Poto: Olson Park/Ann Arbor Loop

[shippenville]

Thanks for all the hard work with the brush mower!

[raptorTC]

You would never even know it rained by looking at the trails. They are still dry and rolling well. There's a fairly large tree with a lot of branches down across the trail up in Girlscout right before the fast and rooty descent.

[Steve_Balogh]

Did a couple of laps around Olson this afternoon. Was like riding a desert, most of the vegetation is brown. The trail is somewhat moist when you enter the first heavily wooded section, other than that everything is very dry. The hill climb up that bluff is very loose.

[Bcar]

FINALLY made it out last night, hit up everything other than olson.
careful, there is a tree down in girlscount camp, along the north ridge, just before the mini DH.
also saw the tree down just east of pontiac trail, can kinda ride under it, didnt have a saw with me.
and another big one in the northwest corner of ceder bend.
trying to get out tonight and will bring a saw.

[Bcar]

p.s. and the trail is in grrreat shape! and dry.

[Bcar]

Thanks to the person(s) who moved most of the tree in GS camp. one last branch that needs a saw.

[raptorTC]

Kudos to whoever cleared most of the GS tree out of the way. I tried to hop over the one branch that was left, but my chainring caught it and I ended up endoing in a pretty spectacular looking fall. Its running pretty well out there. Just take caution on the sandy stuff. I nearly lost it on the sandy turn in Olson before the random ceramic-ish piece that goes across the trail.

[jwhitey]

I have ridden the trails that you access from the parking lot at the bottom of the off ramp at the Barton rd exit. I've ridden west and eventually hit a "no bikes" sign. Great trails, hills and many options. I've ridden south along the river on both sides and I've ridden to the north and across the road under M14 and east all the way to the park at the rooty exit by the golf course. But I've never made it to Olsen Park. It looks good and I'm wondering how easy is it to get to Olsen from where you come out by the golf course? Do you just ride the dirt road out and go left to Olsen? Is there a trail that covers that distance?

[Steve_Balogh]

I have ridden the trails that you access from the parking lot at the bottom of the off ramp at the Barton rd exit. I've ridden west and eventually hit a "no bikes" sign. Great trails, hills and many options. I've ridden south along the river on both sides and I've ridden to the north and across the road under M14 and east all the way to the park at the rooty exit by the golf course. But I've never made it to Olsen Park. It looks good and I'm wondering how easy is it to get to Olsen from where you come out by the golf course? Do you just ride the dirt road out and go left to Olsen? Is there a trail that covers that distance?

Did you make it to Leslie Park? If not, then you follow a section of trail, exit into Leslie. From there you can either ride through the neighborhood or take a dirt road on the left side as you exit North through Leslie that will take you to Dhu Varren. I always Park at Olsen when doing the A2 loop.

[jwhitey]

Thanks Steve. We rode together at Morton Taylor last year. I thought about parking at Olsen but it's real convenient to park at the bottom of the Barton rd. ramp.
I think Leslie might be where you come out near the golf course. I'm deciding whether to ride Pontiac lake or HIghland today. My buddy has never ridden the A2 loop and I'd like to show him but I've never done Olsen Park. Are the 5 miles of trail there pretty good? Hard to improve on Highland or Pontiac.

[irishpitbull]

Thanks Steve. We rode together at Morton Taylor last year. I thought about parking at Olsen but it's real convenient to park at the bottom of the Barton rd. ramp.
I think Leslie might be where you come out near the golf course. I'm deciding whether to ride Pontiac lake or HIghland today. My buddy has never ridden the A2 loop and I'd like to show him but I've never done Olsen Park. Are the 5 miles of trail there pretty good? Hard to improve on Highland or Pontiac.

A2 is not as good as highland or Pontiac. There was some nice stuff out there but I would rather be at highland.

[jwhitey]

Agreed but it was fun. Olsen has good flow to it and the trails through Leslie are awesome. When I have to be back by a certain time it's sort of a gamble to ride Highland. Especially with someone else. Alone it's a little easier to gauge the time. I'm glad we did the A2 loop. My buddy travels a lot and I thought he would appreciate a trail option right off the freeway. Also he was whining a little and I didn't want to go all the way to Highland again and only do A and B.
Next trip to Highland I'm doing all of it.

[irishpitbull]

Let me know and I will do it with you.

[jwhitey]

Yea I'll do that. A weekday is a long shot and traffic would probably suck anywhere near rush hour. It's a little long (A-D) for a night ride. If next weekend works I'll let you know asap.

[Leroi Brown]

The A2 Loop is fantastic for an urban trail!! Sure, it's no Highland, but it's pretty spectacular in its own element. How can you beat 16 miles of singletrack that's rideable after work,and will still get you home in time for dinner? I think it's even a pretty good destination trail.