Cyclesnack

Close Shaves, Big Climbs, and Battery Anxiety

2026-10-24T18:00:00.000-04:00

October 24, 2026, turned out to be another perfect, cloudless autumn day in Central Vermont—perfect enough for another eBike adventure with my housemate, Bruce, though this one almost ended in a flat-battery failure.

I wanted to see how Bruce would handle some different terrain, so I mapped out a route to lead us up to Quarterline Road. The plan was to ride up to VT 140, descend into Wallingford, and stop at the Market for lunch. It was a solid plan, until the realities of battery management and steep topography collided.

Early in the ride, we stopped along Quarterline Road at a clearing where you can see down the valley for miles. I always marvel at this view. I like to call it the "Money Shot" of the ride. There are a few others along the route, but this one is my absolute favorite—perhaps because I ride this road so often and love how the landscape just opens up.

Immediately following the view came the big descent: a scarry 20% pitch on an unpaved surface. I was genuinely concerned for Bruce because he had never ridden anything quite this steep. His eBike has a front suspension fork, so I knew his equipment could technically handle the chatter, but I wasn't sure how he would fare since this was entirely new territory. I stayed right with him the whole way down. He handled it beautifully.

Once we reached Chippenhook, the road turned back to smooth pavement. We hung a left onto Walker Mountain Road and the turned right on East Tinmouth Road. This is a solid 3-mile, Category 3 climb with an average grade of 3.5% and a max pitch of 9.5%.

My Yamaha Wabash RT was handling the terrain flawlessly. I was meticulously managing my battery consumption—running in +ECO (the lowest assist setting) on the flats, coasting entirely on the descents, and bumping it to ECO only for the climbs to get a solid workout.

We were probably two miles into that grueling three-mile climb when Bruce turned to me and dropped a bomb: he was already down to half a battery.

Knowing his tendency to leave his bike pinned in the highest assist mode for our entire ride, my mind immediately started doing the math. I began wondering if he’d even make it back to the house. At that exact moment, my hopes of riding the full, expansive Wallingford Roubaix route were extinguished. I knew we were going to have to cut things short and take the direct shot back on Creek Road.

Before making the pivot, we reached the top of East Tinmouth Road and were treated to another exceptional view down the valley—definitely another Money Shot candidate. I honestly can’t decide which perspective I love more: the expansive view down the valley, or the rustic composition of the dirt road with the old farm in the distance.

As we closed in on VT 140, the gravel gave way to pavement. We turned onto the State Highway and immediately started climbing again. This pitch was much shorter than the last one—only about two-thirds of a mile—but it was noticeably steeper, averaging a 6.5% grade.

At the crest of the hill, the road flattened out, and we pulled over at the local landmark known as the Giant’s Table. It’s a fantastic spot featuring massive chairs built from tree branches and oversized wooden place settings meant to fit a giant. Bruce had never seen it before, and it was fun to watch him take it in.

From the table, we began the long descent into Wallingford, and what a wild, fast ride it was. I made sure to keep Bruce in my line of sight the whole way down, capping my own speed at about 30 mph. He handled the speed nicely. Afterward, he mentioned that he always keeps a sharp eye out on downhills for potholes and road debris—which is ironic, considering he only has one eye! He noted that while his front shock can absorb most surface imperfections, he knows he has to stay hyper-vigilant.

We rolled into town and made our scheduled stop at The Market for lunch. I managed to score the very last four-pack of Lawson’s Finest Liquids Fest Bier. I haven’t seen it on sale anywhere else. Lately, my go-to spot for beer in Rutland has been Hannaford since they usually have an incredible selection of Vermont craft beers, but they curiously haven't stocked any local Oktoberfests this autumn. Aside from checking the Market, I haven't gone too far out of my way to hunt them down this season.

I brought a homemade cold cut wrap along for lunch, which disappeared quickly. The Fest Bier went down incredibly smooth. Its rich, malty profile immediately brought back nostalgic memories of the days I lived in Germany and Austria, where I drank these traditional seasonal lagers fresh from the source.

After finishing our beers, we geared up to head back. We approached the intersection, and as I came to a proper stop at the red light, Bruce simply rolled right through, cutting across the intersection against traffic. It always makes me cringe.

While there weren’t any cars coming at that exact second, these kinds of predictable, impatient maneuvers give all cyclists a bad name.

Reproductive Rights Pumpkin at The Market

We turned onto Creek Road to trace our way north back to Rutland. By now, Bruce's battery gauge was showing just three bars, and I could tell he was praying the remaining juice would last.

Leaving Wallingford, Creek Road cuts through open, picturesque pastures. I noticed a few cows grazing right up against the fencing—a sight I hadn't seen on this particular stretch before—and a lone horse was hanging out in the field with them.

The sun was bright through the open fields, but as the road hugged the edge of the ridge overlooking the Otter Creek Valley, we plunged into deep shadow. The temperature dropped instantly. It was absolutely freezing. Bruce told me he finally stepped his power down a notch, running in Standard mode instead of High to conserve juice. Meanwhile, I dropped my Wabash down to +ECO to force myself to pedal harder, using the physical exertion to generate some body heat.

We finally broke back out into the welcome sunlight as we crossed the town line from Clarendon into Rutland, where Creek Road transitions into Dorr Drive. To help him conserve what little energy his bike had left, I had Bruce tuck in and draft directly behind me.

By the time we turned onto River Street, he called out that he was down to a single, flashing bar. I genuinely wondered if he was going to have to push the bike home, especially with one final, punchy little climb remaining up and over the railroad bridge.

But at the base of the bridge, Bruce suddenly flew up the incline—he must have clicked it right back into full power for a final sprint.

I paused at the apex of the bridge to snap a picture of a fascinating train configuration sitting on the tracks below. There were six locomotives connected head-to-tail. It's a massive lineup of motive power that I’ve never seen paired together like that before, yet curiously, they weren't pulling very many cars. I figured they might be scheduled to pick up additional freight further down the line.

When we finally rolled back into the driveway, Bruce’s battery gauge was still stubbornly clinging to that single, flashing bar. I breathed a massive sigh of relief.

Next time we head out together, I think we’ll stick to the flat, familiar valley routes he’s used to that skip the heavy climbing. But looking down at my own battery gauge—which was still well over half full—I know I'm going to have to venture back out solo to conquer the entire Wallingford Roubaix route I originally envisioned. I'll have to tackle it twice: once on the eBike, and once on the pure analog gravel rig.

Chasing the Last of the Fall Color

2026-10-19T17:00:00.000-04:00

Oct 19, 2026

Our vibrant foliage season here in Central Vermont is winding down, but there are still some incredible pockets of color hanging on. Today was absolute perfection—not a cloud in the sky, temperatures sitting comfortably in the 60s, and just another wonderful day to be out on a bike in Vermont.

With the weather looking too good to pass up, I asked my housemate, Bruce, if he wanted to roll down to Wallingford for lunch. He had already eaten, but he was instantly game once I offered to buy the beer—something I never mind doing since his budget is a bit limited. For my own lunch, I packed a bowl of delicious leftover fried rice that Ann had made the night before.

I planned a variation of my usual Wallingford Roubaix route, but kept it to a shorter loop in my head. The last time Bruce and I rode down that way, I pushed him a bit farther than he was used to, and he definitely let me hear about how sore he was afterward. Today was all about keeping things fun and manageable, especially since I was out on the e-bike.

Lately, I’ve set a rule for myself when riding the e-bike: use just enough power to offset the heavy weight of the bike, ensuring I still get a legitimate workout. To stick to that, I kept the assist strictly in ECO mode.

We spun up Killington Avenue and made the turn onto Stratton Road. I realized too late that I had forgotten to put a fresh battery in my cadence sensor, so I was flying blind without my RPM data. It didn't stop me from hammering the pace the entire time, though. In fact, Bruce later confessed that he had to crank his own bike into its highest assist mode just to keep contact with my wheel!

We followed Stratton Road as it transitioned into East Clarendon Road, tackling the rolling hills out toward the airport. On the backside of the airfield, we crossed through the historic Kingsley Covered Bridge before hitting the dirt on East Road. Bruce did awesome keeping up, especially on the big, punchy climb right after the bridge.

I had hoped to cut over to Old Davenport Road—the fun trail/double-track section I like to use to bypass VT 140—but I couldn't quite find the trailhead today. Instead, we just bombed down the main road straight into town.

Our destination was the Wallingford Market, where I picked up a four-pack of 14th Star Oktoberfest. We drank a couple of pints, and I dug into my fried rice. There’s nothing quite like a cold local brew on a warm autumn afternoon.

