30 Days of Biking - Day 4

La Tour de la Dirty Pandemica

I replaced the brake pads on the Sex Machine Friday night and decided to do a Dirty Thirty around Newtown. I couldn't have asked for a better day with temperatures near 70 degrees. Only a half mile to First Dirt was on Pond Brook Road, too.

It's been over two years since the micro bursts tore through our neighborhood and I decide to ride down the old Shepaug Railroad bed to see if the Equestrians did any work to re-open the trail.

Initially it looked good. A few loan trees down here and there, some I could ride over and a few I had to get off the bike but then at one little gully there was a big tree crown that was blocking the path and then after that more and more trees were down which led me to turn around. It's too bad because this would be a great addition to the area if you could ride through here.

Then I headed over to Sturges Road off of Old Bethel Road. On paper it's still a town right of way but its definitely not rideable going up unless you are on a mountain bike and even that would be sketchy. Maybe it would be better coming down, still on a mountain bike. No thanks.  So, on this ride I am 0 for 2 and I am only 5 miles into the ride!

I rode over to Plum Trees Road when I passed the entrance to this little bit of open space called the Franc Preserve. Riding down the dirt road to the parking lot and found a sign with a map on it. It looked like there was a trail that connected to Newtown Forestry Association's Brunot Preserve and another to Shelly Road. I rode Brunot once 14 years ago and it was just a bunch of old ATV trails.

Shelly Road appears to be considered a ROW owned by Bethel that comes out on Old Hawley Road.  Looking at the map, I should have taken a picture of it because I haven't found anything online as of yet, I didn't see any no biking signs so I headed down the trail that I hoped would take me to Shelly Road. When I came to a stream there were two options, to the north a sketchy rock and lumber bridge and a nice bridge to the south but not wide enough for handlebars.  The trail seemed to have gotten a little maintenance recently and eventually came out at Shelly Road like I had hoped

So now, I am 1 for 3 on my explorations of new dirty connections. I rode up to Holcombe Hill where there was a spectacular view looking north to the foothills of the Berkshires. 

I took the opportunity, while enjoying this wonderful view, to have another one my Layla Bars. My supply is dwindling fast and thanks to the COVID-19 Pandemic Steve has suspended operations. From here I took the grass trails over to Birch Hill and the seeing a bridge in the woods headed in to cross it and then turning south I rode the Holcombe Preserve Memorial Trail.

When the trail turned west again it went through a a muddy section and I found a trail not listed on the map above that went out to Partridge Lane. It was a tough trail to ride and the first part was OK but then it went through a couple of stone walls, or over them, and with a few trees down along the way made it really tough to ride.

I headed over to Robin Hill and took the town trail up to the housing development that is being built. There was a new No Trespassing sing at the end of the trail signifying that the fun is over, not that the Robin Hill trail is all that fun to begin with. There are so many wet sections and trees down that riding through there is really tough. With the new sign it looks like we might need to blaze a new trail down to Sugar Street. After crossing Sugar Street, I climbed Sugar Hill Road and took the continuation of the road on the town right of way along the Shepard Property. It appears that someone with an ATV is using this ROW, I hope it's a tractor.

Climbing up the trail I wasn't in the right gear and I stalled and fell over. I landed on my hip and elbow and while it was smart it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  However, it wasn't good for the bike. I landed on the derailleur hanger side of the bike and I think I bent the hanger because shifting got really squirelly. Shaking it off I rode down to Shepard Hill and then through Fosdick and then over to Cherry Grove. Quite a few people were on the trails.

From Cherry Grove I worked my way back to town hitting as many dirt roads as possible and then road over to Upper Paugussett State Forest. Riding up the entrance just past Sydney's house there were a bunch of cars parked at the start of the Blue Trail and another car blocking road with a guy talking to the driver. I couldn't maintain proper Social Distancing space so I waited for the car to move.  Finally it did and I was off. The parking lot was jammed and people were hanging out there as well. Not cool - that kind of behavior is going to get this place shut down.  CT DEEP has already started to close parking lots for parks and forests because of this.

I rode up the Poly Brody and blazed through the wet section because I have fenders! Came across a few groups of walkers on the forest road, too.  At the intersection with the White Trail I met up with Sean Sheradain who rides Upper Gussy a lot on his mountain bike. Today he was taking his daughters for a hike. 

After chatting with Sean for a bit I climbed up to the Mulikin Trail Head and then descended down the forest road for a bit and then turned in on the trail that connects to the Mulikin and road the buff singletrack down and then out to Hanover Road and home.

Pandemic RAW: Almost T-Boned by Deer

The day before we had snow and now look how beautiful it is!

I started my first of what I think will be many solo rides after work by climbing up Castle Hill and then enjoying a LaylaBar. It's a new product for cyclists made by my friend, Steve Taylor, from Philly. They are so good and each block is packed with protein and sugar in natural forms to keep you moving all day. I likened it to an all natural Guu shot, and I it provides with me a lot of energy without that sugar crash and gas I get from Guu.

This was the first opportunity that I had to try out my new Merino Wool riding sweater that I bought at Fitzgerald Bicycles in Jackson Hole. Combined with a thermal under layer it's perfect for 45 degrees and upward but below that I would need another layer. 

