Gear

Gear we’ve used and tested on the trail along with book reviews and interviews with local shop owners.

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Interview with Roger of Tailwind Cyclists in Pittsburg

The rolling hills of southeastern Kansas around Pittsburg are perfect for mountain bike trails. I checked in by email with Roger Lomshek, owner of Tailwind Cyclists, which has you covered for all your cycling & outdoor needs, for his recommendations and thoughts on the Pittsburg area trails.

Kansas Trail Guide: What are the best trails in the Pittsburg area for mountain bikers and why?

Roger: We have three trails that offer a mix of flavors for riders.

The 23rd Street Bike Park is in the middle of town 6 blocks east of Broadway on 23rd ST! The bike park has a mix of roller coaster twisty singletrack with lots of short steep 10 foot tall hills. It also has a dirt jumping track with plans to add a trials riding area and pump track. While some areas are beyond the beginner rider there is almost always an easy detour and you’re never more than a half mile from the road.

One of the features at the 23rd Street Bike Park in Pittsburg

One of the features at the 23rd Street Bike Park in Pittsburg

Wilderness Park is at the far north edge of Pittsburg 1/2 mile west of Hwy 69 on McKay ST. The front half has gravel bike & walking paths that are great for beginner riders and families while the back half is a tangle of singletrack trails in heavily wooded hills.

Farlington Lake (Crawford State Park) is 10 miles north of Girard, KS on Hwy 7 (25 miles northwest from Pittsburg). A paved 6 mile road circles the lake while a nearly 8 mile singletrack trail rolls through the woodland around the lake. The singletrack trail has some very difficult sections and overall I would list it as an intermediate trail that is not for beginners.

Kansas Trail Guide: How many volunteer hours does it take to maintain the trails and how many trails does your shop take care of?

Roger: Tailwind Cyclists and our crew of volunteer trail workers maintains all 3 trail networks in our area totaling about 15 miles of trails. We usually devote at least a weekend every other month to trail maintenance and sometimes smaller half day sessions as needed.

Kansas Trail Guide: Are there areas for beginners and experts?

Roger: All three trails offer challenges for expert riders while the 23rd Street Bike Park and Wilderness Park have some beginner friendly portions.

Kansas Trail Guide: Are there any organized trail rides?

Roger: Tailwind Cyclists hosts a Thursday night mountain bike ride that leaves the shop at 6:30 PM during daylight savings time. We also do occasional road trips to further away trails on weekends. Call the shop at 620-231-2212 for details.

Kansas Trail Guide: What gear can people purchase at your shop?

Roger: We sell a wide variety of cycling accessories plus the bikes themselves and can get camping and outdoor gear as well.

Kansas Trail Guide: What do you think makes the Pittsburg area special for mountain bikers?

Roger: The people who ride! We have a great group of riders that make every trail ride fun.

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Review of Garmin eTrex Legend

We’re using Garmin’s eTrex Legend to make the maps for our upcoming Kansas Trails Guidebook.

Why we love it:

  • photoSmall and lightweight at 5.3 oz (150g) and 2.0″ x 4.4″ x 1.2″, it’s easy to slip into a pocket.
  • Waterproof (though doesn’t float)
  • Screen is easy to read, even in bright, direct sunlight
  • Powered by AA batteries, it lasts up to about 16 hours (can depend on temperature and how long it has to search for a signal – can take longer in heavily wooded areas), which should be plenty of time for an overnight trip, though always bring extra batteries
  • Handheld and easy navigation through menus – in fact, the whole thing is designed to be used with just the left hand.
  • Built in base map
  • Easy waypoint setting
  • Navigation between waypoints
  • Sunrise/sunset information, so you know how much daylight you have left!
  • Good price point at $149.99 through Garmin

For us, these aren’t deal breakers, but so you know what it doesn’t have:

  • Gray scale screen, not color
  • 8 mb extra space to add maps, which may not be enough for those wanting to use it to upload larger, more detailed city maps – though for on the trail, that’s not as much of a problem
  • No barometic altimeter
  • May take awhile to pick up a signal if in a wooded area

Play around with it before you head out on the trail with it for the first time so you get a feel for it, and we’ll be including coordinates in our maps and trail guides, so you can always double check to make sure you’re on the right track.

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Where to buy hiking and camping gear in Kansas

Here are some of our favorite places to get new hiking and camping gear.

Hutchinson area
Heartland Outdoor
1 Heartland Drive
South Hutchinson, KS 67505
620-664-6103

Kansas City area
Backwoods Overland Park
6825 West 135th Street
Overland Park, KS 66223
913-451-8881

Cabela’s
10300 Cabela Drive
Kansas City, KS 66111
913-328-0322

In fall 2013, there will be an REI in Overland Park.

Lawrence
Sunflower Outdoor & Bike
804 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-843-5000

Manhattan
The Pathfinder
304 Poyntz Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502
785-539-5639

Wichita
Backwoods Wichita
1900 North Rock Rd. Suite 108
Wichita, KS 67206
316-267-0350

Cabela’s
2427 North Greenwich Road
Wichita, KS 67226
316-854-3130

Coleman Factory Outlet
235 N. St. Francis
Wichita, KS 67202
316-264-0836

Did we miss your favorite place to get gear? Let us know in the comments.