After refueling, we turned back toward Rutland via Creek Road. The return trip was pure scenic bliss—the views of the Green Mountains were spectacular, the afternoon sun was hitting the remaining autumn leaves just right, and the local cows were out enjoying the pastures. It was the perfect way to wrap up another classic Vermont day in the saddle.

An Island in the Storm: Testing the Wabash (and My Legs) in the Taconics

2026-10-16T19:00:00.000-04:00

While rain was forecasted all day on Friday, a sudden break in the weather around 2 PM gave me the perfect window to head out on the Yamaha Wabash RT. It’s the only bike in my stable equipped with full fenders, and since it’s a Class 3 e-bike with pedal assist, it was also the perfect candidate for a wet-weather shakeout. Funnily enough, I hadn't ridden this bike in almost two years; an issue at my old office building had prevented me from recharging the battery in the garage, which ultimately put an end to my bike commuting.

To make things interesting, I decided to ride exclusively in Eco-Mode. I wanted to get a solid workout and test the battery conservation for longer rides down the road. Eco-mode gave me just enough juice to offset the weight of the nearly 50-pound bike on the climbs while helping power me through the straightaways.

I started by riding up Killington Avenue and making my way toward Stratton Road. As I moved into the left lane to turn at the hospital, a young guy in a delivery van pulled up alongside me. He was intending to turn right onto Allen Street, but took a moment to inform me that I "wasn't allowed on the road."

I politely let him know he didn't know what he was talking about and suggested he actually read the Vermont cycling laws sometime.

Shaking off the highway lawyer, I headed out on Stratton Road. Looking across the Otter Creek River Valley, the sun was shining beautifully on the overlooking ridge. The fall foliage was simply wonderful. Whoever claimed that the autumn colors are past peak forgot to check the Northern Taconic Range. I was incredibly thankful for the fenders as the roads were completely soaked. I also wore my waterproof winter riding boots for good measure—experience has taught me that my feet still find a way to get wet despite having fenders.

As I rode past the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport, I noticed heavy, dark clouds looming to both the south and the north. For some reason, Rutland was acting as a perfect little island in the middle of the storm.

Heading deeper into the Taconics, I tackled the climb up Walker Mountain Road. What a punchy, challenging ascent that is—a 1-mile, Category 4 hill averaging an 8.1% grade and maxing out at nearly 14%.

Unfortunately, the battery on my cadence sensor was dead, so I couldn't track my exact RPMs. Instead, I focused on keeping my spin high to maximize the efficiency of the pedal-assist motor. I’m pretty sure I was climbing at double my usual speed, maintaining a steady 7 to 8 mph.

My original plan was to stick entirely to paved roads. However, as I passed Gravel Pit Road in Chippenhook, the allure of unridden gravel and bagging more Wandrer miles pulled me in like a moth to a flame.

Little did I realize that this, too, was a punchy climb—nearly a mile long with a 3.7% average grade and a max pitch of 10%.

Back on Walker Mountain Road, I paused at one of my favorite local roadside geological features: the Walker Mountain Road Rock Fold in Clarendon. Located just north of the intersection with Teer Road, this compressed rock formation is a stunning display of structural geology. You can clearly see the distinct layers of rock curving dramatically upward, indicating a nearby fault where tectonic pressure—or perhaps magma forcing its way up—bent the ancient strata.

From there, it was a thrilling, downhill coast all the way into West Rutland.

The last remaining establishment on historic Marble Street is a bar called the The Tavern.

Checking my Wandrer map, I tracked down a few more unridden side streets to round out my coverage.

While cruising along Route 4, a bright yellow Surly hanging from a porch ceiling caught my eye. I stopped to snap a picture, and the homeowner came out to chat. The bike on display was a fixed-gear Surly Steamroller, and his porch was a goldmine of cool rigs. Along with a few other vintage bikes, he had an e-bike, a mountain bike, and a cargo trailer parked outside. He told me that since West Rutland no longer has a laundromat, he hitches the trailer to his e-bike and hauls his laundry all the way into Rutland to get it washed. Talk about practical e-bike utility!

Next, I climbed up into Durgy Hill Heights to visit St. Bridget's Church, Vermont's very first stone Roman Catholic church. Its construction was a monumental community effort; the marble was generously donated by the Sheldon and Slason Marble Company, and local quarry laborers volunteered their time to build it at night after working their regular shifts.

It's a neat piece of local history, especially since the nearby Sheldon and Slason Roads still bear those names.

From the church, I continued north on Pleasant Street. Looking out to the west, the view was growing increasingly hazy. It looked like heavy fog, but I quickly realized it was a wall of rain heading right for me.

The pavement gave way to dirt, and before turning west, I wanted to scout the dirt road that follows the power lines up toward Florence to see if it was passable. It turned out to be completely blocked off.

If I want to log those Wandrer miles in the future, I’ll have to approach it from the north side.

With the weather closing in, I picked up the pace on my return to town via Marble Street. East of the road sit some old marble quarries; I made a mental note to come back with my truck sometime to pick up some of the discarded marble slag for home projects.

By now, a consistent drizzle was falling, and it was high time to get home.

I managed to roll into the driveway just before the skies truly opened up, and I was absolutely cooked.

I’m continuously amazed at what a fantastic workout you can get on an e-bike. Even though the motor is giving you a helpful push, you still have to put in the work—and if you want to maintain a high speed, you have to pedal hard. It was a fantastic, stormy test for the Wabash, and a great afternoon in the hills. I think I still had at least half a battery left after 34 miles and 2,000 feet of climbing.

PHP a la nuit

2026-10-15T19:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, a mountain bike ride hosted by Rutland City Bikes popped up in my Strava feed for 5:30 PM at Pine Hill Park. I RSVP'd, but what I found funny was that when I swung by the shop earlier in the day to pick up my back wheel for the CAADx, I asked JT about the ride and he was completely clueless. His exact words were, "I don't social media anymore."

In the end, I missed the group ride by about 15 minutes. I wanted to get some boards cut for a basement project I planned to tackle on Friday which delayed me somewhat, since the forecast called for rain all day. When I finally arrived, there were plenty of cars in the lot with bike racks and tailgate pads, but it was anyone's guess whether they were there for the Rutland City Bikes ride, the Down Valley ride, or just out on their own.

I am never quite sure how to dress for a autumn mountain bike ride, especially here in Rutland. Because I usually just ride straight from my house to the park, I know I'll be freezing on the pavement ride over. Granted, once I start climbing the trails, things quickly heat up. The trick is figuring out a combination that gets me comfortably to the park and back home again. Yesterday's kit was absolutely spot on: a short-sleeved base layer paired with a long-sleeved cotton t-shirt.

By 5:45 PM, it was starting to get dark, though not quite enough to need lights yet. I did fine for about half an hour, but eventually stopped at the intersection of Stegosaurus and Strong Angel to attach my 1000-lumen light to my helmet. The more I rode, the darker it got, and I figured it was soon time to head home.

I always try not to overlap any trails when I ride at PHP, and I think I did pretty well this time around. However, once total darkness set in, things got a little confusing. I ended up taking a wrong turn—not "wrong" in the sense that I was actually lost, but more like I was accidentally tacking on extra miles.

I hit Rosie's Rollover by mistake, a trail I had never ridden before. It was chock-full of features that were tough to anticipate in the dark, and the trail itself was hard to follow. Even when I got onto a trail I thought I knew like Rembrandt's Brush, the darkness turned it into a whole new experience.

Ultimately, I made my way out and had a great ride. By the time I rolled back into the parking lot, the last few cars were already pulling away.

Big Santa Metric

2026-10-09T19:00:00.000-04:00

Oct 9, 2026

I saw a post on Facebook the other day that instantly brought back a wave of nostalgia. It turns out that Big Santa from the historic Danbury Fair is now residing up in Wells, Vermont! I had to go see it.

For years, he used to stand on Vail Road in Brookfield, Connecticut. Anyone who lived in CT back in the 1970s and 1980s probably remembers making trips to the Danbury Fair. At the time, my family was living in Wilton, and one year my parents actually bought a sow piglet at the fair. My mother desperately wanted to name her Cleopatra, but I immediately started calling her Arnold—and the name stuck!

Finding out where Big Santa ended up brought back such great memories that I just planned a road ride to go up and visit him.

I find this time of year to be difficult on how to dress for a ride. With temperatures in the mid 50s and a northwest wind, it was cold, but I knew I would be climbing and that usually heats things up.

I started out with a gilet, gloves, arm warmers and a gaiter. After the climb up VT 140 to Tinmouth it all came off except arm warmers.

Rode by the Giants Table.

This was the first time I rode up VT 140. It's a 3 mile climb.

Descending VT 140 into Tinmouth I think I got the Money Shot on this ride.

The partly cloudy made it cold when the sun was obscured by the clouds and warmer except for the wind when not.

