Bald Eagle State Forest-Part of the Rocktober course

Bald Eagle Epic

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I was up in Lewisburg central Pa over mother's day weekend. I was visiting Sara's Parents, and was going to get some rides in while I was there. I wanted to do a mountain bike ride, and I had found that the Rocktober race is run at Bald Eagle State Forest which is somewhat near their house. The first issue was that I forgot my bike shoes! So I went to the local Shop Big Als in Miffilin on the way there. I got some shoes that are not as good as my shimanos, but they have a more rubber tread to them.

So I get to the forest area and I parked off of a fire road and started on my way. I started on the Old Tram Trail. This trail was ROCKY! it reminded me of parts of Gambril and the Shed. The rocks where not put there for a better ride like some of the shed trails but more that the rocks were just there. The other issue was the blow downs, the race is be this weekend and I saw quite a bit of blow downs on all the trails the race is to use. I was liking my 29er and I lowered the rear shock pressure to help with the riding. Once the trail intersected the Boiling Spring Trail then it was more of a slightly downhill fast ride.
I was then on Copper rd. where I biked all the way up to the Cowbell trail which was a blast to ride. The trail is mostly downhill, not sketchy more the kind of down hill if you have the balls you could fly down it. I was a little conservative since there was no need for me to get hurt all alone in the forest.
I thought to take a trail not on the Rocktober route, and got screwed as the trail turned to nothing, and I had to back track to the road.
I was then on White Deer Creek rd. Where I missed a turn and ran into another mt. biker who was really friendly and he got me turned around the right way. Running Gap Rd. was a tuff climb,and it took me to next trail the Top Mt. Trail. Before I did the trail I ate lunch, and I was running low on water. I had forgot the camelbak lid so I had two 33oz bottles to drink from.
The Top Mtn Trail was a good one, I was a little tired when I rode it but It was great cause it was pretty much all ridable but you had to pick your line in the rocks and be able to gas it every now and then to get through the rock gardens. You really felt you were up on the mountain there, was able to get a great panorama shot. I was to take a left off the trail and work my way to Sands rd. I somehow missed it and ended up taking a trail not on the map that had me come out on copper rd. which I thought was Sands, so I climbed another hill for like 10 minutes only to find I was going the wrong way.
I then went back down and then up again to Sands rd. that rd went up and up for awhile, then went down, which meant I would have to climb back to the car. I got to the backend of R.B. Winter Park and then headed up to my Car.

The ride was really tuff, the terrain was hard and there was a good deal of climbing. I give credit to the folks that do the Rocktober race it is a tuff place to ride. Also I was running out of water, so I think that didn't help with my energy levels. I will be up here again, I might try some of the easier trails next time, but I did like this ride, would maybe park near Top mtn trail it might flow better.