The Road LessTravelled-Feels Great to Be Back Out Mountain Biking!
Volume 30-Biking at One of My Favorite Destinations-Ambler NY State Forest


Welcome back. It’s been a while since my last outdoor adventure article. As you know, I’ve been busy with gardening and other yard chores/activities. Each year I look forward to getting out the mountain bike. This past Sunday, I finally got a chance to go.
The Many Benefits of Biking
I have written articles in the past regarding the benefits of biking:
It is a great activity for people of all ages, including seniors. If you are at all able to ride, I encourage you to do so. It is very helpful for my knees. As a person who suffered a torn meniscus in both knees, biking is one of the most knee-friendly exercises I can do. It seems to help my knees stay flexible.

For me, it is also back-friendly. As a person who has degenerative disc disease, and stenosis, and receives steroid lumbar epidural injections, biking never seems to aggravate my back. If anything, it seems to help it.
In addition to the physical benefits, biking also boosts your mental health. There’s nothing like getting out in the fresh air and taking in the scenery on your bike. So many places to explore and enjoy. The experience when biking is so much different than being in a car.
Ambler NY State Forest-Always a Great Place to Visit
This NY State Forest is one of my year-round favorite spots. I use it for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. It is close to home (7 miles), which is an added bonus. It is a relatively small state forest at 628 acres, and the only access road is about 1.8 miles long. Most times I am there, I meet one or two others using the land; however, it is far from being crowded. In the winter, it is used by snowmobilers which makes it nice for cross-country skiing.



When biking, I normally go the entire length of the road and back, and then I ride on Pat Farley Road, which leads to the forest. It is also a good road to ride since it has very little car traffic. After riding the gravel road in the forest, the pavement is like a luxury.
Stay tuned for more outdoor adventures as the summer progresses.