Big Santa resides at the Danbury Fair and Racearena Memorabilia is a private collection and historical preservation effort located in Wells, VT dedicated to preserving artifacts from the historic Great Danbury State Fair and Danbury Racearena in Connecticut.

I saw this place on gravel ride I rode this past summer but never realized it's significance. Apparently, tours are free but they would appreciate a donation.

I stopped for lunch at the Wells Country Store

I had The Lightening with a Jalapeno and Cheddar Wrap and it was OFS!

From the Country Store I headed south on North Pawlet Road

and then I picked up VT 30.

The southbound lane had been milled while northbound was paved

It made some precarious passing situations.

Eventually, I got to taste the Black Butter.

The turn onto VT 30 and then VT 133 was the start of an 8 mile climb.

This was my longest climb of the year.

The feed harvest was in full swing

and I kept climbing.

With the top of the climb in sight there was anticipation of a great view

but there wasn't much that could be seen except for a few cows.

At Danby 4 corners I turned north on Tinmouth Road

and there was a lot of up and down.

Coming back into Tinmouth

the views were amazing

and certainly quantifiable as another Money Shot.

Heading down VT 140, White Rocks was looking grand.

I flew down VT 140, hitting a top speed of 42 mph.

Then it was 10 miles back to the shed.

Shrewsbury Fall Foliage Tour

2026-10-07T19:00:00.000-04:00

Oct 7, 2026

Originally, I was going to explore some gravel roads between Cold River and Wheelerville Road but the rear tire on the CAADx was flat so I decided to ride to Shrewsbury on the Waltly. The foliage in this part of Vermont is exploding with color and this was the perfect afternoon to take in it's beauty.

I hate these surprises but on a positive note I was able to ride Cold River Road and knock that off the Wandrer list.

Some cattle on this farm on Shrewsbury Road and a great view of Bird Mountain and the Taconic Mountains.

The farm's geese were making their presence known.

Halloween decorations are also popping up all over the place.

I can't wait to start fishing here.

It's a long climb!

The colors on the surrounding hills were resplendent

There was color everywhere

I continued climbing pavement on the CCC road and saw these turkeys

and then the pavement stopped.

I fueled up at Pierce's store

and then the clouds rolled in.

There was some rain off to the north

and to the southwest, the direction that I was heading on this route.

It will probably be gone by the time I get there.

Salt Ash Mountain

Descending Lincoln Hill

Wet roads in Clarendon.

Looking south towards Mt Equinox

From left to right, Pico, Killinton, and Mendon Mountain.

East Peak was popping!

Fest Bier Roubaix

2026-10-06T16:00:00.000-04:00

Oct 6, 2026

It was a perfect fall day in Vermont and after job hunting all morning and then cleaning up around the house I decided that I needed to get out on the bike. Ann wasn't feeling up to a ride but her brother, Bruce, on the other hand was.

We headed out on the usual route to Wallingford down Creek Road and it was just a stellar day.

Foliage is starting to peak.

There's a pumpkin stand on the outskirts of Wallingford.

White Rocks was looking resplendent today.

I took Bruce up my new gravel addition to out classic Wallingford Roubaix route.

After a pint of Lawson's Fest Bier at the Wallingford Village Market we rode up Old Pine Rd to take the trail that goes to East Road.

According to the State GIS it's a valid Right of Way.

Bruce handled it nicely.

Some more fall foliage

Gratuitous cow picture - its Vermont!

We stopped in at the Lower Clarendon Gorge, aka Devil's Gorge.

I had to move my two remaining cans of the Fest Bier from my rear pockets to the frame pack.

Bald Hill (l) and Round Top (r) from the airport

Killington Peak (l)

The haul.

Raptor Lane Trails

2026-10-02T18:58:19.845-04:00

Oct 2, 2026

This morning, I made the drive to Dorset to ride the Raptor Lane Trails, a network that caught my eye while browsing Trailforks. Beyond the great riding, I discovered an incredible piece of history hidden right next to the trails: the Gettysburg Quarry. This mountainside site once supplied the marble used for prominent buildings in Philadelphia, as well as the solemn tombstones for soldiers who died at the Battle of Gettysburg.

I drove my new truck down to Dorset with my hardtail on Ann's Thule Rack.

Sign at the trailhead.

The trail system was created by NATS, Northshire Area Trail System, A Chapter of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association, who builds and maintains mountain biking and multipurpose trails in the Manchester, VT region.

As I was heading into the trails I met up with John and his dog, East. John provided some great background on the trail system and directions and advice on how to ride the trails.

He also told me about the Gettysburg Quarry located just off the trail system and how to find it.

He was skijoring with the dog and riding an eMountain bike, which is something I want to try with XC Skis this winter with Kai.

It's Orange Season, aka Hunting Season, in Vermont and I wasn't taking any chances. After this old cabin, John and I parted company and I headed down the trail to the Quarry.

Old cables from the quarry along the trail

along with some discarded marble blocks.

There were a few bridges on the trail. This was the easier one of the two.

I pushed my bike up these stairs to get into the quarry.

The Gettysburg Quarry, c. 1875

Daniel L. Kent opened this quarry in 1866, and soon after sold it to the S. F. Prince Company of Philadelphia. The quarry remained in operation until 1897.

Most of the marble quarried here went to Philadelphia for buildings, and to government contracts for cemetery tombstones.

Approximately 200 feet straight ahead is what looks like a quarry. It is a quarry, but the quarry actually began where this sign is. Everything from here to the rock face was excavated.

To the left is a short trail to the quarry dump, which affords wonderful views. This scenic lookout is the top of a marble dump. Approximately 80 percent of the rock cut from this quarry was not good enough for the retail market, so it was piled up on the dump. Quarry dumps, because they contain very little soil, make great viewing points, because not much can grow on them. The view from this dump is of Mount Equinox, Mother Myrick, and Mount Antone.

To the right is a trail that can lead to Owls Head or loop back to the trailhead. The beautiful marble that was produced at this quarry was created over 500 million years ago, in a lagoon-like environment filled with coral and invertebrate creatures that used calcium from the seawater to make their shells. The ocean environment where they were formed was very close to the equator! As the creatures died and their shells and structures dissolved, the calcium carbonate was laid down as sedimentary material that eventually became limestone. Over the intervening millions of years, plate tectonics shifted the location of the sedimentary layers and they became part of the Taconic Mountains and were folded and pressed under enormous geological forces. These forces produced the metamorphosed version of limestone that we know as marble.

There is a connection between the marble and the forest. Marble and limestone bedrock are calcium-rich rocks. As they weather and become part of the soil, they produce an incredibly alkaline and productive soil that supports a high diversity of plant and tree species. This type of forest is known as a Rich Northern Hardwood Forest. The beautiful Taconic Mountains, which you see across the valley and are standing on here at the Owls Head Town Forest, are covered with these amazingly diverse and productive forests. As you walk on the trail, look for maidenhair ferns, which are of a species indicating calcium-rich soil. These leras have unusually shaped fronds that are short and almost circular or semicircular in shape.

It intrigued me to see those railroad tracks and after some research found that they used Funiculars to move the blocks down the mountain.

Heading in the opposite direction from the quarry was an overlook created by quarry's discards.

The view from Art's Bench is outstanding.

The fall foliage here is much more pronounced

and there is great view of Mt Equinox.

Mt Equinox is in the background.

An old smoke stack from the quarry.

After the quarry I continued heading down Gettysberm, a downhill trail.

The berms were sick and I railed them like a pro.

I rode the portion of Maple Creemee that I missed on the way up.

There was this awesome roller that kind of reminds me of Larry David from this angle.

I did a loop on Lunch

Then I went up this trail to Little Ripper

and it sucks the fun out of you.

It's basically a fall line climb with some real steepness.

My last downhill run was on Little Ripper.

Riding with the Doggo

2026-09-26T16:00:00.000-04:00

Sep 26, 2026

Ann & I took Kai in the trailer today down to Wallingford and he was a little more work than the last time. He was whining a lot more this time, especially if he couldn't see Ann.

After quite a bit of whining we finally stopped and let him walk around, on the leash of course, and he pooped and peed.

We stopped at Sweet Birch and Ann hung out in the parking lot with Kai while I went inside to get the goods. Ann had her favorite Pumpkin spiced latte and a ham and cheese croissant.

I had black coffee and this Pecan Maple bar that was OFS!

Kai got a treat, too, but I had to hold his Kog so he could lick the peanut butter.

It's fall in Vermont and its time to break out the sweaters! It was 55 degrees and I wore gloves and a neckie. Never got cold nor too warm. I even brought a vest for just in case.

