2019 Vsalon Nomads ride

[Too Tall]

Eh? 23 hours from me.....hopefully this goes well and there’s a second version a little more south or west.

Nathan, we are always up for something interesting. That said, Michaux is so freaking great that I'm pretty sure this is going to become a "thing".

Update: MEAT!!! Last year we were riding along minding our business when we spotted a shady looking Butcher Shop spelled "Bucher". This is a fantastic local place to get protein for cooking over the campfire (hint). *Note the gent behind the counter says they are only open a few days / week however if you call ahead he will abide

Bucher Meats 391 Tillie Town Rd, Biglerville, PA 17307
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 6PM Phone: (717) 334-3575

When we get closer to the date we'll coordinate a cookout after the big ride. Somebody hold my beer...

[Will Neide]

I'm so out of the interwebs loop, and I can't believe I missed this. This thing is tucked deep in nomad land! Off to check my schedule for that weekend.

Josh, do you have a gps file for this loop? I'm familiar with most of that area, so I'm curious on bike/tire choice. Might have to go singlespeed.

[Too Tall]

I'm so out of the interwebs loop, and I can't believe I missed this. This thing is tucked deep in nomad land! Off to check my schedule for that weekend.

Josh, do you have a gps file for this loop? I'm familiar with most of that area, so I'm curious on bike/tire choice. Might have to go singlespeed.

We would love to have you there brother. There will be a GPS file avail. just prior to the ride. If you have raced or ridden Micahaux than you know the terrain. Count on 100+ elevation gain per mile and very rideable dirt/gravel. I've been using Compass Bon Jon with good luck. I do not recommend anything less than 32 with a 35 being in the good range helps?

If you are pulling a trailer or have a camper of some sort go ahead and reserve a site now, that place will fill up. Otherwise if you are in a tent talk to folks here who have reservations and bribe them with beer. The campground allows more than one tent per site.

We plan to pre-ride the entire route.

[PaMtbRider]

I rode about 50 miles of the route over the weekend on Michelin Jets. These are advertised at 700x30c but measure out at 33c on my HED Belgium rims. This is the minimum tire I would recommend. Except for a couple of short sections you can drive a 2wd car on any part of the route. There isn't any hike a bike sections, everything is very rideable.

My wife and I will be at Michaux early Friday morning doing some prep work. Tentative plans are to leave her Subaru Outback parked at Camp Penn. There is water available there and we will stock the car with supplies, bananas, granola, fig bars, peanut butter and jelly... Let me know if there is anything in particular you would like. I'll also make sure there are a couple of tubes and a floor pump in the car as well. We will pass Camp Penn at mile 33 and mile 47.

We will pass a Rite Aid pharmacy at mile 60. They have a small grocery section and everyone will be on their own to resupply whatever they need.

At mile 74, and again at mile 87, we will pass the the Appalachian Trail Big Flat parking lot. Bring a 1 gallon zip lock baggy with whatever you might want in it for late in the ride. I will collect everyone's baggy Friday evening and park my van at the big flat parking lot. I will have a 5 gallon water jug in the van but no cooler, so please don't pack a tuna fish sandwich.

The goal is to have everyone ride together as a group. As Too Tall said no one rides alone. This is a big mileage day with lots of climbing. With all that being said we will have some slightly shorter options. The course is laid out to allow cutting a few corners at select places and waiting for the group at the next intersection. My wife will be riding with us and that is her current plan. It will still end up being a 75 to 80 mile ride. Our best guesstimate is this will be a 10 hour day. Leave as a group sometime around 7 am and hope to be back at the campground at 5pm.

All the above is tentative and not set in stone. We will provide a gps file in the next couple of weeks. We will also have a short ride Friday to check things out, and a casual ride for Sunday.

[JoB]

Nathan, we are always up for something interesting. That said, Michaux is so freaking great that I'm pretty sure this is going to become a "thing".

Update: MEAT!!! Last year we were riding along minding our business when we spotted a shady looking Butcher Shop spelled "Bucher". This is a fantastic local place to get protein for cooking over the campfire (hint). *Note the gent behind the counter says they are only open a few days / week however if you call ahead he will abide

Bucher Meats 391 Tillie Town Rd, Biglerville, PA 17307
Hours: Open ⋅ Closes 6PM Phone: (717) 334-3575

When we get closer to the date we'll coordinate a cookout after the big ride. Somebody hold my beer...

Bucher butchers on Mon/Tue so if you want a special cut (say, a pork shoulder), call ahead early in the week and they'll put it aside.

[Too Tall]

Bucher butchers on Mon/Tue so if you want a special cut (say, a pork shoulder), call ahead early in the week and they'll put it aside.

We'll work something out. I'd love to do something over a woodfire. That said, I'm getting better with my portable pizza oven so that's a possibility.
Once we are a week out I'll ask for a show of hands to volunteer some chow to share.

[glepore]

Guys-I'll be there but not likely riding as getting my new homestead situated has killed my mileage for the year and no way could I do something epic. However, I will be bringing the slate, along with a weber grill/smoker, and hickory. I can smoke anything your heart desires or grill some prime steaks or...given that I'll be around the campsite much longer. I can probable sag or convince my s.o. to sag as well if we have a gps file. If she sags, I'll just bail when she comes by. Whatcha think?

