Stick Season at PHP

 

Like every other state in New England, Vermont has four seasons but unlike those states it also has two bonus seasons: Stick Season - after all the leaves have fallen but before any major snowfalls; Mud Season - when the snow melts and the trails and dirt roads get soft and muddy. 

PHP in Autumn

With ski season coming next month in November Ann and I took our last downhill mountain biking laps at Killington around lunchtime. Then we headed back home and I rode over to PHP for some unassisted ascending  

New Dropper Post Day!

After a few rides and having to periodically stop to change my seat post height either for climbing or descending I decided it was time to add a dropper. I took the bike over to Down Valley Bikes in Rutland. It was a little pricey but it was worth it and they did a great job. Of course it took a bit longer than it would have taken if I had it done in Connecticut but that’s Vermont for you. 

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. 

July at PHP

 

I brought my hard tail up to Vermont in July to ride at Pine Hill Park, because I was keeping my Specialized up at Killington and I wanted to be able to ride the park Friday afternoons when I get up to Rutland.

Fat Amy was Jones-n for H

Yet another biking conundrum ... how to dress for cold weather mountain biking.  The last time I rode Fat Amy was early September and it was still summer.  I lucked out this afternoon and picked the right combination of gear and was neither too hot nor too cold.

About a month into my recovery I got the girl ready to ride thinking that I could at least ride some rail trails. I went back to my original flat pedals and I put on a Jeff Jones H-Bar.  These bars remind me of my old FuBars. What's so special about these bars and any kind of swept back bars?  It's a more natural way you would hold your arms, thus reducing the stress on your wrists. 

Fat Amy doesn't like it deep

I got out of work on time and high tailed it home. It was so warm today I figured that the snow probably melted enough that I was hoping it would be rideable on Fat Amy.

I was grossly mistaken.  The ride was more hike-a-bike than anything. In the deeper snow there just wasn't enough traction to get keep moving at a decent pace. In the shallower stuff it was good but the bad spots out numbered the good by quite a bit.

The trail gnomes took care of the blow down by the Snowtober Reroute. They did a great job creating what looks like a pretty challenging log ride.  

Over by the Three Bears Roller my front wheel dished out in some deeper snow and I experienced my first slow mo endo in which I landed on my palms.

While the ride totally sucked the workout benefit was great.  I came home hot and sweaty, and feeling fantastic. 

Ménage et trois avec Fat Amy et Nor'easter Stella

The Blizzard of 2017, or Nor'easter Stella as it was called by some in the weather community came on gradually Tuesday morning and by the time I got dressed and ready to ride we already had 4 to 5 inches of snow.  I went for little lighter attire this time around because my orange, Columbia Windstopper Hunting Jacket is just way to warm for anything greater than 25 degrees F.  However, rather than lobster gloves, I went with my OR overmits (sans liners) and a pair of ski glove liners.

Not only getting down the driveway Tuesday morning was a challenge but the road I live on wasn't plowed yet and riding on it was tough.  By the time I hit the dirt road that leads to the state forest I thought of turning back but I was still optimistic that the riding would get better at some point. It didn't.

The section of the Poly Brody that is usually wet this time of year was a frozen sheet of ice that I had to walk.  Further up the access road I stopped near the same spot I stopped on Friday to take a few pictures.  Below is a Friday vs Tuesday.

After the intersection with the Kissing Oak Trail (aka White Trail) I realized that my back brake was frozen. I think snow had gotten into the caliper and then froze.  When I discovered that I decided that I would just ride the fire road.

Having only the front brake meant I had to hang my rear as far back off the seat as I could to prevent an endo. I stopped near the Old Jalopy for a sip of water and then headed down to the road.    

The road was finally plowed which made riding a lot easier. It was still slippery, though.

I think next time, in snow this deep I will XC skiing or snow shoeing.

Fat Amy has Kung Fu Grip

 

Woo Hoo, snow!  I didn't think I was going to see any snow until next winter and this morning we got a couple of inches of snow when I headed out at about 6:30 AM and it was still snowing.  I rode over to Upper Paugussett State Forest, and headed in from the Echo Valley Lot.  The Poly Brody was pretty sloppy for the first 100 yards but then got better.  Climbing up the back side of the hill was no problem with these big meats and running 20 psi there was absolutely no issue with traction.

The Gussy was really smooth in the snow.  This time I remembered to unlock the fork but it almost seemed like it wasn't needed.  No one has done anything with the blowdown yet.  If someone does bring in a chainsaw I hope they cut the top piece because the larger part of the trunk would make a real nice skinny.  I rode all the way down to the Jeep Trail and then came back up the Gussy.

I stopped at the same vantage point on the Unmarked and Unsanctioned Trail and took a picture so I could compare it to the one that I took the other day of the Gussy.

I purposefully stayed off the Upper Mulikin because after the rain earlier this week and today's wet snow it's going to be really sloppy.  I noticed some people had ridden it the previous evening and I am trying to get the word out. I might have to make some closure signs. Coming back down the mountain I took the Mr Ed Trail but stopped at this Widow Maker to make a bit of a go around and open a nice little roller on the side of the trail.  Mr Ed turns into the Purple Nurple Trail which then runs into the Lower Mulikin trail which I followed almost all the way down.

Right before the blue trail my eye caught a line of the Old Jalopy Trail that I rode last week so I took it. It's not marked and the only way you will know it's there is if you can still make out my tire tracks. This is my snowshoe route that I like to take when the snow is a lot deeper and it makes a great by pass of the blue trail.

Trailforks:  Upper Paugussett State Forest

If you want to see an interactive map of the trails at Upper Paugussett State Forest, check out the page on TrailForks.com.