Starting Out
We wanted to check out Vermont’s infamous mountain biking oasis, The Kingdom Trails, on our way back to New Hampshire after camping. They are located in the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont, not too far from St. Johnsbury and Dog Mountain, one of my favorite places. There are many places to get on the trails, but the main starting point is in Burke, VT. Parking is at the Tiki Bar, and you buy passes in town before heading out on the trails.
We opted for an easier loop that passed by a pond as our introduction to the trails. I’m not the most experienced mountain biker, and while I enjoy being in the woods on my bike, I still get anxious around hairpin turns with lots of trees and steep downhills. Huiyeng is infinitely patient and supportive on all our rides.
We did a six-mile loop:
- White School
- Swan Dive
- Upper Pond Loop
- Petes Pond
- Vast
- Back to the Tiki Bar parking lot
Bearly Halfway
About halfway up the White School Trail, we stopped to take in the beauty of the surrounding scenery. Huiyeng spotted what she thought was a black dog, but it turned out to be a young black bear! We watched it go into the water and swim across to the other side.
The trails were fun, and we saw many other cyclists along the route. After six miles, I was pretty exhausted. Mountain biking is much different than road cycling. I can go twenty-plus miles on the road with no problem, even with the uphills we have here in New Hampshire. But mountain biking is exhausting with the constant steep ups and then the downs and back up again with lightning-quick maneuvering and constant attention to hazards in your surroundings is exhausting. I was ready to be finished.
We didn’t end up going to the Tiki Bar, which was entirely an outdoor establishment because all the available tables were in the sun. We went to another place in Burke called the Orange Rind. We got an outdoor table (in the shade), and ended our cycling adventure with an adult beverage and some amazing food!
