September 2, 2013
PA Trails – Chester Valley Trail – Part 2
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| East view along Matthews Rd |
I was struck by a massive case of wanderlust after a long day of work Friday, and found myself exploring a still-under-construction segment of the Chester Valley Trail in Malvern, PA. This has quickly become one of my favorite trails, due to its proximity to my office and its ability to spare me the worst of the Friday night traffic towards the Poconos.
I started at my usual location of the Battle of the Clouds Park and headed east towards Target. Instead of turning around this time, I continued along Matthews Road. A wide swath of new pavement parallels this road, although segments are still missing. This resulted in some curb hopping between the trail and the road, being mindful about vehicular traffic while doing so.
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| Fragmentation viewed from same spot looking west |
As it rounded a bend, I rode amongst a family of deer, who were no doubt curious about my three-wheel contraption. The trail wound down to a bridge near Cedar Hollow Road, and this was as far as I went, even though I suspected the trail went further if you walked up the gravelly hill. I later confirmed on Google Maps that the trail does continue east, stretching from Cedar Hollow Road to Swedesford Road. This will no doubt fuel another after-work excursion in the near future.
If you ride between Target and Cedar Hollow Road, you need to be aware of the fragmented nature of the trail, although it should be completed in the near future. It is generally a downhill ride as you head east, giving you a substantial climb returning west. I did not measure it, but I believe it to be about 3 degrees, and I was able to climb it without stopping. For reference, it is slightly less steep than the hill at the far end of the Target parking lot, which is the steepest I have found on the trail so far.
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| Scenic . . . but watch for deer crossing the trail! |
When I added these miles into my usual ride, it brought the round-trip to 12.84 miles. With the waning amount of daylight, this was as far as I could have gone anyway in the time I had available. I will continue to recommend this trail as the best place to Trikke in this part of the state.
Map of last Friday’s ride: http://www.mapmyfitness.com/workout/370221675
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| Under construction near Cedar Hollow Rd |
For more information about the Chester Valley Trail and the larger network of current and future Southeastern Pennsylvania trails, you can visit http://www.chestervalleytrail.org/and http://connectthecircuit.org/.
Related Articles:
LSM Ride – Taking Off in Warminster Community Park
Lehigh Valley Ride: Cedar Creek Path
Lehigh Valley Ride: Rodale Fitness Park
About Author
jamie
Jamie is 47-years young and enjoys exploring Pennsylvania's myriad rail-trails on her Trikkes. When she's not riding, she enjoys reading, writing, caring for her cats, and obsessing about Game of Thrones.
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Hi,
I purchased a trikke but have difficulty riding it. I don’t live too far from you. I line near Marcus Hook, PA.
Do you mind showing me how to ride it. I don’t think I am doing anything wrong. I think it might be mechanic. Took it to a bike shop but that didn’t help.
Carving is very difficult.
Hi Sherrie,
Congrats on your new Trikke, but sorry to hear you’re having difficulties with it. Bike shops unfortunately don’t know a lot about them, so they are rarely able to help. The first thing to check is your tire pressures. They should be set to 90 to 100 psi. I know that sounds high, but that’s what it takes to reduce the rolling resistance to allow easy carving. You’ll want to check them every day you ride because it’s normal for them to gradually lose pressure. The next thing to check is to ensure it’s assembled correctly, particularly the front wheel. The larger portion of the wheel should be behind the fork, but many people put them on backwards because they expect it to look more like a bicycle setup. Also, you’ll want to set the handlebar height level with your belt line, and make sure you arms have a good reach to them without being overextended or overly crunched up. You should have a very natural, upright, and relaxed stance when riding.
I live about 2 hours north of Marcus Hook, but I used to ride the Chester Valley Trail regularly when I worked in Media. With my current schedule, it is unlikely I would be able to get down there again until next spring. A good friend of mine and her husband are avid Trikkers who ride the Chester Valley Trail and others in the area regularly. If you would like, I could put you in touch with them to see if they can help?
Jamie