On the way out of Wallingford Kai got a little anxious and tried crawling out of the front of the carrier. I stopped to push him back in, right in front of a house that has a miniature collie that went bonkers when he saw Kai. Kai went bonkers as well. Ann had to untangle him and then carry him up to the next house while I brought the bikes and then we were able to get him back in the trailer so we could start riding again.

Ann & I are thinking about removing the canvas of the trailer altogether and just lashing as plastic pet carrier on the frame. We could put a basket on top and bring breakfast with us the next time we head out.

Fletcher Farm Trails

2026-09-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

Sep 25, 2026

A new trail system just opened in Ludlow, VT called Fletcher Farm Trails and I thought I would check it out. I replaced the rear brake pads on the Cujo and loaded her up on the MINI. It's kind of a bittersweet day as I will be trading in the MINI for a pick up truck and this is the last time I will carry a bike with the car.

It's not an extensive trail system but perfect for a quick hit after work and what it lacks in variety it more than makes up for it with the features on the flow trail.

There appears to be a process to riding here. Climb up the Climb Trail, which is two way, and then descend the Flow and Kid's Half Pipe. The only drawback to that is if your skills are not quite up to riding a difficult trail then you are stuck coming down the Climb Trail again.

The Climb Trail utilizes some existing Vermont Association of Snow Travels (VAST) aka Snowmobilers and then has some off shoots to get around some of the fall lines that the dual track goes up because powered vehicles don't care about fall lines.

There's some good benching

and then there are some rake and ride portions. Hopefully there's plans to remove the duff of all the non benched sections otherwise these parts are going to turn ugly. Then again, they might just ride themselves in.

This section in particular is a fall line on basically turf. I saw a way to get more switch back out of it but the builders probably picked their battles and figured they would come back and address this later. I hope they do.

There's a great view of Okemo from the Power Lines.

After the power lines the trail heads back into the woods and has some really good armorings and a nice bridge.

It's hard to see here but there is a climbing switchback that does a really good job getting up a particularly steep section.

There's a nice BFR aka Glacial Erratic nearby. The could be a good name for the Flow Trail, Glacial Erratic Trail, or I would just call it the BFR Flow Trail.

This section right before the end of the Climb Trail is kind of cool with some natural rolling grade dips.

Then you come to the start of the Flow Trail.

A lot of effort went into this trail because most of it was benched

and there were some sick berms.

Better than what you might find at Killington.

There was this one feature, a drop between two trees that was pretty hairy and there is a roller next to it. I think it could use a third alternative off to the right, though.

Behind the BFR was this sick roller that QM'ed and then thought the better of it. The transition at the bottom was such that you needed to huck it before from the top of the rock.

There is also this insane drop

but it's not on my insurance plan and not on a hard tail.

There's more excellent berms

The flow trail ends at the Climbing Trail but there is no signage telling you to go one way or the other.

The half pipe trail was great. Reminds me of Sidewinder at Kingdom. I liked it so much that I rode it to more times.

Before my last run down the Half Pipe I was climbing up and took a wrong turn onto another VAST trail that didn't connect back into the Climb Trail and had to turn around. All in all, this is a great a little trail system and I imagine in time will be even better.

Go Dog, Go!

2026-09-21T10:33:00.000-04:00

Sep 21, 2026

We have an onery, Corgi and Australian Shepherd mix and hate leaving him in VT when we come down to Connecticut. We brought him down with us this weekend and decided to get him a kid trailer so we could take him on rides with us. I looked around Craigslist and FB Market Place and found this InStep Trailer over in Naugatuck. On Sunday, we tested it out with Kai.

Initially, he was totally uncertain about what was going on and kept pushing his snout out the back of the trailer but after awhile he got accustomed to it and we think he was enjoying it.

We rode over the Rochambeau Bridge on the bike path and found that it was relatively free of debris.

With Ann trailing, Kai quickly became content keeping an eye on her out the back window.

By the time we got to Transylvania he appeared to be loving the ride.

Since Ovens of France is closed on Mondays it was convenient for us to ride up to the Woodbury Deli for breakfast and didn't have to venture onto Route 6.

While Ann and I ate our breakfast Kai finally felt comfortable enough to enjoy the peanut butter Kog that I put in the trailer with him.

On the way back the toughest climb was that punchy, little ramp after Woodward Condominiums and Radey Pond. That's when I got the idea that I should be riding my eBike! I don't use it for anything else now that I am no longer bike commuting or have the opportunity to bike commute.

In fact, on the way back to Sandy Hook, Kai was facing forwards the whole time.

Not once did he bark at another car or even a cyclist that passed us.

Hidden Dirt Roubaix

2026-09-20T07:14:56.343-04:00

Sep 18, 2026

I was looking at the maps the other day and I happened to notice a few roads/trails that appear to go through to other roads on the routes that usually ride so I decided to check them out today.

Starting my ride off through The Gut I veered off on a side street because there was a school bus on River Street stopping at every intersection. I saw this house already decked out for Halloween. It's not even October!

The cows at Billings Farm were off in another field

Killington Peak was looking majestic today

First Dirt was on Gorge Road today.

Turning south onto East Street I rode this covered bridge and the dirt began again.

East Street is a great dirt road to take Wallingford.

A lone cow

Old Pine Hill starts off as a trail and then opens up into an old farm track. It's an easy ride but a bit bumpy due to roots and rocks.

Then it's a fast decent to VT 140. This will make a better connection to East Street going the other way because you don't have to deal with VT 140 and the 24% incline on the paved portion of East Street further up the road.

When riding back to Rutland we usually take Elm Street to River Street. Today I noticed that Elm Street actually goes straight and turns to dirt so I followed it. It climbs up and then there is a sign for Memorial Drive.

Then there is this sign. My kind of People! This opens up a lot of potential because now you can turn off River Street get some dirt up to VT 140 and then climb up to Tinmouth where there is a plethora of dirt roads or take the Elfin Lake road to Waldo Lane and out to RT 7 and then pick up some dirt further down the road.

Heading back to Rutland there's a nice view of Pico Mountain.

This is the start of the dirt portion of Creek Road that I have to fix on OpenStreet Maps so that it shows up as unpaved.

Otter Creek

Cows on the east side of Middle Road

This eBiker passed me on Alfrecha Road. Never slowed at the stop sign.

Cows were at the fence at Billings Farm.

Another camping trip with bikes

2026-09-16T12:16:11.396-04:00

Sep 12, 2026

We drove down to Buckland, MA on Saturday and boondocked at Ann's friend's house. We were in the heart of D2R2 land but we were there to help her friend celebrate her engagement and couldn't ride Saturday. In fact, we didn't ride at all due to the weather and our time table.

Sunday morning was pouring rain so we drove down to Greenfield to gas up the truck and get coffee. I tried to make coffee with the single cup Keurig coffee maker but the Jumper Box didn't have enough watts and we had a bit of a water issue - when I was filling the tank yesterday I misread the water meter and thought that I put in 37 gallons of water when it was actually, 3.7 gallons. I didn't see the decimal on the meter.

On the way back we drove up to Apex Orchards and bought some fruit and strawberry preserves.

Then we stopped at the Shelburne Falls Trolley Museum.

There were kinds of cool things to see in the Museum including a few train layouts.

We took a ride on a restored trolley that was originally ran on these tracks.

We were able to walk around in an old caboose, too.

Then we headed back to Shelburne Falls

and from the Buckland side walked the Bridge of Flowers.

The bridge is actually an old Trolley Bridge

over the Deer Field River.

On the Shelburne Falls side we visited the Glacial Potholes.

The Glacial Potholes in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, were formed over 14,000 years by rushing glacial meltwater and swirling sediment that acted as natural drills to carve deep cavities into the Deerfield River bedrock

We walked through Shelburne Falls

and back over the Steel Bridge to look at the Bridge of Flowers.

Back at the camper I got the generator going so we could use the microwave to heat up Sausage and Pepper sandwiches that I got at take-a-ways from the party last night. The generator will be a big plus to our future camping adventures, especially when we camp without any hook ups.

I did book us for a night in Charlemont, MA at Country Aire Campground, with full hook ups so that we could use the sewer the following day instead of trying to find a dump station when we head back to Connecticut.

There are dump stations in and about Massachusetts and Connecticut but nothing really convenient for the direction we were heading. While Ann hooks up the sewer, I do the electrical and water.

I put quick disconnects on our hoses to make things easier.

One thing I have to remember when disconnecting the water line is to release the pressure on the system before disconnecting. I found out the hard way what happens when you don't do that.

I am getting better with leveling.

We made cheddar brats for dinner on the gas fire pit.

There was a tear drop camping club here this weekend.

