Luke Foley
Doug Martland
Genevieve Martland
Tim Peck
Mickey Spades
For Day 2 of our MABDR ride, we left the campground in Jersey Shore, PA and headed out to Huntingdon, PA. From there we rode through a 180-mile section of trail through Lewis Township Forest and Millmont, PA. Along the route there were so many beautiful lookouts down into the surrounding valleys.
Jim and I had our first day on the Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route today (Thursday). It was a huge success.
The last couple weekends Mickey Spades and I have resumed our travels on the Bay Circuit Trail. One Saturday we rode a 40-mile lollipop loop, beginning in Hanson and then looping through Pembroke, Kingston, and Duxbury. The next Saturday we rode “Map 9” through Sherborn and Medfield, which offered 20 miles of almost continuous riding on single and double track—the best riding we’ve found on the BCT yet! Here’s the story of the two rides in eight pictures.
On June 27th, I’m heading to Pennsylvania to ride the Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route on my dual sport. It will be my first long bikepacking trip. I can’t wait.
Spring is here. Mickey Spades has been out on his dual sport riding the Puppy Dog Trail, Luke’s been snapping some awesome rock climbing photos, and I’ve even been out on my mountain bike, training for an upcoming bikepacking trip. If you missed any of these pieces the first time, be sure to check them out now.
The skiing is still awesome, but anybody that’s chatted with Tim or Mickey Spades recently knows that their minds have shifted to mountain bike season. Mickey, whose season has already started, is all abuzz about Borderland this and Bay Circuit that. But all that enthusiasm is mild compared to his jonesing about Little River, which he says I “just have to ride.”
With Spring in the air, it was time to dust off the bike panniers, pack some extra layers, and head out for an adventure on the dual sport. So last weekend, my buddy Jim and I set out to ride the Puppy Dog North Trail. It’s a 95-mile route that heads north from Westerly, Rhode Island for 95 miles to Greenfield, Massachusetts, along with a mix of beautiful country roads and dirt trails. Along the way it passes through some old-school towns, reminding riders of a time when life was simpler.
Climbing season is in full swing in Greater Boston and I’ve been psyched to get out to Quincy Quarries with Luke, Mickey, and the Ski Patrol Guys several times over the last few weeks. Getting back on real rock has been fantastic after a winter in the gym, and Luke’s captured the transition perfectly with the camera. Here's my favorites of his recent climbing pics, along with my description.
I climbed so many outstanding pitches in 2018. With rock season now upon us, I’ve been thinking a lot about routes that I’d like to climb this year. So without further ado, here’s five new-to-me rock routes in the Northeast that are on my “to-do” list for 2019.
If you've never biked Little River in Vermont's Waterbury State Park, you're missing out. With 10+ minutes of continuous downhill on amazing machine-built berms and some sick doubles and drops, Little River is on my short list of places to ride in the Northeast. And because every obstacle is marked and usually has a B line, anyone—even Doug—can have a great day on this rider-friendly trail. It's a great place to spread your wings and learn to fly if you so choose.
In 1909, three expeditions set off to capture the world’s four “poles.” An American team led by Robert Peary left hoping that on this attempt he’d finally be the first person to set foot on the North Pole. Another team meanwhile ventured south, intent on planting the English flag on the South Pole and, via a separate party, the Southern Magnetic Pole. Finally, an Italian expedition headed to the Himalaya, where it planned to reach the Earth’s so-called “Pole of Altitude,” by climbing K2, what was then believed to be the highest mountain in the world. Weaving the stories of these 1909 expeditions together into a cohesive narrative, Edward Larson’s To the Edges of the Earth is a must read for any lover of polar work.
This installment of the Quincy Quarries bouldering project covers the climbs found on O wall.
Get caught up on everything you’ve missed on The Whites Room with our latest Surf Station.
There’s nothing better than making you’re own tracks after a fresh snowfall. But when you live in Greater Boston finding fresh tracks can sometimes seem impossible. I mean, there’s millions of people around here and unless you time things perfectly, somebody usually beats you to the punch. Except, that is, at what feels like my secret stash—Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, Massachusetts, where fresh tracks abound.
There are a lot of things sexier than a new pair of gloves, but few things can make or break a day in the snow than a warm pair of mitts. When the weather gets cold and we head to the mountains, my “go to” gloves for the past ten years had been a pair of XL men’s mittens from the local outdoor outfitter. I’d throw a thin pair of gloves underneath and hope I’d be able shove my fingers far enough in to grip my ski poles. Perhaps they were warm ten years ago, but I can’t recall, for as far as my memory serves my fingers have been cold.
Snow kiting is another of my favorite winter sports. All you need is an open field with no power lines, a little bit of snow (four inches is perfect), and some wind.
My feet are in the wrong spot, my body position sucks, and my balance gets even iffier every time I take a stroke with this too-short paddle. My time on this wave is limited—in a few moments I’ll be off the board, floating in the runout downstream. But for now I’m having a blast. It’s fun to be a noob again.
When I started rock climbing, my gear consisted of a pair purple 5.10 Spires. Eager to climb, but lacking any other equipment, I bouldered. My first “real” problem: a 50 foot traverse from a small but solid stance in a cave on what I later learned was Quincy Quarry’s “N Wall.”
We’ve had a busy week at The Whites Room. Mickey lead off with a dual sport gear list for winter riding in Southern New England.
What do you need to go out in the winter, paddling amongst the Cape Cod ice? Here’s my list.
