I met Gary at work the other day for some lunch time bike riding. We have hiked around Belle Island and part of the James River Park before, so I thought it would be a nice ride. I was expecting this:

Little did I know that Gary led me on some other trails. I can't find pictures to post,

but the trail was only 4 or 5 inches wide in some spots, with rocks and roots in the

trail and (and this is the most important part) at 10-15 foot drop off the side of the

trail. I was just looking for a picture when I came across the following warnings online:

Route Details

This trail runs through the heart of Richmond. Well maintained,

but definitely difficult.

Do not ride the trails when they are wet or when the signs say

they are closed!

Tagged with: Recreational, MTB, Steep, Difficult, Offroad, Rough,

Urban, Scenic

	Richmond's James River Park and Forest Hill Park are reputed to have some of the best urban mountain biking trail systems in the country. Steep ravines, tight turns, and technical challengs of all types are what make the country's top mountain biking fanatics call the Richmond trails a rollercoaster of a ride. Yeah, that's right... even MTB fanatics think it's crazy!
		So I thought I was going to be riding on this:
		There are a mix of very easy and extremely difficult trails revealing beautiful river vistas and important historic sites. The 1-mile loop around the perimeter of the island is an easy trail with no major inclines and is covered in mostly fine gravel. This is a fun leisurely ride when you wish to get out of the rush of downtown business and back to nature. It takes you beside river rapids and then back around by an old hydroelectric plant and an infamous Civil War POW camp. But instead got this: Warning: Informal trails on the top and sides of the island can be dangerous. They are considered to be extremely challenging for mountain bikers. I wanted to take pictures, but I feared for my life and didn't dare stop to get the camera out!