Mountain Biking in Jim Thorpe | Switchback Trail Guide

An attempt to ride a bike like the old coal carts.

[@dinovizzoca3021]

I loved watching the video. I'm turning 75 in a couple of weeks and used to ride the trails with a mtb club from NJ but also many solo rides since we owned a house at Arrowhead Lakes just north of Blakeslee. I remember the Blue Mountain Sports bike shop in JT where my wife and two sons would walk through and crave the Cannondale bikes they offered for sale or rent. I ended up buying Cannondale' mtn bikes: Jekyll and Scalpel as they were built in Pa. and were really suitable for the JT technical trails with rock gardens and switch backs. I still ride a Scalpel through the NJ pine lands. I used to ride the Deer Path Trail 1 and 2 and of course the American Standard which was an epic well known trail back in the day. I loved seeing bear and even a Rattle snake on some rides which added to the challenge of navigating the trails .I really enjoyed watching your video of the awesome rides Jim Thorpe gave me, It really brought back great memories.

[@offthemaps]

Hi Dino - thanks for your comment - it's things like this that make me happy to not just do rides like this, but to also make the videos. I'm very glad it helped you to reminisce about riding in Jim Thorpe. I actually worked at Blue Mountain Sports as a kid and it's how I got into mountain biking in the first place. I was a little too young to see mountain bike weekend and the days where JT was very popular for mountain biking. Anyway, wishing you the best and hope you are still riding at 75 🤟🤟🤟

[@dinovizzoca3021]

We love to visit Jim Thorpe and walk around the shops. Our boys liked to walk around the Four Seasons Sporting goods store and check out the fishing tackle, That was a great store, it had everything. We camped at Mauch Chunk lake and started the ride across the street heading up to the summit. Even my wife did that ride with me and our boys but walking that narrow trail ledge holding on to our bikes was tough for me as I'm afraid of heights. Great memories. @@offthemaps

[@robertr2952]

What a awesome video this is...brings back memories when I use to ride JimThorpe. I now live in Western North Carolina where the riding is sick. You need to get out this way and ride some of our trails someday. Thanks for a great video and taking me along for the ride.

[@offthemaps]

Very glad to hear you enjoyed it! Yup I would love to get down there some day. I'd also like Jim Thorpe to up its game and do better trail development 😊

[@Vicky-m2k4k]

OK ... now here's a thought. Is there any way that you could re-do this amazing ride and intersperse footage of the Mauch Chunk railway ... so that we really get to see where you are at any particular point. I am writing from England, potty about old wooden roller coasters and their history and I feel that this Mauch Chunk railway has not got the exposure on You Tube that it deserves. It is, arguably, America's first roller coaster and by extension, the inspiration for the world's roller coasters. I think your film is wonderful ... wish I wasn't so far away and I'd do the whole walk ... but I think it would be even better if you were to intercut footage and images of the railway so the geography is clearer for people who aren't in America, let alone Pennsylvania. It is internationally important, this place ... and so so sad to see the trail so neglected, particularly that first lift. Thanks very much ... great film and ride.

[@offthemaps]

Hello Vikky. Thanks very much for your comment. I agree very much that is a shame that this trail is in such a sorry state. In my opinion it really is a treasure of the local community and also important on at the very least a national scale. Next time I am hope I will consider making a less bike, more history video of the trail.

[@banaverhel]

Great video and nice commentary about the trail’s history! Which bike are you riding on, if I may ask? Cheers.

[@offthemaps]

Thanks very much! And of course you may ask! This is a 2015 Specialized Stumpjumper with lots of custom parts. It is a solid aluminum hardtail without modern trail geometry. It's my USA bike and I miss it!

[@karlaustin9324]

I have just recently watched your video, very good! I am a real fan of the trail, and would like to share numerous photos of the trail from about 20 years ago, much is less overgrown. I do not know the best way to get them to you, I am in my mid 80s, and live in Maine.

[@offthemaps]

That would be very cool to see. You could email them to me. My email is [e-mail]