Ride on the 16th?

[7rider]

Great!
I'll have everything you'll need, Zen - boat, paddle, and pfd.
Just bring shoes that can get wet and something to drink.
Black Hills is very flat, calm water - nothing like the river yesterday.

I'll have my mtb, too. I'm taking the 'cross tires off the Buzz this week, and I'm going to start commuting on it so I can get used to it for the C&O trip.

So...what time? And ride first or paddle first?

[Zen]

What bike should I use?

I have the heavy Haro or the bike I got from F8th.

If I drive the Mothership I can bring both and decide then?

I can't clip in on either.

[7rider]

Is F8th's bike the one you rode on the tow path that time?
I'm not sure what the trails are like at Black HIlls. I would think they're fire roads and double track. Maybe more hilly than the canal, but no more technical.

[Kalidurga]

Is F8th's bike the one you rode on the tow path that time?
I'm not sure what the trails are like at Black HIlls. I would think they're fire roads and double track. Maybe more hilly than the canal, but no more technical.

I used to hike in the main area of Black Hill Park (before the populations of G'burg and Germ'town exploded and the park became waaay too crowded) and the trails then were mostly single track. There was a small amount of fire road/double track in between the wooded sections, but once you got into the woods it was back to singletrack. So I would guess that it'll actually be similar to Rosaryville with some double track mixed in. I'm really curious now which trail(s) in the main park they've opened up for mtb use, because as of this past winter the ones on the other side of the lake were still for foot/equestrian use only.

[Kalidurga]

Curiosity got to me (that, and being peeved that I'm gonna miss this pedal/paddle and want to experience it vicariously), so I googled and found some descriptions of the trails at Black Hill: Trimbleoutdoors.com and singletracks.com.

[7rider]

I checked with the peeps at MORE about what to expect on those trails.

They said that trail-wise, Black Hills is just a step up technically from places like Schaeffer. The hills are a little bigger and the trails a little rockier, but at the same time there are far fewer log piles (if any), so a "beginner" can be a lot less intimidated. (Also, less traffic and not all the hammerheads.) You are never far from a bailout point onto pavement. They said it is easier on a beginner than Schaeffer, but like any mtb ride, depends on your sense of adventure and attitude.

Summary: more beginner friendly for technical skills, but can be more demanding fitness/cardio (than Schaeffer).
Also...they all recommended a mtb, vs. a hybrid/comfort bike.

[Kalidurga]

Did any of them mention how it would compare to Rosaryville? That's my only basis for comparison.