Lake Waramaug Camping & Cycling

 

We took Ann’s new camper out to Lake Waramaug State Park for two nights of camping. It was my first time with a camper and I was pleasantly surprised at how fun it was. 

Kayaking Lake Saint Catherine

Our last activity at Lake Saint Catherine was a paddle on the lake. After our mountain bike ride and lunch, we launched our tandem kayak and went for a paddle around the northern part of the lake and into Lily Pond. 

Discovering the Slate Valley Trails

Little did I know but The Slate Valley Trails started right across the street from the camp ground we were staying at over the Memorial Day weekend. So I headed out solo to reconnoiter the trails nearest to us. 

Memorial Day camping and riding bikes

 

Ann and I went tent camping at Lake Saint Catherine State Park in Poultney, VT on Memorial Day weekend and we brought our mountain bikes. We also got to try out her new Yakima Backswing for the bike rack. Awesome design and functionality which lets you keep the bikes on the rack but get them out of the way when loading and unloading. 

Gathering before the big event

 

When we learned that the organizers of D2R2 (Deerfield Dirt Road Randonee) weren't going to have camping this year due to COVID the Crew decided that we would make our own camping arrangements. We settled on Erving State Park, about 20 miles north of Deerfield.  Rob was already there but had went out with his wife and daughter so while Will and I were setting up the tent the others arrived.  We then went off for a little ride before dinner, not wearing any kit, around the park and on some back roads.

Friday night camping at D2R2

A week prior to D2R2 I strained my back while patching the driveway. I knew by the way it felt that is was just a strain and nothing serious. I treated it with ice, Tylenol, heat and Icy Hot following the injury.  Still, by the time Friday rolled around riding this year wasn't going to happen. Realizing this early I contacted the organizers and asked if I could volunteer to help at the day of the event.  By volunteering, you get to ride for free only my free ride will be next year. Registration hasn't even opened for next year and I am already signed up.

 

I loaded up the MINI, sans bike because I didn't want to be tempted what's so ever to try and ride, and headed to Mill Village Road. I had contacted the organizers a few weeks before about where camping would be and the tent camping was going to be in a field that overlooked last year's camping area and in the south west corner there was nice copse of trees that would provide plenty of shade. 

I got there early to make sure my crew would have plenty of room to move in. After getting my tent set up I relaxed in the shade and enjoyed a Benediktiner Weissbier. 

As people started showing up, the camp started to grow.  In the end there were 8 tents for sleeping, a 10x20 canopy, a screened cooking tent and another screened tent in case the bugs got too bad.

The usual suspects were there: Todd, Scott, Jasmine, Will (x2), Rob, Jason, Tim and Mike. Some new comers included Todd's cousin Steve (?) from Pittsfield and Kevin from NYC only he decided to get a hotel room (wuss!).

A few passerby's wanted to know if we were selling Karls Sausage but Rob had just picked a sampler in Peabody and asked if they had a flag he could borrow but all they had was this banner.

 

Jason's Swedish flag also brought some inquiries as to our origin.

While no one spoke Swedish we were treated to a smorgasbord of chips, beer, pickles, cheese, chicken kabobs, Cheetos, margaritas, beer, and fried baloney.

 

We had expertly blended Margaritas thanks to Rob's Chevy Volt

which gave us power all weekend

And don't forget the Bacon infused potato salad!

With the tiki torches and bug candles lit we were able to just hang out under the company, talking shit and drinking beer. Scott brought a disco ball!

Prelude to D2R2: Camping in the rain

If you want to have the full D2R2 experience, you need to camp out before the ride. It's also nice to camp out after the ride so you don't have to cut your celebration short. This is my second year camping out and it's a blast. Especially since, I have fallen in with this great group of guys, and a lady, whom I met through one of my riding buddies, Mike.

D2R2 167K

This was our first year camping with our adoptive D2R2 riding family from Massachusetts. Normally, Will and I would share a hotel room and then drive to the start early in the morning but the beauty of camping is that you are right there. Just ride over for breakfast and then blast off. Another first is that we got Paul Mayer, a Newtown Lunartic, to join us, too.

On the Spot at the Bluff Point Adventure

The CT Chapter of New England Mountain Bike Association scheduled it's first Mountain Bike Adventure Series for 2012 at Bluff Point State Park.  There was a joint event with the Fairfield County Chapter at Collis P Huntington State Park called the Happening at Huntington but this one was put on solely by the CT Chapter.  Hundreds of hours were put into getting the park ready for what could be an onslaught of mountain bikers due to it being summer and the many beaches that are accessible from Bluff Point, that you don't have to pay to get into!

A small core of individuals that ride Bluff regularly assisted by the CT Chapter's board spent the last month clearing trails and posted regular Trail Maintenance reports on the Chapter's Blog.  Saturday's plan was to mark the main trail for the adventure ride and then the family trail would be marked on Sunday morning consisting of carriage trails.

After driving through a few rain showers the weather at Bluff Point was remarkably different.  Partly cloudy and sunny, with a slight breeze out of the west.

The slight breeze didn't help much in the woods because it was still hot.  Paula, Stephen and I rode cleanup, following Cory, Margie, and Karina as they laid out the markers.  We were still doing some clipping here and there, as well as ensuring the intersections were clear so that people wouldn't get confused and going down the wrong route.

Stephen

On the Spot On the Bluff

We got out on the park's namesake, The Bluff and the wind was a huge relief!  On my way up to the Bluff I stopped off and had my tubeless tires recharged at Pedal Power.  Never new tubeless was so much work because I am more of a fire-and-forget rider that tries to keep my bikes always ready to ride so that I can just grab one and go!  Might have to rethink this.  The Spot was running really nice and riding tubeless was a big plus because of all the thorns and prickers on the trails.

 

On the Bluff!

It took us almost 4 hours to mark all the trails and then we all got into the water to cool off!  What a benefit of Bluff Point!  Afterwards, we convoyed up to North Stonington where the CT Chapter reserved some camp grounds for the volunteers that were coming from other parts of the state and Massachusetts to stay over.

After getting our tents set up we all gathered at a picnic table to eat

drink beer and of course talk about mountain biking!

The morning after was not so pleasant because it rained from 3 to 6 AM and my tent leaked.  I didn't have the window frames in, which I had to do at 3 AM and while one worked the pole for the other one was broken and I had to pull the picnic table next to my tent to tie off the guide line in order to make it work somewhat.  Still, I didn't have the fly on right and quite a bit of water got through making sleeping hard.  I am done with tent camping!

2010 NEMBAfest: The morning after

Campgrounds were great.  Perfect location, too.  Bathrooms and showers were just one site over.  Only drawback on the showers is that you have to feed quarters into a timer.  It was pretty cold Saturday night, my guess was in the upper 30s but I slept perfectly in my 1981 Cannondale Qualofil sleeping bag.  Yes, that's right Cannondale made camping equipment before they started making bikes and I have had one their sleeping bags since high school.  It's rated to 10 degrees and I slept like a baby.

Apparently, the entire camp ground was filled with mountain bikers.  I think next year, if I can swing it, I am going to come up for two nights and bring the monster crosser and spend a day riding all the dirt roads.