2013 Bike to Work Day

I decided to suck it up and go with bib shorts for Friday's commute, some lighter gloves and only one snivel gear item, an ear band (that I ended up taking off when I crossed into Bethel), and no riding jacket.  Of course I had a wicking undershirt, blaze orange, long sleeve running shirt, and my Meatball jersey.  Another change was I found a good way to mount my helmet cam to the bike.

Riding down to Pond Brook Road was chilly but warmed up with the climb out of the Housatonic Valley.  It wasn't until I got up to Hawleyville JCT was when the morning's true warmth hit me.  It was like night and day.  The temperature swing felt like a 20 degree difference.  Leaving the house later than 6 am caused me to abort my plans of trying to beat a Strava Segment (Susan Ln Climb) I found last week while Fredding Around Newtown.

The industrial section of Bethel of fascinates me on how can you have such as operation in such a minuscule area.  Near here is also the Plumb Trees Viaduct that I have been trying to find for quite some time.  It's a remnant of the Shepaug Railroad that went from Bethel to Litchfield.  I saw it on Wednesday but it was enshrouded by trees.  Going to have to wait till fall to get a good picture of it. 

Wednesday, my route took me on this road called Hickory Ave, which according to Strava was only 6.5% grade but it seemed a lot worse, so I took the backside and it was 9.5%.  Seemed a lot more steeper.

After busting my hump on Hickory I came across this sweet, steel, three speed, grocery getter.  Not sure what it's like living in this neighborhood but I would never leave my bike in front of my house like this if I lived here.

The Bike to Work day event for the Danbury area was being held at the Bethel, CT MetroNorth Stop on the Danbury Line.  It was being put on by HART Transit, the local bus company that services the HCVEO region (Housatonic Valley of Elected Officials).  This was their second time doing this.

Besides a bite to eat, some orange juice, and a cup of coffee, I got some nice schwag including a water bottle, an ankle and arm reflective bands and a cool t-shirt.

As I was getting ready to role, this Rastafarian looking guy rolls up on former mountain bike now turned commuter that was brushed aluminum.  Perfect train station bike. 

Upon leaving the station and heading to the office I came across this woman riding her bike to work but she road right past the event?  That's crazy.  When I caught up to her and asked her why she said they were doing something at work.  I think that meant she worked for Cycling Sports Group.

 I even got a "I biked to Work Today" sticker!

Decided to go back to the Timbuk2 bag for commuting.  Having it slung across the shoulder like a bike messenger is actually much more comfortable than the back pack because the load in the back pack is actually higher up on your back and tends to shift when you are crouched in the saddle.  However, the messenger bag sits lower and doesn't shift as much, plus your back gets more air.

Another great bike commute and my 10th ride to the office!
I am at 250 miles, 1/4 of the way to my goal of a 1000 miles this year.

Lobster Gloves in May? Seriously?

It was 32 degrees Wednesday morning when I left the house and from my past experiences of riding to work in these temperatures I have to start the ride with my lobster gloves and over booties otherwise I will freeze.  I also had a thermal layer on as well but after 5 miles I was sweating.  Probably could have done without the thermal layer.  

I decided to go a little bit out of my way this morning and see what it will be like on Friday when I ride to the Bethel Metro North station for the National Ride to Work Breakfast.  The route change added an additional 8 miles to the ride, but you know me, I love more miles.

A little morning helmet head was a little shocking but overall it was a good ride.  I learned one thing about my Garmin - my 100K scale topo maps are incompatible with the turn by turn navigation feature built into the Garmin Edge 800 so I am going to have to go back to the 24K maps.

The ride home has interesting.  At 4 PM I stepped outside the office to check the temps.  It did rain by the way but not at the time that the weatherman predicted, rather it was midday.  That seemed to cool things off quite a bit.  However, when I left the office at 6 PM, the sun was out and it must have been 65 degrees!  I was in tights, shorts, a long sleeve and my riding jacket.  Waaaay to warm for the conditions.  Only had time to drop the jacket.

My original thought when riding home was that I wanted to ride 12 miles after 18 in the morning so I could round out the day with a 30 mile ride.  Leaving the office so late wasn't going to permit me to take the 12 mile route that I had planned not to mention, my knees have been bugging me.  I guess I can't ride 5 days straight anymore.  The first thing I did was explore the Sturges Road right of way between Old Bethel Road and Taunton Hill Road but it was blocked.  When I got down to the Pond Brook Boat Ramp I was still 1 mile short of the 12 I wanted so I tried climbing Silver City lane and that was a bear of a climb, however, that game me enough to for 12 miles and to finish the day with 30 miles!

Monday RAW with Class Cycles

Greg from Class Cycles contacted be the other day wondering if I would be interested in leading a shop ride at Upper Paugussett and I said sure.  I rode over to the Echo Valley lot and there were a few guys already there and then the main group showed up 20 minutes later.  It was pretty chilly when I left the house so I took a little warm up ride on the lower section of the Gussy and then cut over on the trail that goes to the parking lot.

