Mountain biking for me is very much a social activity as much as it is a great way to exercise, challenge myself and stay in shape. What many New York City residents and others do not know is that there is an entire mountain bike community and amazing trails about an hour from Manhattan, with some accessible by mass transit. A normal weekend ride can see anywhere from four to twelve riders in our group and sometimes more. When the rides begin we generally sort ourselves out into sub-groups and we go from there. I guess I should say the trails and the ride pace automatically sort us all out as we've got some challenging trails in the area. I am cautious by nature and I always ride with at least one friend but there is one time each year during the fall when I venture solo to my favorite place to mountain bike, Blue Mountain Reservation.
I make this solo excursion to do some photography so my cameras are also getting a workout on that day. Not only is the fall season a great time to photograph, it's also a great time to bike. The weather is cooler, the leaves change colors and the mosquitoes are long gone. I generally make this trip on days when it's cloudy and raining. Why you ask? While the light may not be ideal, the rain drops on the leaves and their vibrant colors can make for some interesting photos. Additionally, I do sometimes really enjoy the solitude of the woods during this time as I feel like I have the place all to myself and can slow down and be in the moment. Said another way, wet and slippery rocks and tree roots don't generally make for a great bike ride.
This year I had another idea from a photography perspective and that was to include my mountain bike as the centerpiece of these photos; in transit to Blue Mountain as well as at Blue Mountain itself. This was an exhausting experience but it was quite rewarding and I like how the images turned out. The following photos provide you a visual essay of my experience with my Specialized Stumpjumper, just the two of us.
En Route via the NYC Subway
Grand Central Station
Destination Reached - Blue Mountain Reservation
