Beginners: Smedley Park / Swathmore
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Author Topic: Beginners: Smedley Park / Swathmore  (Read 910 times)
hfremuth
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« on: August 18, 2008, 12:58:02 AM »
I am a bloody "noob" and still slow as a snail compared to most of you guys reading this. Still, I am having a truck load of fun riding, especially shorter trips of 1hr or so (me <-- old, fat, out of shape sort of...). I discovered a very nice area (Smedley Park and behind Swathmore College) right next to my house near Media, PA. It has great trails, with a total loop length of probably 5 miles or so.

So - if any beginner living in the western burbs reads this: give me a holler and lets ride together there!

Hans
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Lou
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« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2008, 09:37:40 AM »
Sup Hans! Hey I have ridden those trails a few times and they are pretty friggin good and there is a lot of potential there to improve them and make much more. I have a few buddies that ride and live right near there and they showed me them. One guy went out and did some maintenance once day and he is trying to rally more people to get out there and add new stuff. Let me know if you're interested and I will get you his name or visa versa...
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Riggs
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« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2008, 10:02:24 AM »
I ride there at least twice a week. For a little as it is the trails give you a good workout, especially behind Swarthmore. If you can get up into Swarthmore with no problems your on your way in terms of honing your skills. There is a nice log roll along the stream, there are nice bumps up near the office building entry area, a great place for a beginner, though certain areas are intermediate and possible advanced in terms of climbing over trail obstacles. I started there and branched out to other areas. Fun trails for as little an area that it is.  I've done my share of wacking out the brush in there, while other pmba people and other locals have done a very good job building log rolls, removing logs and other general maintance themselves.  Smedley is great place to learn to ride over logs and do slow speed technical climbs.
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hfremuth
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« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2008, 04:42:33 PM »
Riggs,
You said it - I really need to get over those damn logs. I am working on learning how to hop these things, but it will take some time. I take it easy and carry it over obstacles taller than 10 inches at the moment. Its pretty steep there, I want to enjoy my workout and avoid injuries. Its time for me to attend some clinics to get more technical stuff in.
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Lust4singletrack
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« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2008, 05:52:59 PM »
Yes the clinics. I know it's early but we are already planning our next clinic. And we plan to have a clinic on....Hopping Logs! Stay tuned for more info.
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« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2008, 11:23:06 PM »
Yeah that sounds like something I would like to check out!

K
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dvl
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« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2008, 07:49:37 PM »
Sounds interesting... You could create a google map and mark the entry points please?
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Dan Langille -> http://langille.org/
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« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2008, 11:52:55 AM »
Sounds like a fun place to ride and in my hood! Lou, this must be the place you told me about ages ago but I then promptly forgot about. I'd definately like to know where to park and enter the trails. Can anyone help with this??
 Cool
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Lou
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« Reply #8 on: August 25, 2008, 11:36:41 AM »
I parked off of Paper Mill Rd. where it turns off Baltimore Pike, right near the Springfield Mall. There is a good lot there. But I also rode in from Media once and that was cool also. Gonna have to have someone with more intimate knowledge of this place chime in... 
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Whitney Smith
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« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2008, 08:09:34 PM »
Lou, (and anyone else for that matter,) whenever you are ready, I can show you around swarthmore, smedley, and Don Guanella.
« Last Edit: August 25, 2008, 08:11:37 PM by Whitney Smith » Logged
BritBiker
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« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2008, 12:13:38 PM »
I rode Smedley Park yesterday for the first time......nice trails  Grin
I did manage to go down a few dead ends, but thats part of the fun of exploring a new place!! I found some sections where the local trail fairies had been busy, they've done some nice work there. Are these trail fairies related to the Belmont trail fairies and so should now be referred to as trail stooges?? I passed 3 riders as I was finishing my ride (at about 6:20pm), was that anybody on here??
Wouldn't mind hitting it next time with somebody who knows the trials, there must be more I didn't find yesterday......Whitney, Riggs???
Cheers
Gary
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Whitney Smith
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« Reply #11 on: August 29, 2008, 02:10:15 PM »
the three bikers you passed were probably the delco trail junkies...they ride there on thursdays a lot(one probably had a big bright green bike.) whenever you're ready...let's go!! my email is whitney.smith2@gmail.com
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Dennis DeRosa
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« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2008, 03:26:30 PM »
DenX here - Hello Whitney and other MTB'rs - I've been riding the Swarthmore/Smedley Trials for a long time, as I live/work in the area...  The trails can be quite technical in certain places and it's a good workout....  I usually access the site near the Swarthmore College Field House...  I was there last night around 7:15 to 8:15... 8/28 -  kind of dark at the end...  I did see three riders finishing up.....   the rail-road ties can be rough in some places and I've hit-the-dirt a few times over the years....  overall, the place is good for locals...   In the winter I night ride there, with lights of course...    I generally ride Thursday nights around 7:15...  when the leaves fall I will go with lights...   If anyone wants to meet reply to this forum or contact me via hotmail - derosadennis@hotmail.com - DenX - AKA Dennis  P.S. I also go to the Wissahickon on Saturdays - generally mid-afternoon around 2-2:30 for a couple/few hours...   
« Last Edit: August 29, 2008, 03:29:06 PM by Dennis DeRosa » Logged
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