[Too Tall]

Guys-I'll be there but not likely riding as getting my new homestead situated has killed my mileage for the year and no way could I do something epic. However, I will be bringing the slate, along with a weber grill/smoker, and hickory. I can smoke anything your heart desires or grill some prime steaks or...given that I'll be around the campsite much longer. I can probable sag or convince my s.o. to sag as well if we have a gps file. If she sags, I'll just bail when she comes by. Whatcha think?

Let's give Dan a chance to read this. You have to be there because there is only one first time. Ride and reverse, chill at camp?

[Will Neide]

Funny thing about Michaux dirt roads is that you really don't need much tread, but the extra volume is insurance for the random rocks embedded in the road. Be ready for the emergency bunny hop when descending. :)

[PaMtbRider]

Guys-I'll be there but not likely riding as getting my new homestead situated has killed my mileage for the year and no way could I do something epic. However, I will be bringing the slate, along with a weber grill/smoker, and hickory. I can smoke anything your heart desires or grill some prime steaks or...given that I'll be around the campsite much longer. I can probable sag or convince my s.o. to sag as well if we have a gps file. If she sags, I'll just bail when she comes by. Whatcha think?

If you can only ride part of the route with the group, having your s.o. meet us at Camp Penn (mile 33 or 47) might work best. There are lots of ways to make shorter loops at Michaux but that would mean sending you on your own at some point. Most of these roads are not marked and we don't want anyone alone or lost.
We will figure something out. Plan on doing some riding, even if it is a shortened version.

[glepore]

You bet Dan, thanks. And I'll still cook.

[Will Neide]

In.

Site 007. Had to be next to the bath house just in case I bring the whole family. Checking in Friday and leaving after Sunday festivities/rides.

[PaMtbRider]

It looks like we will have around 8-10 people riding on Saturday. I know a couple people are questioning their fitness for a 100 mile ride. A 75 mile option will also be available. You will end up cutting a few miles out of the ride at a couple places mid ride. This will let you slow down for a few miles and take an extra break while the rest of the group catches back up to you. Most of the mileage will be eliminated by skipping two climbs near the end of the ride. This is currently my wife's plan for the day.

For those with local road knowledge, Birch Run rd. is currently closed for repairs. This will change the original planned route if we can't ride around / through the construction. Last time I rode Birch Run they were working on gutter repair and it wasn't an issue. No problem if we need to reroute, you will still have 75 and 100 mile options. I hope to pre-ride the entire route Memorial Day weekend. A GPS file will be provided for both options after Memorial Day.

[Too Tall]

Hey Will great news man. Bring the fam. there is lots to do and see while we are slaughtering tires.

[Will Neide]

For those with local road knowledge, Birch Run rd. is currently closed for repairs. This will change the original planned route if we can't ride around / through the construction. Last time I rode Birch Run they were working on gutter repair and it wasn't an issue. No problem if we need to reroute, you will still have 75 and 100 mile options. I hope to pre-ride the entire route Memorial Day weekend. A GPS file will be provided for both options after Memorial Day.

I don't know about the others, but I'd be OK with a little hike-a-bike diversion through/around the construction zone. Birch Run is a nice road. A nice gentle climb to the Big Flat.

[PaMtbRider]

I don't know about the others, but I'd be OK with a little hike-a-bike diversion through/around the construction zone. Birch Run is a nice road. A nice gentle climb to the Big Flat.

Will, That is probably what we will do. After Josh and I do a little more route scouting we will decide what is best. Glad you are going to join us.

[PaMtbRider]

I spent the Memorial day weekend scouting and finalizing the route. After crawling over fallen trees blocking the road from a tornado, checking out closed roads due to bridge replacement, and just plain trying to find the best roads possible I think we have a final version. The routes can be checked out here.

V-Salon Nomads ride

We will be doing one last pre-ride next weekend, so if anything changes we will update the files and post it here.

Friday will be a very slow paced 14 mile ride to stretch everyone's legs.

Saturday there are two options, long and very long, 76 and 101 miles. We will probably shoot for a 7:00 am ride start.

Both rides will pass Old Forge picnic grounds twice, 33 and 47 for the 101 mile loop, and 30 and 41 miles for the 76 mile loop. I will have a car parked there with some supplies. Nothing fancy, but figure on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fig newtons, bananas, pickles, snack crackers... If there is anything in particular you would like to have let me know now. There is water available at the park. I will make sure to have a floor pump and some extra tubes in case we have some flats.

Mile 61 is a Rite Aid drug store with a small grocery section.

At mile 74 and 87 we will pass an Appalachian trail parking lot. I will have my van parked there. Anything you would like to have in the van you can give me Friday evening. I will have a 5 gallon jug of ice water in the van. This will be at mile 68 for the shorter ride.

If anybody has any energy left on Sunday we will do an easy road ride to King's Gap state park. If you had your fill of riding on Saturday there is some nice hiking in the area, and a small lake with a beach and swimming area within walking distance from the campground.

[Too Tall]

This is so on.

Thanks Dan. You have done a huge amount of work to make this happen.

[AngryScientist]

excellent!

can i rest assured that there will be a minimum of soul crushing, peanut butter mud on route, pretty please?

also, if you need some help stocking the car/shuttling vehicles around friday afternoon, i'll be up there with the Jeep to lend a hand.

[PaMtbRider]

If it rained all day Friday it still wouldn't be muddy, at least not Farmer's Daughter muddy. Most of the roads have a pretty solid stone surface. I will need somebody to shuttle me back from dropping off my van Friday evening, but that is only 8 miles from the campground. As Will mentioned earlier, you really don't need much tread, just some volume for the occasional pothole or loose rock you fail to miss.