So I've heard about this park - my team did most of their group riding at Terry Hershey Park, but I had never gone before. So Easter weekend P and I took his new bike out there to give it a try. And it was really a pretty neat park.
We started at the Dairy Ashford lot and headed East, and I wasn't so sure in the beginning. There are tons of little tiny hills, like 50 feet long, but they are freaking crazy steep. So I'd go at them thinking no way I need to shift, just power through, they are soooo short. Then I'd be walking. It completely changed the way I shift, let me to shift preemptively and faster. It was really good practice. But it also felt dangerous - there were lots of blind curves and tight turns and those little evil hills. So while it was great practice, it wasn't a good representation of riding on the road for hours at a time.
When we headed back west, though, the terrain was much better in terms of a more road like experience.
It is completely closed to traffic, and thus an excellent option, especially if I need to ride alone or just me and P.
I did have a flat and end up having to walk my bike back to a lot while P rode to our car to come fetch me. Glad I wasn't alone.
Oh, and also, we rode there on Easter Sunday in the morning and it was icky weather, gentle rain. I was STUNNED at how many people were out and about. I worry that it is potentially uber crowded during a normal weekend, based on that.
All in all, great resource, will definitely be back!
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