Rocksylvania, USA
Troegs Independent Brewing
Pennsylvania mountain bikers, along with hikers, backpackers, trail runners, etc, have more recently been promoting their homeland as Rocksylvania. It’s a pride thing, a badge of sort not so much worn on their sleeves or chests but more so somewhere in their being. It has to do entirely with the rocky landscape, a place where outsiders arrive and typically lament how difficult it is to move on down the trail. I grew up not far from the infamous trails of Michaux State Forest and it is still, after all these years and trails ridden far and ride, my favorite place for challenging, rock-filled, technical, raw, beautiful, out-there-kind-of-riding.
If old-school, ungroomed/not perfectly bermed out/non-flow trails are what you’re looking for, go to Michaux, or go to the central part of PA and ride the trails used in the Trans-Sylvania Epic. Over by Philadelphia, Wissahickon Park offers a taste of the rocks. Note: rides are measured in hours, not miles, as in: how long do you want to ride?
Troegs Independent Brewing in Hershey is one of my favorite PA breweries. They support groups and organizations working to protect natural wonders and getting people out there to experience those wonders. Two brothers have for 25 years kept true to their craft and as a result, they’ve grown their brewery into a top-notch, state-of-the-art place for creating and enjoying independently brewed beer.
Troegs is always experimenting and concocting new beers. Batch #463 S.A.M.B.A. IPA was brewed for the Susquehanna Area Mountain Bike Association. It’s the second time that Troegs brewed a beer for SAMBA, with all the proceeds going to building trails in central Pennsylvania. It tasted great, especially knowing that my purchase went to SAMBA.
There’s also Trail Day, a dry-hopped pilsner. They brewed it to help protect Kittatinny Ridge, “a 185-mile Appalachian superhighway that provides clean water, rich forests and safe passage for migratory wildlife.” Brew beer, sell/buy beer, drink beer, send money to good people doing good work.
Looking forward to getting back to Rocksylvania over the holidays for some winter riding in Michaux. The silence. The stinging face and lungs. The cold feet. The pale light. The sound of water flowing over rocks.
