THE FLIP SIDE

Hobbs State Park trail makes fine mountain bike ride

The Little Clifty Loop can be accessed at the Piney Road or Townsend Ridge trailheads September 10 at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area.
The Little Clifty Loop can be accessed at the Piney Road or Townsend Ridge trailheads September 10 at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area.

Kids aren't the only ones who get excited about getting a new bike. Adults, too, grin ear to ear rolling a shiny new bicycle out of the store.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Riders cross Little Clifty Creek twice on a trip around the Little Clifty Loop at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area.

It was a big day last month when I brought home a brand new mountain bike and wheeled it into the living room. It's too pretty and nice for a shed or garage. I couldn't wait to hop on the seat and pedal away through the woods on a quiet mountain bike trail. Trouble was, I didn't want to get my new bike dirty.

Trail ride

The Hidden Diversity Multiuse Trail at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area has four loops available for mountain biking, horseback riding and hiking. The park staff recommends first-time hikers or bikers use the Bashore Loop. The loop is four miles and is accessed at the Piney Road trailhead.

— Staff report

The first trip was a half mile down our paved county road to show the neighbor kid my new bike. He's into off-road pedaling and had high praise for my new ride. The weekend came, and it was time for the real thing, a real mountain bike ride on a dirt and gravel trail.

The Hidden Diversity Multi-Use Trail at Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area would be perfect. There are more than 23 miles of dirt trails with all the loops and spurs. The Little Clifty Loop meanders for nine miles, ideal for the inaugural ride. Time to get this bike dirty.

Off we went, my bike and me, from the Piney Road trail head, riding into the woods to circumnavigate the loop counter-clockwise. The first couple miles are fairly flat through hardwood and pine forest. A couple short stretches get your attention where the trail runs next to some steep drop-offs.

All nine miles of the Little Clifty Loop are a nice ride through the woods, or a pleasant hike or horseback ride. The Hidden Diversity Multi-Use Trail is open for hiking, horseback riding or biking.

If there's one nemesis it is Van Winkle Hollow. It's a nice descent into this deep, shaded hollow with a pretty stream at the bottom. Little Clifty Creek makes a fine stop for a water and snack break. You may need it. The steep climb out rates high on the wheezer scale.

Bikers circling the Little Clifty Loop drop into Van Winkle Hollow twice, which means two lung-buster climbs out. Hey, we're here for the exercise, right? And there's no shame in walking your bike.

Four miles into the ride, after my first climb out of Van Winkle, I heard the dreaded "pfffft," coming from my rear tire. Dang. A flat. I hadn't practiced taking the rear wheel off my bike yet, and here I was, out in the woods with a flat tire.

I rolled the bike to a level spot and got to work. I've never dealt with disk brakes on a bicycle and my new ride has them. No problem. The rear wheel came off with ease. I pulled my spare tube out of the little carry bag under the seat, replaced the punctured tube and inflated the tire with the emergency pump attached to the bike frame. The wheel slipped right back on the bike. I was back on the trail enjoying the rest of the maiden voyage on my new bike.

That first ride was a dandy. The flat tire was a learning experience. Now my new bike is initiated, with a little mud and grit on the frame. Five minutes with a garden hose at home and my ride was shining like new again.

Flip Putthoff can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAFlip

Sports on 09/15/2015

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