Mountain Biking - Hello from south jersey

Hello all,
My name is Bryan, Im from south jersey (5min from philly). I have been riding all my life(30 yrs), Raced BMX as a child, rodie during my high school years, bought first mountain bike in 91. Havent riden much in the last couple years. Getting back in shape, need to loose about 30 lbs. Just giving you guys a little backgound on myself and saying hello.
My rides are

97' Specialized FSR comp
judy XL, longer stroke rear shock(5 1/4 travel) Hayes discs/hugi hubs, Chris King headset, XTR drive train.

02' giant OCR3 road bike
nothing special-stock.

another jerseyite! i currently live in union county, but am moving to monmouth county in the next few months. if you ever find yourself in the middletown area, check out hartshorne woods (http://www.monmouthcountyparks.com/parks/hartshorne.html). good riding and a very bike friendly park. actually, the entire monmouth county park system is bike friendly.

You sound a lot like me. BMX until I started to drive, bought a so-called mtn bike (Univega Rover Ten) in High School, then picked up a road bike in college and got another mtn bike (GT Karakoram) toward the end of my college days.

When I graduated, I became a desk jockey and got fat! My bro-in-law bought a mtn bike, and I dusted off the GT. My new wife (1st year), and one to not be left behind said something like, "Where's my bike? You don't think you're going riding without me? Time to go bike shopping!"

So, we spent a couple of weeks trying out new bikes, and for our 1st anniversary, I bought us both new GT's (I traded my Karakoram). Been pretty involved (Again) ever since!

L8R

Come join us a www.shorecycleclub.org We do MTB rides (assuming the snow ever melts - we have about six venues for same) and road rides. Majority of rides are posted on the club website on Wed. or Thurs. evenings. All are welcome. We are out to have fun and generally do so. Trip to France in the summer of '04, as well. Look forward to seeing your out there.

Bishop,
we have a small group who rides on sundays. We have been to hartshrone. Some of the other places we ride are,
in NJ

Round Valley
Allaire
sourlands
clayton park
chimney rock

in PA

wissihiccon (philly)
Blue marsh
French creek
Jim Thorpe (MBW)

As the weather get nicer, we need to get some people together
:beer:

Bryan

Other MTB rides in the area that we do are:

Atlantic County Park (Rt 50, 3 mi. south of Mays Landing)
Lebanon State Forrest
Batsto Village
Bass River State Forrest
- and the ones mentioned above.

Allaire is the one we frequent the most often as is the most technical. Quite a challenge on some of the hilly terrain when it is wet. At least for us casual riders.

Bishop - all are welcome to join our rides, if your group is intereted.

We generally do a lunch/breakfast at a local diner after the ride.

No MTB rides this weekend due to snow/rain combination. Just trainer time.

Has anyone been there lately? How would the riding be this weekend?

Bishop,
we have a small group who rides on sundays. We have been to hartshrone. Some of the other places we ride are,
in NJ

Round Valley
Allaire
sourlands
clayton park
chimney rock

in PA

wissihiccon (philly)
Blue marsh
French creek
Jim Thorpe (MBW)

As the weather get nicer, we need to get some people together
:beer:

Bryan

in philadelphia very close to wissahickon is belmont plateau. belmont has the sickest, nastiest, twistiest singletrack known to man. you DEFINATELY need to check it out. its where the "one gear good beer" singlespeed rallye is held annually.

I raced at belmont, must have been round 1993. Remember a steep drop, bunch of guys crashed there :D