NJ Mountain Bike

Calling all cyclists for a worthy cause.

Care Plus Ride for Wellness brings together all levels of cyclists for a fun day of bike riding, celebration and fund raising in support of those suffering from mental illnesses and to help them build a better life for themselves and their families.

Whatever your skill level and interest, we invite you to enjoying a beautiful autumn day in the scenic hills in support of a very worthy cause.  Join us on October 19th to ride for your own health and to help others on their road to wellness.

Fun for all ages

It’s a day of fun for all ages, no one is left behind!  There are 3 different routes to choose from ~ 50 miles, 25 miles and our 10 mile Family Fun ride.

For the smaller set, we have a “Training Wheels & Trikes” Ride, face painting, pumpkin decorating and kids’ activities a plenty.

Not a cyclist?  No worries!  Join us for an afternoon of music and good food at the picnic.

Catch the Team Spirit

It’s always more fun as a group.  Organize your friends, scouting troops or youth group to join you for a fun day of riding and raising money for those in need within your community!

Where and When:

October 19, 2008

Darlington Park

600 Darlington Avenue, Mahwah, NJ

For More Information:

Please read the event brochure.

Call the Care Plus Foundation 201-986-5070 or visit us on the web @ www.CarePlusFoundation.org

My half day spent at Hartshorne was unexpected. What started out as a poorly planned day at Holmdel Park turned into a wonderful experience at Hartshorne that left me craving more. I convinced my riding partner Doug (against his better judgment mind you) that we should go check out Holmdel Park. Well it turns out that the park has nothing to offer an eager mountain biker. To make matters worse we got to the park at bit early and had to wait for the park to open to find this out. Oh well, you live and you learn.

After chatting briefly with a park ranger he suggested we take a short drive over to Hartshorne. Determined to make a day out of it we headed right over. Our mountain biking fortunes changed quickly because Hartshorne is a mountain biking utopia.

The park is located in Middletown along the banks of the Navesink River. The park is home to a 17-mile trail system within its glorious 786 acres which also includes 3 miles of paved paths and incredible views. The views of the Navesink and Shewsberry Rivers are fantastic.

The trails are a mix of dirt, sand, small to medium rocks, roots and pavement with something to offer every skill set. I found the trails challenging as well as rewarding with beautiful views offered. I really only scratched the surface of the trails and need a few more days in the park to really get to know it better.

I can easily see Hartshorne Park being a frequent destination.

Overall: 9 of 10

Aerobic: 8 of 10

Technical: 9 of 10

Best wishes,

Howie

I had no ideas about what to expect from Shark River Park when I set out early on Labor Day. I left a little later than usual (around 6:00) to get to the park about 6:45 only to find all entrances locked for an 8:00am opening. This was a first for me but a lesson learned. In the future, I will always check for park opening times. Fortunately, the Ranger opened the park a bit early and I was able to get the early start I like.

The park is beautiful, which is how I have described all of the parks in Monmouth County I have already visited. The Park is slightly over 93 acres along Shark River in Neptune and Wall Townships with over 8 miles of trails. The Park is immaculate. There is a stocked lake, a really nice playground with shuffleboard and horseshoes, a picnic area that has plenty of grills for a family outing.

Most of the main trails offer little challenge but the switchbacks are full of fun. The main trails are wide and rolling hard packed sand, dirt, and grass. There are a few patches of fine same but the trails were in great shape with one exception. I would recommend skipping The River’s Edge Trail which is better suited as a hiking trail. I wound up off my bike most of the trail climbing up stairs besides the fact it is extremely narrow and overgrown.

I definitely had a great time at Shark River and will make another trip back soon. Next time I want to explore all of the smaller unmarked trails which were so much fun.

Overall: 6 of 10

Aerobic: 6 of 10

Technical: 5 of 10

Best wishes,

Howie