Quote Originally Posted by emily_in_nc
We live on 11 acres of woods, into which my husband has put in over a mile of trails, so we can mtb right out from our door, where it takes awhile to get out to the road (just the opposite of most people!) since we live down a long gravel road we can't ride our road bikes on. It's nice to have a close place for a workout when one has less than an hour to ride (say, after work). I also like it because I can do it when it's too chilly or windy to ride the road. I get so hot mountain biking that I can manage it at much cooler temps.
Emily
WOW! Your very own singletrack. Lucky you!! We have a 6-mile loop with the trailhead one mile up the road from us, but it's not something I want to do all the time. It's tons of climbing and very technical in some sections. I've never done the entire loop alone as the consequences of getting hurt are too great. The views are awesome, though. (See pic.) I'd love to see pictures of your singletrack if you have some.

I, too, am liking the option of road vs. mtb depending on the weather. I had planned on road last Friday and ended up on the mtb since the weather took a turn. Glad I went as it's been raining for the past two days! And I overdressed as usual and had to strip a layer at the top of a climb. Ride time was 1.5 hours but with all the climbing involved, I only covered 9 miles. You're right--it's much easier to get in the miles on a road bike!