# Best "out my back door" towns



## bkalkopf (Nov 29, 2004)

With all these "destination" towns in the media, Ive really been curious of "real life" mtb place to both live, work, and play. Quality small to mid-size towns or citys (under 100,000 pop.) that DO NOT require INTERSTATE driving or 50 stop lights to get to an OVERCROWDED trailhead. A few great loops at a couple different places around town which one or more could be accessed to, with plenty of other goods for weekends and epics with a short drive (10-40 mi). Also, one does not need a trust fund or 4 part time jobs to live there.


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## LeeL (Jan 12, 2004)

All these questions are so pariochally US_centric.

Whistler
Squamish
Revelstoke
Salmon Arm
Smithers
Terrace
New Denver

and as a sop to the americans

Fruita
Bellingham


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## Bobby12many (Apr 28, 2004)

Certainly not for the AM/DH/FR lovers.... but Southeaster WI has a plethora of amazing singletrack within a stones throw of major metro areas.

In my 10+ years of riding in this area I have yet to encounter troublesome crowds at ANY trailhead, barring an event of some kind I was unaware of.


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## shorner (Jul 14, 2009)

Roanoke/Salem VA. Did 24 miles of fireroad/singletrack out the back door this AM. 2 national forests, tons of climbing, and Carvins Cove! Good local racing scene and a handful of great bike shops. If you want to ride it, it's here, and you don't have to look hard. Just ask a local, and they'll hook you up. Great weather, save this past August when it was 95F, and 95% humidity. Year round riding, as most snow melts within a few days, except above 2.5-3K feet. Give it a whirl, she wont disappoint!.


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## 2ridealot (Jun 15, 2004)

Asheville, NC


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## vindiggitydog (Aug 6, 2008)

I live in Salt Lake City. If you can handle the "mormon faith", it is a great place for mtnbiking. I live right in town, and there are some great trails ie..Bonneville Shoreline trail, in town. This system has some great loops and out and back options. Also, the Wasatch mountains are very close to town and have all kinds of single track. My buddy is from Ft. Collins, CO., and that is a really cool town with lots of biking to be had. They call it the " Napa Valley of Beer" because it has so many breweries. Beer...bikes....what else needs to be said??:thumbsup:


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## EricD4 (May 11, 2008)

Second for Fort Collins


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## idbrian (May 10, 2006)

Anything near West Milford North NJ. The towns aren't huge up there but there is a lot business within a half hour of there. That West Milford area is between three and a half kick butt state parks. They are currently in the works of connecting those parks with singletrack. You would be looking at literally hundreds of miles of interconnecting trails that reside in a populated area. And the singletrack that is there is top notch. There are many places where you can live outback of one great trail system but there aren't many places where you could ride from your house to three.

Northampton Mass is a great area too with a good size town / small city. You got Amherst next door with all the colleges. The trails are supposed to be great there i hear.

ADDED: Some other Northeast gems surrounded by great trail: State College, PA. There was a cool town in West Virginia near Slatyfork that i can't remember the name of.


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## idbrian (May 10, 2006)

pitanan said:


> Asheville, NC


That came to my mind also but the place is extremely expensive. Especially when you compare the costs of living there versus the lack of jobs.


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## NuMexJoe (Jan 12, 2004)

Here in Los Alamos, I can head about any direction from my front door and be on singletrack in less than a half mile. No crowds, no user conflicts. There are some drawbacks related to its size and location, but it's a quiet, safe place to live. But it might suck if you're single.
- JOe


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## CraigCreekRider (Apr 12, 2007)

shorner said:


> Roanoke/Salem VA. Did 24 miles of fireroad/singletrack out the back door this AM. 2 national forests, tons of climbing, and Carvins Cove! Good local racing scene and a handful of great bike shops. If you want to ride it, it's here, and you don't have to look hard. Just ask a local, and they'll hook you up. Great weather, save this past August when it was 95F, and 95% humidity. Year round riding, as most snow melts within a few days, except above 2.5-3K feet. Give it a whirl, she wont disappoint!.


Second the Noke for an affordable town with great riding. Lots of health care jobs, but a little bigger than 100,000; probably 250,000 for the region. Pretty good riding right in town. Have yet to run out of new back country rides.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

LeeL said:


> All these questions are so pariochally US_centric.
> 
> Whistler
> Squamish
> ...


Lee, you forgot Cumberland. I don't think you can get more "just outside the door" than that except in a bike park.

Live in Cumberland (cheap) and ride out your door, 15 minutes to Courtenay with lots of work, 20 minutes to Forbidden & Mt Washington.


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## bkalkopf (Nov 29, 2004)

Thanks much!! Los Alamos would be choice, I LOVE N.M!!!! Fort Collins on my list 4sho, dont know how much goods are up there tho. Ive heard you HAVE to DRIVE to the trails in Ashville, which to me is a sprawling low pay destination city. Keep em coming tho, I need some help.


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

Santa Cruz, Ca.


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## slcdawg (Jul 28, 2003)

Bend, OR.
Durango, CO
Park City, UT

+1 for SLC, UT (Plus is best skiing in the continental US)


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## bkalkopf (Nov 29, 2004)

Affordiable towns, Durango hahahahahaha. Land of the Rich Home of the Trustfund


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## pdlhrd (Jun 6, 2006)

Boise, Id
http://www.cityofboise.org/RidgeToRivers/index.aspx
(not a FR/DH town).


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## slcdawg (Jul 28, 2003)

It depends on what you do for a living- but it would be on my short list of places to live. Great riding, great microwbrews, good sized town.


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## slcdawg (Jul 28, 2003)

If affordable is what you're after - check out Pocatello, ID. Some of the best undiscovered ST and close to some good weekend destinations.


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## Guy Cool (Oct 3, 2008)

Las Vegas


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## onbelaydave (May 10, 2006)

Ft. Collins, CO.


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## mtnbiker662 (Jun 22, 2004)

Burlington, VT


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## latedropbob (Aug 6, 2007)

Ahwatukee, AZ...South Mountain is soon to be my new back door:thumbsup: Gnar, flowy singletrack, epic climbs, hundreds of miles of trails/loops, killer burrito shop and bike shop next door to eachother. what more do you need?


