Review Date
May 8, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 4 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: ovbc ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
I recently got to ride with some of the guys who built this trail. The Putnam boys deserve credit for hard work and a well thought out set of trails, they created a very nice base trail system that can be expanded for years. Signage is in it's infancy (like all new trail systems) but there are blazes if you can look up quick enough to see one as you head down a killer set of switchbacks or along the contour of a nice bench cut strewn with landscaping size sandstones.

The planned route and the one I rode was the future race course (WVMBA 08)or some variation of it. The length around 12+/- miles. The trail begins (I suppose the race also)on pavement then up a gravel road a short distance.. .. enough to spread a race bunch. Then entering left into singletrack, an uphill section of tight trail that keeps gaining as it contours, making various tight switchbacks until reaching a double track dirt road climb of several hundred feet of tough uphill with a fairly good dirt and stone surface. Once on top the trail turns double track and follows a gasline ROW for a distance then heads downhill quickly into a tricky little washed out road similiar to the one you just climbed. The rocks are larger and loose in the trail and the drainage forces you to weave your way back and forth across the drainage ruts. Pay attention. You might laugh a little bit at first and then suddenly find youself overskidding or slightly out of control for a second or two. Down a double track road for another distance then back into the woods for some more hand crafted singletrack. Very nice the main sections all countour, bench and then drop (or rise depending on direction), ditto and ditto with good flow. You can ride this fast if you are so technically inclined and it flows well enough to keep your heart rate from getting into the red. Actually my impression is that most all the trail I rode flowed really well. XC style technical bu also newly groomed and packing down. There are sections of tight squeezes and pedal reversals as you pass by encroaching rock outcroppings. Armouring is prevalent everywhere.. attention to detail, and several large log crossings keep things interesting. The greatest portion is singletrack and it's great. You end the ride approaching a larger than life sized Paul Bunyon and a whitewashed blue jean colored bull with a broken right horn. Good Ride!

Recommended Route:
Check out the TT blog and ask for a map or just follow arrows. Pay attention to your rights and lefts and it's all good and you won't get lost as long as you don't go far out of your way on a gasline ROW. Like I said if you pay attention you'll see where markers have been put up to help you along. This is a pretty new system so I'm sure marking is being masterminded.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
Within 50-60 miles

B'Ville Park
Bob Evans Farm
Kanawha State Forest
Kanawha Trace

Review Date
June 3, 2007

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 3 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 3 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a month

Reviewed by: NVA182 ,  Weekend Warrior

Summary:
Trail can be intense but within reason. The trail head is hard to find and I only know where it is because the guy who builds the trails showed me. It's 100% under trees so it's a nice reprieve from the summer sun.

Recommended Route:
There are different sections of the trail with varying difficulty. All are decently fun. Overall its pretty straight forward. You can easily finish in about an hour but if you have the intension of a leisurely pace you can make it last two hours.

Other recommended trails in the same area:
I don't know any other trails in this area.

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