No Laps, Two Gaps

Last day in the Green Mountains, Py started out together with K&J on West Hill Rd towards Lincoln Rd, but they went for one and two laps around Warren and left Py going downhill on Lincoln Rd when Py turned right and very soon up hill to Lincoln Gap, here a view of the road as it just starts climbing.


A set of breath taking steep, very steep linked climbs with no resting -- you know you are on the steepest Mile of America (as claimed), when 16% grade feel like recovery, compared to 20..22% and 12% feel like flat. What followed were just 450m to 740m almost strait up. He did it again. NO COMPACT GEARS, ONLY 12-27.


The downhill is a little messy pavement first, but just a few steep sections followed by an awesome long good to go (on skinny 23x700 tires) dirt road.


Reaching Lincoln town, Py stoped at the Lincoln General Store for a good Green Mountain Coffee and a Dainish :-) He missed his cup of Coffee this morning.



Very delicious...

Proceeding further down hill following the part dirt and part paved road at the roaring river always to his left. Very Scenic.



At the end of Lincoln Road the little town Bristol is to his left on VT 17 over the bridge and to the right following VT 17 leads to the Appalachian Gap.

View from this bridge.


And proceeding to the 2nd Gap.


Very nice scenery on the gentle sloping up road, there is a high plateau like area...


a short downhill to kill 100m of elevation just gained and then a more steep winding, but wide and good road brings Py up to the Gap, here a view to the last and steepest section, see the ramp in the background?



But after having climbed Lincoln from East this feels just like a piece of cake...
Heavy loaded cloads were sitting on the mountain and more coming, Py better keeps going...


Thanks to a bunch of riders who came up from the other side to top of the Gap for taking this photo.


The Appalachian Gap downhill is easy and fast, but Py took it easy and safe, not exceeding speeds much over 60km/h.

Passing German Flats Rd, he decided to proceed all the way down to 100 and took a lunch break at the Warren General Store, see the oversized awesome tasting Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies in the tray?


A Turkey Sandwich, really good... a XXXXXL Cookie with Coffee. Very good.


After this good Lunch break he finished the Loop and went up the lower part of Lincoln Rd and returned via West Hill.





West Hill Rd, back up about 440m to 560m on dirt...



A great final ride for this week, once again, very lucky with teh weather, it started raining little later.



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Smugglers Notch - a Rain Forest - Ben & Jerry's

Smugglers Notch was to explored this Friday. The Fife meet up again with Phil at Ben and Jerry's parking lot and started out for one more ride in the Green Mountains of Vermont.

On there way towards the most exiting part of the ride they got into a short shower and found some shelter undre a small covered bridge...


... a little later, wet messy roads, heavy clouds sitting in the mountains, but warm and very humid air ... they approached the Smugglers Notch.

The last few miles were once again a steep challange.


But on top a great scenery was waiting. Still low clouds...








A fast smooth downhill and a water and for Py a big Oatmeal Cookie was very welcome :-)


Checking the route...

And back and Ben & Jerry's.



They finished the day with a Factory Tour and an Ice Cream Tasting... Great day.


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Good 100 miler with good percentage of dirt roads, strong winds and scary clouds

Today the remaining five of the Warren, VT house drove up to Essex to meet with Phil and to go for a very scenic 100 mile ride, mostly on the Champlain Bikeway:


Here on a nice section of dirt road, flying with the wind... dark, very dark clouds on the left and if you look closer you can see the wind bending the trees and making the leaves flattering... and making the lake looking like a wild ocean.



Further flying on the inner island out West and having a Deli stop for a good Sandwich and Coffee at the little over 50mile return mark.




Some good team work was done on the 50mile way back into the wind and dealing with strong cross winds.


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Nice Bike Boat Bike Loop and Lincoln Gap for Py

Just a quick update.

Nice scenic loop partly around Lake Champlain, took the ferry on the South side and returned via the bridge little more to the North. And added a bit crusing on the Champlain Bike route.


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Just back "home", Py could not held back to find out if the Lincoln Gap will be ridable for hom and added a short, but steep ride up to Lincoln Gap -- for the onces who have no clue what this is -- it is claimned to be the "steepest mile in America". All he had was has normal road bike and with a 12-27, no compact. It was hard, steep and at his very limits, but he did it, with two few seconds stops to take some extra breath... His computer showed grades of 16..20% all the time and peaks up to 25%.


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The downhill was of a different kind of scary challenge... he took it "save", not going over 40km/h.

Here is a good detailed ride description of a big gap ride variant making Py wanting to do it...

More later...

Rolling Flats and Dirt Roads and a Gap

2nd Day: Rolling Flats - Smooth Dirt Road, some nice moderate climbs and a Floating Bridge. And one more good Dirt Road climb up to Roxbury Gap for R. and Py.

Floating Bridge:




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Looking back from top of Roxbury Gap:





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Two Gaps ride

Day One passed along and Py now is happy and fueled up again and as the house has WiFi now this blog can be updated again -- as yesterday

Today the group got up for breakfast around 6am, but it turned into a long almost brunch like session as it started raining -- watching the radar two heavy rain systems needed to pass before they decided to get out on the road.

At about 10:30 it cleared up and the sun came out. They went out for a 70 mile ride with two nice gaps.

Little refill after the first gap and downhill run:


The second gap turned out to be very nice and long, starting at about 170m they got up to 750m in one long climb with up to about 17..18% grade at max at thevery end, what was tough and just doable for Py with is 12-27 and regular crank. Also they got soem company by some local and some riders from Montreal.

A young girl rider did very well all the way up and stayed close to Py.







Here is the 2nd gap:


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The following downhill was fast.


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