This weekend Gerry Creighton set out for Blue Mountain Bike Park in Palmerton, PA. The plan was to ride the stages for the Eastern States Cup Enduro which is being held on Sunday June 22nd. That weekend there will also be a Super D at Blue Mountain on Saturday June 21st.
This was my first trip to Blue Mountain in about 4 years so I was excited to get out there to ride the trails. The forecast was calling for great weather, partially sunny with temps in the low 80′s! Turned out to be cloudy most of the day and it felt like 70′s, perfect riding weather! Cool breezes and no sun to cast shadows through the woods or beam in your eyes.
For this trip I wound up riding with some of the Reading, PA guys as well as other PA natives, this surely made the day that much better.
Stages
Blue Mountain Bike Park is a 2hr 15min drive from home so it’s important to get out of the house no later than 8am for driving anywhere west of Philadelphia. Leaving at 8am gets us to Philly just before 9am so the traffic through Philly isn’t as bad.
I left the house at 8am and arrived home that evening at 8pm which is why I titled this “8 to 8″, thanks Susan.
The video is a montage of various clips from the day so in keeping with the theme, most of the clips are 8 seconds in length. Most if not all of the trails shown in this video are used in the 5 stages of the Eastern States Cup Enduro. You’ll get a sense of the challenging features and how ‘smooth’ the trails are. Overall the stages are set up to favor the downhill leaning rider. The two transfer climbs and the upper XC trails in stage 5 will balance things out.
Words & Pictures: Gerry Creighton
Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.
