Great - you'll love the place. It's different riding from Wiss - less hilly and rocky - more flow. It's somewhat like the Demo 1 trail. One difference is that there aren't easy bailout points like there are at Wiss, so everyone will need to stick with the ride group. I'll bring my radios again - they were helpful last time when groups got separated. Make sure that your bike is in good shape and that you have spare tubes and other repair stuff (although others will also have that stuff). It can be a long walk back if you get a flat and don't have a spare tube.
I come from NJ and give myself 90 minutes to get there. It may be a little shorter from Phila, but I think it's more than an hour. Tom may be coming from the Wiss area - he may have a better time estimate (although he was late last time so I'd add a few minutes to his estimate!).
Unlike many of you, I have to work today, so I won't be at VGI until 5:30 at the earliest, maybe 6. Then riding trails on Roxy side southward to the meeting, and returning by the same way.
...humble suggestion for tonight (Oct 9). Reverse loop ~ VGI to Bells Mill on Indian side, up Monster back to VGI. We did that few weeks back and was fun plus I haven't been on Red Covered to Bells mill loop in a long time. Plenty of bail out points for meeting attendees.
Had to help clean up a friend's trail injury at the clinc last week. I carry a home-made kit and needed the following stuff from it:
> 4x4 gauze pads for cleaning the dirt. We used 2 on the trail and 2 more back at the car > Some kind of disinfectant wipe. I buy the small alcohol wipes that are individually packed and used for cleaning skin before injections. They're really small - you need 2 or 3 of them to clean out a decent-sized cut > Antibiotic cream, like Neosporin. REI sells these in small one-dose packages. > A couple of big bandaids - enough to cover an 8" tear in your forearm. Sometimes they'll stick by themselves; other times you need to cover them with duct tape, which you also should have for general bike repairs > Advil or some other pain med. They come in 2x packs, but you can also get a small tube of them and keep refilling it. Taken early (on the trail, not back at the car) it will help a lot.
Also WATER - a lot of it. We used an entire bottle cleaning out her forearm. Fortunately you probably already have enough in your bottle.
I also carry Benadryl pills for bee stings or bug bites. Don't know if they work, but I'm hopeful.
This all fits into a little plastic bag about twice as big as my thumb. You don't need a lot of room. If you crash, you'll be glad you have it. If someone on your ride crashes, you'll look like a caring, well-prepared rider.
PMBA general meeting tonight at the manayunk diner 7pm. Still meeting at VG to pick up riders at 5:30, but some of us are starting early as we have to bail early. I will be leaving from Livezy pavilion at 5pm. Be there or be there not.
I'm riding at 5 from the pavilion, doing a small loop and picking up the Thursday night group at VG at 5:30. I wouldn't mind riding to the meeting too but I'll be tired and my lights are still questionable.
Karl, you could do the same thing from Bells Mill; check out the new trail on the Indian side and meet up with everyone at VG. Just don't leave anything in your truck!
