Mountain Biking in the Hamptons: with the road racing season still several months away, Team Sixcycle-RK&O has spending a lot of time off road.  The team has hit the trails from New Jersey (Six Mile Run) to the Gunks and even California. And now the team can add another destination to that list: the Hamptons, where Team Sixcycle-RK&O's Michael Nelson has been riding in recent weeks.

Mountain Biking in the Hamptons by Team Sixcycle-RK&O's Michael Nelson

On Saturday, October 26, I made the weekly trek east to our home away from home.  Little did I know that when we first moved to this peaceful wooded wonderland near the eastern most end of Long Island that I would discover miles of beautiful trails through the dense pines of the Northwest Woods.

My first introduction to the trails was aboard a modest Trek cromoly frame, complete with toe clips. This ride started when I ran into some locals who were about to set off - they were riding much more advanced equipment (by a few thousand dollars) but with toe clips nonetheless! I was invited to join and appreciated the guidance. I quickly realized that the trails in this neck of the world are amazing - I felt so lucky to discover this place. I have been off my mountain bike for years and this place reminded me why I fell on love with biking in the first place! There were miles of pristine trails, basically unriden, only a mile from my house.

The following video is taken on a later ride, aboard my trusty MTB from my racing days - still very fast, clippless pedals, and aluminum (yup, from the 90s, but got it done).

Today my wife and I were hiking these very same trails and a mountain biker rode by us wearing a Giant kit. I was excited and thought I spotted adam craig but it ended up being his factory team buddy. My wife thought it was funny that I would stop and introduce myself to a total stranger. I simply explained that mountain bikers are a dying breed and she simply wouldn't understand.

I hope you enjoy a glimpse into this very special place where i find so much peace... even if I lose my way on the trail sometimes....

Mountain Biking in the Hamptons Video

http://vimeo.com/53726522