Blue Collar Mo From rough-and-tumble towns to hidden Appalachian hamlets, these 12 destinations offer big adventure,
Barre, Vermont
pop. 8 ,800
The Green Mountain State’s Rocky Upstart Barre sits just a stone’s throw from the gold-domed state seat in Montpelier, but is miles away from the capital’s crunchy granola vibe. The town is working class to its very core—which in this case is a massive vein of Barre Gray granite that runs two miles wide, four miles long and 10 miles deep. Mining boomed at the turn of the last century, which promptly reduced the area surrounding Millstone Hill into an industrial-landscape clear-cut of trees. Because only the best blocks of granite were worth the monumental effort of hauling them off the hill, 85 percent of everything mined still sits discarded in piles of cartoonishly large rubble. Competition from overseas suppliers and decreasing demand, however, have winnowed the number of active mining operations from 75 to just three. Unemployment in Barre City has risen to 13 percent, nearly double that of its slightly smaller and more rural neighbor, the Town of Barre. Unionized rock crushing has given way to a new growth industry: law enforcement. Barre native Pierre Couture saw another path. In 2005 he started the nonprofit Millstone Trail Association and opened a B&B-style lodge on his family’s former farm. Over six seasons of dedicated trail building, Couture has led the development of more than 50 miles of singletrack that unwind across some of the rockiest terrain in the state. Some of Millstone’s 68 established trails skirt the cliff faces of old quarries, most of which are now partially filled with aquamarine-colored water. Trees have reclaimed the hillsides and their roots are now entwined with miles of rusting steel cables that lattice the landscape. Last year, riders built Millstone’s first downhill trail, a milelong drop called Roller Coaster; on balance, the riding is textbook, technical New England singletrack. The best part: In a state known for its crippling mud season, Millstone’s rocky substrate
daniel brown
makes it the first place to dry out after a rain.—Chris Lesser
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untain Biking cheap food and incredible trails built by some of the hardest-working riders on the continent.
r ya n th i b a u lt
Chris Lesser rumbles down the rubble pile of Barre’s newest trail, Roller Coaster.
ACCESS A trail map is a must, free with the purchase of a pass at the Millstone Trails Association Touring Center—$9 for the day, $35 for the season. Go to millstonetrails.com for more information. EATS Try Mulligan’s Irish Pub (9 Maple Avenue; 802/479-5545) for solid post-ride fare and plenty of beers on tap. SHOP Basic parts and accessories are available at the MTA Touring Center, but the closest full-service shops are Onion River Sports in Montpelier (onionriver.com) and Bike Express in Northfield (bikeexpressvt.com). STAY Trailside campsites start at $11, or rooms at the Millstone Hill Lodge (802/479-1000; millstonehill. com) range from $40 to $250 a night and include a home-cooked meal. LOCALS DRIVE Toyota 4x4 pickups or Subarus; the higher the lift kit the better.—C.L.
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pop. 1 ,190
Marlinton, West Virginia
the Gauley Mountain system off the Highland Scenic Highway. The
Gateway to solitary backcountry singletrack
system is comprised of long, baby-head-filled descents that can be
Marlinton’s timber industry boomed as the surrounding Allegheny
ridden as one-hit wonders or woven together for a 20-plus-mile ride.
Mountains were stripped of their trees. The town itself is picturesque,
The beginner-friendly Gauley Mountain Trail runs the crest of the
with a historic downtown banked by the Greenbrier River and the
mountain, connecting a half dozen steeper, more technical routes. Tea
mountain range that forms the border with Virginia. But as the
Creek Mountain is the most famous thanks to its nearly unrideable
timber industry plummeted, Marlinton was left without an economic
boulder field. But survive the rocks and riders are treated to a 4-mile-
backbone. Today, the area is missing a key 18- to 30-year-old demo-
long bench-cut downhill. Deeper in the system is Red Run, a 2.5-mile
graphic as young adults flee looking for work. Adventure tourism is
descent from the southwestern face of Gauley Mountain. Props
on the rise, however, and many of the few non-septuagenarians who
Run is another perennial favorite with lots of gravel-road climbing
still live in Marlinton work at nearby Snowshoe Mountain Resort. The
followed by nine miles of sinewy downhill. And don’t forget, Snowshoe
Greenbrier River Rail Trail attracts some tourism, but even the local
Mountain, with some of the best lift-served trails on the East Coast, is
bike shop has to offer coffee, a gym, personal-training services and
just 20 miles away.—Graham Averill
sandwiches just to make ends meet. What Marlinton lacks in economics, it makes up for in location: It sits directly on the western border of the Monongahela National Forest, surrounded by hundreds of miles of backcountry singletrack. Local riders are still scarce, so the surrounding trails are vastly underused. Solitary rides dripping with adventure can be found west of town in This former Timber town is surrounded by hundreds of miles of remote singletrack.
