Sunday, September 27, 2020

2020 Oktoberfest Gravel Grinder



I drove up to Norbrook Farm on September 27th, 2020, when the brewery was having an Oktoberfest Celebration and headed out on my bike to explore the dirt roads between Colebrook River Road and Colebrook Road.

First Dirt was on Pisgah Mountain Road in Colebrook and it was a wonderful descent only then to start climbing again


The climb turned to dirt on Simons Pond just past Cob City Road



There was this eerie house at the start of the climb on Simons Pond after Cob City Rd


The steepest part of the climb was a killer 16% just past the pond


and the surface proceeded to get worse


The road flattened out and was rideable


until it wasn't


and a Napoleon's Death March ensued


After crossing into Massachusetts and coming to a small intersection the the road was rideable


there were some storm damage from the last storm
 

as well as some wet sections


Overall, it was rideable until I hit the Road Temporarily Closed sign on Sears Road



It was another deathly downhill march


and not rideable at all.


Once at Clark Road it was great.


And kept getting better.


Until the most wicked climb


RWGPS said it was a 13% on the route


In reality, the climb had a max grade over 21%


At the top of Beech Hill Road there was a little break in the trees and you could see Mt Everett off in the distance


Still on dirt crossing into Otis


Rode by the Otis Ridge ski area - what a dump!


After two miles of pavement on Rt 23 I turned into Otis State Forest


Rode by Clam Lake


Passing the lake on Hammertown Road you start climbing again on an average 5.3% ascent with a max grade of 14.5%


There was another punchy, 2.7 mile climb up Sandisfield Road


I followed Sullivan Road till it dead ended and found the continuation to be another death march so I decided to ride around it.


I was on Dodd Road for a bit which is a nice dirt road but then I my route had me turning onto Sage Road but it was more like a 4x4 road, but it was still rideable.


There was this nice little pond on Sandy Brook Turnpike


A little further down I found some black butter


Then I was on Norfolk Road heading back towards Connecticut


Technically, Norfolk Road ends at Rood Hill Road but you can continue on this trail.


That includes this rough climb that I had to walk sections of it due to no traction because it was so dry


I was able to ride most of it


I got to the state line and it was time for a little break


The road became easier to ride once back in Connecticut


I poached a private road near Doolittle Lake


Finally road Green Road back to 182 and the brewery


Where I enjoyed the most tasty Maerzen Bier

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