From Castle Hill I rode by Taunton Pond and then headed towards Plumb Trees. As I was descending toward the turn at the Brunot Preserve there was this car that was stopped in the opposite direction and I couldn't figure out why. When I was about 25 meters from the car this deer ran out in front of me. Had I been any faster or started sooner our paths would have crossed and I am sure it would have sucked for the both of us. I would like to give the driver of the car a big FU for not warning me though.

Riding by Castle Meadow Pond, aka Morgan's Pond according to old locals, is a place that I always like to stop at. Sometimes you see people fishing or others walking along the banks. It was perfect timing for sunset.

Riding through town, it was pretty empty

Pandemic Ride in 3 States

I met Will in Hillsdale, NY Saturday morning around 10 AM and we headed out on a route that I planned out on Ride with GPS called the Roe Jan Loop. the night before. There is a new brewery off of Route 22 in Hillsdale called Roe Jan Brewing that I visited last month and realized it would be the ideal jump off point for either a road or gravel ride.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, brewery was closed so all I could do was park in front of it. I had thought after the ride with Will I might take a spin down the section of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail that terminates at the brewery.

HRVT Terminus at Hillsdale, next to Roe Jan Brewing Company

We had to climb the Taconics, just north of the Catamount Ski area. I was wearing my new winter cycling sweater that I bought in Wyoming two weeks ago but I couldn't show it off because it was too cold and I needed a cycling jacket.

Then ride down Route 41 to Salisbury, which has to be one of the best roads to ride in Southern New England. While really sunny the north wind made it a lot colder and during half the ride it was out our backs but turning north in Salisbury it was head on and slowed our pace immensely. 

When we got to Salisbury we stopped at the spring to refill bottles and have a snack. I brought some LaylaBars, that a friend of mine down in Philadelphia started making and had my first taste. It was just what I needed. It's a mix of jams, nuts, and fruit bits all rolled up into a compact size that is gone in two bites.  Of course if you were pedaling you could fit the whole thing in mouth easily. 

From Salisbury, out route took us to Lakeville and around Wononskopomuc Lake and then over to Millerton, NY, which on any normal Saturday is usually crowded with people because it's also the terminus of the first leg of the Harlem Valley Rail Tail. Today, it was a ghost town. From Millerton, we headed down Route 22 to Route 199 to begin the third climb of the route towards Ancram.

https://www.openrailwaymap.org/

Climbing up State Highway 199 I noticed the old railroad bed that parallels the road and at this sign is where it crosses the road. I have always wanted to see this bed after reading about it.  You can see the raised portion of the roadbed along Rt 22 just outside of Millerton, heading south.  After about a mile on Rt 199 you can see the roadbed again on your right. After crossing at the road you get a great view of the road bed again running along the northeast edge of the ridge.

At the top of the sixth and last climb of the ride Will and I stopped for a snack. We now had 8 miles to go till we got back to Hillsdale.  Two miles down the road, while trying to down shift for the next rise a head of us something snapped in my right hand shifter and I reached down to check the cable only to find it totally slack.  Guess I was riding a dinglespeed back to the car and no happy ending for this ride but a great ride and route none-the-less.

Pandemic RAW: Chasing Daylight

For me, variety is the spice of life and I can't ride the same route day after day so far the next ride after work I decided to head north into New Milford.

There was a bit of a delay at the Rt 133 bridge that crosses into Bridewater. The State DOT recommenced their surfacing project which means they have to block one lane on the bridge.

Since it was warmer out today I gave the new cycling sweater another go, only this time I added an extra layer underneath consisting of a cycling jersey. The additional jersey gave me extra pockets to carry more things, too.

When I got to the highest point of the route, it was taking me longer than I had anticipated due to all the climbing and I might have to cut out some of the course.  

The view to the west, while gorgeous, the sun was telling me that I had maybe an hour of daylight left and 1/2 hour of light after that. I will probably be riding home in the dark. The only part that I wasn't too happy about on this route was the descent down Buckingham Road. That steep descent you see above in the routing profile has a max grade of -15% and is a 1.6 mile descent, combined with sections of rough roads and little curves make it treacherous.  It it, however the only way to get to Paper Mill Road, which is an awesome gradual descent along a river that takes you right into the heart of New Milford.

The setting sun was still high enough to paint the town in orange.

Being a train buff I always go to the train station which still looks like it did many years ago when passengers used this rail line for travel.

From New Milford I rode along Lake Lillilonah but up here it has a current so it might still be considered the Housatonic River.  There were quite a few boats on the water with people fishing.

One of the best roads between New Milford and Brookfield is Errickson Road because it's a carpenter's dream, at least for the first reason. 

After I turned onto it I realized that I should have just climbed up Pumpkin Hill because I was going to be cutting the course short and to get back to the center of Brookfield I would either have to climb up Rt 25 which is not bad given how there are so few people on the roads these days but I thought it was (not sure why) or Silvermine which is usually even busier, narrower, and windier, essentially not safe at all. 

In any event I was going to have to climb some hill tonight so I figured it would be a great time for a little energy boost. I broke out another Layla Bar that was the perfect energy boost, which to my chagrin I decided I would climb up Baldwin Hill to Ironworks Hill.  Basically the hardest hill on the ride.

By the time that I got to the center of Brookfield it was pretty dark and cold, too. I turned my light but it was still a little warm enough that I didn't need to put my jacket on.

From Brookfield Center to home it was lights on!

I did call an audible from Brookfield Center and it was nearly the same distance.