The Ride for our Vets

 

Team Abrahammer

Since 2012, The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center puts on a charity ride for Veterans to support their ongoing efforts to provide legal representation at no-cost to low-income Veterans. I have been meaning to do this ride over the years but there was always some conflict but this year I was wide open so I joined Team Abrahammer for the ride. Being a Veteran myself I have seen very few organizations in the area that support Veterans and I was proud to be invited to ride with my friends in support of this organization.

The National Anthem was played and then there were the opening remarks at the Half Full Brewery in Shippan.

Then we were off, riding through the streets of the South End of Stamford, 

Photo Credit: Scott Davidow

then through Waterside

by Cummins Point

Photo Credit: Scott Davidow

and into Old Greenwich

 where we turned north towards NY State.

13 miles in I got dropped on the Taconic Road climb

but I didn't care because this route was very enjoyable, mostly shaded, riding by traditional New England homes, along with some eclectic modern variations.

This was all new territory for me and I knew I was racking up the Wandrer miles.

Caught up to the Ride Marshalls.  The male ride marshal caught up to me later and passed me.

Crossed into New York State after 15 miles

and hit a section of Rt 121 that I have never been on.

Rode by the Cross River Reservoir and then turned onto Honey Suckle Road, that smelled wonderful due to all the Honey Suckle lining the road.

My only route critique is the lollipop that included Honey Suckle Road, I don't like overlapping routes and I would have configured the route to head east on Pound Ridge Road (RT 172) to Pound Ridge and then loop back on Stone Hill Road because that road has some wonderful rollers on it as you head back to RT 121.

Both directions of this part of the route were still cool.

Including a cool swamp.

This cool Lotus passed by me in Bedford.

I caught up with the team at the Rest Stop in Bedford and then headed south.

Turning from Lake Avenue to Old Mill Road we got hung up at a stop sign for the longest time.

Photo Credit: Scott Davidow

Riding through Greenwich, which had some nice bike lanes. One thing that I thought pretty remarkable is not once did I ever get buzzed by a car, passing within 3 of me. This whole ride, every car gave at least 3 feet of clearance while passing. Unfortunately, I did hear about another rider on a different ride got hit by a car mirror and went down. Fortunately, she was going slow and she just got a little scratched up.

Matt O needed a battery change to get back into the big ring for the final run back to the brewery.

Team Abrahammer (from left to right): Scotty D, Tadej, Matt O, The Abrahammer, The Commander, Snacks (me), Johnny B, The Veep, and Dave, our Gruppetto adoptee.