... this is the real 'River Hill' (not the 4WD/Quad trail to the west) - drops directly down from below the 'Casparis Quarry' - personally spent a full day, alone (other than two dogs) "re-opening" this old trail a few years back - was overgrown as hell - is a very cool steep and technical downhill - follows an old 'mule trail' from the quarry days - I added some rock 'cairns' to identify drop turns at the time - was pretty overgrown and probably is again, been a few years - the above map route is approximate - just go directly south from the mine and you'll find the old trail - would love to try it with disc brakes - would definitely fry old 'cantilever' brake pad components - definitely not for everybody - nice loop... ride up 'Casparis Road' (good hill climb) to the mine - drop down 'River Hill' - and take the railroad back west out of the gorge to wherever ya' began - can't be more than six miles round trip ...
(04/20: Someone checked it out - told me that it is pretty overgrown again with a few fallen trees and many fallen tree limbs - needs a bit of work from the get-go - as mentioned, been a few years )
... Ha! - an old (and beat) original (hard frame) 'Schwinn Sierra' drug out of the cobwebs...
... 'MOS' (Mountain Over Size) frame - this bike was purchased with the original production frame...
... kept breaking the left 'chain stay' where it connects to the 'drop out' (or, it caused the rear axle to eventually break in half - resulting in a few breakdowns and repairs "in the field" - and lots of bitching directed my way for "poor maintenance" as we all stopped while I made the necessary "trail repairs") - was living near 'Niagara Falls, NY' at the time - eventually took it to a local 'Schwinn Bike Shop' run by some old guy who was "...sellin' 'Schwinns' since 'Kaptain Kangaroo' was "hawkin' em'" on TV..." - said the frame was bent from day one at the factory - everything under lifetime warranty - rebuilt for free (gave 'em $100, none-the-less)... those 'G-Force' chainstays and that little arch (brilliant) actually worked, by-the-way, when it came to hill climbing...
... old 'Panaracer Smoke Magnum' tires (pictured) - great - although, ya' never will beat the old (not pictured) 'Farmer John' (rear) and 'Farmer John Cousin' (front) combo - actually ran an old 26x2.5 "military style' tread once as well, don't remember the manufacturer...
... was hell of a hill climb'n snow tire, though...
... cantilever brakes...
... 'Index Shifters' (??)
... used ta' "soup 'em up" - would always install the smallest chain ring possible on the 'crank set' (12 or 16 tooth, don't remember - missing in this photo - must have put it on something else - don't recall) - they were some hill climbers... a few of "the boys" eventually bought 'full suspension' bikes when available - first time I took one for a ride could really feel the rear shock flexing and subsequent loss of traction when hill climbing - finally understood the principle of 'traction bars' from the old hot rod days...
... which I never understood at the time - was always explained as the difference between standing on a bathroom scale and lifting on the rear bumper instead of pushing down (internet photo - man, is that one badass Nova - yellow 'Lakewood' traction bars) - and subsequently the basic principle of the 'G-Force' chainstays as well - they work pretty well - BRILLIANT!
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