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## p.doering (Aug 1, 2008)

onbelaydave said:


> Ft. Collins, CO.


Seconded.

Moving away from that town in '98 was the worst mistake I ever made.


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## BikinCO (Jan 14, 2004)

*Huntsville, AL*

I lived on Monte Sano for 3 years in the mid '90's and rode right out my from door to the trailhead.


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## PVR (Oct 29, 2006)

Vernon, British Columbia

Forest, desert, mountains
Singletrack, lift accessed downhill.
Long riding season


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## LeeL (Jan 12, 2004)

Trail Ninja said:


> Lee, you forgot Cumberland. I don't think you can get more "just outside the door" than that except in a bike park.
> 
> Live in Cumberland (cheap) and ride out your door, 15 minutes to Courtenay with lots of work, 20 minutes to Forbidden & Mt Washington.


of course - also forgot Rossland.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

LeeL said:


> of course - also forgot Rossland.


My first roadtrip next year. Still haven't been. Will a week be enough?


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## PVR (Oct 29, 2006)

Trail Ninja said:


> My first roadtrip next year. Still haven't been. Will a week be enough?


Sure, For a first visit. I go every year at least once.


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## LeeL (Jan 12, 2004)

PVR said:


> Sure, For a first visit. I go every year at least once.


Yeah - do Rossland, New Denver perhaps Nelson if you want shitkicked fall-line. There's a gem in Castlegar too. That doesn't leave any rest-time


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## bkalkopf (Nov 29, 2004)

*Im surprised*

I havent heard ANYTHING from Penn or N.Y from the East crowd?


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## Tackhammer (Dec 21, 2006)

Marquette, Michigan, as featured in Bike magazine. Miles and miles of singletrack with the Keewenaw just an hour away and Ishpeming in between. Good stuff!


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## jonz (Mar 23, 2009)

State College, PA


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## MTBNate (Apr 6, 2004)

Nothing good in NM except psychos and morons.

Please move to CO or TX.

kthx


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## idbrian (May 10, 2006)

bkalkopf said:


> I havent heard ANYTHING from Penn or N.Y from the East crowd?


I noted State College PA.

NY is alright. Amamzing riding in the southern part of the state, but north of NYC. Not much else.

Greensboro NC is a good fit too.

I'm surprised to see Burlington VT up there. To my understanding there isn't a lot of trails that don't require a decent drive. How many trails can you ride your bike to from downtown? I ruled that town out in the past due to not having good riding opportunities. Great town for going out though.


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## trailbrain (Feb 22, 2005)

Tackhammer said:


> Marquette, Michigan, as featured in Bike magazine. Miles and miles of singletrack with the Keewenaw just an hour away and Ishpeming in between. Good stuff!


Yeah if you can deal with 10 ft of snow out your front door for 6 months of the year.


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## Cedar Branch Biker (Jul 28, 2010)

Asheville? the "witchcraft capital" of the US? Cut somebody off on a trail and they'll turn you into a toad!


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## tg (Feb 1, 2006)

*Eagle CO.*

ST Nervana.:thumbsup:


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## BushwackerinPA (Aug 10, 2006)

all places I have lived that you can ride out your back door to singletrack

Pittsburgh, Pa really best singletrack in a 'big" city there is. From city limits to the suburbs amazing trails. Extremely underrated except to those that call it home. 
Park City, Ut - the XC riding is more vast than Pittsburgh riding but has worse dirt and is not as technical. If flow and big climbs are your thing go here.
Stowe, Vt - small town. Great in town stuff. Everything from flow to tech, rocks, roots suberb. An east coast Park City while being very much vermont.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

*Huntingdon, PA*

Rothrock and Raystown Lake are just down the road a piece. That's about two traffic lights from town if I counted correctly last weekend.

State College, PA is nearby if you need a university to keep you busy.


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## rlb81 (Aug 18, 2008)

I wouldn't call NJ affordable but we do have some great single track here. The southern part of the state has some flat, fast, flowy ST. As you head north you start to find some park with elevation and a little bit of rock. Once you get to the Interstate 80 area you get some decent elevation change and a lot more rocks. It's not elevation like you see out west, and we don't have the awesome views but it's pretty damn nice. And you don't find any 5 mile climbs which I consider a bonus. The MTB community here is great and all of our trail systems are well documented and well maintained.

The downside is that we're very populated and property taxes are bad and getting worse. There are only a few parks where you can live within riding distance to a trailhead while still keeping decent access to freeways or mass transit to get to where the jobs are and/or NYC.


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## rlb81 (Aug 18, 2008)

rlb81 said:


> I wouldn't call NJ affordable but we do have some great single track here. The southern part of the state has some flat, fast, flowy ST. As you head north you start to find some park with elevation and a little bit of rock. Once you get to the Interstate 80 area you get some decent elevation change and a lot more rocks. It's not elevation like you see out west, and we don't have the awesome views but it's pretty damn nice. And you don't find any 5 mile climbs which I consider a bonus. The MTB community here is great and all of our trail systems are well documented and well maintained.
> 
> The downside is that we're very populated and property taxes are bad and getting worse. There are only a few parks where you can live within riding distance to a trailhead while still keeping decent access to freeways or mass transit to get to where the jobs are and/or NYC.


Let me qualify this further....I have no comparisons to riding in other parts of the country.


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## Bad Idea (Jun 14, 2009)

Crested Butte


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## Visicypher (Aug 5, 2004)

Lee's list....

plus oakridge and bend in OR.

If I had my way, I'd live New Denver or Revelstoke.


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## N8! (Jan 28, 2006)

You should move to N'awlins...

srsly

http://blogs.bikemag.com/news/south-louisiana/


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## Cedar Branch Biker (Jul 28, 2010)

N'awlins would be great for the food. However, between dodging gators, cottonmouths, etc. ain't it a little bit dangerous? Besides, I've always heard in that part of the country in warm weather you don't breathe the air, you drink it. (Actually, would love to spend some time n Louisiana, supposed to be some great red fish and speckled trout fishing.


