Yesterday rode the gravel road uphill to the newer, upper trail segment, then rode back down around the lower  trail, returning to the parking area at the old target shooting pit.  the road gave me a chance to warm up properly before hitting the trailhead.  I was surprised at how loose and rocky the trail surface has become.  loose 4"- 6" granite chunks cover a large portion of the upper trail, and  parts of the lower trail as well.  exposed rock in the pathway caused numerous pedal strikes on outcrops along the  upper trail. Probably got thrown sideways bouncing off solid rock-pedal strikes a dozen times, and crashed twice due to front wheel skidding out of turns because of smaller 1"-2" loose rock over hard pan.  This could be a world class single track experience with some additional trail work to reduce the suicide alley aspects of some  portions of the trail. 

Starting out I rode the graveled road uphill past the "road closed" sign to the top of the ridge and picked up the upper trail head, enabling me to make the loop in one long downhill run.  Didn't have time to pedal out to the lake, but looking forward to the complete circuit next time.  Also, up the gravel road at the sharp bend heading to the upper trailhead, someone has put in a smallish double track dirt road leading into the drainage east ofmHanden Ridge.  Looks like an interesting ride, although I only explored a few hundred yards. Nice camping site along the tracK also.

Watch out for hundreds, if not thousands, of rusty nails littering the parking area at the foot of the lower trailhead.  Looks like the good ole boy woodsmen crowd from the glory days of road hunting-gravel pit shooting burned a generation of wood pallets in make shift firepits, leaving innumerable rusty nails throughout the parking area.  The parking area could possibly benefit from a work day to turn it into a leave-no-trace staging area for the trail head.