Brown baggin' a PBR

Summer hours started officially today and when I went to get ready to ride after work I discovered that the Bondeye had a flat tire. So I came up with an alternate plan which was to take the CAADx on a dirty thirty adventure into Roxbury to ride the lower section of the Shepaug Rail Road bed.  The only legal approach to it is from a single track trail off of Minor Bridge.

30 Days of Biking - Day 30

I rode all 30 days!

My watch said it was 54 degrees when I was leaving the house but as soon as I started riding and felt that wind coming from the south I knew it was going to be a lot colder. The rain had stopped around noon but I wasn't sure how dry the roads were going to be so I fendered up. I was wearing my Fitzgerald Cycles Merino wool cycling sweater and it didn't want to get it dirty, either.

Riding by the big stone cock at the top of Taunton Hill I thought about how far and long I wanted to ride. I never recharged my light from Saturday's ride and I forgot to put it on the charger earlier so I only got a half an hour of charge on it. I wasn't worried about the Garmin and it didn't take long to charge the helmet blinky. It was just the main light that had me concerned it I was going to go on a longer ride.

One discovery on today's ride was Taunton Road finally got paved but I couldn't tell how old it was. I know I have ridden this route before I would have noticed new pavement but I couldn't recall noticing it before.

Seven thirty in the center of Newtown, CT and it's dead, thanks to the Pandemic.

When I got home the beer fairy came through with two six packs of Jack's Abbey House Lager!

The last time I rode all 30 days for 30 Days of Biking was 2011.

30 Days of Biking - Day 28

Finally, some nice weather!

Headed out on the Sex Machine this evening after work to test a few things out. I put new brake pads on, straightened the hanger and tried a new seat pack. Not a new pack, one that I have had for while that I have used on different bikes in the past.  Right off the bat, this seat pack wasn't going to work because my thighs were hitting it when I pedaled.

The temperature was 60 degrees this afternoon and I went out in bib shorts and a jersey.  I started out by first hitting Pond Brook Road and then headed over to Collis P Huntington State Park

I rode the carriage road from the Dodgingtown parking lot down to the bridge at Hopewell Road.

Along the way I stopped at Huntington Pond

Sun was going down

From Huntington I road over to the back side of Mt Nebo Road and then climbed up to Ox Hill. Felt pretty good to bomb down that but I noticed my right brake lever has a little more pull than the left. I think an adjustment, along with a different seat pack is in order.

It was sundown by the time I hit Beaver Dam and the temperature was dropping. 

At Deep Brook, I stopped and put my riding jacket on because I was freezing.

Riding on Elm towards 302 I met up with a fellow Newtown Lunartics cyclist Scott Davidow.
We chit chatted for a bit. Then I put my headlight on and headed home.

30 Days of Biking - Day 24

Big Girl mixed Terrain Ride

After 75 miles on Zwift this week I was burnt out from riding indoors.  I decided I would just ride in the rain but when I headed out around 6:30 PM, the rain had stopped and it was kind of nice out. I was going to ride the Sex Machine but the rear hub was loose so I threw a fender on Fat Amy and headed out.

I first rode down towards Pond Brook when I noticed some new wood crossing over this little brook. Someone removed the bridge and put in this piece of crap, probably done by some hiker.  I will give them B for their effort but it doesn't line up with the trail properly.

 

Then I headed down to the Newtown Boat Ramp on Lake Lillilonah and found the gate wide open. There was a couple sitting on the dock and I asked them about the boat ramp gate and they said it was this way when they got there.  

The water was like glass!

From the boat ramp I headed back towards my house but then I decide I would take a ride down the gas line aka old New York and New England Railroad bed.

I got on the bed from Echo Valley and cruised down to Alberts HIll and then I cut through the Winery and ended up Walnut Tree Road. I road up to Lester Road because its dirt and then headed over to Black Bridge Road.  I was able to mount my 400 lumens Serfas bike light to my bars so I had plenty of light. I walked my bike across Black Bridge and then headed up to Sandy Hook.

From Sandy Hook I headed over to Mile Hill and was going to cut in behind the National Guard Military Working Dog Facility but the gate was closed so I had to climb the 9% grade up the hill instead. That sucked. Then it was the usual route home from Fairfield Hills.