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## N8! (Jan 28, 2006)

Cedar Branch Biker said:


> N'awlins would be great for the food. However, between dodging gators, cottonmouths, etc. ain't it a little bit dangerous? Besides, I've always heard in that part of the country in warm weather you don't breathe the air, you drink it. (Actually, would love to spend some time n Louisiana, supposed to be some great red fish and speckled trout fishing.


Hella great trails in La too.. dont miss em.

Link:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...31.54109,-93.186035&spn=6.346269,9.777832&z=7

Embed:





View LOCO Area MTB Trails in a larger map


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## dirt farmer (Mar 28, 2005)

Bend sucks arse. Don't go there.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

There's a lot to choose from in PA. Pittsburgh can offer you some nice out-the-door rides depending on the neighborhood you live in. I lived about equidistant from North Park and Riverview Park, but North Park was much easier to reach. it was still driving distance, though.

Most of the trails were okay, but there were some nice newer ones in North Park...which is something of a maze, and while a wrong turn won't necessarily get you lost, it can mean the difference between a sucky gravelly fireroad and fun singletrack. That's probably the only reason I don't rate it better. Dirt Rag HQ is not far away and there are a LOT more trails in town. Some closer to the center of the city and some farther away. And Pgh is a very segmented city that doesn't feel as large as it is at times.

There's elevation change and rocks, which is a lot more than you can find in a lot of places near cities.

But really, I've found that a lot of places can have riding right out the door if you choose neighborhoods well.

I live in a little town in East Texas...not exactly somewhere you'd think of regarding trails. But I can ride out my door and in less than 2 miles, I can hit the dirt, and the better ST is a little more than 3mi away. And there are more trails in the next town over, and an unknown amount of available trail scattered throughout the nearby National Forests less than an hour away.

Technically there's riding available year-round, but you've gotta find ways to deal with the summer heat. Probably the biggest trouble would be offered by the occasional hurricane that rumbles through dropping trees like matchsticks. Storms like that have a tendency to close parks around here for months or more.


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## wreckedrex (May 2, 2007)

Dion said:


> Santa Cruz, Ca.


It's not super affordable though, is it? I thought it was more or less on par with the rest of the SF Bay, ~$.5mil to start with the sky as the limit.


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## sambs827 (Dec 8, 2008)

I'm going to have to say Ellicottville, NY. It's a little way from Buffalo and Lake Erie. It's a small ski town tucked away in some gorgeous hills and woods. One changing light and one flashing light in town. Many festivals through the year that attract weekenders without making the place crowded. Great food and local brewery, too. There are two small ski centers, Holiday Valley and Holimont.

As for the biking, E-ville has been listed on IMBA's Epics list. My brother lives in town and often puts in over a hundred miles per week of just mountain biking. There are great 5-mile loops on the slopes of Holiday Valley on which there is a summer race series. You get to see how you improve through the summer. There's also a 30+ mile epic that I dropped out of a year ago around mile 18. 

They have fast and flowy as well as tough and techy. The local bike shop, Ellicottville Bike Shop run by Dennis Baldwin, is puts on an annual race on a 24-mile course with only half mile of road and two double track climbs. The rest is sweet singletrack. Going out to ride with my brother next week, can't wait to get smoked by the local crowd. E-ville has a huge biking community but nothing is ever crowded because there are just so many trails.


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## N8! (Jan 28, 2006)

heard San Fran is a popular place for back door action.


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## dave54 (Jul 1, 2003)

Any small town in the mountain West. But you better have a firm job offer in hand before you move...


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## Canaan (Jan 29, 2009)

LeeL said:


> All these questions are so pariochally US_centric.


How so? The OP didn't limit it to the U.S. and didn't list any cities of his own, so you don't know where he's from do you? You've got a bit of a chip on your shoulder, eh?


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## LMN (Sep 8, 2007)

Visicypher said:


> Lee's list....
> 
> plus oakridge and bend in OR.
> 
> If I had my way, I'd live New Denver or Revelstoke.


Doesn't get much better then Revelstoke. I grew up there and built a lot of the XC trails over the years.

Most of BC rocks for riding, but I must I road in Bellingham this year and was quite impressed. The best riding I have done outside of BC.


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## LeeL (Jan 12, 2004)

Canaan said:


> How so? The OP didn't limit it to the U.S. and didn't list any cities of his own, so you don't know where he's from do you? You've got a bit of a chip on your shoulder, eh?


Hosebag eh? He posted in the 29er forum and got responses that were all US - centric. You guys don't even realize there's anywhere else in the world until your economy self-destructs and takes other countries with it.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

LeeL said:


> Hosebag eh? He posted in the 29er forum and got responses that were all US - centric. You guys don't even realize there's anywhere else in the world until your economy self-destructs and takes other countries with it.


Holy Crap! There's a problem with the US economy?

Nobody tells me anything!


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Prescott and Flagstaff AZ would be on my list (Although I think Flag is getting a little pricey)

Moab, Utah if you don't mind small and remote and you have a job lined up.

Ely, NV if you don't mind really small and really remote.

Fruita/Grand Junction


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

LeeL said:


> Hosebag eh? He posted in the 29er forum and got responses that were all US - centric. You guys don't even realize there's anywhere else in the world until your economy self-destructs and takes other countries with it.


And you do realize that most mtbr users are US citizens? I appreciate the fact that we have some international users, but you gotta understand the numbers. It does make you sound like you have a chip on your shoulder. It's a website HQed in california.


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## klev (Jul 22, 2010)

I have to mention my hometown Missoula, Montana. I can't compare it to other areas because I haven't ridden anywhere else. We have 3 separate trail systems within 20ish minutes from the center of town. The 2011 Pro XCT will hold its last race here in July of 2011. As a side note we also were picked as the best marathon in the country in 2010 by Runner's World magazine.


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## big_slacker (Feb 16, 2004)

Zephyr Cove NV, AKA the non-communist side of South Lake Tahoe.

Small town, next to no crime, as much riding of any type as you want. 

