From a distance, Reading, Pennsylvania appears to be a small city beautifully tucked into the crevices that form the foothills of the modestly sized Pocono mountains. Actually, Reading
is in fact a small city beautifully tucked into the crevices that form the foothills of the modestly sized Pocono mountains. Located in Berks County, roughly halfway between the state's capital city of Harrisburg, and the country's 5th largest city in Philadelphia, Reading occupies a stretch of land bounded by the Schuylkill River to the west, Mount Penn to the east, and Neversink Mountain along the south. It is a city with an early history of prominence and virtue, with stakes in the railroad, automotive and heavy industries. It is also a city that fell from grace sharply; experiencing a population decline by the mid-twentieth century that continued for decades. In 2011, a federal investigation listed the city as one of the east coast's major hubs for gang activity and drugs. A year later, the New York Times called Reading the poorest city in the United States.
"Our city has struggled." Crystal Seitz tells me during a discussion in her office located just west of downtown. Crystal is the president of the Reading and Berks County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and a native to the region. "A few years ago, we were known as the outlet capital of the world. As that changed over time, I think our city and county didn’t look for something else to draw visitors and tourists to the area. We didn’t take advantage of our arts and culture, our outdoor activities, and our close proximity to New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. We’re within six hours of over 60 million people."
Reading's struggles have been documented thoroughly in recent times. However, lately there have been an increasing number of stories being floated with a much more hopeful and optimistic tone than I can remember in...well, ever. Among the things about mountain biking I love the most, is the transformative power the
riding community can have on the greater communities that surround our trail networks. The City of Reading has struggled in recent years, but there's a tremendous potential to this region, and its a strong coalition of riders who are leading the charge to help the town pick itself up, and dust itself off.
I asked John if he needed a hand getting his bike off of the back of his pickup. His forearms were each the size of my torso, so it was immediately clear that no, he did not, in fact, need a hand. John served in the Marines from 1992 until 1996, and later as a police officer in Reading from 1998 until 2011 before retiring to pursue his own landscaping business endeavor. Less than a year later, he was involved in an accident while riding his dirt bike in the Pennsylvania backcountry. "I used to do a lot of Hare Scrambles," he tells me as we gear up for a ride. "I was riding with 10 other buddies one day, and just got tripped up on an off camber section. I destroyed my knee. I tore my ACL, MCL and PCL. It’s called a 0.02% injury because that’s the likelihood of you tearing two or more ligaments in your knee at once."
John's injury kept him off of the trails for years, as he dealt with the frustration of rehabilitating and rebuilding his leg. Last year, with some help from his friend and one of the region's top riders and mechanics, Scott Miller, John found himself riding the trails atop Mount Penn once again, this time aboard a full suspension handcycle from Lasher Sport. John, who began mountain biking over 20 years ago, has a renewed passion for riding bikes in the woods. "When you mountain bike, it becomes a big part of your identity. When I wasn’t able to get on these trails, that part of me went missing. It sucked. Rail trails just aren’t the same. I’m a little limited as to what I can ride, but I have a bunch of loops I can do up here. You’re so close to the city, but you feel like you’re a million miles away when you’re in here."
Perhaps no one better understands the value of the hills and forests in and around Reading better than Dane Clay. Dane first began riding on Mount Penn over 30 years ago and building trails for over 20, and at 60 years old is faster and more proficient on a bike than most riders a third his age. Born and raised in Berks County, the highly energetic and venerable "godfather" of Reading mountain biking is largely responsible for much of what you'll find on Mount Penn.
"Back in the day, the early days were just XC riding," Dane says. "That’s all we knew. I put my first trail in back in ‘95. We had a limited amount of trails in the area; you could ride here (Mount Penn), at French Creek and a few other spots. When downhill began to pick up steam, Reading Racing was formed by Fred Heinly, Tony Pajakinas and myself. That’s when the Duryea Downhill came and pretty much put this place on the map. I can honestly say that’s a fact. After that, we began to put in more downhill trails, we learned how to build
better trails, traveled to different races so we could see how other people were building trails, and experimented with different lines. Eventually, trail bikes began to get better and better, so we started to focus on all-mountain trails. That was how this place progressed into what it is now. That took 15 years."
Though Mount Penn functions as the epicenter for Reading mountain biking, there is a plethora of available options surrounding the community. French Creek State Park is renowned for its extremely technical XC riding; Blue Marsh was originally built by the Army Corps of Engineers and features over 30 miles of rolling singletrack that circumnavigates Blue Marsh Lake; and Neversink Mountain is on the opposite side of town from Mount Penn, and features less technical singletrack and loads of fire roads for gravel grinders. It's the proximity to this abundance of natural resources surrounding Reading that gives people like Stephan Kincaid, a staple in the area's cycling community for years, hope for the city.
"I think people see things on the news and associate a lot of negativity with Reading," Stephan tells me after a ride on A-Line. "I really believe that the outdoor lifestyle could be a huge draw that this area should embrace. West Reading has a whiskey bar and some really cool places to hang out, and all of these new farm to table options and it’s just on the other side of the river. You have a more affluent neighborhood in Wyomissing. Blue Marsh Lake is just up the road, with fishing and boating. I think that there’s potential for a renaissance here. The town has been on the decline for so many years, I just think it’s going to take some time for things to get sorted."