It was a shame that we couldn't ride our bikes this trip, especially since we were in the D2R2 Land. Oh well, if we get invited to the wedding we will probably boondock the whole weekend and I am sure we'll be able to ride then.

Leaving Country Aire on Monday we drove down to Connecticut and emptied out the camper at Ann's place in Sandy Hook and then dropped off the camper at the dealer where Ann bought it for winterizing.

2026 D2R2 Edge Hill Metric+

2026-08-22T21:17:00.000-04:00

Team Karl's Sausage Kitchen is off on another D2R2 adventure. Since it was Will's birthday today, I did some map recon the night before and found some dirt roads that we hadn't ridden yet that would add a few more miles to our route and give Will his birthday milage.

Mike and Scott were going to ride the 105K but decided to join Will and I at the last minute. Something about 10,000 feet of climbing on their route vs only 5,000 feet of climbing on the 90K to Edge Hill swayed their decision to change routes. We got off to any early start.

The forecast called for a 30% chance of rain in the afternoon and that it was supposed to be overcast all day, which made for excellent riding weather. It was mid 60s when we left the Fairgrounds and it was absolutely delightful. I did bring a jacket just in case.

The only downside to this route was there was a lot of pavement before hitting dirt.

There were some cows, though.

We finally hit First Dirt a little over 7 miles into the ride.

As we rode between the fields one thing stood out, everything was brown. It was as if Round-Up was sprayed on these crops. It reminded me of a Science Fiction movie where some alien pathogen affected all our crops. It was eerie.

First Cow!

First Climb!

On Whatley Glenn Road to Roaring Brook Camp.

Just a 2.5 mile Cat 3 hill to get the blood pumping.

Everyone was in high spirits by the time we reached the top and I broke out the dried Kiwi. The road surface at this point was what Massachusetts calls a Surface Type 1 road and what we would call a Class 4 Road bordering on primitive in Vermont. Very rideable for gravel bikes.

It got better as we continued on

and was quite pleasant, too.

Then the road turned into more of a primitive, track/trail, road but again still very doable for fatter tires.

Exiting the State Forest we were greeted with this sign

and nearby there is what appeared to be free bike tires and handlebars although I wouldn't want to be carrying anything while on this ride.

From this vantage point I think we were looking at the Northern Berkshires.

Somewhere off to the right was Mt Greylock but it was obscured by the trees.

Climbing up Nash Hill, we hit the first Checkpoint.

While we were fueling up a woman passed us that was on the ride but she didn't stop and then an older guy, whose name was Jeff, rolled in on Trek 720 with downtube shifters riding on 32c cross tires.

At the lowest point of the route we turned north and rode through Williamsburg.

Williamsburg FD

Then came a 7.6 mile, Category 2 climb that was mostly gravel.

So we climbed,

rode by a really cool pond just off the road, that according to the maps, is the headwaters for Cold Brook.

We continued to climb on dirt

and there was more dirt.

We were still climbing when Jeff caught up to us and hung with our groupetto for awhile. Jeff was only a cue sheet and mile counter. No fancy GPS other electronic routing.

There was another checkpoint at Mile 32, which didn't seemed excessive after stopping at one 12 miles back. We stopped anyway for more water and I planned out our extra credit loop.

We have ridding up this way in the past but always up Lilliput Road to Bug Hill Road. The bottom part of Bug Hill wasn't on our Wandrer map so we used it for the start of our extra credit loop.

This is always a welcoming sign.

According to RWGPS this was supposed to be dirt all the way to Bear Swamp Road but it looks like civilization has caught up to Bug Hill.

It did turn back to dirt.

I wanted to turn onto Ford Road but we rode right past it. At Old Stage Road we turned around and went back looking for it. I rode into a drive way and figured that the drive way was probably the lead in to the road. A nice woman came out and told me that the road did go through but and she saw people ride through there and not come back so thought it went through.

Will and I have had enough of roads turning into hike-a-bike/Napoleon Death Marches so we headed back to Old Stage Road and Will got his birthday mileage and then some.

Back on course we passed by a lake that I tried to take a picture of but ended up with a selfie instead. We missed the turn onto Baptist Cornell Road and then when the road split and the right fork was dirt I assumed the route went that way but I was wrong. Eventually, we got to Edge Hill where the lunch stop was.

After lunch we hit some fun dual track

With some surprises along the way.

One of which was an angled rock that I hit one handed as I was putting my phone away and I ended up dropping my phone. The front wheel survived.

Apparently, on the way back to the start for every 500 feet we climbed we would loose about 1000 feet in elevation. That meant a lot downhill to bring up the average speed.

Some Black Angus cattle

and some welcoming signs on Pine Hill Road

with a little more climbing before a steep descent.

Last time I passed this sign I was on the first D2R2 Mystery Ride and we went this way on the bailout route.

Crossing over the Deerfield River again we hit the last climb on Upper Road and then we were back to the Fairgrounds. All and all a really good ride. There was a lot more gravel than what RWGPS said, many of the dirt roads on the 2026 D2R2 90k to Edge Hill route don't show up as dirt on the route map so I would say this route is more like 40% paved and 60% gravel. Definitely a worthy route, especially if you want to get some decent miles and not have insane climbing. Looking forwards to next year!

2026 D2R2 Pre Game to Treehouse Brewing

2026-08-21T21:00:00.000-04:00

I arrived at the Franklin County Fairgrounds around 1:30 PM, registered, and set up my tent. Will was running late so I went back to the registration shed and bought some T-Shirts. Having the event at the Fairgrounds was a definite plus. The place is pretty much self contained with plenty of camping and RV Sites, chow hall, food venues, showers and bathrooms. Next year, I am bringing the camper and hopefully I can get Ann to come with me.

Will showed up around 3:30, threw his stuff into the tent and got suited up to ride. We took off at 4:00 PM and two miles into the ride we hit First Dirt on Old Albany Road. Massachusetts classifies it's dirt roads three ways:

Surface Type 1 (Unimproved): Graded earth, dirt, or natural soil surface road.
Surface Type 2 (Gravel): Crushed stone or gravel aggregate surface road.
Unimproved Trails: Unpaved recreational footpaths or tracks not meant for standard vehicular maintenance.

Old Albany Road falls definitely falls into the Type 1 road and is quite the climb to boot.

The fun begins on Upper Road and 1.5 miles into the course and then turns to dirt at 2 miles. There's signs of washouts that are filled in with 3 and 4 inch trap rock which is not fun to try and ride through.

The dirt road improves as it flattens out on Taylor Road. It turns into a nice descent and then turns to pavement.

We turned onto the famous Hawks Road

Which appears to have recently paved

and then it goes back to dirt.

We stopped and chatted with the farmer and learned all about cows, their friends and local herd hierarchy.

We encountered a Jeep on Hawks Road.

I had my first crash at D2R2 today. After taking this picture I was putting my phone away and at the same time I was riding in a tire rut on the side of the road. As I tried to get out of it and with only one hand on my handlebars my front tire slipped back into the rut and I lost my balance and down I went. I bloodied my knee a bit and there were some scratches on my leg but nothing major.

It's only a flesh wound!

We got some new Wandrer miles on this route by heading over to MA 116 and we passed another cow farm along the way.

We met up with Scott, Will and Jason at Tree House. Will & I ordered beers and then a pizza. We ate our pizza and then the leftovers from Scott and Will. Up until we got there I wasn't hungry, that hotdog I got from the gas station was sitting heavy in my stomach for the ride to the brewery but having the beer and smelling that pizza made me ravenous.

Caught a glimpse of Amtrak's Vermonter on the ride back to the Fairgrounds

Surprised to see that there are only two cars with the engine. The Ethan Allen, that stops in Rutland, usually has 5 cars and I think one of them is a dinning car.

We got off Route 5 and headed over the Mill Village Road

and the old site of D2R2.

Then we rode through History Deerfield.

and Deerfield Academy.

Saw a few bike racks at the Old Deerfield Inn, too.

Then we were back on Route 5 heading back to Greenfield

with one last climb up the bike path to the Fairgrounds.

It was a wonderful evening. We even had one of the fiddle players from Friday's entertainment come visit us and play us a tune.

Here is a link to the route and where you can see where the dirt roads are: 2026 D2R2 Pre Game Roubaix, incase you want to ride this route next year.

Rochester Gap Roubaix

2026-08-19T21:00:00.000-04:00

I crossed another item off my Vermont Riding Bucket List, Rochester Gap. While looking at possible routes I found quite a few dirt roads that encompass the gap so I worked in some dirt roads to add to the fun. Also, there is an old railroad line here known as The White River Railroad. A historic 19-mile shortline railroad in central Vermont running between Bethel and Rochester. Known locally as "The Peavine" because it closely hugged the winding path of the White River, the line operated from 1900 until 1933. The foamer in me is always looking for old railroads.