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LOCALS PREFER
The few locals who do knock out backcountry rides are usually racers on high-end XC bikes. SHOP Dirt Bean (217 8th St.; dirtbean.com) has maps, local info and spare parts. BREW Almost Heaven, crafted by Mountain State Brewing Company in nearby Davis. EATS For meat and three, French’s Diner (220 8th St.; 304/799-9910) is the place. The Greenbrier Grille (814 1st Ave.; greenbriergrille.com) has German-inspired kielbasa. Show up in the fall for the Roadkill Cookoff, where cooks dish up possum, groundhog and polecat (whatever that is). SLEEP The Old Clark Inn (702 3rd Ave.; oldclarkinn.com) has low rates and clean rooms. The Locust Hill B&B (1525 Locust Hill; locusthillwv.com) is owned by certified massage therapists. —G.A.
mountainbike.com
,760 pop. 6
Corp of Engineers dammed the Juniata and created 27-
Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
mile-long Raystown Lake in 1973. The massive body
Where Hard Work Built the Best
2007 IMBA, local riders and other groups began work
Singletrack in the East
on the Allegrippis trails—32 miles of flowing, purpose-
Huntingdon has a colorful history, but it all seems
built singletrack on the lake’s western shores that were
to glow a shade of blue. For more than two centuries
completed last year.
of water attracted boaters and gamesmen, but local mountain bikers felt something was still missing. In
Six More
Small Towns That offer bigtime adventure Newburgh, NY Population 28,000 Foreclosure Rate Double the U.S. average Common Rig Hardtail 29er
an industrious ethos has coursed through this
The smooth, snappy trail undulates along an 800-
small community tucked into central Pennsylvania’s
foot-high ridge of pinewood and deciduous trees. It
burgh is on the western side
Allegheny Mountains. First it was a timber town, then
dips frequently to the lake’s shores and, thanks to
of the Hudson River, about
a rail town. Paper mills sprouted up in the early 1900s,
troops of hard-working volunteers, is some of the
and Huntingdon even was once home to a bicycle
best-maintained singletrack in the country. The trail is
factory. Now the chief industry is corrections. Two
regularly cleared of blow-downs, and the fantastically
gunpowder to the Union
large prisons operate just outside of town and employ
tight corners are practically manicured. Plans for
Army. Today, a major employer
20 percent of Huntingdon’s residents.
additional miles are still in the works, but riders have a
singlespeed TOWN New-
60 miles north of New York City. It blossomed during the Civil War, when it supplied
is nearby Stewart Air Force Base. TRAILS The sprawling
But Huntingdon isn’t without its charms. Victorian
more immediate concern: adding parking spaces to the
houses line downtown; the city is home to Juniata
trailhead because the existing lot often overflows.
next to the base, with more
College (and its 1,400 fighting Eagles); there’s a good
Steelers jerseys and camouflage hats may still
than 70 miles of twisty, nar-
coffee shop; and the Juniata River skirts the town.
dominate the sidewalks in town, but mountain bikers
The city’s economic course changed when the Army
have found a foothold in the hills.—Lou Mazzante
Stewart State Forest is right
row singletrack with punchy climbs and steep but buff descents. Tip: Buy a trail map from Darkhorse Cycles. SHOP Darkhorse (294 State Route 208, Montgomery, NY; darkhorsecycles.com) has spearheaded both trail development and racing at Stewart. GRUB Cross the river and head to Beacon for authentic Thai (Sukothai; 516 E. Main; 845/440-7731). The Golden Rail (29 Old North Plank Rd.; 845/565-2337) is a favorite for regional microbrews on tap.—Michael Frank
Alexandria, LA Population 45,857 Common Rig Hardtail 29er Home Price $150,000 THE TOWN Alexandria is situated on the Red River, in central Louisiana. It was once known as the “sawmill capital of the world” and before that was home to some of the nation’s richest plantation owners. TRAILS The 31-mile Wild Azalea Trail, located in the
a d a m e w i n g ( x 5 ) ; f r a n k wa l sh
Kisatchie National Forest, is
The Allegrippis trails are butter-smooth. Rarely will you see locals ride anything but a singlespeed 29er.
