Protect Connecticut's Ban on Sunday hunting - Oppose H.B. 6553

Please contact your state representative and ask them to oppose Sunday Hunting (H.B. 6553) in Connecticut. 

Hunters already have the woods to themselves six days a week during the hunting season. It seems only fair that other outdoor users should have one day a week when they feel safe to venture outdoors without fear of being struck by a stray arrow or bullet.

Find your representative through the State of Connecticut Districts Website.

Here is a sample letter:

Representative <First Name> <Last Name>
Legislative Office Building
Room,
Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Representative <Last Name>,

Please oppose H.B. 6553, which would lift Connecticut's long-standing ban on Sunday hunting.
Hunters already have the woods to themselves six days a week during the hunting season. It seems only fair that other outdoor users should have one day a week when they feel safe to venture outdoors without fear of being struck by a stray arrow or bullet.
Please vote NO on H.B. 6553. Thank you.

 

Sincerely,

<Your Name Here>
<Your Address Here>
<Your City, State and Zip Here>

A 29er from Giant? Meh

The mountain biking blogsphere is all abuzz about the fourthcoming Giant 29er and I am not sure I am really all that impressed. Above is a lousy photochop rendition of the sketches that were posted on their Facebook page. From what I gather the notable features are hydroform tubing (hmmm I think Kona and Marin already did that) but what appears to be truly unique is the headtube is somewhat integrated. I read somewhere that this head tube is for a special fork from Marzocchi, meaning probably can't build this just by aquiring the frame.

Similar to the Fixed Gear Apocalypse that BSNYC keeps preaching about, it appears that the 29er movement has finally reached critical mass, now that Giant is entering the market. Kind of looks like the Marin Pine Mountain, which Giant probably produces, and it was only a matter of time till they copied the design. Of course, I don't know that for sure but when your factory churns out a lot of the bikes we see here in the US by different manfacturers, you got to figure there will be some design coppage.

So, who doesn't make a 29er? Here is a list of the major bike manufacturers that I pulled from eBay. If there is a link, they have a 29er, if not, they are bolded and red (the exception is Trek, they have a 69er but no dedicated 29er, so they are purple - pink didn't show up well with the white background).

Azonic
Bianchi
Cannondale
Cove
Diamondback
(they claim that they started the revolution 17 years ago)
Ellsworth
(Look for the Evolve)
Foes
Fuji
(didn't know they made mountain bikes until last year)

(not only do they have an SS, they have full susser, too!)
Gary Fisher

(Gary claims he invented the 29er)
Giant

(coming soon)
GT
Haro
(they have 650b rig as well)

Huffy

(They make mountain bikes?)
Independent Fabrications
Intense
Iron Horse
Jamis
K2
KHS
Klein
Kona
Leader
Litespeed
Marin
Maverick
Merlin

(looks like they have one but their website is under construction)
Mongoose
Moots

(they also make a backwards 69er that they call a 96er)
Motobecane
Niner
(Duh!)

Norco
Raleigh
Redline
Rocky Mountain
Salsa
Santa Cruz
Schwinn
(are you kidding?)

Scott
Seven
Soulcraft
Specialized
Surly
Sycip
Titus
Tomac
Trek
(they make a 69er but no dedicated 29er)
Turner
Univega
(they make mountain bikes?)

Vassago
Ventana
(not only do they a 69er but also a 650b!)

Voodoo

Probably missing a few manufacturers but I think is a pretty good cross section of the market.  65% of this list makes 29ers and even if I discount those manufacturers that only make 29ers you are still look at more than half the population making 29ers.  I'd say that's a critical mass.

Taking the bait?

I noticed this last weekend and I was about to throw it into the woods on this past ride when I turned it over and saw that it had a label. It is indeed a salt lick. Judging by the placement there are a few clear fields of fire for the would be hunter. I wonder if this was the same hunter that decided to block the trail?

According to the CT DEP website, Use of Attractants for Deer Hunting, Upper Paugussett happens to be in Zone in 11, however, it is public land and not private so the salt lick is verbotten (forbidden for those that don't remember SGT Schulz from Hogan's Heroes) according to CT DEP.

Use of Attractants for Deer Hunting. The following attractants may be used while hunting deer in Connecticut:Deer decoys during the early and late archery seasons only. All types of scent attractants (i.e., doe in heat, buck lure, urine, tarsal glands, food smells, smoke pole) that provide no substance for deer to consume. All types of sound attractants (i.e., doe calls, buck calls, antler rattling, electronic calls).Hunting over planted fields where normal agricultural planting, harvesting, or post-harvest manipulation is used.In addition to the attractants listed above, the following are allowed on PRIVATE LANDS ONLY while hunting deer in DEER MANAGEMENT ZONES 11 and 12. Minerals or chemicals that may be safely consumed by deer (i.e., salt licks).Artificial or natural foods placed, scattered, distributed or deposited (i.e., hay, grains, fruit, nuts and other foods that may be safely consumed by deer).

Well, this is obviously a direct violation and I have sent a note to the State DEP about it. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot they can do I suppose. By the looks of the brick it appears to be broken which means there is probably another one nearby.

Saw this in a magazine

Actually, I think it was an advertisement for the 2009 Honda Pilot in which they showed the car in the back ground and in the foreground was the garage with all this mountain biking gear: tools, stands, a few bikes, and wheels hanging from the ceiling (one or two pretty out of true, too). I had to do something about my garage so I decided to hang them up. Of course, our 2005 Honda Pilot doesn't look as snazzy as the 09 but it all fits in the garage pretty well!

I took some existing hooks and reshaped them in my vice so that they would have more hanging surface area. It all came out nicely! Of course, the only way to get to them is if I back out the wife's car.

Calm before the storm

Sunday's weather report was for snow starting at 6 AM and then turning over to rain. When I got up it was still sunny so I jumped on the Qball and headed out. Got the 'Horse back from the shop and the Bicycle Center in Brookfield did an outstanding job but I didn't feel like getting it all mucked up right now. If fact since I am going to race the Qball this season, I might as well get as much saddle time on it in the woods as possible.


Rode over to Upper Paugussett this morning and it was around 25 degrees and partly cloudy. Felt good to be out on the bike. There was an interesting little sign on the Trail Board at the Echo Valley lot. Guess someone was running their dog and lost the leash and someone found it and hung it there for the owner to find. Nice use of the band aid instead of tape.

In the map above you can see I have new loop that I think I finally perfected. It will be good for XC skiing as well. Granted I would rather try to find some way to take the white trail all the way back to the fire road. There is a big tree down in the middle of trail, right in the middle of a wet area making the trail impassable. Need to explore that area a little more and see if there something else that can happen.


While it appears that there has been more ATV incurrsions on the fire road they seem to be staying off the Gussy. The Upper Gussy looks pretty good but there were a lot downed branches and twigs making it stop and go. I cleared the big stuff off.

I noticed this downed tree earlier but didn't have time to do anything about it. Ironically how it fell where the other one is, turning it into a bigger up and over. I did a little improvement work, too to make it more rideable.

It seems someone has taken it upon themselves to block the trail by the Log Ride Short. Love how they ruined a perfectly good sapling to block something they had no right in doing. I fixed it with my collapsible saw. Granted this benched area needs a little more work and I plan on getting to it this spring.

This was an interesting thing that found along the way. I didn't go near it but first I thought it was a brick until I noticed that is appeared to disentigrating/melting. I wonder if it's a salt lick? That might explain the runoff. If it is, I think that is illegal and next time through, if it's still there I will probably kick it off into the woods.

The little off shoot loop only adds another mile to the ride.