Riding on the Vineyard?

[alwaysmtbiking]

Hi,

I'm thinking of bring my mt bike to the Vineyard.

Are there any legal off road trails worth riding?

Is it worth bring my biking or renting one?

Thanks,

Brian

[Phresh]

Check out the link below for the only off-road mountain biking on the Island. That's if you count fire roads as off road. It's totally flat but a nice pedal. There is the odd piece of singletrack but nothing major. It's a pretty mellow ride
As for bringing your own bike, I'd say if you can simply throw it on your car then go for it, but if you have to lug it over 'by foot' you might be better off renting. Suspension is not necessary. Enjoy.

http://www.state.ma.us/dem/parks/corr.htm

[Chris Trapeni]

We have hooked up with a good bike shop ride last summer while on the island. The ride met at the Town Hall in Tisbury near the Alley's store. Talk to the guys at the bike shop in Egdartown to see when they ride. The ride did go through the Cornelius forest, but didn't go on too many of the fireroads. There was a lot of singletrack there and the other places that we went. I would recommend even wearing tights as the singletrack is very tight and full of thorny bushes. It was a great ride and very fun slow speed twisty singletrack.

[Slider]

I did the ride that meets at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury on Labor Day weekend, and once seven years before that. The guys who run it, Ashley and Dave, are cool, and they know the Vineyard like the back of their hands. The terrain is pretty non-technical, but they'll do 20 or more miles if you are up for it, so it is a good mid-vacation workout.

Since the ride has been ongoing for 15 years and is run by locals, the leaders have permission to use trails that are posted "No Trespassing." They know everyone, and have a great releastionship with the Land Bank folks, who actually helped them finish a trail near the airport.

Think of the ride as the best sightseeing opportunity on the Island. Ask for the inside dirt on the family formerly known as the Taylors, and, depending on where your particular ride goes, you may get a great view of Carly's house. We got an earful from a neighbor complaining about wetlands violoations by the guy who wrote Arthur the Aardvark. Apparently, some think he's raping the land and buying himself out of trouble.

Here's Dave Whitmon's email address so you can let him know you'll show up: whitmon@vinyard.net

I hope you get better weather than we did!

[NEMBA_bkr-dude]

I did a ride with them last summer. Lot's of fun. Definitely check it out. Slider by any chance did these taylor's live in a place called seven gates?

[Slider]

I never heard the name Seven Gates mentioned, but it is possible. James Taylor apparently donated some land to the land bank around the time he was divorcing Carly Simon, and that parcel is what we rode, right alongside the home she got from the divorce.

[Chris_T]

Dave and Ashley are indeed cool, their ride was a lot of fun.

More details here:

http://personal.vineyard.net/ashhunt/vorba.htm

-Chris
silver Fisher with deady bears