Riding after the Storm

 

Unbeknownst to us, as 4th of July celebrations were kicking off and intense wall of thunderstorms, wind and rain ripped through the area. This part of Connecticut seems to be a magnet for intense weather that results in downed trees, blocked roads, and the power being out for days. We didn't lose power in Sandy Hook but large swaths of Newtown did. 

Thursday morning Ride to OOF

Friday's forecast called for rain so I checked the Lunartics group chat to see if anyone wanted to ride to Ovens of France, Thursday morning.  I got one taker.

I met Paul at Cover 2 in Sandy Hook. I discovered I grabbed the wrong strap for my bike light and I forgot my heart strap. I was able to use the hook and loop strap for the light but I had to keep adjusting it through out the ride. Paul insisted on a cow picture but they were all in a paddock, far, far away.

It was very humid and foggy in places. The air seemed so thick you could cut it with a knife.  With the bridge work on Spruce Brook Road we now have to take Yankee Drive which cuts through the Southbury Training School.  The nice thing about the route change is that it adds a little more distance to the ride rounding it out to 25 miles.  However, descending this road is scary due to the fact that there are three hairpin turns.

I am still in awe from the Macroburst/Tornado storm damage that has ravaged our area. The purge destructiveness of those winds that tore thru the area leaving some places untouched and others snapping the trees like twigs truly amazing.

At the Ovens, it had been a while since I had the Ham and Cheese Croissant so I went with that. I was tempted to try the sausage and cheese on baguette. 

These rides are the best!

RAW: Chasing Daylight

Getting home at 6:30 this evening meant that I had to get rolling quickly if I still wanted to see where I was going to be going in the woods and I got rolling by 7:55.

Trying to maximize my time I rode up the Poly Brody instead of the singletrack and checked that one really big tree that was laying across the fire road the last time I came through here.  Looks like the DEEP Forester was able to open it up enough so you get through it.

While very rideable the surrounding blowdowns is just depressing and knowing what lies after the intersection with the Unmarked and Unsanctioned Trail is even more so.

I passed some guys going the other way when I checked Strava Flybys, it looks like they tried riding FUBAR section of the Gussy. Until I know what the State DEEP is going to do I am not touching this section.  

State of the Gussy

PER CT DEEP:  Please do not cut anymore trees.

There are so many trees down is this section of the forest and on top of the Upper Gussy Trail that without some serious equipment, mountain biking and hiking in this part of the forest will not be happening for quite some time. The CT State Forester actually reached out to me on Friday and asked that I get the word out to cease sawing the trees to open the trails. The State wants to harvest the trees for logging.

I wanted see it for myself so I headed over to the forest Friday afternoon and parked at the Echo Valley Parking Lot. Someone took care of the tree across the driveway so you can finally get to the parking area. I headed in on the Blue Trail to the Right of Way, the stone wall lined portion of the Gussy Trail. There were a few tree crowns in the trail and I cut one up but then when I saw the clearing further up the trail I knew it wasn't going to be pretty.

Panorama from the Wet Spot

When I got to the Wet Spot and saw the number of trees down across the trail I could see that until they are removed this area is pretty much closed.

Those trees that didn't come down completely were snapped like match sticks and to get around all of them with a re-route would require building an entirely new trail. I even scoped it out but when this area gets logged everything is going to obliterated anyway and cleaning up the existing trail will be the number one priority.  

Then I headed in the other direction, towards the Brew Crew Roller and found sections of the trail in that direction blocked as well.

Even the Blue Blazed trail is completely blocked.

All the rollers up here are covered in trees

Even the Reach Around is impacted

And not only is Jeep Trail blocked at the trail head there trees strewn along the length of it, too.

You can almost get down to the Jeep Trail from the Gussy

This section can be managed with a hand saw but right now this is a trail to no where.

The big question is what is the State's time line to get a logging company into Upper Paugussett and how much damage will the logging vehicles make to the trails? At least there is one loop that can be ridden at Upper Paugussett. I might have to annex DSP and have it become part of the Gussy.

