Father, son seriously injured in Brown Co. accident

From therepublic.com:

A father and son were seriously injured Sunday afternoon when they crashed their bicycles riding down a steep hill in Brown County State Park.

According to reports from Indiana conservation officers, Ely Brizendine, 15, and his father Edward Brizendine, 44 , both of Mooresville, were heading down a hill at about 4 p.m. Sunday when one of them lost control, causing both bikes to crash.

The hill they were going down is near Strahl Valley," said Conservation Officer eff Atwood. "It is a very steep hill and there are signs at the top of it urging bikers to dismount before going down.

"It is very unfortunate that the Brizendines did not heed that advice."

The two were at Brown County State Park, along with several other members of the Mooresville High School Cross County Team, as part of a weekend training outing.

Full story here.

Any HMBA'ers out there chime in on this? I'm not a mountain biker myself and am not familiar with the trail, or really, if this is even a trail. Either way, I hope these two are okay, and as always, please be careful out there, whether it's of roots and stumps, or cars and potholes.

HMBA announces the Grand Opening of Pine Loop at Brown County State Park

Grand Opening for Pine Loop (Trail E)
Brown County State Park: North Gate Parking Lot
Saturday, June 13th
10:00AM
Ribbon cutting will be .25 miles into the trail on Bridge #1
Guided bike and hike tours of the trail
Same day as the Midwest Women's Clinic

Pine Loop is a beginner trail which was built as part of the Brown County State Park RTP grant project. The trail climbs through a fern filled valley, up into a pine forest, before connecting to the existing Parking Lot Connector trail. The result is a beautiful 2 mile beginner loop that provides riders the opportunity to experience the back country feel of the mountain bike trail system in a short beginner friendly trail.

The Brown County State Park RTP Grant is nearing completion. With Limekiln Trail and Walnut Trail already opened, and Schooner Trace nearing completion, The RTP grant project is solidifying Brown County State Park as a regional destination for mountain bikers. The RTP grant project is being managed by the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association (HMBA). HMBA is matching the $150,000 RTP grant with $27,500 worth of volunteer labor and $10,000 from a Bikes Belong Grant.

Brown County State Park Mountain Bike Trail Info
www.browncountymountainbiking.com
Brown County pictures
Pine Loop Pictures

Bike Magazine Boasts Brown County Mtn. Biking

This story got a bit swallowed in the hustle of NAHBS material, but it definitely deserves a mention. In the March issue of Bike Magazine, Brown County is featured in a piece called "33 Best Rides in North America." Here is a clip from an article about the write-up:

In its article '33 Best Rides in North America' the international magazine says the following about the trails, which are located on the outskirts of Nashville, Ind.

'This expanding trail system is quickly becoming a favorite destination for Midwest riders. Its 19 miles of singletrack is among the most varied terrain east of the Mississippi. From berms to steep switchbacks to tight trees to rock gardens, these trails have it all. And even more are on the way, with an ambitious expansion plan already in the works.'

The trails also were honored as runner-up in the Best Trail Network category by the magazine. Kingdom Trails in East Burke, Vt., won the category, and Park City, Utah, joined Brown County State Park in receiving a runner-up award.

Read the full text over at the HMBA site.

For more information about the Brown County trail system, click here.