Tour of New England - S5 - New Paltz explorations of "secret" roads Py should not even show...

What a amazing warm day to wake up and start driving for part one of the day. Could be summer! Heading towards New Paltz and arriving by about 11:30am -- getting ready to roll.

The classic LI escape route to start with -- but wait... Py already a few times suggested and wanted to do this and check out some promising looking but uncertain terrain -- be ready to take on some more "Paris Roubeaux" -- may be!

No photos today, keeping it a little secret. [Thanks to this ridiculous MAC OS X not capable to actually delete trash on a SD card]

Just that much -- totally ridable, and even more worse doing so to find some hidden treasures of roads.

Any one with me next time?

Dinner at The Gilded Otter, relaxed drive back to LI.

Tour of New England - S4 - Middlebury, VT -- Brandon Gap -- Middlebury Gap

A late start due to heavy rain continuing into the late morning. 2nd breakfast in Middlebury. Noonish ride start, warm, sun is out again!! on a little shortened route starting with a good ride toward and over Brandon Gap. Fun fast descent and flying toward the return climb over Middlebury.

Tour of New England - S3 - Middlebury, VT 4 3/4 gap ride and some slick sticky steep dirt putting BK to shame...

3rd day riding. Plans were big initially. Passing the #1 Middlebury Gap and continuing along the valley and to #2 Lincoln Gap. Checking out the Covered bridge to start the 2nd climb... noting a sign "closed" -- but let's see what we find.

 

After a easy ride up a little slick dirt section to the bottom of the famous final mile of the steep Lincoln Gap road climb, well -- that's what we found -- dead end. Revising route plans and returning from a part gap climb... heading over Roxbury Gap as #2 -- this gap features some dirt climbing and descending, this time a little soggy wet to add some fun -- continuing North, lunch, returning back to 100 via Cox Brook -- a beauty of climb and road, just turning into soggy sticky dirt for a couple of miles again, then heading back on 100 towards Warren to find the final Gap #4 for the day taking Appalachian gap to Bristol -- coffee stop before rolling back "home".

 compare to June 2008, Robin and Py on Roxbury Gap.

 

Tour of New England - S2 - Middlebury, VT to Lake Champlain, NY border

After a longer travel/drive they arrived at the destination near Middlebury, VT just at the edge of the Green Mountains by exactly 3pm. Unpacking gear and bikes. Making up a quick easy 60km route and off they are...

Experiencing a few icy cold refrigerator like air at low level next to frozen water... but nice otherwise. Quick shower after return and last minute shopping for dinner.

Tour of New England - S1 - Eastern Long Island on old tracks Rocky Point to Iron Pear Beach Park to James Port with Airfield return and some additions

Vist of Py's cycling friend from oversees as part of his longer journey on foot...
But let's for now do some riding together at some select New England destinations! Fitting him out completely with bike and gear as travelling with minimalistic hiking gear for later. Lucky we seam to be pretty much 100% compatible in sizing from head to toe... Sligh adjustments to Dirty Disco now equipped with road tires -- ready to roll.

Ride #1 should be a local test ride on old worn in tracks on LI... a good ride and a nice day.

Elizaville, NY -- ride for breakfast "Farmers Wife"

From our pre and post race quarters a nice post race day ride exploring a little new NY terrain not yet seen. Morning ride to "Farmers Wife" for breakfast before returning and packing up for the return.

Tour of the Battenkill

2014 ToB.
With two friends attempting to do the C5 race going up via a part way base Camp, dinner. Checking bikes and on last race updates.
A night of heavy rain. Overcast. Chilly. Windy, increasingly gusty.
Getting ready. And go -- rolling out neutral...



Going with ease in the pack. Moving up as approaching the Covered bridge and first dirt -- slick, manageble... Pack is moving at good speed this time! Well under control and no issues on that one early descent slight right hand turn.

This time and unexpected early race deciding or too big of an gap generating delays due to some riders screwing up in a little loose dirt on Juniper Swamp causing a traffic jam, forced to unclip and needed to deal for too long with limited power transfer while not properly clipped in due to dirt in Speedplay pedals...

Then chasing on and after a group of about 11 off and ahead of us...



Not much happening, dominating every climb with ease to the top... and doing a good share of work if not the biggest all the way to the finish. On the last dirt climb shaking off most of the contenders sitting in.

Taking the last turn about 400m before finish line as 12th -- finishing 16th.



Quick summary:

Cold windy soggy dirt... Epic. Finished 16th in a small chase group as about 12 got away. Not sure when but had a little trouble on a dirty climb stalled behind guys falling left and right due to getting stuck in lose dirt on Juniper Swamp and had to unclip ending up with dirt in cleats not able to clip in for a while. Then chasing.... Though but great race.