Cheap? No income tax. I pay 1k a month for a 2 bedroom condo walking distance to the beach. You can go cheaper than that, when I was single I had a roomie in a 2 bedroom, 2 car garage condo. $750 a month. Total, $325 each. 

Employment, a bit spotty. Professionals with the ability to have their own practice (CPA, Lawyer, Doctor and the like) will do ok. Service industry (Bartender, Chef, Hotel, Casino dealers) will probably do ok as well because of the casinos. People that can work remote like myself will be ok. 

You're never gonna get rich up here, but on the other hand you basically live on vacation. Biking, beaches, kayaking, rock climbing, camping, motorcycles, boating, outdoor paradise. Snowboard/Ski all winter. 

Damn, I'm gonna have to move for my career but its so tough to leave and I always end up moving back.


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## De La Pena (Oct 7, 2008)

Santa Fe, New Mexico (Expensive)
Las Cruces New Mexico (Cheap)


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

wreckedrex said:


> It's not super affordable though, is it? I thought it was more or less on par with the rest of the SF Bay, ~$.5mil to start with the sky as the limit.


Yeah. I'm just biased because my family has been there 5 generations deep (Filipino share croppers). Seriously, unless you are a native like me, I don't see how anybody could move in starting from scratch unless they live up in the mountains. I don't know how any of the UCSC students who mountain bike get any work done - literally, campus is smack dab in the middle of epic singletrack.

It's expensive, but it's rare when killer singletrack and killer surfing is within a ten mile radius of each other.


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## LeeL (Jan 12, 2004)

Jayem said:


> It's a website HQed in california.


To be fair, no-one said MTBR is perfect


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## emergencyexit (Apr 24, 2009)

idbrian said:


> Northampton Mass is a great area too with a good size town / small city. You got Amherst next door with all the colleges. The trails are supposed to be great there i hear.


It is pretty awesome, but you aren't supposed to let the secret out. This thread does a good recap of what's within 20-30 miles of this quaint town: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=653968 But I didn't say anything.


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## m85476585 (Jun 7, 2007)

Minden, NV. You have to drive to Tahoe for most of the good mountain biking, but it's only 30 minutes. You could live in the mountains (technically South Lake Tahoe, CA), but that might require more than four part time jobs in addition to a trust fund.


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

Ummmm, you really want to know what came out of my back door this morning???


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

big_slacker said:


> Zephyr Cove NV, AKA the non-communist side of South Lake Tahoe.
> 
> Small town, next to no crime, as much riding of any type as you want.


 Non-communist. check.
Small Town, No crime: check



big_slacker said:


> Cheap? No income tax. I pay 1k a month for a 2 bedroom condo walking distance to the beach. You can go cheaper than that, when I was single I had a roomie in a 2 bedroom, 2 car garage condo. $750 a month. Total, $325 each.


Cheap? This one surprised me. Are these condos dumps or are they fairly nice? What do small two bedroom homes go for?



big_slacker said:


> Employment, a bit spotty. Professionals with the ability to have their own practice (CPA, Lawyer, Doctor and the like) will do ok.


Optometrist: Check



big_slacker said:


> You're never gonna get rich up here, but on the other hand you basically live on vacation. Biking, beaches, kayaking, rock climbing, camping, motorcycles, boating, outdoor paradise. Snowboard/Ski all winter.


Living "on vacation": Check

Dang. You just about talked me into it. I'd have to learn how to ski to make the winters tolerable.... but I can think of worse things.

KRob-------------->Looking up condos and practice opportunities in South Tahoe/Zephyr Cove. I wouldn't even have to change citizenship or get licensed in a new state!


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## big_slacker (Feb 16, 2004)

Minden is cool, but very rural and windy. If you're cool with that its a lot cheaper to buy a house. Tahoe doesn't require 4 part time jobs. I used to live up here dealing cards 2 nights a week. Netted $1200 a month and I was just fine. Beater car, roomate, no real luxuries. But no debt and I was always happy. 

FWIW we're a single income family (although I'm a rockstar IT guy) and do just fine living below our means and saving money every month. 

Krob, both those quotes were rent. If you want to buy on the NV side you're looking at 350k and up from there for a house. Tahoe is a great place to rent, tough to buy. It used to be cheap, but the housing boom drove prices up like crazy and they never went down. 

There is an local eyeglass/contact place on the NV side a couple miles from me. The doctor drives up from reno, I bet you could reloc and snag that spot. Heh heh.


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## m85476585 (Jun 7, 2007)

Yeah- Tahoe isn't really that expensive (but it can be if you want. One time I followed a Lamborghini down Hwy 50 and watched him pull into what might be the biggest house I've ever seen.)

I interned at GE in Minden this summer (I go to college in Atlanta, but my dad works for GE in MInden, so I was living at home for the summer), and it really was like living on vacation. All the interns there did stuff as a group, and every day we would do something after work- mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking Job's Peak, dance lessons, bowling, movies, etc. We worked from 8-5 then did stuff outdoors from 5-sunset then had dinner and stayed up until ~11 every day, then did it again the next day. It was awesome non-stop fun, and I got paid to be there! By far the best summer of my life! 

The rural-ness is not too bad. I think I only had to go to Reno a handful of times over the summer, and Carson is not far and has almost anything you would need. I guess night life was lacking (everything closes at 9!) but we would always be exhausted by 10-11 and have to get up before 7 the next day, so it didn't matter.

The wind is annoying. We have an anemometer (wind speed measuring device) at home, and one time it recorded a gust of 72mph, and a Category 1 hurricane is 74mph. Our house is built to withstand wind up to 125mph! One time I tried to bike home from work, which should have been easy because it's dead flat right until you get to the base of the mountains, but pedaling all out I was having trouble maintaining over 8-10mph because of the wind. I was on my mountain bike, so that didn't help with drag and rolling resistance, but it was super frustrating to be riding as hard as I was and still be going so slow. I wasn't out of shape either because I had been doing rides like The Bench and the Flume Trail.


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## Canaan (Jan 29, 2009)

LeeL said:


> Hosebag eh? He posted in the 29er forum and got responses that were all US - centric. You guys don't even realize there's anywhere else in the world until your economy self-destructs and takes other countries with it.


