Crash Test Kevin and I have been doing no-lights reverse night rides for years-upon-years. The plan is simple*. Start up the hill when it’s almost too dark to see, and drop into the trails when it’s bright enough to ride. Leave the mountain around when other folks are showing up and go find some delicious baked goods and a coffee**. Our favourite No-Lights Reverse Night Rides locales are Mt. Fromme and Burke Mtn, but anywhere pedal-and-plunge with a forest road, and some single track will do just fine, thank you.
This morning was beautiful. I wish I’d packed my camera, but in an inescapable act of cellphone shutterbugging, I made up for the lack of quality with a massive pile of… snaps. Anywho, I figured I’d share a bit of a chronologically-posted photo journal here, may it act as inspiration to start pedaling before dawn and drop in with a yawn.
*{The plan is always simple, that’s how we roll.}
**{Hot chocolate for CTK, but now that he’s an old man, he doesn’t want whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or sprinkles.}
Riding conditions may be the best we’ll see in 2026? The dirt was tire-gripping-tacky; the roots, rocks, and ladder bridges were all dry. The temperature was perfect for a good uphill effort. Zero mechanicals, one full-body bicycle hug {it wasn’t really a crash, per se}, and a couple of delicious oat-fudge bars afterwards.
No-Lights Reverse Night Rides. Highly recommended for everyone.
Welcome to MEATengines! Whichever way you rolled here, I hope you enjoyed this piece. If you did, donations to the site are always appreciated but never expected. Any questions, concerns, or comments; feel encouraged to drop me an e-mail, or join us at r/MEATengines.