Greg getting a piece of the Rock on the new Prudential Roller

 From the Echo Valley lot we headed up to the Polly Brody to the Gussy Trail.  Riding down the Gussy was great because of all the fun little stunts to hit along the way.  Some of the group hit the Papa Bear roller and it was surprisingly good, though the run out needs a little work.  

At the crossing with the West Side of the Blue Trail we found new things to play on, including a new roller called the Prudential Roller, because it looks like the rock from the commercial.  On the other side of the trail is cool rock outcropping that can be dropped, rolled, and dropped again.

Rich makes the Piece of the Rock look so easy!

I took them on the Reach Around and then back up the Gussy and on back to the Parking lot.  There were too casualties, a flat tire at the new play area and Rich's (pictured above) tire tubeless tire burped and he was screwed with the Walk of Shame back to the lot.  Fortunately, it wasn't that far.

Next Monday, the Monday RAW will be at Waldo.

Fredding around in Newtown

Decisions, decisions, what should I ride today?  As a consolation prize for not doing the Tour de Lyme, my wife gave me the green light to ride on Sunday.  The first decision was made for me on Saturday by going mountain biking at Upper Paugussett and I haven't been on the Cannondale so the bike choice was made.  Sunday morning's weather killed any notion of a good Gravel Grinder ride in Roxbury and Washington and as I was getting ready the power went out for all of 5 seconds -- typical Newtown, CT.  That meant I had to stick around to get the internet back up otherwise there would be a revolt at Chez Cyclesnack.  My four hour window to ride was now 2 hours so I decided to try one of my Newtown 26 courses that I have been mapping.

Right out of the gate I passed a big pack of riders and by the looks of their kit and blinged out bikes I would say it was one of the Bethel Cycle rides.  I did get a few waves and good mornings though.  Good think I waited till I did because it was perfect temperature and I dressed appropriately wearing a long sleeve wicking shirt with my Meatball Jersey over it.  It was still cool enough to warrant the extra layer and on the downhills I was glad for it.

I rode through parts of Newtown that I have never been in before including Hammertown and Huntingtown. Riding down Hammertown road was almost like a roller coaster ride with some great climbs and fast descents.  Somewhere along the way I passed a woman riding in the other direction on an old crappy ten speed, but at least she had a helmet on.  However, should she ever read this blog please take note that you should not unzip your jersey that far!  I was having a hard time with the routing feature on the Garmin 800 because I had the 1:24,000 topo map loaded and it had too much detail making it hard to follow the route sometimes, like the turn off to Castle Meadow.

I crossed over Rt 25 near the Indian Restaurant and then started my northward return towards home when I had to stop and adjust my seatpost.  A couple of cyclists passed me going the other direction.  One guy was on a full suss Cannondale Scaple without a helmet.  I got to learn first hand why they call Toddy Hill a hill because it was a nice, long climb up and a wicked ride down.  At one point I think I was going 40 mph!  I think I did pretty well in the feed and hydration department, drank one bottle, and ate a banana and two guus!  If I had more time I would have stopped in Sandy Hook for a can of PBR or a cup of coffee.  Of course when I got home is when the allergies kicked in and made me miserable the rest of the day but at least I had a great ride.

Some things that I want to modify on this route in the future:  stay off dirt roads.  The route started with Pond Brook Road and finished with Sanford Road work a little more climbing into the course like hitting Castle Hill - you can't beat the view!  Lastly, try to go by Fairfield Hills and work in the rec path into the loop.

Quick Rip TM ride

On Thursday's RbW I found some additional blowdowns that weren't there on Tuesday.  Funny because I don't remember it being windy Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday.  None-the-less, the Gussy Trail was blocked at the end of the ROW just past the intersection with the blue trail (that comes up from the Echo Valley Parking Lot) and I know if I didn't get to it a massive go around would have formed and that wouldn't have been good.  There was also another tree down after you make the dog leg and go through the second rock store (stone wall).

It had rained the night before but the weather was holding so I headed out around noon.  I didn't have a lot of time because I needed to be back by 1 PM but I wanted to get a good ride in, too, so I started pushing and found I had no legs after Friday's commute.

Looks like the The Drinking Club with a Running Problem is visiting Upper Paugussett this weekend.  This is not made by an alien, rather the Hare setting the running course.  It means you have to check the routes from this point.  Checks are put at intersections to make the FRBs (Front Running Bastards) run extra looking for the true trail.  Clearly the Hare was taking the pack down the Mulikin Trail because there was check back sign at the intersection with the Gussy and they were staying off the Gussy Trail completely.

I found a way to carry my big loppers on my hydration pack and they made short work of the tree blocking the trail further down the trail and also helped with clearing the blockage at the end of the ROW. 

 

 I still needed to use my handsaw for two larger branches.

Right of Way (ROW) looking north

An ice cold Pale Ale awaited me for a job well done!