You said the question was U.S. centric, not the responses. The OP can't control who responds. And yet again you come across as having a chip on your shoulder . . . .


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

NuMexJoe said:


> Here in Los Alamos, I can head about any direction from my front door and be on singletrack in less than a half mile. No crowds, no user conflicts. There are some drawbacks related to its size and location, but it's a quiet, safe place to live. But it might suck if you're single.
> - JOe


I have to agree with this one. Plus the winter sports rock too.


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## husaberg (Oct 26, 2007)

Hemet, Ca. Cheap housing, high crime rate and no work.


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## big_slacker (Feb 16, 2004)

m85476585 said:


> Yeah- Tahoe isn't really that expensive (but it can be if you want. One time I followed a Lamborghini down Hwy 50 and watched him pull into what might be the biggest house I've ever seen.)


Agreed, but that is the good thing about tahoe. If you are rich and want to live the ultra luxury lifestyle you can. But the wealth isn't so much on display. Drive through town and you'll rarely see the huge houses, they're tucked into the woods here and there. There is a $100m home a half mile away from my place but you'd never know it, being so secluded.

On the other side of the coin, the casinos need housekeepers, dishwashers, cooks, etc... so there must be affordable housing. But even in the low income areas of tahoe where there are cheap apartments, etc... There aren't any gangs or crime. No need, the environment just doesn't support it.

You ever go to Jethro's in Gardnerville? Next to the bowling alley, ridiculous monday night football deals. Week before last we did the double game and I think my bill was only $20.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

LeeL said:


> Hosebag eh? He posted in the 29er forum and got responses that were all US - centric. You guys don't even realize there's anywhere else in the world until your economy self-destructs and takes other countries with it.


that's right. nobody cares about the Canadians.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

NateHawk said:


> that's right. nobody cares about the Canadians.


... and rightly so. Why would they? Americans have enough to worry about.

We'll just keep our trees, oil, salmon, diamonds, gold, electricity, water, singletrack and millions upon millions of square miles of wilderness that's open to anyone.

You can have all those guys back who moved up here during the Vietnam war. They're cluttering the place up.

Thanks for visiting. See you next year.


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## LeeL (Jan 12, 2004)

Canaan said:


> You said the question was U.S. centric, not the responses. The OP can't control who responds. And yet again you come across as having a chip on your shoulder . . . .


I apologize. Please don't invade us


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

LeeL said:


> I apologize. Please don't invade us


There's the polite Canadian we all know & love. :thumbsup:


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

Back on topic. 

Canmore, Alberta.


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## tihsepa (May 15, 2009)

Canada? I thought it was the "Great White North"


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## Canaan (Jan 29, 2009)

LeeL said:


> I apologize. Please don't invade us


Don't worry -- most of us self-absorbed Americans don't even know where Canada is.


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## tihsepa (May 15, 2009)

Canaan said:


> Don't worry -- most of us self-absorbed Americans don't even know where Canada is.


I do to.
Its a suburb of France.


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## shelbster15 (Nov 5, 2008)

Guy Cool said:


> Las Vegas


Very Funny...


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## lwmyers (Apr 19, 2005)

I did hear a few good places as I waisted my time reading through all 33 posts...if the most important thing to you is having world class singletrack accessible from your door, year-round then you should look at Salida, Colorado. Just a few of the famous trails in the area include the Monarch Crest http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/united-s...o/western-slope/trail/PRD_166706_5843crx.aspx , the Rainbow Trail http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/united-s...o/western-slope/trail/PRD_166737_5843crx.aspx , the Colorado Trail http://www.coloradotrail.org/ and the Continental Divide Trail http://www.cdtrail.org/page.php ...not to mention Salida Mountain Trails http://salidamountaintrails.org/ , which along with the new Methodist Mountain trails will probably account for most "from your door rides".

The town itself is small (aprox. 5500) and the county is around 20,000 (including Buena Vista), however many are seasonal. The 2 biggest employers in the county are the prison (boo), and the ski area (Monarch). The biggest attraction for the area in the summer is whitewater rafting, it brings in MILLIONS...but the biking is world class, and there are at least 2 outfitters who employ mountain bike guides: Absolute Bikes http://absolutebikesadventures.com/ , and Rocky Mountain Outdoor Adventures http://www.rmoc.com/, one hell of an AWESOME place to live.

http://salidacitizen.com/

oh, and median income is around 40,000, and you can find a very nice 2-3 bedroom home for around 150,000-200,000. crime is non-existent, we have 5 stop lights in the county, no interstate, no pollution....need I say more? I think I will, we also have the highest concentration of mountains 14,000'+ of anywhere in the lower 48 (very good for backcountry skiing)...

http://www.coloradoheadwaters.com/


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## idbrian (May 10, 2006)

emergencyexit said:


> It is pretty awesome, but you aren't supposed to let the secret out. This thread does a good recap of what's within 20-30 miles of this quaint town: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=653968 But I didn't say anything.


Very good food and music scene there as well. I'm surprised in general how little hype is generated by Northampton.


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## snowjnky (Oct 7, 2005)

big_slacker said:


> Zephyr Cove NV, AKA the non-communist side of South Lake Tahoe.


 last time I checked USA, in the entirety, was non-communist.


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## jimithng23 (Feb 11, 2009)

bkalkopf said:


> With all these "destination" towns in the media, Ive really been curious of "real life" mtb place to both live, work, and play. Quality small to mid-size towns or citys (under 100,000 pop.) that DO NOT require INTERSTATE driving or 50 stop lights to get to an OVERCROWDED trailhead. A few great loops at a couple different places around town which one or more could be accessed to, with plenty of other goods for weekends and epics with a short drive (10-40 mi). Also, one does not need a trust fund or 4 part time jobs to live there.


The Quad Cities - Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, & Rock Island (IA/IL) - is a small metro area separated by the Mississippi River.

We don't have crazy North Shore type trails, but we have awesome flowing XC singletrack and 4 trail systems within 25 minutes of one another. Sylvan Island was featured in Dirt Rag as one of the Top 10 Urban Rides in the entire Country.