The city of Reading has already begun to look to the trails and their cultivators as one of the keys to its success for the future. One of the primary reasons behind the city's support of the mountain bike community has been the aforementioned Duryea Downhill race. What began in 2004 with less than 100 riders, has since exploded into one of the east coast's most notorious downhill races. The track typically starts at the top of Mount Penn, and brings riders down the mountain and into a city park, crossing roads, descending stair sets, and often in the shadow of the Pagoda. With the exception of the 3-year event hiatus, the race has proven popular not only among athletes, but spectators as well, drawing scores of people looking to witness the action firsthand, and catch a glimpse of the speed and power of downhill racing. The people primarily responsible for this spectacle are Dane Clay, Tony Pajakinas, and Fred Heinly.
Fred, 41, has taken over organizational responsibilities following the brief hiatus, bringing the event back to Reading in 2010. Heinly himself is an accomplished downhiller and has been riding for more than 20 years. Over time, he has become one of the area's most passionate and respected voices behind the riding community and doesn't think they've come close to hitting the ceiling in the area. "In my eyes, we have limitless potential here," he says with a smile, his excitement clear. "I’ve been building trails up here close to 10 years. This is the world to me. I love riding here. I’ve been fortunate enough to ride California, Utah, Colorado, Idaho; but there’s something about this place that keeps me coming back."
While the trails have been amazing, and the people I've been riding with equally awesome, there's a palpable tension in the air whenever the discussions take us to the cohesiveness of the greater riding community here. The Berks Area Mountain Bike Association is the local trail advocacy group and IMBA chapter. Started in 2012, the organization is largely responsible for much of the support the trails have received from local and state governments, as well as the sport's good standing with the local CVB. Last year, Mount Penn was listed as an IMBA Bronze Level Ride Center, and they even managed to convince Go Greater Reading to put a rider on the cover of the 2016 Official Travel Guide for the area. But, as more and more riders come to the area, the stakes have grown and the inevitable communication gap between riders grew. Many of the trails here started off as a rogue operation decades ago and were grandfathered into the fold a few years ago as BAMBA took shape. As the relationship between land managers, the city, and the riders continues to evolve, operational protocols have become murky and the mountain bike community faces new challenges amongst themselves.
While BAMBA has proven adept at dealing with the bureaucratic and promotional side of things, many people have been vocal in their desire to see a return to a more rider-focused approach from an organizational standpoint. With the diverse riding options that surround Reading, and the equally diverse group of riders who tend the trails and call them home, these kinds of bumps in the road are to be expected. While no one wants to be disparaging in their commentary towards their fellow rider, frustration over recent developments are real and perhaps most clear when you consider that one of the key figures responsible for the formation of BAMBA, Dane Clay, is no longer an active member of the association. But ultimately, we all want to be able to enjoy our time in the woods riding bikes, and while there is work to be done, people on both sides of the coin don't see this as too large a hurdle to overcome.
"I think that BAMBA is a work in progress here," Fred, who is not a current BAMBA member, remarks. "It’s tough when we don’t all see eye to eye. There are a lot of styles and opinions out there, and we just have to bridge our communication gap. It’ll sell itself. People don’t realize that we’re on city property with tons of terrain, accessible jumps. We’re very, very fortunate. I’d like to move things forward, keep our access, and possibly build it. The Reading cycling community has grown exponentially over the past few years, and that’s where I think BAMBA has really contributed. They’ve given us a voice. They’ve given us more legitimacy with the local government as well. But we have only a handful of guys out here taking care of the trails and keeping them open."
John Pacharis' injury has given him a more candid perspective. "We talked about the bickering before," he says. "I just want people to realize how fortunate they are to be able-bodied and to be able to ride their bikes with their legs. You can ride anywhere. No limits. When I rode bikes, I could ride every day when I wanted to. Now I can’t. We have it too good here for this kind of behavior."
When you ride in and around Reading, the quality of the trails and people responsible for them is abundantly clear. Sure, they have some work ahead of them, but that comes with the territory. Ultimately, the mountain bike community may prove to be one of the region's greatest sources of hope this area has had in decades. In a town that has struggled mightily in recent times, who better to help it realize its own potential than people who spend their time caring for and playing in the forests and hills that cradle this community. And while these trails have been recognized by many as a proven asset for the region over the past couple of years, it's obvious that these guys aren't done just yet.
"We have so much good terrain here, and the city really supports our ambitions," Dane says as he unloads his bike from his SUV. "We haven’t hit our ceiling as a destination yet. I mean, we're not even close."
A-LineEB&D Travel Information:
For information on the area, including restaurant selections, lodging options, and activities for the whole family, check out the Go Greater Reading website.
Here's the website for the BAMBA.
Looking for a bike shop? Head to Shirk's
-He saved my life, you know. Thirty years ago. I was knifed at a bazaar in Calcutta, and he carried me to the hospital on his back.
--Who stabbed you?
-He did. There was a price on my head, and he was a hired assassin. Stuck me in the gut with a shiv.
Lots of great terrain in the area and some cool little towns; the trails look fun.
I also had the pleasure of watching Neko Mulally tear it up at the Duryea DH event in 2007. That was awesome and he kept his chain too. That came later. The event then was a ton of fun! I saw some really cool bikes there too. A couple of Zerodes, a lot of V10s, Intense M3/M6, and a super rare Lahar M9 among others. It was a great vibe then. I really need to get back there one of these years. It looks like my old stomping grounds are really shaping up! Nice write up and its great to see Reading's riding culture growing!