30 Days of Biking - Day 20

Night Time Quickie

I saw a post on FB Monday saying that various state parks in the area were closed due to over crowding of the parking areas and most made it sound like these locations were now closed. So, after work I headed out on my mountain bike to check things out to see if that was the case.  It was getting dark and I didn't have a light that was either charged or would fit on the outside of my Jones H Bars except this little one I have had for years from Blackburn. It was fine on the road but on any rough stuff it slipped down.

Well, it's kind of blurry but due to the low light but I think you can make out that there are no saw horses or cones indicating that he lot at the Pond Brook Boat Ramp is closed.

Similarly, I was able to ride right up to the CT DEEP sign at Echo Valley Road parking lot at Upper Paugussett State Forest. So no closure there, either.  I was tempted to ride through the forest and do a loop around on the Poly Brody but I didn't think the light would handle it so I headed home.

The outline of my route from the Velographic that I made reminded me of Venom's second album called Black Metal.

And, I still have the vinyl album that I bought in 1982 at Johnny's Records in Darien, CT!

30 Days of Biking - Day 17

Fat Amy is Back!

Two broken spokes after the last ride I just picked up the bike today and took her out at Upper Paugussett for ride after work. I tell people that they should wait at least 24 hours to ride Upper Paugussett for a reason, let it dry out, but some people just don't care and ride regardless and it shows because in all the soft spots there are ruts everywhere. I just don't get it. These people are just selfish and don't really care about the trails.

I made a little rock crossing at this wet area on the Poly Brody this evening. Tired of riding through the mud.

There was pine three down near the 3rd brook crossing that has already been cut.

Thank you to who ever did this.

However right next to the tree I found this fall line trail. 

Come on, really? 

Don't you know better?

I figure I am going to be re-blocking this for times to come

I found the bridge by the Pond Brook boat ramp out of position

So I moved it into the proper position

30 Days of Biking - Day 16

USMES Thursday Night Social (C)

Between the weather being cold this week, my mountain bike in the shop, and the project that I am working on it been a week of Zwift. I was supposed to do a Zwift Meetup Ride with the Newtown Lunartics but when I woke up this morning, looked outside, saw it snowing and pulled a Michelle and went back to bed. To get my ride in today I opted for the United States Military Endurance Sports group ride.  The range on the ride is 2 to 2.5 watts/kg but they are always at the high end and I can only maintain that kind of power for the first 5 to 10 miles.  I end up getting dropped but for me its great opportunity to push myself and really work hard.

30 Days of Biking - Day 15

Zwift Double Header

16 mile warm up on Zwift's London Greatest Flat course and finished by Book on Tape.

Then, a Team RWB Meet up on Zwift's Greater London 8 course.  We had 6 riders tonight.

30 Days of Biking - Day 14

May I have ten thousand marbles please?

Virtual Ride after Work tonight.

Drinking water while under water.

30 Days of Biking - Day 13

Zwift Richmond

Too wet outside to ride and I was working late so I just got on the bike and rode for an hour.

30 Days of Biking - Day 10

I didn't get a lot of sleep the night before and we had a half day of work.

I got on the bike and rode for a bit and I even rode kind of asleep for one lap.

30 Days of Biking - Day 9

I got done with work so late that I just jumped on the bike for 30 minutes just to get a spin in.

30 Days of Biking - Day 8

RAW @ Gussy

Headed out to Upper Paugusset after work on Wednesday because I wanted to do some flagging on a little flow project on the top part of the Gussy that started by cutting up the blowdown the last time I was there. My intention is not to block off the roller in any way or form but merely as a way to set up a future modification of Gussy to add more single track and tie the trail directly into the Mulikin.

 

I took a pano of the new route however it's hard to see what's really going on here so I this is what it will look like using Trail Forks.

Heading down the rest of the Gussy I got a spectacular view of the setting sun from the Brew Crew Roller.

After dumping out onto Sanford Road I headed back into the forest via the Brody Road and noticed a few things on the State Sign.

Continuing down the Brody Road I stopped to take care of this spring pole that has been blocking most of the road for a couple of months now.

I cut off the section blocking the road with my handsaw.