Upper Paugussett State Forest Riding Status: WYSIWYCR

What You See Is What You Can Ride at Upper Paugussett State Forest. After doing a re-route around this one tree that fell on the Tree Stand Trail, some folks came in and opened it.  I didn't even ride my reroute on this trip.

After the stream crossing where the lower Mulikin (purple blazes) turns I found the this tree was cut.

As well as the tree right before the little stream crossing with the rock spine crossing

And the trees immediately following the Mulikin's first Up and Over

However, there is still this obstruction blocking the Upper Mulikin

The blowdown on the forest road (Poly Brody) still hasn't been addressed and may not for quite sometime. I need to come back and figure out a good go around for this.

Once I was on the Gussy proper I was amazed at the number of trees down across the trail. I lost track after 15 but there still more than that.

A new skinny to be added to this area

And the one further back will need some tweaking since there is a tree now lying on top of it.

The double stream crossing wasn't spared either

But the most disappointing discovery is that the trail is completely blocked after the intersection with the Unmarked and Unauthorized Trail.  

Given the terrain and the fact that there are so many trees down in this location trying to re-route around them will be tough and not to mention I don't know what's going on after this.  I have heard that it's pretty bad.

The Unmarked and Unauthorized Trail had 5 or 6 blowdowns but not nearly the amount of destruction that is on the Gussy.  The good news is that there is at least a one loop at Upper Paugussett that is now open.

Tour de Dirt & Destruction

I took a little ride around the neighborhood Friday after work. 

 Everyone north of Route 84 is still out of power.  Wires are still down all over the place but it looks like most of the trees have been cleared.  However, I didn't ride up Butterfield or Georges Hill.  Even the Taunton Lake area and Taunton Hill Road still seemed to have a lot of power outages, still.  You could still hear the din of generators running.

I rode to the top of Holcombe Hill but I missed the sunset

I have to say, I really love riding this bike. I am still making tweaks to it. I think might get a Brooks saddle and try a seatpost with a longer set back.



Rode over Castle Hill.  The Newtown Flag is once again at half mast due to another school shooting and yet our government who is supposed to protect it's citizens does nothing.

It was getting dark so I headed home



The telephone pole at the intersection of the Boulevard still hasn't been dealt with.

And there is still a tree on the wires on Tamarack Road

Upper Paugussett is FUBAR

I headed out on Fat Amy Wednesday morning to retrieve my car and as I rode by the Pond Brook entrance to the State Forest I saw that the Pond Brook Connector trail was blocked. I had tried to get into the State Forest from the Echo Valley side earlier in the morning only to find the Sanford Road Trail Head and the drive way leading to parking lot both blocked with blowdowns.  So I went in at the start of Al's Trail right off from Hanover Road and immediately found that it was a disaster area.

Riding up the Tree Stand Trail the first thing I found after the stream crossing was half a tree down across the trail.

I cut away the smaller branches and then put rocks on either side of the tree to make a pretty good up and over.  I tested it a few times.  The east side needs a better, flatter rock to make more of a ramp.

Further up the trail there was the top of a tree blocking the trail.

So I cut everything I could with my handsaw

The elation of clearing that blockage was short lived as I found a huge tree down in the middle of the trail a few yards to the east. A reroute will be needed on this.

Just past the intersection with the lower Mulikin Trail there is a big tree down across the trail.

Near the little stream crossing facing towards the lake it looks like someone dropped a bomb and blew out all the trees. The top of one of the felled trees was laying across the trail, too.

Beyond this blockage there is another tree down across the trail and then there are the two Widow Makers that are suspended above the trail but look like they are hear to stay in that position until they rot and a heavy wind brings them down.

A tree uprooted right by the little stream crossing.

But there is also another tree down right across the trail, too

But the worst is yet to come

A section of the Mulikin Reroute was not spared

Looking down the Mulikin you can see all those blowdowns block the trail completely

And in the other direction its only worse

 

The Mulikin is blocked at the start, as well.

Looking east on the Poly Brody, its pretty messed up, too.

The westward route is equally blocked.  This was the first blowdown

And then there was this one

Followed by this one

The top part of the Gussy was blocked, too.  I decided to bail out on the Mr Ed Trail only to find it and the Blue Blaze trail blocked in numerous places, well.