The Road Less Travelled-A Series
Volume 9-Mountain Biking at Ambler NY State Forest
Welcome back to The Road Less Travelled series. The last story in this series was published on March 24th. Spring was just arriving, however, remnants of Winter remained. Now that Summer is fast approaching, I hope to resume my exploration of forests and back roads in Central NY State. This story picks up where I left off, at Ambler NY State Forest near Holmesville, NY. This time I was mountain biking as opposed to hiking.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost 3 months since my last visit to this beautiful forest. At the time, a lot of the snow had melted in open areas, however, in the depths of the woods, the road was mostly still snow-covered. The conditions were not good for cross country skiing, however, as temperatures were too warm. Unfortunately, I had to put away the skis for the season.
It’s Mountain Biking Time/Sore Knee and All
In mid-May, my left knee decided to give out. Torn meniscus is the diagnosis, just like what happened to the right knee 4 years ago. So I am doing PT and hopefully things will improve. My therapist tells me biking is one of the best activities since it is not weight-bearing and keeps the knee moving. So I decided to give it a try.
A Five Mile Easy Ride
I was a little hesitant to try biking. But the results were pretty good. My knee was a little stiff but seemed to loosen up as I continued. Ambler State Forest is a hidden gem only about 7 miles from my house. At 629 acres, it is one of the “smaller” forests. This land was acquired by New York State in the early 1930s as was true for many of the NY State lands.
The access road is about 1.75 miles long with gentle grades, at least most of them. It was evident that NY State graded the road this Spring. It was better in spots, however, for biking it was a little more rough than last year due to loose stones. It probably will smooth out as more vehicles drive over it.
Wildlife abounds as I startled 2 deer and also a red-tailed hawk on this day. It is generally quiet here, very seldom do I encounter a 4 wheeler or truck.
There are parcels of private land within the forest, old farmland as is evidenced by old foundations and stone walls. I also discovered an old road that parallels the “new” in spots. I discovered the old road during my hike in March as it is easier to spot such features with the leaves off the trees and brush.
It felt good to get the bike out again. Hopefully, my knee will cooperate and I will be able to bring you more stories regarding my adventures.
Stay tuned!
