Western: Robinette's

[trout_smith]

The trail begins heading East along the edge of the Cherry trees, then heads North along the East Beltline. Follow the trail around the school and then the singletrack proper begins. Take care here to mind your pedals. The trail is a 6? deep rut and it?s easy to catch a pedal or let your tire ride up the side of it.

In this first 2-mile section, you?ll quickly see now what this trail is all about. Keep your climbing gear handy! With a lack of visibility due to the lush undergrowth here, the short steep climbs will surprise you. Very near the beginning of the singletrack, you?ll come to the top of a small climb and it will look like you can go left or right. Go right to find the older section that was re-opened last year. And ? surprise, surprise ? get ready to climb. There is a lot of trail packed into a small area here, and they?ve done it by winding the trail back on itself with plenty of switchbacks and tight turns. This isn?t a fast, open trail ala Cannonsburg State Game Area or Luton Park. This is a more claustrophobic experience. Some trails may lull you to sleep, but not here. You?ll be on your toes trying to see ahead of the next turn. There are some good climbs in this section. They?re not lung-busters, but you may need to stand up to grind up some of the steeper ones. Due to the ?rough? nature of the trail, always be on the lookout for downed trees and limbs. The folks at the orchard are pretty good about keeping the big stuff off the trail if people let them know about it.

After this first gallop through the woods, you?ll get a little breather when you?re spit out into the orchard again. Follow the trail the best you can here. You?ll be travelling perpendicular to the rows of trees, through the heart of the orchard and heading South, until you see the small blue arrow signs. From here it?s easier to follow. The trail takes you almost back to where you started. You might be tempted to head back to your car. Don?t do it! Take a right at the two-track and enjoy the screaming downhill into the second forested section.

More tight, twisty trail and some bigger climbs (and descents) wait for you here. About halfway through this section, you?ll encounter a terribly rutted washed-out descent. Only the bravest souls will try to ride this out. If you go for it, stay right to avoid the wheel-deep washout, then stay high on the berms left and right all the way to the bottom. If you?re anything less than an expert technical rider, you?ll probably walk your bike down here. After this, there are some longer climbs. What they lack in distance, they make up for in pitch. As it should be, the last climb is the biggest. When you come out at the top, you?ll be riding behind a row of houses and from here, it?s an easy spin back out near the road, along the cornfield and back to your car. A second lap, anyone?

If you like technical trail, and want to improve your shifting and bike handling skills, Robinette?s is perfect. If you don?t like feeling like you?re in a Central American jungle and like your singletrack smooth and fast, this is not the trail for you. It?s probably not a good place to bring beginner riders either. It?s the ?littlest toughest? trail around.

[Guppie]

What's the status on this trail? Anybody ride it lately?

[Bigtymer]

It's in good condition except for one really washed out descent.

[kevin g]

As of this afternoon, there were several trees down. Nothing too bad though, except that descent.

[shoe]

Trail day today was a total success. Thanks to several MMBA members and several Gazelle trail runners who all took initiative and tools and took off on their own to work in several different directions, and nobody bailed when it started raining.
-The downhill that scares everybody now has an optional ride-around trail section.
-Several of the deeper ruts have been filled. That ground will be a bit soft until it gets run in but the ruts are gone.
-Every bit of the trail has been raked or leaf-blown
-1/2 dozen new arrows are up and some ribbon also.
-The trail is clear of all downfall and has been trimmed back where needed.
-It' s been mowed where-ever you can get with a mower, thanks to Robinettes for the mowing.
-It's all good and it's open thru-out hunting season and the winter.

[kms662]

Got a couple loops in after the trail work this morning. Trail is in great shape! Pay the $3 and get out and ride it!

[G.R.XC-MTNBKR]

At least 4 trees down that cant be jumped and couple more u can just squeeze under. Tons of deep piles of leaves and tons of debris on the trail. But other then that its just fine.

[the Putti]

Has anyone been to Robinette's lately? I'll be monving in August and be very close and wonder if it's worth riding.

[shoe]

It depends on what you like to ride. It's full of short, steep climbs with no run at them and some technical downhills, not an amateur trail. We did a bunch of work on it last year, arrowing it and filling in ruts and a re-route. It is not as treacherous as it was before the work, much to my chagrin, but it is an excellent workout.

[RickPlite]

It depends on what you like to ride. It's full of short, steep climbs with no run at them and some technical downhills, not an amateur trail. We did a bunch of work on it last year, arrowing it and filling in ruts and a re-route. It is not as treacherous as it was before the work, much to my chagrin, but it is an excellent workout.

Shoe, has it been trimmed this year?

[Kampfire]

I went out there about a month ago. Very overgrown and many trees down. Feels like an accomplishment getting through the trail.

[kevin g]

I have been riding it pretty much weekly all season. When I went last week it looked like it had been somewhat recently trimmed in areas where they could get a tractor and the there weren't many trees down. The big rutted downhill is getting a little rutted again, but nothing like it was later in the season last year. I think the reroute is actually more treacherous than the rut. The main reason I ride it is becasue it is close to my office, but it is lots of fun. Definately worth riding if you are close.

[shoe]

Rick and Kampfire- I'll make a point of getting out there and cleaning it up as far as downed trees. It's mowed wherever Robinettes can get a tractor, so it's in pretty good shape that way at the moment.
Kevin G.- Feel free to use the original downhill and blow off the re-route if you want to. I haven't been on a bicycle since Iceman 2009 due to a knee injury but I intend to ride the original downhill when I get back at it. The re-route was put in for a foot race sponsored by Gazelle- they didn't want people spraining ankles on the downhill.

[the Putti]

I tried to ride here last Monday (July 25th) and it was closed?? I ended up have a great ride at Cannonsberg SGA, but I am confused why Robinette's was closed.

[shoe]

What gave you the impression that it was closed?