Thursday, November 26, 2009

Up the Gussy and down the Dingle Brook


I wanted to take the Qball over to Soutbury and ride the Larkin, end-to-end, but as I was getting it ready I noticed that the rear hub was loose, so it looks like I need to take it back to the shop, after I just got the bike back from the shop the day before! I went to a 9 speed cassette and a deore 9 speed rear derailleur. I am not sure how much longer I am going to keep the drop bars on the Qball because I am kind of jonesin' to see how this bike will do on trails, rigid with gears.

Went out yesterday after work and this marks the first time riding at Upper Paugussett during shotgun and rifle season. I wore my dayglo green riding jacket and sleighbells on the back of the seat pack. I am sure any hunter in shotgun range surely heard me coming. Didn't see any hunters, either, and there was a truck parked on Sandford Road but I imagine the hunter was on the blue trail.

I decided to try something new, I rode up the Gussy Trail and it was a blast! Maybe it was due to all the climbing because the Dillinger climbs so well. It's a completely different trail in this direction. I even scoped out a re-route that I had been eying for some time. After riding Nassahegen and Grayville, my perspective on trail building has greatly changed.

I guess if I didn't spend all that time with the reroute I could have caught a ride down the Gussy on the way home, however, the total ride was just over 9 miles! Throw in another loop on the Gussy and Poly Brody and you could get a 13 to 14 mile ride out of the two areas! The only thing that would make this route better is if the trail up from Dingle Brook was a little more flowy.


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