the backbone of Alexandria’s system. Other trails bordering the eastern and western shore of Lake Kincaid offer fast, flowing singletrack with rolling climbs. The trails’ sandy soil rides better after a good rain. SHOP Red River Cyclery
ON THE TRAIL This is still big-game country, so the trails are shared with hunters. Remember, orange
is the new black. PRIME-TIME RIDING In May, Huntingdon hosted the Dirtfest mountain bike festival, and in June it is set to host a stage of the inaugural Trans-Sylvania Epic. TRAIL INFO Rothrock Outfitters (418 Penn St.; 814/643-7226; rothrock-outfitters.com) has boatloads of info, as well as rental bikes. FOOD AND DRINK Boxer’s (410 Penn St.; 814/6435013; boxerscafe.com) offers food made with locally produced ingredients, and a healthy selection of microbrews and Belgian beers. SLEEP The Comfort Inn (100 S. 4th St.; 814/643-1600) is one of the few options in town, but the lake offers plenty of camping. The Susquehannock Campground is just 500 feet from the trails; visit raystownlake.org for more info. LOCALS PREFER Singlespeed 29ers.—L.M.
mountainbike.com
is owned by Mike Hopkins, one of the Wild Azalea’s most prominent advocates. GRUB Hopkins recommends Robbie G’s for platters of cajun crawfish washed back with a can of “whatever beer is cheapest.”—Ian Dille
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st e r l i n g l o r e n c e
Andrew Shandro and Matt Hunter rip through the rolling plains just outside Williams lake.
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Mena, AR Population 5,588 Common Rig High-end fullsuspension bike Household Income $22,671; about half the national average THE TOWN Mena is located near the Oklahoma border in central western Arkansas, and hemmed in on all sides by the Ouachita National Forest. Beyond the timber business, Mt. Rich Community College is one of this rural area’s larger employers. TRAILS The Womble Trail is an IMBA Epic, but visitors should also check out the roughly 20-mile Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, which features tight singletrack and steep, technical climbing. For remote riding, reminiscent of Deliverance, try Little Blakely in the Lake Ouachita State Park. Visit mtnbikeark. com for more info. GRUB Stop at the Dairyette in Mt. Ida (est. 1958) on Fridays, when the cheeseburgers are char-grilled behind the restaurant.—I.D.
Austin, NV Population 287
past decade has been tough, though: Two local mines
0,0 pop. 1
ceased operations, the timber industry has slowed
00
and Canadian ranchers have been strapped by export
Common Rig Locals ride older Haros; visitors ride new Santa Cruz bikes Home Price $125,000 THE
Williams Lake, British Columbia
restrictions. The community has instead turned to
Of Loggers, Ranchers
in Canada outside of Calgary). But mountain biking is
second city. Today most
playing an increasingly key role in the region’s future.
jobs are with the county or
and Really Good Dirt
tourism—promoting
fishing,
hunting,
whitewater
rafting and the Williams Lake Stampede (the biggest
TOWN Austin’s at the geographic center of Nevada. A silver strike in 1862 made the burg, briefly, Nevada’s
the state, or the U.S. For-
There are now more than 130 trails in close proximity to
The git’r-done frontier attitude comes to life on the
this hardscrabble pioneer town affectionately referred
trails. The Williams Lake Cycling Club, led largely by Mark
lodestone of the Austin
to as “Bill’s Pond” in the heart of the Cariboo-Chilcotin
Savard, tirelessly builds new trails and meticulously
Mountain Bike Trail Network
region. Although the Coast Mountains sit to the west
maintains existing ones. Savard, owner of Red Shreds
and the Rockies to the east, the surrounding area is
Bike & Board Shed, is a true mountain bike pioneer. For 20
mostly hilly—not mountainous—grass plains. Several
years, he has worked with a small crew of riders to etch
National Forest south of
nearby rivers have spent the last millennia depositing
trails in the rolling grass plains and partially forested
town. Trail highlights include
glacial silt into those hills, creating some fantastic dirt.
ranchlands. Today, shuttle runs like Aflow Daddy can
est Service. TRAILS The
is the Gold Venture Loop, a 27.5-mile drop into the 1,500-square-mile Toiyabe
wonderfully rolling sections through juniper- and
Williams Lake began as a ranching community in
see 200 riders a day, many of them young kids hitting
the mid-1800s, but forestry and mining dominate the
natural and man-made booters. There’s a new bike park
on 24 more miles with the
economy today, and that hands-in-the-earth ethos
being built in the center of town, too, and miles of classic
Crest Cutoff. More at: austin.
