Horse-Shoe Trail Adventure

So what’s a guy with no fitness and little riding time lately decide to do over the weekend?

Join in a 36 mile night time ride on the Horse-Shoe Trail from Valley Forge National Park to French Creek State Park – essentially traverse the northern portion of Chester County on a mountain bike at night on a trail.

The end goal was a campsite we booked in French Creek. Do the ride, then kick back with some friends around a fire with good food (venison chilly, polenta and onions, etc.) and good beer (Heavy Seas, Smuttynose, etc.). How could I pass that up?

Saturday’s anticipation/preparations began with packing of which Abigail played an important role organizing my food and water.

My two cohorts were Marcus and Matty B.

Here we are at the trail head atop Mt. Misery in Valley Forge National Park.

Interesting things about this portion of the trail:

• This is the beginning. It goes all the way (140 miles) to the Appalachian Trail just north of Harrisburg.
• The trails in Valley Forge are illegal to mt. bikes. I assume that includes the Horse-shoe trail, though I don’t know if mt. bikes are really welcome on the trail at all.

We started shortly after 4pm on Saturday. We had a little over an hour of daylight left before our lights came on. When the lights did come on, I was already starving. Not good for being only a quarter of the way there.

After another two hours of riding (around 7:30 pm and 20 miles in) we hit a drop bag Matt had set out previously for us.

The beer and chicken salad sandwiches were much welcomed additions to my belly. Also took this time to swap out some cold & wet clothes for dry and warm ones.

For the most part the ride was uneventful in the sense that we never got too lost, had much trouble on the roads or spooked any home owners into calling the cops on us. A lot of the trail traverses the edges of peoples properties. We got a few dogs to barking and people at their windows to see, but no flashing lights or loudspeakers to investigate our intentions.

So I was told the ride was about 32 miles. From the stash spot, that left me thinking we only 12 miles to go. Plenty over halfway. Things were good.

At mile 32 (or at the Hopewell dam, I’m not sure which) I was done – completely bonked, out of energy or even a desire to go on. Mark and Matt, so close to the finish, powered their way to camp leaving me in the dark.

I pulled off my pack, dug around for the last cliff bar Abigail packed for me, ate it and finished five and a half hours after our start.

At the camp Ben and Jamie were waiting with hot food. I changed clothes (except for my socks. Stupid mistake. I couldn’t get warm in front of the blazing fire with damp socks) and sat down with a bowl of chilly. Knowing I’d be hungry again if I didn’t have another, I forced myself to stay awake for a second bowl.

Too tired to set up my tent, I laid out my bag in the back of my car.

If ever I’m really out on my luck, I’ll have to remember my car makes a damn fine home.

Apparently the party went on without me. Wood and bottles both were burned to nothing in the wee hours of the morning.

After the sun came up it was breakfast.

And a damn fine breakfast it was.

That’s a 16 oz. T-bone, rye bagel, peppers, mushrooms, 3 eggs and sweet potato slices in there.

Some of the group would eat and head out for more riding. Unfortunately I had to pack up and head home for chores,

and to hang out with Abigail of course.

– b