Riding in mud - any tips?

[Bike Writer]

Beautiful countryside. I enjoy photos of where people ride, I am a visual person and it helps to bring posts to life.

[jessmarimba]

I think the term "singletrack" generally implies bikes are what the speaker has in mind, but the trails are just thinner (one person wide) and are sometimes restricted to people only, sometimes allow horses as well as bikes, and sometimes allow even motorcycles. The problem when they get muddy is that people go around the puddles, widen the trail, and destroy vegetation around them. Someone will eventually come close off that part of the trail to allow the plants to grow back. Rail trails are about the equivalent of bridleways, it look like!

Your photos are gorgeous You definitely have some mud to deal with though. I wonder if my doctor would count that as "off-road"...maybe I should go there and ride my bike instead!

[hebe]

I can't take the credit for the photos, they are gorgeous though! I am so grateful that my bike gets me out into that loveliness, I'd never have time to do it on foot - I just can't fit that much walking into an hour.

Mud seems to be a feature of the flatter paths - the hilly ones seem better drained. Silver lining, I suppose.

We do have some "rail trails" too, though none within easy reach of here. They are often nicely surfaced and have amenities such as bike hire and cafes along them.

[malkin]

Another mud recommendation is to clean your bike afterwards!

[jessmarimba]

Just wanted to give you a few pictures back! Some of our rail trails are paved but out west they are usually gravel. Here is one in Telluride, CO that used to be a mining railroad:


And here is my favorite singletrack photo ever

[hebe]

Thank you! A trail with railings! And stunning views!

That singletrack really is single track, isn't it? Very pretty indeed. Over here I think that would be a footpath, which aren't open to cyclists or horses unless you have the land-owner's permission to ride there.

Thank you again for sharing the pictures. It is lovely to see where people ride.

[Roadtrip]

Wow Hebe. I'm booking my flight now. Can I come, pretty please?

I'll share my favorite trail...

Little Miami Scenic Trail (old railroad) that runs for seventy some continuous miles. Pics are not mine.









Shannon

[hebe]

I'd like to ride that one, Shannon! You would be very welcome

I'm going to clean the bike properly tomorrow dh is back from Germany today so I should get some free time. It's been pouring with rain since the day after I did the ride, though I know I should have done it the same day. I'll check the brake blocks too.

[MillieNZ]

Just wanted to give you a few pictures back! Some of our rail trails are paved but out west they are usually gravel. Here is one in Telluride, CO that used to be a mining railroad:


And here is my favorite singletrack photo ever

Wow that's amazing......... I so want to visit Colorado and ride some trails

[Bike Writer]

Love all the photos! So many great places to ride all over the world! Colorado and the English countryside look beautiful.

Here are a couple of the very flat rails-to-trails near my home. They are from the Lakelands Trail and one has a bridge over the Huron River.

The Lakelands Trail was the first linear State Park in Michigan and the paved portion connects Hamburg, Lakeland and Pinckney. West of Pinckney it continues on unpaved to Gregory and Stockbridge. The unpaved portion is suitable for mountain biking and is open to horses. It's part of a greater trail system that eventually will cross the state from west to east.