Dirty Ride in the metro Birmingham area

[LRobinson]

I had plans for this weekend but fortunately they fell through.  I woke yesterday morning and after breakfast decided I would get out and explore some trails in the northeast Jefferson County area.   I posted late - around 8:00 - and planned to ride around 10:00 so I was not surprised when there were no takers.     I have ridden the area I planned to ride more than a few times over the last few years but much was overgrown last time I was there.

James had mentioned trying a night ride and camp out in this part of the country late fall / early winter so I decided to see if I could link some of the trails and dirt roads and make a nice dual sport ride.    I rode about  3 or 4 miles from my house and started off along some old power line trails.   These trails were graveled many years ago but now are rutted and overgrown with weeds (and briars).   No problems though.  Didn't grab a picture but here is one from last fall. It is NOT a very good picture.  Different bike, but the same trails, jut a little more grown up now.  Easy enough to ride at night with a headlight.  Check.



Then I turned into the woods.  I followed some doubletrack that has seen some recent use by side by sides or 4 wheelers.  I rode about 1/2 an hour of this.  Most of these I had ridden but I was just looking and exploring so I took several side trails that just circled back into the same trail that I had left.   Lot's of easy to moderate riding. The woods were peaceful and the temperature was great.    No set plan or route for the night ride through this section, but everything I rode would be easy enough for a night ride.  One picture from the ridge.



I ran across (in the words of Mike Taylor) "a sweet jump".  It really was just a spot in the trail that I thought would make a nice jump (2 feet off the ground is a nice jump for me) if I was going the other way so I turned around and hit it.  It was a good jump spot and I thought about setting up my phone and trying to capture a little footage.   I looked for an easy spot to turn around and when I did, I noticed what looked like a trail off to the left.   Since I was riding alone, had all the time I wanted and am easily distracted anyway, I decided to check it out.   After about 20 yards I could see that this was indeed a trail.  A VERY nice single track trail that had been flagged with trail ribbon once upon a time.   




This is where I started really having fun.   For most dirt and dual sport riders, the single track is the "good stuff".    I found several miles of old single track that had not been ridden in years.   From the number of trees that were down I am guessing most of this has not been ridden since the tornado 3 years ago.   



There were trees to go over and trees to go around.   On one particular downhill, there was a tree about 10" in diameter, about 10" off the ground.   There was no way around, no way to turn around on the downhill, and no way that "I" could go over.    Stopped the bike and leaned it over against the bank to move the tree.   Took about 15 minutes and all I had to move that one.  I wish I had grabbed a pic.   :(

Back to riding, I finished the downhill and there was another trail running along the hollow that crossed my trail, and a nice looking uphill trail if I kept straight.  I decided to go for the uphill.  Nope.


I decided to try again for the uphill.  Nope. 



This sweet looking section of trail (and actually the whole hillside here) is actually on top of loose gravel like rock material.   You would never know unless you kicked the leaves out of the way but traction was not good.   Here is what the trail looked like under those leaves.



On the first try I was just riding like I had plenty of traction till I started spinning about 1/2 way up.   On the second trip, I hit it with a little more speed and was near the top with the rear wheel spinning like crazy when I caught some traction and looped it.  Would have been good video if anyone was with me.

On the third try, like Goldilocks, it was just right.   I now owned that hill.   I rode another 1/2 mile and came to a huge pile of deadfall.   I am sure this was from the 2012 tornado.   No way around it and no way over it.   Well there might have been a way around it but I walked around and found that if I were to get around it, I was going to dead-end at a newly constructed parking lot for the ever encroaching businesses in the area.   So I CHOSE not to go around it.  That meant that I got to ride down my nemesis hill.  As bad as traction was going up, it was worse going down.  I slid all the way down with the rear end sliding around like I was a drifter and the bike almost sideways a couple of times.     Sheer luck that I did not fall and roll down that section.   

Now I was beat.   I had moved the log, tried three times to get up that hill, and slid back down the hill like a bobsled racer.  I sat down and thought about how great this day was becoming.   I sat there for about 15 minutes just absorbing the nature and enjoying my time in the woods.   Above the handlebars you can see one of the old trail ribbons I mentioned.



This is very nice riding and I will come to this hidden gem again, but it is NOT for the night ride.   A little too much I think.  After a nice rest, I mounted back up and soldiered on.   I ended up riding in that one area for over two hours before checking out the next section of trail.  I spent an hour exploring that section and it looks good.   



I never made it to the third section and the camping area but I will get out there soon.  It was a great day to ride and I was able to find some really good trails.   




 

[Fencejumper09]

Very nice ride!

Hopefully I will be available for the next time you head up there. Those trails look mighty fine!

[Ryanbroome]

North east Jefferson is where I'm at. Next time I'll see if I can show you around some more areas. Ride report is great

[LRobinson]

Thanks Ryan.   Was very last minute, but if I know ahead of time I will certainly hit you up.   Get that carb on so we can ride!

[Ryanbroome]

Thanks Ryan.   Was very last minute, but if I know ahead of time I will certainly hit you up.   Get that carb on so we can ride!

As soon as I figure out which one to buy