum to keep me upright.

Turning onto Watkins Wood Road I found snow again but what I also found were sections of the trail that were pretty slippery. I met up with another rider and noticed immediately that he had studded tires. He said he rides all winter long only with studs. Looks like I am going to have get studs now.

Despite a few spin outs here and there it was a nice afternoon ride and the trails were fantastic.  I am still taking cornering slow and I have to remember to drop my seat post to lower my center of gravity.

I headed up Milk Run which turned out to be pretty well tracked in the remaining snow but I took it slow because there were a lot more slippery sections.

Then I got on Lower Jersey Turnpike, which I find the trail name ironic because the local Killington skiing community tends show a lot of contempt for people from New Jersey.  

There were some nice east/west views at the Power Lines.

Both sections of the Jersey Turnpike were pretty bare of snow and riding at 5 PSI I was very mindful of any sharp rocks in the trail.  Riding at such low pressures is so foreign to me.

Droopy Muffin was barren to start but as it wound its way to the eastern part of the park there was snow on the trail.

Svelt Tiger had a fair amount of snow on it.  I took the Seeping Ledge Bridge really snow because it was really icy.

If I do this route again, I will definitely take Furlough as my up hill climb.