Thrown together as a "Trifecta", you can get in nearly 30 miles and enjoy post-ride refreshments at one of the 4 micro-breweries in the area.

Pretty cheap to live here and the MTB community is incredible.


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## Moozh (Jan 20, 2010)

Tribeca, NYC is pretty dope for trails!


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## PCinSC (Oct 25, 2005)

idbrian said:


> ...State College PA.





jonz said:


> State College, PA


State College has some of the best riding that I've ever experienced, and I've ridden a bit around the country: Kingdom Trails in Vermont (also an incredible "out the back door" trail system), Bootleg Canyon in Nevada, Goosebury Mesa and other S. Utah hot spots, etc.

My house is less than 5 miles from one of the IMBA epic rides in Rothrock State Forest where they also hold the Wilderness 101 and Stoopid 50 every year (not that I'd ever ride that far  ). Plus, the Allegrippis Trails at Raystown Lake are less than an hour away. The only thing we're missing is good, easy access downhill/freeride terrain.

Sadly, I'm moving to Atlanta in November. I'm gonna miss the local riding, and I already feel like I took the easy access around here for granted.


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

snowjnky said:


> last time I checked USA, in the entirety, was non-communist.


They're working on it.
http://www.cpusa.org/


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## idbrian (May 10, 2006)

PCinSC said:


> Sadly, I'm moving to Atlanta in November. I'm gonna miss the local riding, and I already feel like I took the easy access around here for granted.


I hope you have a better experience than i did there. I was surprised to find how the whole southern hospitality is thrown out the window with the riders there. The trailheads have much more of roadie feel with everyone wearing matching endorsed lycra and elite bike attitudes. I have no beef with lycra, but it seriously looks like a group road ride vs random people at the trailhead. Also the MTB comradery seemed low there. But that was 10 years ago. Hopefully my summer of stay there was just peppered with bad experiences and yours goes well.

Pretty brutal traffic there too. Fast and furious.


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## xjpart2 (May 4, 2010)

Richmond, Va and Missoula, Mt are pretty good spots for ride from home trails.


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## 2apples (Sep 28, 2010)

jackson hole has a pretty fast growing mtn bike community and alot of trails in the making..Also mile and miles of forest service roads in the near by mtn's plus the CD trail is with in easy reach..too bad its winter 8 months out of the year..ohh and the sking isnt too bad


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## New World Man (Jun 21, 2008)

mtnbiker662 said:


> Burlington, VT


I heard they are full.


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## Mighty Matt (Apr 22, 2009)

big_slacker said:


> Zephyr Cove NV, AKA the non-communist side of South Lake Tahoe.
> 
> Small town, next to no crime, as much riding of any type as you want.
> 
> ...


where do you have to go that is so disappointing?


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Lots of good replies here. I love the east side of Tahoe and Missoula is beautiful. Though our town has about 10-25k more people than your desired 100k population, I am going to have to throw another vote out for Fort Collins, Colorado. Great bike culture and nearby riding.


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## nodaksvt (May 16, 2010)

Medora, ND


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## jstaples (Apr 27, 2010)

Someone mentioned Durango - definitely not on the "affordable" list. But Cortez, CO is 45 minutes away, affordable and has some killer trails. I can drive 12 minutes north and be in mountain trails and ponderosa pine. I can drive 15 minutes south and be in slickrock and canyons through ancient Anasazi ruins. We have sweet, smooth single track through nicely packed high desert. In the evenings sometimes I just ride the gravel / dirt roads around my house for great mountain and canyon views. Maybe see 3 cars on an hour ride.

For longer trips I can be in Telluride in just under an hour and in Durango in under an hour. I can be in Moab in 1 hour 45 minutes. Maybe I should be quiet about what I've got here because the local trails are usually pretty quiet.


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## dirtrash (May 18, 2010)

NuMexJoe said:


> Here in Los Alamos, I can head about any direction from my front door and be on singletrack in less than a half mile. No crowds, no user conflicts. There are some drawbacks related to its size and location, but it's a quiet, safe place to live. But it might suck if you're single.
> - JOe


I have have to agre with NuMexJoe- I work in Los Alamos and can't beleive all the stellar ridding! The town rolls up and gets put away by 7 p.m. but the ridding...its all aobut the ridding! :yesnod:


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## lwmyers (Apr 19, 2005)

jstaples said:


> But Cortez, CO is 45 minutes away, affordable and has some killer trails. I can drive 12 minutes north and be in mountain trails and ponderosa pine. I can drive 15 minutes south and be in slickrock and canyons through ancient Anasazi ruins. We have sweet, smooth single track through nicely packed high desert.


I heard Phil's World is pretty cool..


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## Betarad (Oct 24, 2009)

Fernie, BC. I was just there for a week, killer trails in every direction. 

I wish I could say the same for my hometown (Island), Maui. Although I do manage to get some pretty good rides in straight from my house.


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## donkeykong0 (Oct 2, 2010)

another vote for State College PA. lots of fun stuff right nearby plus a college town to keep you busy.

and

Park City, UT
Bend, OR


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## OneL (Apr 19, 2008)

Hendersonville, NC
North Wilkesboro, NC


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## FatNoob (Aug 3, 2010)

Cedar Branch Biker said:


> Asheville? the "witchcraft capital" of the US? Cut somebody off on a trail and they'll turn you into a toad!


Witchs don't ride Mountain-bikes dummy, they ride broom sticks :eekster: . So you don't have to worry about them.

+ 1 for Asheville, NC


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## MartinS (Jan 31, 2004)

Betarad said:


> Fernie, BC. I was just there for a week, killer trails in every direction.
> 
> I wish I could say the same for my hometown (Island), Maui. Although I do manage to get some pretty good rides in straight from my house.


Yep, it's awesome here! I've got the choice of about 30 trailheads within 15 minutes ride from my house, plus a chairlift accessable hill 8 minutes drive away.
Surprised it didn't make LeeL's list, but the whole Kootenay area has trails a-plenty so almost any town in the area will fit the bill in that a short drive will get you to a bike destination (Rossland, Nelson, Invermere, Golden, New Denver, Fernie etc). 
Biggest negative is the short-ish season that gets replaced with fluffy powder.


