RR: Jim Thorpe - Switchback #1 and Drake's Creek

Well we got to Jim Thorpe at about 8:30 PM and, following the suggestions of
one of the local cadre decided to run the switchback for a couple of hours.
We finished setting up camp and got on the trail right behind the
campground. We ran up to the summit then turned around (we decided we didn't
want to do "the ledge" and the "wagon trail" under lights) and ran down to
Lentz Trail then back to the campground. The whole run was about 8 miles or
so and served to whet our appitites.

The next morning after some breakfast we went down to Blue Mountain
Outfitters and talked to them about a nice track outside of town called
Drakes Creek. We loaded up and headed north out of Thorpe to Unionville Rd.
We parked at a Penn Game Commission parking lot and literally hunted for the
trail head. The mapped directions were not that clear but we eventually
found it.

We crossed over Drakes Creek at the bottom of the mountain (after about a
two mile road downhill from the car). The climb up to the top was a
hike/bike. No riding on this sucker. Once at the top (about 1,000 feet up)
it leveled out and stayed pretty consistant from an elevation perspective.
There were some climbs that were long but none that truely challenged. The
tracks were mostly jeep trails with lots of rocks and boulders. The trail
loops around the top of the mountain and crossed over the top then came back
to
that uphill. We got the chance to ride down that sucker and THAT was the
most fun of the whole loop. Very challenging and at one point the rear of my
bike popped up and I "vaulted" the handle bars like a 16 year old. It wasn't
pretty but I lived. At the bottom we crossed the creek and looked forward to
the 2 mile climb out to the car.

No mechanicals and no "leakers". The whole thing was about 13 miles or so
and was roughly intermediate with brief fits of advanced.

The scenery was fantastic and the terrain was great. Lots of rocks; very
little mud; and hard to get lost.

We topped off the day with steaks and Yuengling lager at the Steak and Ale
house in JT.

As I've said before... beats the hell out of work! What a great day.

Marty

Glad you had a good time, and even more glad it wasn't a mud bath for you.
After all summer, it's just finally starting to dry out throughout the state.

If you are looking for more good riding in Pennsylvania, Bedford County in PA
is also wonderful, and near more great riding in Maryland.