after our saturday zoom-yoga session with the kids, i went out to harvest a late crop. it was raining, but not all that hard. by the time i got a bucket full of leeks into the house, it had gotten wetter. i decided to postpone until sun-day, my exploratory ride of a section on the 'five town tour'.
i was dressed and out to the shop before pam even got out of bed, only to be met with a flat front tire on the addict. when i was going to patch it, i accidently got some paper stuck on a weird blobby patch made for my air mattress. so it wouldn't go to waste i used it on the bike tube all the while wondering how long it would last...the answer to that came in less than a mile. i ended up changing it out in front of harris rebar.
next stop was a stone foundation remnant where i took a picture.
after that i headed up riddle hill--the one sawyer and i came down in the last goap!--to the ruggle's mine turn. my plan was to find the old road back over to height of land road that drops down to rt4 right by tewksbury. my idea was to offer up a more woodsy less paved alternative to the north end of riddle hill. of course that would include a big ass hill. little did i know that even past the gate up to the mine, there is still quite a bit of climbing--big, big ass hill. looking up with the sun at the back and looking down into the sun.
all the climbing was worth it though. the woods were sublime and 97.9% rideable--for me. the leaves were again slippery enough to have me seriously thinking about a pair of rock n' road tires. i looked them up and ran into frame builder bruce gordon's death announcement as well as a SOPWAMTOS parade picture! sawyer mentioned something about gordon dieing when we were riding sunday, but then stopped. my hope is 43mm will fit on the addict.
all the climbing was worth it though. the woods were sublime and 97.9% rideable--for me. the leaves were again slippery enough to have me seriously thinking about a pair of rock n' road tires. i looked them up and ran into frame builder bruce gordon's death announcement as well as a SOPWAMTOS parade picture! sawyer mentioned something about gordon dieing when we were riding sunday, but then stopped. my hope is 43mm will fit on the addict.
meanwhile coming out of the woods onto height of land road, a grand 'new england-y' view got me off the bike walking around for the iconic postcard picture. the first one is right at the junction.
not sure if this next one is the best vantage point but it was good--i think that is moose mtn in the distance.
on the downhill to rt4 i stopped twice to talk to folks about the road i just took coming over from ruggles mine. the first was a local graftonite, and an avid pro-class 6, 'open' roader. the second person was another local character--and one i knew--definitely a pro-private 'closed' roader. both thought it might be called glass road.
at rt4, snug harbor road is exactly opposite height of land and leads up to orange pond rd. that would start the 'long half' of the five town tour. i had the thought today, that fom-ftt might more accurately describe the ride than friends of mascoma gravel grinder.
today--to get back for a hike over town hill with pam--i turned left onto rt4 and went west until i found a quick link back to the rail trail. in a couple of miles or so, at canaan's eastern culvert, i met two grandparents riding with their little grandkids.
just past the tunnel, the father was waiting on his bike and when i went by, i got an enthusiastic "hi koby". enthusiastic enough that i stopped and chatted a while before riding along with him after the rest of the group went by. it was a classmate of sawyer's, travis. definitely a warm & fuzzy moment hearing all his good news.
i road fairly hard toward home and got there in time to stretch while pam ate lunch and got ready to hike. we both put on jackets as it was cooling down with the sun sinking. the woods, again--this time on foot and with a friend--were sublime. we made it over to the marsh you may have seen before if you follow goap!
the log bridge i set in the dry time a month ago, was now actually crossing water. i didn't use it though as now it only gets you to more wet.
it was a really great day! the only regret i have is sadie and i didn't get to carve pumpkins. vt has restricted travel into and out of grafton county. despite that little setback, going outside and playing, always generates a big smile!