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## MartinS (Jan 31, 2004)

LeeL said:


> perhaps Nelson if you want shitkicked fall-line.


 :nono: 
Shhhh, you'll get attacked by 15 year old pinkbikers


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## Jwind (Mar 1, 2006)

idbrian said:


> That came to my mind also but the place is extremely expensive. Especially when you compare the costs of living there versus the lack of jobs.


anyone who calls Asheville expensive I have to believe has not traveled much.


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## MK_ (Nov 15, 2004)

Too bad Crested Butte's real estate went through the roof. If you don't mind a little fire danger, Frasier Valley area, near Winter Park ought to be affordable in the near future. If you want culture and good variety of proper food, however, you'd be better off sticking near either coast.

_MK


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## donkeykong0 (Oct 2, 2010)

MartinS said:


> Biggest negative is the short-ish season that gets replaced with fluffy powder.


This is about the sorriest excuse for a negative that it makes me want to cry. And I doubt anyone on this forum would disagree, but if you do, sorry you just need to be enlightened and i feel bad for you.


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## alshead (Oct 2, 2007)

Golden, CO- affordable, tons of trails out the door, new bike park (this weekend), easy access (within an hour) to millions of trails, ski areas, downhilling, a city nearby, redrocks....


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## Trail Ninja (Sep 25, 2008)

MartinS said:


> Biggest negative is the short-ish season that gets replaced with fluffy powder.


Yeah, BC sucks for riding in the winter. Oh, wait.

Sooke, Duncan, Port Alberni, Cumberland, Hornby Island.

I think I know what your problem is. You can't see the ocean from where you are.


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## Mighty Matt (Apr 22, 2009)

Jwind said:


> anyone who calls Asheville expensive I have to believe has not traveled much.


having lived in asheville for a year, i would have to say there are plenty of towns w/ better out the back door riding, and i would never go back. miserable place to live and the riding kinda sucked.


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## BeaverTail (Aug 12, 2009)

sambs827 said:


> I'm going to have to say Ellicottville, NY. It's a little way from Buffalo and Lake Erie. It's a small ski town tucked away in some gorgeous hills and woods. One changing light and one flashing light in town. Many festivals through the year that attract weekenders without making the place crowded. Great food and local brewery, too. There are two small ski centers, Holiday Valley and Holimont.
> 
> As for the biking, E-ville has been listed on IMBA's Epics list. My brother lives in town and often puts in over a hundred miles per week of just mountain biking. There are great 5-mile loops on the slopes of Holiday Valley on which there is a summer race series. You get to see how you improve through the summer. There's also a 30+ mile epic that I dropped out of a year ago around mile 18.
> 
> They have fast and flowy as well as tough and techy. The local bike shop, Ellicottville Bike Shop run by Dennis Baldwin, is puts on an annual race on a 24-mile course with only half mile of road and two double track climbs. The rest is sweet singletrack. Going out to ride with my brother next week, can't wait to get smoked by the local crowd. E-ville has a huge biking community but nothing is ever crowded because there are just so many trails.


Thanks, hadn't heard of this place.


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## BeaverTail (Aug 12, 2009)

Some people have mentioned Westchester, NY and NYC. It is likely the most expensive place to live in the country, but it is pretty nice. If you live in Lower Westchester you have access to a few parks with pretty decent trails.


But in that, none of them are long. All trails here are short which kind of sucks.


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## bentcog (Aug 13, 2010)

Damascus, VA. Hippies, single track, family trails, beautiful scenery in all seasons, double track and only about 5k people, tops. Not to mention, its about 2 hours to a S**T LOAD of other trail systems and much bigger towns.


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## sloTwitch (Jul 28, 2010)

Albuquerque NM


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## Jaybo (Mar 5, 2008)

*Hmm*

I would throw St George, Utah and Moab, Utah. I would also say Hood River, OR would be in there. Bend, OR is great too.


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## MartinS (Jan 31, 2004)

donkeykong0 said:


> This is about the sorriest excuse for a negative that it makes me want to cry. And I doubt anyone on this forum would disagree, but if you do, sorry you just need to be enlightened and i feel bad for you.


Yeah, an average of 30 feet of snow at the ski hill I can see from my house really sucks. Plus the snow is often too deep even for a Pugsly.
On the brighter side there is often some xc riding available almost year round, but you have to drive about 30 minutes to get it so it's not quite out my back door...


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## Jwind (Mar 1, 2006)

Mighty Matt said:


> having lived in asheville for a year, i would have to say there are plenty of towns w/ better out the back door riding, and i would never go back. miserable place to live and the riding kinda sucked.


do tell why...


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## Mighty Matt (Apr 22, 2009)

Jwind said:


> do tell why...


to humid, night life sucked, skiing sucked trails were not as good as claimed, i like tight and technical but being down in those trees during the summer made it uncomfortable. Being from the west coast and rocky mountains, i would have to say that the trails here are far better, open, fast, very technical, no humidity and even when it is super hot outside you don't sweat to death.

did i mention my sweet tan from riding in the open, that is very important.


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## Miles2go (Nov 4, 2006)

tg said:


> ST Nervana.:thumbsup:


Shut Up! :nono:


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## alshead (Oct 2, 2007)

*A dondé*



Timo said:


> Picture taken just a few hours ago...... Yeah, it is nice to have trails all over the place. Hey, I can see my house from here!


And... Where is this?


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## jav1231 (May 30, 2005)

PCinSC said:


> State College has some of the best riding that I've ever experienced, and I've ridden a bit around the country: Kingdom Trails in Vermont (also an incredible "out the back door" trail system), Bootleg Canyon in Nevada, Goosebury Mesa and other S. Utah hot spots, etc.
> 
> My house is less than 5 miles from one of the IMBA epic rides in Rothrock State Forest where they also hold the Wilderness 101 and Stoopid 50 every year (not that I'd ever ride that far  ). Plus, the Allegrippis Trails at Raystown Lake are less than an hour away. The only thing we're missing is good, easy access downhill/freeride terrain.
> 
> Sadly, I'm moving to Atlanta in November. I'm gonna miss the local riding, and I already feel like I took the easy access around here for granted.


