Stick Season at PHP

 

Like every other state in New England, Vermont has four seasons but unlike those states it also has two bonus seasons: Stick Season - after all the leaves have fallen but before any major snowfalls; Mud Season - when the snow melts and the trails and dirt roads get soft and muddy. 

All the leaves were down giving the park a new look. Sight lines were more open and the leaves on the trails, having been ridden on, were a lighter color making the trail stand out. 

It was cool but having ridden from Ann’s I was warmed up and sweating by the I got to the intersection with the Turnpike and when I noticed the trail closure. I had read about it on Facebook but I didn’t expect to see such an elaborate set up. That’s definitely a closed trail. The other tail closure I read about was on Exit Strategy and I reached out to Paige at Down Valley Bikes to see if there was some way to mark that on Trailforks. She wasn’t sure how to do it because that part of the trail, on the app, is one contiguous trail. 

I made a mental course change and went for a bigger loop than I had originally intended.

At the Underdog overlook I got this great view of Pittsfield and Cox Mountain.

Looking further down the power line cut I saw what looked like a golf cart but it was probably an ATV belonging to a hunter. Glad I was wearing orange!

Leaving Underdog I rode down Pond Road for a bit and then cut in for a bit when I realized I was going to hit Droopy Muffin again. I try to avoid overlaps, if it can be helped, so I back tracked and got on Pond Road and tried a new trail called Vista which led me out to the edge of the Quarry. 

The view of Rutland from edge of Quarry is outstanding. I think this the best view of Rutland that I have found so far. From Vista I rode Voldemort in its entirety.

I was surprised to see this glove on a rock before Svelte Tiger. Did someone forget to put their glove back on or was it left on purpose? I left it thinking someone might come back for it but now that I think about it I should have carried it out to the entrance and left it there for someone to claim.

Here’s the closure on Exit Strategy

And my favorite BFR

  

While I was riding back to Ann’s I felt a little wobble in my rear wheel. I got the bike on the stand and checked the spokes and found one busted at the nipple. Took it Down Valley and thought that while that was happening I would have the wheels converted back to Tubeless. Two weeks later I asked if they could belay that order and just fix the busted spoke because I bought a Fat Bike.