permeates the local riders—it’s not uncommon to see
XC trails like Pedal Jaden to keep the hammerheads
hard-core bush trucks with Dakine tailgate pads. The
spinning for hours.—Mitchell Scott
aspen-draped canyons. Tack
travelnevada.com. GRUB Get chicken-fried steak, $12.95, at The International (59 Main St.; 775/964-1225;
BREW Kokanee. It’s the beer up here. SHOP Red Shreds Bike & Board Shed (95 1st Ave., South Williams Lake;
250/398-7873; redshreds.com) has comprehensive maps and great staff. EATS The Gecko Tree has huge, healthy, hippy-infused breakfasts (54 MacKenzie Ave. North; 250/398-8983). The Trattoria Pasta Shop is the best bet for non-pub grub (23A 1st Ave. South; 250/398-7170). SLEEP The Overlander Hotel offers a special deal for riders, a bike lock-up room and continental breakfast (1118 Lakeview Crescent; 800/663-6898; overlanderhotel.com). For a quieter location, try the Oasis at the Lake B&B, run by Savard’s mom; check in at Red Shreds. LOCALS PREFER With so much trail diversity, you need a quiver of bikes. RAIN CHECK The fishing is legendary here. The lakes in and around town are chockfull of big rainbow trout.—M.S.
mountainbike.com
internationalcafeandsaloon. com). Grab a Sierra Nevada at The Owl Club (86 Main St.; 775/964-1333) and chat up the colorful owner, Mary— just Mary; rural Nevadans are private people.—Michael DiGregorio
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of Pisgah to hunters. Still, a small contingent of local
pop. 9
riders has an almost religious devotion to Old Fort’s
60
remote trails. Most rides involve long forest-road
Old Fort, North Carolina
climbs to isolated pieces of singletrack that plummet
Hidden Gem in the Shadow of Pisgah
Pisgah can be found here, and shuttling is tempting,
Old Fort is a former rail town stuck between the hipster
little-known old fort is a back door into pisgah’s famed trails
from ridge to valley. Some of the longest downhills in but locals still revere the “gravel grind.”
communities of Asheville and Boone, but is largely
Two trails on every rider’s hit list are Kitsuma and
overlooked by tourists who flock to its neighbors.
Heartbreak. Kitsuma begins with a half-mile climb
Small businesses with irregular hours line Old Fort’s
via hairpin switchbacks that unravels into a 3.5-mile,
sleepy downtown, which is flanked by half-empty
high-speed descent. On the opposing ridge, Heartbreak
warehouses—remnants of a declining manufacturing
drops 2,500 feet from the Blue Ridge Parkway to
industry. Most locals are lifers too stubborn to move
the “suburbs” of Old Fort in 6.5 miles. Up high, the
or young families looking for cheap real estate (a two-
manicured trail hugs the side of the mountain, while
bedroom runs about $50,000) in close proximity to jobs
vertigo-inducing views fall away to the right. You can
in neighboring Black Mountain or Asheville.
pick up Jarrett Creek Road at the bottom of Heartbreak
If downtown Old Fort is sleepy, its mountains are
for a mostly singletrack fast and twisty ride to the
rambunctious, though underutilized. Pisgah National
Curtis Creek Recreation Area. Farther east is the
Forest’s imposing Black Mountain range rises from
Woods Mountain system, which offers a burly 20-mile
the northern edge of town, but mountain bikers have
ride with massive climbs, misty Appalachian views
traditionally favored other regions, leaving this area
and remote singletrack.—Graham Averill
catawbavale.com) serves smoothies, coffee and healthy sandwiches. For dinner, try Whistle Stop Pizza (27 West Main St.; 828/668-7676). SHOP Epic Cycles (102 Sutton Ave., Black Mountain, N.C.; epiccyclesonline.com) has accurate trail beta. LOCAL BREW Pisgah Pale Ale, crafted by Pisgah Brewing Company. SLEEP Old Fort has no hotels, but Curtis Creek has choice riverside campsites. ON THE TRAIL You’re more likely to see hunters than fellow mountain bikers on the trail, but if you crave companionship, the Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell (blueridgeadventures.net) attracts 300 riders for a 63-mile epic from Old Fort to the highest mountain in the East. RAIN CHECK The Pisgah Brewing Company (150 Eastside Dr., Black Mountain, N.C.; pisgahbrewing.com) has an open-air pub with live music and local art.—G.A.
