TR: The ongoing saga of the Arcadia trails

[volklgirl]

Arcadia Tour #1: Pete's Woods Trail (Originally posted 4/28/2007)

We rode the new Arcadia trail for the first time today. Wow, just wow! The way the trail makes use of the natural contours is outstanding and the views are stunning (lots of Trillium in bloom, and some gorgeous yellow flowers). Lots of short steep climbs and switchbacks, plus the entire way back is cut into to side of the hill, so bring your bike handling skills. This tiny little 1.6 miler is well worth the drive!!!

Click each pic to go to host sight, then click Full Size below bottom right corner of picture for a larger view.

The road in....lots and lots and lots of sand!

Climbing up out of the "parking lot" (marked by the pink flags)

Still climbing

One of the valleys the trail passes through

Trilliums EVERYWHERE!

The final valley on the way back

A short climb before heading down and out

Riding the ridge back to the car

 

[volklgirl]

Arcadia Tour #2: Chestnut Trail

Yesterday, we rode the newest trail in the Arcadia system. Chestnut Trail is a 2 mile loop within the existing 10 mile Dry Hill Trail loop. After another long climb out of the parking lot, it becomes a swoopy rollercoaster ride through a stunning hardwood forest. There's lots of uphill switchbacks but no sustained climbing. Each of the climbs rewards riders with super-fun, twisty, rolly downhills where you can carry plenty of speed because there's no weird or sharp turns at the bottom. The entire trail is interesting and challenging without being scary, technical, or difficult.

Unfortunately, I forgot my camera in the car.

As we popped back into the meadow just before the parking lot, we had to stop and smell the roses.....literally! The sight and smell was so stunning, I rode down to the car and back up the hill after fetching my camera for the following shots. Regrettably, there's no way to post the overwhelming aroma of what we encountered. :( I've never seen anything like this in Michigan!
The first view of the meadow - a sea of pretty purple flowers (Foxglove???)

The wild rose patch (big inhale.......aaaaahhhhhhh)

A closer view

Totally wild

A close-up of one flower

DH stopping to "smell the roses"

Fellow trail users catching their first whiff


I think next weekend, I'll take some time and ride the Dry Hill loop solo, stopping to take lots of pics along the way.

 

[Consuela]

Wow, this sounds like a fabulous ride! The rollercoaster trail sounds awesome! I wish I could go on a ride there.

Is it a far drive for you?

 

[SnowHot]

yea yea yea, you're still riding while I'm healing. You suck!!!

 

[volklgirl]

yea yea yea, you're still riding while I'm healing. You suck!!!

Uh, YEA!

Wow, this sounds like a fabulous ride! The rollercoaster trail sounds awesome! I wish I could go on a ride there.

Is it a far drive for you?

Any time you come this direction, we'd be happy to take you adventuring.

Almost all the trails I ride are at least an hour away, except for Cadillac Pathways (10 min), VASA (45 min), and Big M (30 min). The Arcadia system is a hair over an hour away, almost straight west of our ski area, Crystal Mtn.

 

[Robyn]

I agree, your rides look fantastic! Love the thought of coming into that rose scented air!

 

[volklgirl]

Arcadia Tour #3 Dry Hill Loop

Yesterday SnowHot and Mr SH picked me up and drove the 45 minutes to our favorite ski area so we could meet up with Tom and head out to the Arcadia Dunes trail system for a tour of the long Dry Hill Loop. It turned out to be very much like the shorter 2 mile Chestnut Trail....lots of swoopy rollercoaster stuff through the hardwoods with almost constant elevation changes. Some parts of the Dry Hill loop were much more technical than the Chestnut Trail. There was plenty of sidehill action, tons of uphill switchbacks with some roots and qhort, quick dips and rises, and some of the downhills had whoop-dee-doos and sharp turns near the bottom.

Here we are getting ready to head out

One of the easier sidehill sections

Terry "climbing" one of the many, many hills

Tom headed away from me after a switchback

Can you see him waaaaaay down at the bottom of the valley now )the tiny little shite blob in the middle would be him!)

SnowHot in one of the few fields we passed through

Bye SnowHot!

SnowHot riding the swoopys through the woods

 

[volklgirl]

Dry Hill Loop Part 2

By mile 6 or so, at least 2 of us were ready to finish up . Here we are taking a break

Some of the interesting views along the trail

Me having a bit of fun on a wicked awesome log bridge

And finally, 10.1 miles and about 2 1/2 hours later we come past the field of wild roses (but no roses blooming this time) and everybody comes screaming into the parking lot!

I believe a fun time was had by all (although Terry would have had MUCH more fun if his bike had a motor!).

 

[SkiNurse]

Nice pics and report!

 

[SnowHot]

My version of the same TR from Sunday:

VG decided that I needed to shake some of the gremlins that have been haunting me since the big bike crash, so she took my sorry butt to Arcadia. They've built a new trail system that is in its inaugural season, so its not over ridden and has tons of tight technical stuff including multiple hills, both up's and downs ;). Lots of switch backs, hairpins, rocks, and even a nifty log bridge.
According to Kris' computer, we did 10.1 miles at 5.9 MPH.
According to my computer, we did 9.9 miles at 4.7 MPH
Tom, and Kris were smoking the trails, while I was sucking hind tit.
BTW, to make it really interesting, Mr TC joined us on this ride. In the interest of saving my marriage, that's all I'm going to say about that ;)

Kris on the nifty log bridge

I swear, I was so far behind them, I stopped on this ledge and yelled for them.
Turns out they were below me. Can you see them?
The trail had two switch backs and a down hill swoop to get from me(camera) to them.

One more pic of Kris coming around from a nice run out.

I was thoroughly fatigued by the end of this ride, but after lunch and a second wind, we went for a little 3+ mile ride on our usual Cadillac Pathways. Wide open single track. Nice way to round out the day.



Thanks for readin!

 

[SnowHot]

Okay, one pic of Mr SH's amazing climbing skilz!

 

[Sheena]

Man.. how did I miss this one! Looks like some super fun trails.