PLYMOUTH — For a Sheboygan County thrill-seeker, he had a tough decision to make as he got older. Keep on riding dirt bikes or transition to something else.
“You want the adrenaline but still want to get to work on Monday," Jeff Pitts, the thrill-seeker, said.
To still get the exhilaration of going fast without the risk of serious injury, Pitts traded in his dirt bike for a mountain bike. (Yes, yes, mountain biking is still dangerous. Ironically, Pitts has the scars to prove it.)
“Got too old for dirt bikes and just wanted to get some health benefits, so cycling in the woods is the good part in the middle for aging adventure rider," Pitts said.
So now, if you are ever looking for Pitts, odds are he is at the Rocky Knoll Mountain Biking Trails in Plymouth.
“Probably three times a week now because I live pretty close," he said.
This is a recently upgraded network of mountain biking trails. It's located behind the Rocky Knoll Healthcare Center, which is basically across the street from Road America.
Before the upgrade, Rocky Knoll had skinny hiking trails used for biking. You would have to go outside Sheboygan County if you wanted to find good trails with jumps or technical terrain. Plus, there was no progression section with trails for beginners, intermediate riders, and experts.
That's when Sheboygan County and the nonprofit Sheboygan County Cycling got together to design jumps, banked turns, a section with tabletops and a teeter totter, and make the area's first beginner-friendly trail. The ribbon-cutting ceremony was in early July.
Ultimately, the goal is to make mountain biking more accessible. Whether you're an expert or a beginner, Rocky Knoll is a place to shred. If you want the opportunity to clear a 6-foot gap, you can do that. Or, if you want to just learn to hit turns at speed, that's possible too.
“Everything does have a ride around, so it's safe and friendly to ride. There's not, you know, someone's not just going to send it into a big gap or over a big rock pile that they can't handle," Brian Schwaller, the president of Sheboygan County Cycling, said.
This 60-acre area isn't just for bikers. Hikers can use it, too. But beware, there are trails that are strictly for hikers and some strictly for bikers. There are signs marking the trails. However, you can also tell just by the build of the trail.
“For the most part, yea, we're trying to build community trails where people can get in the woods and enjoy themselves," Schwaller said.
Which Jeff Pitts, the mountain biker, is taking full advantage of. Trails like these are a dream come true for him. No wonder he is spending three days a week here.
Watch the story on the upgraded Rocky Knoll mountain biking trails...
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