Iron Spirit Trail: The Space Between The Roads

Over Mothers’ Day weekend, I drove to New Jersey. Took my kiddo out to dinner on Friday night. Saturday’s rehearsal with Katye Kellye and The Interruption was scheduled for late afternoon.  For a change, I had a chance to get a run in before driving down the shore to rehearse.

high water

When I lived in NJ, Lake Denmark Road was my regular roller skiing haunt.  Five miles of rolling pavement, it wends through country that’s the antithesis of the tired “Jersey? What exit?” trope.  It’s adjacent to Picatinny Arsenal, and on the right day, one’s workout is leavened with explosions as they test ordnance.

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Closing Weekend at Whiteface

Closing weekend at your favorite resort is like a bad break up: it’s sudden, messy, and keeps you wondering if it could have lasted longer. Once the news was shared that Gore and Belleayre were closing in mid-April, it wouldn’t be long after until Whiteface too would call it quits for the 2024-2025 season.

Whiteface

As good as this winter was, with 189 total inches reported at the Face, spring came early at the mountain, receiving less than a foot of fresh snow in March and nothing more than a dusting in April. At least spring skiing can almost guarantee a good corn harvest.

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Flower Skate Shop Rail Jam 2025

In a sea of brown on the Tug Hill, a small slushy island of snow remained. Steel statues protruded from the snow, monuments to the season passed. Delicately arranged by the guys at Flower Skate Shop and Nick at Snow Ridge, the features were ready.

This oasis was set to provide one last chance for park riders to slide some steel. For the 5th year in a row, riders came from far and wide for the end of season rail at Snow Ridge.

Still booted up and recovering from injury, I got to the jam later than usual. The weather was a little suspect with light rain but it was forecast to clear up by 12.

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