Little River

Great ride today at Little River State Park in Orange County. It started out chilly at about 38 F. but warmed up quickly to about 50. The main loop is about 6-7 miles and takes less than an hour to ride so we rode it first in one direction and then again in the opposite.

The trails there are mostly intermediate with some advanced. In this case advanced means steep and rocky/rooty but only for short stretches. Much of the portions marked as easy are the most fun to ride because you can build up some speed and get a pretty fair workout. Take any trail marked easy or intermediate and double your speed to challenge your technical skills. The trails are well maintained and use the terrain to its best advantage. The elevation change from highest to lowest is probably not more than a hundred feet or so but you go up and down several times during the ride to make the most of it. The usual obstacles are scattered around, logs (mostly 8-12 in. diameter but a couple larger, several 2″x8″ boards across ditches, quite a few dirt mounds and a few wooden paths with banks and mounds built in to add variety. Parts test your ability to navigate through trees with minimal handlebar clearance. This was the undoing of my clean ride during the second loop. I used that as a opportunity to look up through the trees at the blue sky and enjoy the moment. I have found the cushioning is one of the fringe benefits of wearing a hydration backpack.

Only saw three other bikers but the afternoon will probably be more crowded since the weather is so nice.
Other than the limited mileage, a good trail.

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