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m i k e c a r r o l l ; b r ya n k e l s e n ( x 2 )
EATS Catawba Vale Café (32 East Main Street;
Gallup, NM
SHOP Vance’s Bicycle World (2220 S. Prairie Ave.; vancesbicycleworldllc. com). TRAIL INFO Lakepueblotrails.org for maps and conditions. BREW Coors, naturally. GRUB Angelo’s Pizza Parlor (223 South Union; 719/544-8588) serves up pizza and burgers on Pueblo’s dining and nightlife district, the Riverwalk. Or, try a local specialty, the slopper—a hamburger smothered in chili—at the Sunset Inn (2808 Thatcher Ave.; 719/564-9841). Papa Jose’s Union Café (320 South Union Ave.; 719/545-7476) does a TexMex twist on Sunday brunch. SLEEP The Hampton Inn (3315 Gateway Dr.; 719/5661726) is on the south side, about 3 miles from downtown, and an easy drive to the park. LOCAL TIP Pay the Colorado State Park’s entry fee for the lot near the South Marina entrance; the socalled Red Gate pullout is free, but it’s right on the highway and has been tempting to thieves.—J.L.
Population 22,000 Common Rig Specialized Stumpjumpers; Walmart specials Economy Twenty percent of the population lives below the poverty line. THE TOWN Hard by the Arizona border, Gallup is the biggest city between Flagstaff and Albuquerque, and is surrounded by Navajo, Zuni and Hopi tribal lands. TRAILS There are 146 cataloged miles of singletrack that carve through sagebrush and piñon. The best stuff is in the High Desert System north of town. These 22 miles of trail flow like water, and are decorated with rider-friendly art pieces. More at: galluptrails2010.com. SHOP High Mesa Bikes (1521 S. Grandview Dr.; 505/8633825. VEHICLE AT TRAILHEAD Likely a Ford F-150
Pueblo shop owner Vance Hubersberger (above) calls Pueblo the fruita of the front Range.
with a bumper sticker claiming: “I was Indian before being Indian was cool.” GRUB Get Mexican fare at the El Rancho Hotel (1000 E. 66; 505/7222285; elranchohotel.com) and trip out on its kitschy Hollywood memorabilia and knotty-pine 49er saloon, where John Wayne partied
Pueblo, Colorado
Vance Hubersberger, owner of Vance’s Bicycle World. Of the hundred-odd riders hitting the trails on a weekend,
It isn’t a hip college town like
Panguitch, UT
only a handful are locals. Judging by the riding we’ve
Population 1,525
done, Puebloites are missing out, big time.
Common Rig Trail bike
0 50,00 pop. 1
Boulder. But unlike Boulder, Pueblo
The local riding scene is strange, though, according to
back in the day.—Rob Story
Median Household
has great urban singletrack.
Lake Pueblo State Park is this region’s gem, with
Like the steel that emerges from the mill in the heart
almost 40 miles of singletrack that swirl around mesa
of this southern Colorado city, Pueblo is resilient. It’s
tops and descend into steep arroyos; Hubersberger
known for its sheep and goat
had to be: A devastating 1921 flood wiped out a third
considers the riding here a Fruita of the Front Range, and
farms. Today, thanks to Bryce
of its businesses, and the mill that was once the town’s
the largely butter-smooth, twisty singletrack is good
economic engine now operates at only a fraction of its
enough to back up that bold comparison. Hardtails and
former capacity, grinding ever more slowly since the steel
XC bikes are perfect for most of the trails, but on routes
home to the famous Thunder
bust of the late 1980s. But Pueblo’s economy is looking up
like Bones and Steep Tech, you’ll encounter shaley rock
Mountain Trail. The 16-mile
once again. As part of Governor Bill Ritter’s New Energy
gardens and sizeable airs. Pueblo is also a good bet in
Economy initiative, windpower giant Vestas is opening
winter because it gets less snow than a lot of the state;
a $240 million facility here to manufacture wind-turbine
conversely, The city’s thick clay soil is unrideable peanut
spires. So much more than
towers. That means lots of jobs for Pueblo’s residents.
butter when wet.—Joe Lindsey
just a pretty trail, Thunder
Income $33,500 THE TOWN Panguitch was once
Canyon and Zion National Park, tourism has taken over. TRAILS Nearby Red Canyon is
loop is gorgeous, and weaves through warrens edged by massive, colorful pink-rock
Mountain finishes with a booming high-speed section. It can also easily be shuttled. SHOP Cedar Cycle (38 East 200 South; 435/586-5210) is an hour away in Cedar City. GRUB The Cowboy Smoke House (95 N Main; 435/6768030) imports mesquite wood from out of state for an authentic western steakhouse flavor. Wash down your tri-tip with a variety of Utah microbrews.—Ron Koch
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