A lot has changed in 10 years here in the mtb community in Atlanta. I started riding around '02 and have had nothing but good experiences with the people in the Atlanta mountain biking community. (I would say road biking is a bit different.) Get on SORBA.org and you can post that you want to ride somewhere and any number of people will be more than happy to join you.

You won't be disappointed in the riding either. Depending on where you will be, there's lots of good trail systems close to the city and some development inside the perimeter. The N. Ga mountains are as little as an hour's ride north, depending on where you end up, and the riding there is awesome. Ellijay and Dahlonega are two hub-towns for riding in the mountains. Bull Mtn near Dahlonega was IMBA's first "Epic."

So hit us up when you get here!


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## PaintPeelinPbody (Feb 3, 2004)

Timo's profile says he's in Durango. 

So what are the East Coast hotspots?


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## mudpuppy (Feb 7, 2004)

Another Vote for Cumberland BC. Island riding at it's best. Great trails at your back door, a few minutes drive to some great shuttle trails, and 20 minutes to lift access. Great XC in Campbell River too...close to the fun and flowy Hornby Isl. trails...so much good stuff on the island.


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## PeakBagger (Apr 2, 2006)

Crested Butte
Durango
Ketchum
Bellingham
Helena, MT
Hood River
Nelson BC
Park City


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## @dam (Jan 28, 2004)

Albuquerque NM is pretty good. The foothills at the edge of town provide lots of roller-coaster backdoor riding. Drive 10-15 minutes to the east and their are TONS of trails in forested areas all over the place, including lift-serviced trails only about half an hour away. The weather is good, too; in the summer, it almost never breaks 100 in town or low 90's in the hills, and in the winter it usually approaches 50 or so.


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## Woozle (Jun 13, 2008)

jav1231 said:


> A lot has changed in 10 years here in the mtb community in Atlanta. I started riding around '02 and have had nothing but good experiences with the people in the Atlanta mountain biking community. (I would say road biking is a bit different.) Get on SORBA.org and you can post that you want to ride somewhere and any number of people will be more than happy to join you.
> 
> You won't be disappointed in the riding either. Depending on where you will be, there's lots of good trail systems close to the city and some development inside the perimeter. The N. Ga mountains are as little as an hour's ride north, depending on where you end up, and the riding there is awesome. Ellijay and Dahlonega are two hub-towns for riding in the mountains. Bull Mtn near Dahlonega was IMBA's first "Epic."
> 
> So hit us up when you get here!


I can ride out my back door in Vermont and also ride quite a bit in Atlanta. I can say that there are a variety of great smaller trail systems around metro Atlanta and epic riding about an hour north. Saw one rude encounter from a local at Big Creek, other than that, hundreds (thousands) of friendly, committed riders maintaining some great trails with year round riding.


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## 2melow (Jan 5, 2004)

mzinn23 said:


> Boise IDaho. it was voted number one in outdoor magazine for pretty much everything you want. not sure of the link, but it was the best in the country.
> 250 miles of singletrack in the lower foothills in the Ridge to Rivers system, Shafer Butte system in the trees 15 miles up bogus basin road from boise downtown. not even 5 minutes from downtown are two major areas to start mountain bike rides. Not to mention Eagle, ID just outside of Boise, and mountain biking meccas such as Sun Valley and Mccall with world renowned biking and skiing less than two hours away each.
> 
> Just saying...


Boise Idaho is a very nice spot. My wife was from Boise and had a house on 6th in the north end...about a 3 minute pedal to Camelsback Park so we spent some time in Boise. We live in Fort Collins, which has equally good riding. I like the Fort Collins riding a little bit better from town than Boise. Boise is a lot closer to skiing and the high country right out of town is pretty rugged which I like better. Not to mention hot springs close to town. Bonneville was a local favorite spot.

Fort Collins is a nice city just an hour north of Denver. It's close enough to Denver and a major Int'l airport not to be a pain in the butt to commute to. It's far enough from metro Denver that it has its own smaller city feel to it. In fact I think I'm closer drive time to the Denver airport with no traffic than many living on the southwest side of Denver in traffic. The community of Fort Collins is very pro outdoors and pro beer drinking if that is your thing. I am pro beer and pro outdoors, it's what has kept me here for 11 years now. Beer is pretty hard to avoid here, and the cycling culture is pretty infused with the events New Belgium has its hand in which is pretty cool. I don't even have a rack on my car right now, to give you an idea of the proximity of riding from town. Food is good too - all different types, and I've lived 25 miles outside of Manhattan for the first 20 years of my life which I would probably consider the best melting pot and types. Though I would no way move back east after living in Colorado. I have friends in Golden and Colorado Springs which also have exceptional riding but closer to the bigger cities if that is your thing. If you can work in Golden, you never have to leave and you'll feel like you are living in a mountain town 25 minutes outside of downtown Denver. The house prices in Golden have skyrocketed once people learned they could telecommute or only have to go into an office a couple times a week. White Ranch is pretty awesome and a few friends are in the neighborhoods right below.

I think the major draw of the Front Range of Colorado is in an afternoon of driving....in some instances less...you can be riding _many_ of these areas mentioned on this list which makes for really good weekend camping trips. The draw for me choosing Fort Collins was you can own a nice, affordable house and have a much easier lifestyle than overpopulated-over priced-over taxed areas while doing more sports more often and drinking good local beer! What more could you ask for? google "Fort Collins Best Place To Live"


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## lwebber60 (Aug 13, 2008)

Greenfield, NH, Trails from the front yard, trails almost out of the backyard!


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## idbrian (May 10, 2006)

PaintPeelinPbody said:


> So what are the East Coast hotspots?


Good ones i know of:
Northampton MA
West Milford, NJ
State College, PA
Asheville, NC

Also, the entire Boston Metro is littered with really great riding spots while remaining rather suburban. Not a cheap area but there is also good money to be made.


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