This photo was taken towards the end of a 13+ mile mountain bike ride this weekend at one of our old favorites, Cedar Glades near Hot Springs, Arkansas. I will spare you the photo I took of our backsides covered in mud.
Cedar Glades is a great little park with about 13 or 14 miles of single track all built by mountain bikers. They also have a disc golf course, climbing wall, amphitheater, pavilions and picnic areas, playgrounds, restrooms and both ends of the park, rc airfield and rc dirt track. I believe the plans include adding a bike skills course. I have also heard that they are going to put in some RV campsites that may take away from some of the wonderful mountain biking trails. Judging from the number of mountain bikers out there yesterday they will have a lot of disappointed people. We may not spend money in the park but we did drop some coin at one of the local eateries after the ride. Plus they already have class AAA RV sites at Lake Ouachita State Park and at Lake Catherine State Park both just a few miles away.
I have a photo of Lisa and I with our friends Sarah & Aaron riding a new years ride there several years ago. We have also brought fitness groups out here to introduce them to mountain biking so we have a lot of memories here.
This weekends ride really showed us our drop in technical skills level. We were very timid on some of the switchbacks so we have work to do before next month’s adventure race. Still, going mountain biking in 60+ degree weather on a bright sunny day is one of the great pleasures of living in Arkansas. Tired of your winter weather up north? Well come on down to some of the sweetest riding in the country.