I parked at the Stockbridge Park & Ride and headed out but I had a bit of a false start because I got about a half mile away when I realized I forgot my water bottles.

The ride to Bethel tracks along west side the White River, similar to what the railroad did back in the day on the other side of the river.

There's not much to be seen of the old railroad bed. I think some of the dirt roads I was riding on when I crossed over the river were probably part of the old line. There is a bridge abutment in the middle of the river closer to Rochester.

Crossed over the river on Graysville Bride, an old steel, trussed bridge.

In the background are cliffs overlooking the river.

Vulture Mountain in Stockbridge, Vermont, features dramatic, high-elevation cliffside parcels and outcroppings along Vulture Mountain Road that overlook opposing mountains and the White River winding through the valley below. These elevated ledges frame expansive vistas of the Green Mountains and southern horizons, including views toward Killington and Pico.

First Dirt was on River Road about a half mile from Graysville Bridge

and it was a lovely dirt road. I surmise that this section next to the river might have been the original railroad bed.

Often the road turned away from the river accompanying some punchy little climbs.

I rode through some Bethel neighborhoods and then the road to turned to dirt again and climbed.

Crossed under the train tracks that go to Burlington on Findley Bridge Road

and then I started climbing.

It was a fun climb with some really nice steep ramps, especially towards the top.

The Black Butter ended before it got really steep.

After almost an hour of chugging uphill I got to the top.

Then I had a 4 mile decent to Rochester. I said hello to two women who were on the beginning for the climb out of Rochester. They didn't look happy on the hill. The climb up from Rochester looked way steeper but I suppose when you are on the descent everything looks steeper.

I stopped in at Green Mountain bikes and perused what might be my next gravel bike, a Kona LBF.

Beyond legend, forged in steel, The LBF is the rowdiest drop-bar machine to escape the minds of Kona and the wilderness of the PNW. Turning myth into metal, it's built for riders who push drop bars way past their comfort zone. Steel is real again and a 100mm suspension fork tames the rough stuff, while a custom-for-Kona pairing of SRAM Apex Eagle levers and powerful G2 calipers delivers MTB-level braking control—without sacrificing drop-bar comfort. Burly Raceface rims wrapped in wider, grippy Maxxis tires keep you planted when the trails turn wild. From chunky backcountry descents to barely-there singletrack, the LBF is ready for the most unhinged adventures only whispered about.

Behind the LBF was the carbon fiber version called the Ouroboros but that head tube is down right ugly. Doesn't look that bad on the website but seeing it in person is just not no but hell no!

The aluminum version of the Ouroboros is pretty pimp and definitely more gravely than the LBF and about a grand less. The one I saw at the shop had the dropper post integrated into the left shifter that I thought was really cool. When I get a new job I will have to treat myself to a new bike.

I left the shop and rode back through the town which has a smattering of old buildings and very quaint.

I turned off RT 100 onto State Garage Road and it was flat for bit until it turned to dirt and upon entering the Green Mountain National Forest the road turned Class 4.

The Class 4 road then turned primitive, also called National Forest Road 227, but it was still really rideable, except for some of the really, really steep sections.

My spirits were still high even after this 26% hike-a-bike section.

I finally came to clearing and was able to look out at the Green Mountains.

Some VAST signage

Then the name of the road became Spike Horn Hill and there was cabin.

It turned back into a Class 4 Road and it was nice.

but short lived.

Finally, I got to Liberty Hill

but it was hardly liberating.

Eventually, it became civilized again and there was this fantastic view of Killington and Needles Eye Mountains.

My ever so humble Surly Cross Check. I had to stop and let this cute little Labrador Puppy sniff me until her owner could get her on a leash otherwise she would have chased me down the hill.

Then it was a blazing fast descent back to RT 100 and then back to the Park & Ride.

Brandon Gap Metric

2026-08-12T18:00:00.000-04:00

Now that I live in Vermont it's about time I start hitting some bucket list items. The list includes the Six Gaps of Vermont but with trying to find a new job and other responsibilities in my new home I have to approach them in a more segmented fashion. Also, I want to hit them in both directions to see which approach is harder.

Ann always tells me to check the weather and so I did 7 miles into the ride while on Route 7. Looked good to me, it was sunny and partly cloudy. I did look at the weather app before leaving the house and there was a chance of rain in Rutland around 3 PM. What I should have done is checked for the towns that I would be riding through.

I have seen this guy riding around Rutland pulling a Burley Trailer with his belongings and no helmet. Homelessness is a big problem in these parts and I was surprised to see this guy riding Route 7, especially with no helmet. Vermont drivers, for the most part are pretty courteous to cyclists and give them the required 4 feet clearance, if not more, when passing. When Ann & I ride out to Wallingford we never get buzzed and most people give us the whole lane when they can.

Rolling by the Cluckin' Cafe in Pittsford got me thinking about food. They have the best Chicken Poutine.

Got a little dirt while riding through the Pittsford Green to add to my Wandrer total.

Turning onto McConnell Road in Brandon I stopped at the Citgo to water up and get a snack before climbing the west side of Brandon Gap.

And then the weather changed. Looking at the radar I could see rain coming my way.

When I hit Forest Dale I knew I was going to get some rain but I hoped it would just be light.

I was lucky it was just a light rain. I didn't have anything with me, no Gilet or rain jacket, something I am going to have to start planning on for future rides.

The fun began when I crossed into Green Mountain National Forest.

The road up was pretty straight punctuated with some steep sections.

On one of the steeper sections there were some nice Birch Trees lining the road.

Then, I was at the top of Brandon Gap.

Looking back the other way, it was a 12% climb.

According to RWGPS, a Hors Categorie climb!

A little ways down from the top is a scenic view of granite cliffs called Mt Horrid.

Of course, I had to stop and gawk.

The geology seems to be similar to White Rocks just not as drastic.

Off to the right in the picture above, just at the tree line is towering boulder that I wish I had stopped to get another picture of but by the time I noticed it I was already moving fast and didn't want to give up my downward momentum. When I ride the gap from the other direction I will be sure to get a good picture of it.

And it's now sunny!

At the bottom of the descent, where the road turns 90 degrees, there is a road to the left called Bingo Road. I wonder if it was named for all the cars that missed the turn, "Bingo, there goes another one!"

Once down in the valley it's pretty flat and it looks like it rained here, too.

Crossed over the White River and then turned onto Vermont Route 100

Houses on the outskirts of Rochester

Objets d'Arte?

Gratuitis Cow shot

Heading east on RT 100 and I believe that is Mt Carmel

Stopped at the Original General Store in Pittsfield, VT for lunch

The Chilli was awesome. It came with Cheddar Cheese slices.

After lunch I continued towards Killington and it looked like more rain was on the way

and from this angle you can just make out Pico Mountain.

Then fun begins.

There's the fish sculptures

entering Killington

It started raining about a mile from Route 4

but stopped on my climb to the pass.

Just 20 feet lower than Brandon Gap but 30 feet more than Rochester Gap.

Deer Leap

The Long Tail Pub was closed so I descended Rt 4. When I was passing the entrance to Pico Mountain The Bus, Rutland's Transit System, was coming out and it seemed like the driver was coming for me. Not 10 seconds later The Bus, Number 138, passed me within a foot! You would think that the driver would know that there is a 4 foot passing law in Vermont. I reported the driver to Killington Police.

Canoeing Lake Bomoseen

2026-08-11T20:33:00.000-04:00

Before breaking camp Ann & I took her canoe to the boat launch and headed out on Lake Bomoseen for a little paddle at 8 in the morning. It was a beautiful morning and the lake was very still.

We brought Ann's canoe on this trip which has a kevlar hull and weighs next to nothing. I can pick it up and carry it on my shoulders, it's so light.

Despite the aquatic plants the water is crystal clear.

Lake Bomo Roubaix

2026-08-10T20:16:00.000-04:00

On Monday we headed back to Brandon only this time to visit Foley Brothers Brewery and the Nashobe Valley Winery. When we got back to the KOA, Ann wanted to rest so I headed out on the bike again, only this time for a more scripted ride.

Heading north on Rt 30 for about a half mile I turned south onto Pencil Mill Road and then started climbing.

After the climb there was a very interesting cliff west of the road.

You could see where some uplift took place

as well as some folding.

Pencil Mill Road in Castleton, Vermont, gets its name from a historic 19th-century slate pencil factory. In 1843, entrepreneur John Cain built the first slate pencil mill along Sucker Brook in Castleton, launching an industry that supplied writing tools to schools across the United States and the world until 1878.

Then I was treated to a nice little climb

which ended with an amazing view looking south towards Castleton.

After the farm there was a 1.5 mile straightaway back to Rt 4A.

