On Sunday July 26th I went for a bike ride at Carousel Park in Wilmington, DE. It was a little warm and humid, but over all a good day for a ride. The trail was a mix of stone and dirt paths with a few ruts from the horse trailers and hayride wagons. The scenery included lots of trees and a white spilt rail fence with horses; and the perimeter of the park was surrounded by neighborhoods and the mail road. The park is 217 acres in size with over 6 miles of trails for me to explorer.
I’ve had this bike for 2 years with most of my riding on streets with little to no hills. This was my first trail ride, and during my drive to the park I kept reminiscing about being a kid and riding my Huffy bike in the woods. If you wanted to get somewhere quickly, the woods provided all the short-cuts you needed.
The first part of the ride on the Carousel Loop was easy to ride. Going downhill on the rough terrain at 17 mph was exciting. After the downhill run, I continued on the path with the high school on my left and the stables and indoor ring on my right. When I reach one the lowest points in the park, I made a right and followed the Secret Escape Route. The path takes you around the Blue Lagoon with a slight incline and then merges with the Enchanted Lake Circle path. As I rode by I could see some people fishing at Enchanted Lake and some kids running around playing tag.
Then came the toughest part of my ride; I made a right onto Enchanted Lake Promenade. A nice steep .25 mile ride to the top. I had to stop half way to catch my breath. Once I reached the top I rode to my car when I could get a drink. I wanted to see the horses one more time before I left so I rode to where they were grazing. I sat and watched them for about 10 minutes before packing up and heading home.
Although I got my butt kicked by riding this trail, I plan on going back again (hopefully this coming weekend.) I think I might try the Enchanted Lake Circle for a few laps.
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