I did it - I bought an eBike

For the longest time I have vowed to never buy an eBike. Well, I broke that vow back in October of ‘24 when I decided to buy an e-bike for commuting to work. Rutland City Bikes had a special on Yamaha e-bikes and I thought it would be a great idea to get one for commuting to work. I got the Wabash RT, which is a gravel/commuter bike, and their only drop bar bike. 

Biking & Boating

 July 21, 2024

Ann came down to Connecticut this weekend and we decided another visit to Ovens of France was necessary.

Rediscovering Pine Hill Park

I rode Pine Hill Park for the first time back in June 2013 when a riding buddy of mine, Glenn Vernes, and I decided to hit a few parks on our way north to NEMBAFest. Fast forward to July 9th, 2024, returning to the park I had no recollection of what I rode 11 years ago so it was like a new adventure. 

Scutney

 July 8, 2024

Another two state ride starting from Hanover, NH, only this time I headed south to ride around Mt Ascutney. Ride with GPS didn’t pull any surprises with the road surface types this time. 

Killington Peak from Leb

 July 2, 2024

Tried another loop around Leb for lunch and headed out this time on Greensboro Road, which is a more pleasant way to Etna from the Hotel. I will have to add this to my future routes. However, when I turned onto King Road I got a bit of a surprise.

RAW: Rail Trail and Dirt Roads

 July 1, 2024

Ann got back after her shift at the hospital and was feeling restless and wanted to go for a ride. 

RBW: Hanover Loop

 July 1, 2024

The week before the 4th of July was a work from home week for me so I headed up to Hanover to work from Ann’s place and do some riding in whenever I got the chance. I wanted to find a good 25 to 30 mile route that I could head out on if all I had was two hours to ride so this was the first attempt.  

D&H Rail Trail and Gravel Loop

 June 30, 2024

Ann and I headed over to Castleton to ride the D&H Rail Trail Saturday morning. It was a warm summer day and I was happy to be on the bike with someone equally as happy to be riding with me. 

Ann's first ride to OOF

 June 22, 2024

Prior to meeting Ann, one of my favorite weekend rides was to Ovens of France in Woodbury, CT. We would eat French pastries, drink French Roast Coffee, and then ride back to Newtown. Today, I introduced Ann to this gastronomic riding adventure.

Ann’s Birthday

 June 3, 2024

On Ann’s birthday we rode out to Proctor and back.

Skiing in June

 June 1, 2024

The Beast stayed open till June 1st and Ann and I skied Superstar one last time in 2024. 

West Leb RAW

 May 31, 2024

Ann got off work early and was in need of some exercise so we took a little Ride After Work. We started from the Hotel and rode down to the  Northern Rail Trail.

A Memorial Weekend - Part III

May 27, 2024

The Beast is open on Memorial Day and Ann and I are skiing!

A Memorial Weekend - Part II

May 26, 2024

On Sunday of Memorial Day weekend we parked at the Long Trail Brewery in Bridgewater, Vermont to do a little gravel riding. 

A Memorial Weekend - Part I

 May 25th, 2024

To kick off Memorial Day, Ann and I hit the slopes at Killington Saturday morning and we were able to get a selfie with the infamous Birdman. Today was also opening day at Killington Mountain Bike Park and their golf course.  The latter two activities were opened for 2024/2025 Beast Pass holders which I got this year. If you did all three you got a free t-shirt  I couldn’t get a T-Time so that wasn’t happening  

Bloomin’ Metric Cycling Date

May 19, 2024

I convinced Ann to ride the Bloomin’ Metric with me. This would be Ann’s longest ride to date with me and the first time in14 years I am not riding with my father. 

Walls of Jericho

May 4th, 2024

Headed up to Burlington Saturday because Ann’s youngest had a track meet and her oldest daughter need to move a few things down from UVM now that the semester was over. Ann suggested I bring my bike, which I did and I headed out for a ride.  First, I rode down to the shores of Lake Champlain.

New Bike Day - Specialized Stumpjumper Evo

 Apr 28, 2024

Ann changed jobs mid April and that meant I would spending more time up north. One of her work colleague’s (who convinced her to make the move) husband had this XL Stump Jumper sitting around and sold it to me $400. I needed a full suspension mountain bike because I was getting a Killington Beast Pass this year and Ann and I will be downhill mountain biking together. 

Dave? Dave’s not here!

 April 20, 2024

My first road ride in Rutland happened to fall on 4/20—fitting for a place that embraces Vermont’s free-spirited, nonconformist vibe. From what I’ve experienced so far, it’s a wonderful city with a lively arts scene and a strong culture centered around outdoor adventure. With nearby ski resorts like Killington Resort and Pico Mountain, extensive mountain biking trails at Pine Hill Park, Green Mountain and Slate Valley Trail systems, plus access to lakes, rivers, and hiking along the Appalachian Trail and Long Trail, Rutland stands out as a truly distinctive destination.

Back way to Lyme

 April 19, 2024

Ann I drove down to Wallingford, CT last night to see Judas Priest in concert and we got back to Hanover at a little over 3 in morning. I slept in while she went to work and then headed out on another exploratory ride, this time staying east of the Connecticut River. I found some commentary on various routes in the Hanover and Lebanon area, and one talked about Eta Road and how much less traffic was on it.

Two States of Rain

April 18, 2024

Ann began working at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, New Hampshire mid April so I took a few days off to see her new place and explore the area on two wheels. There was rain in the forecast but it was supposed to be later in the day. 

6th Cycling Date

  March 31st, 2024

On a crisp spring Sunday, Ann and I took a drive up into Litchfield County to ride around Lake Waramaug. A much flatter ride than our first gravel ride that included some hills. We are still together!

New Bike Day - 2023 Cannondale Synapse Di2

10 years ago I bought my first Cannondale Synapse and I put 21 thousand miles on it. It was time for an upgrade and Shawn at the Bicycle Center suggested I get a Cannondale Synapse Carbon 2LE. 

Gravel with the Girlfriend

It was high time we try some gravel roads so I took Ann over to New Milford to try some climbing and real dirt roads. I figured this would be a good time to test ride the new Cross Check and perhaps our relationship because Ann hasn’t done any real climbing yet. This is our 5th cycling date - hope it’s not our last.

My second Surly Cross Check

I picked up this 2010 Surly Crosscheck, used, at Base Camp in Killington during my second visit to the area back in early February 2024. I had been looking for another Cross Check for the longest time and I was about to settle on another steel frame when I found this one. It’s a 60 cm frame with an uncut steering tube giving me higher position on the bike which I really like. It's a 9 speed like my last one. In the future, I am going to make it a 10 speed with a wider range of gears.

Topstone Test Ride to OEC

Ann & I didn’t get to do much riding in January 2024 due to winter returning to Southern New England and us spending time together in Killington. We finally got back out for a ride, our fourth cycling date, on the Larkin Trail in the early part of February and she finally got to test out her new Topstone. 

New Year, New Bike!

Ann and I went over to First Stop to do a little shopping on New Year's Day.  The place is amazing. They have just about everything you need to enjoy the outdoors in Vermont.  We started looking at Gravel Bikes and we found this Cannondale Topstone on sale so she bought it. What better way to start the New Year with a new bike!