Found some Black Butter in Castleton on Rt 4A.

I turned north onto Creek Road and rode along the lake and then I turned onto Point of Pines Road that immediately went into 14% climb. At the top of the hill the road turns north and becomes dirt. I went about halfway down the hill towards Point of Pines when I realized I was off course.

I backtracked and then turned into a driveway that was supposed to Coon Hill Road. A woman came out of her garage and told this was private property and the road didn't go through. So I headed back down to Point of Pines and continued riding north on Creek Road.

From Creek Road there was a nice view of Nashobe Island and you to the right you could see the cliff that I saw from Pencil Mill Road.

RWGPS didn't say that this was a private road but the fact that the sign says it doesn't connect to Lake Bomoseen State Park was all that I needed to continue riding north on the hard ball.

I turned onto West Castleton Road and passed by some relics from the West Castleton Railroad & Slate Company.

Moscow Road was wonderfully dirty.

I stopped off at Half Moon State Park for a Papa Romeo.

Then rode by some picturesque lakes.

Turning south onto Rt 30 I rode by this cool, old barn on the side of the road.

Another hour and the sun would be setting.

Lake Bomo Randonee

2026-08-09T22:00:00.000-04:00

Ann & I loaded up the camper Saturday morning and then drove over to Hubbardton to the Lake Bomoseen KOA where me our friends from Sandy Hook who also have a camper and we set up camp together. We did a little sight seeing in Brandon and then returned to the KOA. Ann wanted to take a nap so I headed out on the bike. I set out riding counter clockwise around the lake, following no particular route, to just explore around the lake a bit.

Turning onto Float Bridge Road, I was wondering if there really was a float bridge there but all I found was a real bridge. According to the Internet:

Float Bridge Road in Castleton, Vermont, is named after a historic bridge built in the 1870s that literally floated on the surface of Lake Bomoseen to let travelers and horse-drawn carriages reach the farms and early resorts on the north end of the lake

Float Bridge turned to dirt with no sign saying Dead End or No Outlet so I decided to explore further. The road ended at this gate and the little white sign that was barely readable said No Motorized Vehicles and open to hiking and cross country skiing. Nothing was mentioned about bikes. It was barely legible but it looked like it said Slate Valley Trails, and I associate that with mountain biking so I took that as an invitation to press on.

The road went from gravel to dual track in a few hundred yards and then started to climb. It was steep but I was able to make the climb without stopping.

There were some single track off shoots along the way but the trails were barely discernable and I really didn't want to ride a mountain bike trail on the Surly. At an intersection there was sign indicating that the right road, if you could call it that, went to Lily Pond, so I decided to check it out. It was nice and it would be cool to get a canoe in here sometime and do a little fishing but a better route in would be needed.

I guess it was a road at one time but it was so choked with vegetation that it was more of a trail. I started descending and I was wondering if I might have bitten off more than I could chew. Between my phone and GPS I wasn't lost but bailing on this route wasn't really an option. After that descent, I didn't feel like back tracking, either. Eventually I came to some signs that were pointing in different directions. One said Keets Road but when I checked Trail Forks and Google Maps I didn't see anything. The trail in that direction was single track and it looked like a rake and ride trail.

There were two roads, gravel beds covered in low growing grass and weeds, one straight ahead and another to the left. I went straight but it was just a little out and back so I went left. If was good for awhile but then it turned into a trail that went straight up a fall line. As I hiked my bike up this I could see where someone armored the trail. That was interesting because the trail was really, really steep.

At the top of trail I found some red blazes so I started following them. At this point there was no way to ride and a Napoleon's Death March had begun. The blazes finally took me to a primitive road that I was able to ride. I took a little off shoot trail that took me to someone's driveway and finally I was back in civilization again!

Slate mine tailings at Cedar Mountain

The West Castleton Railroad and Slate Company was a 19th-century industrial operation in Rutland County, Vermont. Established around 1850–1852 on the shores of Lake Bomoseen and Glen Lake, the company powered a bustling, self-contained company town that quarried and processed prized green and purple roofing slate. The enterprise turned West Castleton into a thriving hub complete with a mill, a company store, a schoolhouse, and distinctive stacked-slate duplex homes built by Welsh immigrants. The Railroad Connection: A localized rail line and branch network moved heavy slate from the quarries down to mills and connecting regional transport networks.

I rode down to Cedar Point to see if I could see the slate slag pile from the road but all I found was stone wall on both sides with an opening. It was really buggy so I didn't explore further. I did a little querying on the internet and various map outlets that I use and I couldn't any evidence of a spur line out to West Castleton. If there was one, it would have had to have skirted the shore line.

All I could find on the internet about the railroad line was this blurb from a newspaper article:

The West Castleton Railroad and Slate Company moved its quarried slate from the operations around Cedar Mountain and Glen Lake via a dedicated 1.51-mile regional railroad branch line running south toward Castleton along the eastern shore of Lake Bomoseen, connecting directly to the Rutland and Whitehall Railroad for broader distribution.

If you look on a map, 1.5 miles from the main line north along Lake Bomoseen put the terminus of the spur line at Point of Pines, although there is no mention of where the line actually terminated.

I rode Cedar Mountain Road back towards the former West Castleton with stunning views of the Taconic Mountains off to the east.

Here is the West Castleton School House that is indicated in the map above.

Heading back towards Fair Haven I rode along Creek Road which had to be the road bed for the West Castleton Railroad.

At the end of Creek Road, I turned east and followed Rt 4A until I found a road that would take me north without having to ride on Rt 30. Along the way I passed by these enormous Honey Locust trees.

Rode by the Bomoseen Lodge looking back at Cedar Mountain.

Then the Lake House where we had lunch earlier today

and then I was back at the KOA.

Busted Spoke at PHP

2026-08-06T20:00:00.000-04:00

After yesterday's gravel ride I wanted to take it easy today so I rode over to Pine Hill Park. Since it was Thursday, I brought my lights, hoping to meet up with the Down Valley Bikes Thursday Night Ride but when I got there they weren't in the lot. Not sure if I got there too early or too late.

Riding up Svelte Tiger and just before the end of the trail I noticed the top of a soda can at the base of a tree.

Some litterbug was too lazy to take the can back with them. Reminds of people who leave their dog poop bags, saying they will come back and get it when the return but never do. There should be a term for these people ... like what I found on the internet: Schrödinger’s Litterer - Someone who exists in a state of simultaneously being a litterer and a cleaner, right up until the moment they pass by the trash on their way back and leave it there. Unfortunately, that term might be too cerebral for most.

On the overlook trail I saw signs of recent improvements like filling the trail in with mineral soil to harden the trail bed and covered with leaves. People always complain about leaves on the trail and think they need to be blown off. However, contrary to popular belief they are good for the trail because they help prevent erosion.

It got really dark so I put on my new helmet light, a Lenzyne 1000. Up until this point I have only been using it for night road rides with Ann but I decided to try it in the woods. It was great for a couple of minutes until it lightened up again. Must have been a passing cloud.

I rode back through town and just caught the Ethan Allen heading south on it's way to NYC. It was then that I realized one of the spokes on my rear wheel was broken. This makes the second spoke on this wheel to break up here.

Two States of Gravel

2026-08-05T18:00:00.000-04:00

From l to r: Dave, Tom, Malcom and me

When my friend Malcom reached out that he was camping at Lake Saint Catherine State Park and asked for local gravel recommendations, I immediately shared my Ride with GPS (RWGPS) library of Vermont dirt road routes. He suggested we plan a ride together starting near the campground. Having camped there last year with Ann, I knew the absolute perfect staging spot: The Cluckin' Cafe & Cones Point Country Store (which conveniently serves the best creemees in the area). To make the most of our meetup, I mapped out a brand-new route for us to tackle: Two States of Gravel.

We started from the Cluckin' Cafe as the route wound around the southern portion of Lake Saint Catherine and then headed west towards New York.

First Dirt was 3.3 miles in on Bullfrog Hollow Road and it was a really nice road with some rollers, a little climb and a wonderful downhill. Also, RWGPS doesn't include the dirt section of the road after Greer Road to the gas station. I made that change on the route and this becomes a 77% dirt road ride!

Turning onto VT Route 149 we headed west and crossed the NY line into Granville, NY.

Getting onto the Rail Trail was a little confusing. It starts out as a mostly grass right of way with a little gravel trail.

Certain places get better

while other section are graveled dual track.

Maintenance appears to be lacking, at least on the NY portion of the trail. There was tree down in the middle of the trail. We were able to ride around it.

Crossing back into Vermont at West Pawlett the trail improved quite a bit. Malcom said that it was due to the fact that this trail is maintained by VAST, Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (Snow Mobilers) and the Vermonters spend quite a bit of effort to maintain their trails.

When I saw the Free Beer sign I rode over to the Art Gallery to inquire only to find out if that I forgot to read the fine print, Only if you bring it.

Not much going on in West Pawlett except for a few Art Galleries and a Post Office.

There's a great map of the Rail Trail here and it gave some insight into the route that I planned that uses Clark Road.

The map shoes that there is a trail/primitive road that connects the two ends. I had already checked the Dirt Roads website and it said that this portion was gravel, which we would come to learn really meant rocky.

And the Vermont section of the trail is definitely better maintained.

This is truly God's Country!

We left the Rail Trail on Saw Mill Road and made a quick dog leg onto Clark Road and started climbing.

Clark Road is the first significant climb on the route. A mile, Category 3 hill, with an average grade of 7%

It's not a bad climb to start

but there is a steep section (13%) before Hi Go Road

When the road turns primitive is when the real fun began.

It's not bad at the start

but it got progressively worse, with rocks, a few puddles, and some washouts but I never had to put a foot down.

It was a white knuckle descent, in the drops and on the brakes.

The latter portion of Clark Road was nice and then descended down Rupert Hill Road

and got a look at Haystack Mountain, which dominates the landscape.

Stopping at Mach's Market for snacks we got yelled by some local to park our bikes in their bike rack.

We started riding on VT RT 30 when we passed Cemetery Road,

which was dirt and connected back to RT 30 so I called an audible and we rerouted on it. Only, what the map didn't tell you was that it turned into a driveway of sorts that goes by a cow manure pit. If you can't stand the smell then stay on RT 30.

We turned onto Waite Hill Road and found that grading was in progress. That meant extra dust and a lot of loose stone.

We got the best view of Haystack Mountain from here.

Haystack Mountain is perhaps the most distinctive of the three peaks that make up the Three Sisters: Haystack, Middle and Bald Mountains. With its sheer cliffs and dramatic outcrops of slate and quartzite and from the modest 1,919-foot summit you can see as far west as Glens Falls, NY and south beyond the farms of the Mettowee Valley to Mount Equinox in Manchester.

Waite Hill is the second climb of the route and another Category 3 climb for nearly 2 miles.

It was dusty and loose

and traversed some lovely country side.

We got our first glimpses of Vermont Cattle

and there were plenty of horses.

More cows

Then a bit of hard ball before the next climb

The third climb, Tadmer Road, is almost a mile, Category 4 hill

with some rollers

At the top of the climb there is a trio of distinct hills, from left to right: Moosehorn Mountain, Pine Hill, and Northeast Mountain.

The descent was fast and refreshing.

The last climb, Lamb Hill Road, was another Category 3 hill for almost 3 miles.

Didn't see any sheep but there were some cows

and the climb was grueling.

At the intersection with Ballard Farm Road Lamb Hill turns into a Class 4 road. The sign says No Winter Maintenance but after descending the first part of the road I would say that it gets no maintenance at all. Malcom said they road Ballard Farm yesterday and called it Bastard Farm because it is really tough climb up to this point.

Then we had a 5 mile descent back to VT RT 30. We took a selfie, said our goodbyes and the guys headed towards the camp ground, while I headed back to the Cluckin' Cafe.

Where I had a large Maple Creemee!

Morning Gravel Ride

2026-08-01T11:00:00.000-04:00

Ann & I were supposed to do a Friday night gravel ride when she got back from work but she ended up getting back too late so we went out Saturday morning. This was a new route that I wanted to test out for future night rides and routes that are easily memorized. Unlike Connecticut, especially in Fairfield County where I spent the last 21 years riding, Vermont doesn't have as many paved roads to chose so moving forward I am create a collection of routes that I can quickly pull up and ride.

This is a 20+ mile route with first dirt being Quarterline Road. Open Source Map shows that it's unpaved (I updated it a couple of weeks ago), Ride With GPS doesn't recognize it as such. I submitted a support ticket to RWGPS to ask them to fix it but in the mean time, I am going to have to manually edit the route, which can be done on RWGPS, only it has to be done using the PC. Now that I have a RWGPS yearly subscription I am going to start publishing routes.

Quarterline Road has some great views of the Taconic Mountain Range and the road itself is actaully on the front of the range. To get to it, you have to climb up Campbell Road and the turn onto the paved portion.

As with all my rides, I always try to find one exceptional view that brings out the beauty of the country side in which I am riding. I call this the Money Shot. This route has some great views of the Green Mountains, where Pico and Killington mountains can be clearly seen but on this route, however from Quarterline Road, right before a 16% descent, is this incredible view of this valley looking south in the Taconic Range. This is the Money Shot of this route.

At the end of Quarterline Road, the surface is paved again as you turn onto Walker Mountain Road. We were rudely honked at by some lady in a white pick up truck and then buzzed by another vehicle, probably coming within 2 or 3 feet from us. The law in Vermont is 4 feet but I suspect very few people in Vermont know the law. There's a climb up Walker Mountain Road and then a really fast descent down into the Otter Creek Valley. There is a dirt portion of Creek Road at the intersection with Walker Mountain but I don't like trying to incorporating it into any of my routes because of all the speed you have to shed to make the turn.

We crossed over Route 7 and then started climbing Gorge Road, which is an easy dirt road climb up to Airport Road. Along the way you can see the Mill River and when the road turns to pavement there's the Kinsley Covered Bridge, which leads to East Street and a great gravel road to ride Wallingford.

On Airport Road we passed by some classic cars.

We crossed over RT 103 and took East Clarendon Road to Windy Road (dirt) and then to Shrewsbury Road and then dropped down back to Clarendon.

Then it was back to Alfrecha Road and back across the Otter Creek Valley to River Road.

Nice view of Pico Mountain

The cows at the North Clarendon Cow Farm were enjoying a cool drink of mountain water.

And you can't forget Killington Mountain

Riding back through Rutland we got stopped by a northbound Vermont Rail System train. What are the odds to get stopped in the same place for the a train for two consecutive rides? We got stopped here on our last ride, too.

We stopped at the Rutland Farmer's Market for Goat Cheese Chevre and home made salsa.

There's nothing wrong with having a tree as a friend

2026-07-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

Before heading back down to Connecticut for the weekend Ann & I headed out for a ride to Pittsford and back. There is a great view of Killington Mountain from West Proctor Road.

While we were climbing up to this point something flew into Ann, presumably a bug, but there was no sign of a bite or a sting. Her skin was just red around where it hit her. Later down the road (pun intended) she felt another bite on her back. Turns out this huge beetle flew into her and got caught up in her jersey. We found it later when we got back to the house. It was huge!

Looks like Bob Ross has a friend in Proctor

In Proctor there is this cool old quarry just off the road

Once down the hill we crossed over some covered bridges

The apex of the loop was in Pittsford and then we headed back on VT RT 3. There's a killer hill that we had to climb that Ann wasn't particularly enthused about but she made it.

Not 2 minutes earlier Ann mentioned it would be great if we saw a train and here one came!

Lisa J. Wulfson's name is on the cab of Engine 210 and was a former owner of the Vermont Rail System who passed away in 2021 due to cancer.

We often hear the trains running through Rutland but rarely do we see them on our rides. Today was a treat.

Back in Rutland, we stopped at the Village Snack Bar for a Maple Creemee.

Riding with Bruce

2026-07-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

Ann invited with her Brother Bruce to ride with us Thursday afternoon. Due to an early childhood accident and not the best reconstructive surgery, it was the 1970s afterall when he had his bike accident, Bruce rides an e-Bike. He has ridden with us before but has declined more recent invitations due to poor health. Today, however, he was feeling really good and joined us.

We headed out to do our TNTT course and maybe take an extra lap

only to find Creek Road closed after Alfrecha Road.

Great view of Pico Mountain today

We decided to ride down Middle Road and then loop back on 7A only to find the road torn up.

We took 7A south and passed the Tombstone/Driving Range and saw this cool tombstone.

Then we headed up RT 103, which was not to Ann's liking with all the fast moving cars and trucks. We turned onto East Clarendon Road by the old Railroad Station/Restaurant.

East Clarendon Road has some great rollers and is really straight. We turned onto Shrewsbury Road and headed back into Clarendon.

We found Jesse Pinkman's RV in Clarendon.

Then took Alfrecha Road back to Creek Road.

There were some cows chewing their cud next to the intersection.

Back on Creek Road, the cow farm in North Clarendon had no cows, they must have been out in the field.

Ann didn't want to hit the climb over the tracks on River Road so we road through town instead.

When we got back I put the Waltly up on the stand to check out my chain because it was making some weird noises. Turns out I had a bad link that I removed and then used a master link to connect the chain again.