Gravle Indipendenza

The Gravle Randonneurs will be riding the following route in celebration of America's Independence on July 3rd.  We'll be meeting at the trail head of the Harlem Valley Rail Trail at 8 AM. 

This is a new route in a familiar location that we have ridden a few times last year.  The challenging part of this route is hitting Mt Riga Road after nearly 60 miles of riding on the return leg.  We'll be sure to stuff ourselves at the pastry shop in Salisbury before the final climb.

This route will take us deeper east into Western Mass and explore some dirt roads that I have identified on the the Tri State Gravle Roads Map but haven't ridden before.

There are three signature climbs on this route:

1. Sunset Rock - 1,726 ft
2. E Hill Road - 1,522 ft
3. Mt Riga Road - 2,007 ft

And over 40 miles of Gravle!

Tracing the Shepaug Railroad

On my latest Gravle adventure, I decided to follow the Shepaug Railroad Right of Way, north from from Tunnel Road to the Rumsey Hall School in Romford, CT.   The roadbed is accessible primarily in three places:  (1) Roxbury Land Trust property off of Minor Bridge; (2) Steep Rock Reservation; (3) Hidden Valley section of Steep Rock Reservation. On this ride I didn't ride the section from Minor Bridge to Rt 67.

I usually ride the section through the lower part of the Steep Rock Reservation north to south but since my goal was to ride the section through Hidden Valley I tried something new and went the opposite way.  

The treat to this ride is riding through the tunnel and to be honest, riding in this direction seemed like it was a whole new route. Originally, I intended to link up from Steep Rock to the road behind the Gunnery, called Ferry Bridge Road but I got confused and headed back up another route that put me on Rt 199.

I did find an unmarked road off of Ferry Bridge that ran behind the school that was a great dirt descent.  I will have to try this route again to see if I can make the connection.

Above the Shepaug River the trail get's really narrow and it's not part of the original road bed.  The Shepaug line actually cuts more inland before this section but I missed that turn on this ride.

I had heard that the Rumsey Hall Cross Country Team used the old Railroad bed to run on so I figured it would be OK to ride.  I had ridden this part before but stopped at the gate because it was too muddy to press on.  On this ride, however, it pretty dry with an occasional mud patch here and there.  What I wasn't ready for was all the traffic.  I came across a dog walker and a couple of runners.

Walker Brook Gravel Grinder

The attraction of this route is the 7 mile Gravle road combination of Judds Bridge and Walker Brook Road.  On the Pave/Gravle index, this route is a 60/40, consisting of around 15 miles of Gravle roads.  With a few routing tweeks you could get the Gravle number up but it would take away from the continuity of the ride, which is riding the entire length of  Ridge/Old Ridge Road through New Milford.

While the road is Pave, the views from Ridge Road, looking east and west and memorable and there is a plethora of farms along this route that give you the feeling that you are really in the sticks, especially the sharp odors of manure.  Interspersed along the way are subdivisions which break up the serenity of the route to remind you that you really are still in Sub-ruralurbia and these farms are really just clinging to the past. 

Some notes about the route:
Flag Swamp Road - it says it's a dead end but it does go all the way through.  Also the dirt starts further up the road then previously through.  Additionally, about 100 yards before the intersection with West Flag Swamp, on the climb it's paved.

Rolling 700x50c Vee Rubber tires

Walker Brook Road - Definitely showing signs of a hard winter.  Looks like it was washed out right before Shinar Mountain Road.  Also, you will find quite a few sections that have been shored up with larger gravel which could reek havoc on a thinner tire.

F2G2: Fall Foliage Gravel Grinder

This a repost from my official write up of the event on my Cycling Blog, Cyclesnack.com, because I made a big push over the weekend to lay down more dirt tracks on the Gravle Guide and I think I found all the good dirt west of Becket, MA.  One of things that I discovered doing is that if a picture is online it can be imbedded into the route descriptions, hence the reason for this post.

Getting ready

My Randommuter:  Surly Cross Check

Plenty of Gravle

 Can't ride without a Cue Sheet because a GPS is not always reliable

More Gravle

 And more Gravle

Fancy Bikes, too

Lots of rest stops on the Gravle

And other stops, too!

Cronk!

What a view

We are in Bavaria

It does go through!

Coming down George Cannon is a lot more fun

I see Schemmerhorn Hill!

Anderson Vista

Widow White's Peak was off in the distant

Mount Greylock off to the right

Mount Greylock

October Mountain Reservoir

The Old Put Randonnee

While I was working on the Tri-State Gravle Guide, and adding dirt roads for Westchester County focusing on the Dirty Martha route, I came across the Old Croton Aqueduct State Park, which is a 23 mile Greenway, would dovetail nicely with a part of the South County Rail Trail that I have yet to ride.  This route starts in Yorktown Heights and goes down to Yorktown via the Aqueduct Trail to Van Cortland Park where you would turn around and pick up the Old Put/South County Trail Way on the return leg.  60 miles is a good trip.  Start in Brewester and make it an American Century!

The Gravle Guide: Western Connecticut

The Gravle Guide is a Google Maps Engine project to classify all the dirt roads, rail trails, and other rideable trails for people who like dirty cycling.  I have most of Western Connecticut identified.  I think I missing some roads in the Litchfield area and I have yet to start adding rail trails.  If you see something I have missed, please contact me Le Gravle Ranonneurs with the name of the road, a cross street, and the condition of the road and I will be sure to add it.  

Color coding:  

• Brown - obvious.  
• Red -  the road is unconfirmed.  
• Orange - goes through but it more or a right of way (ROW) and not an actively traveled thoroughfare.  
• Yellow means caution and that the road is seasonally maintained.

This map is not intended for navigation, just for planning.  Please use responsibility.

TBGG: Tri-Bury Gravel Grinder

The Tri-Bury Gravel Grinder is not the most challenging route around but it is a good distance to work on your speed and cadence because it's so flat.  The route uses three Rail Trails: Larkin Bridle Trail, Middlebury Greenway, and the Woodbury Trolley Path.

The map above shows the intended route (in blue) and what was last ridden by the Le Gravle Randonneurs (in red). For more details on the actual route, please click the Read More link below for important notes and a view of it from Ride With GPS.  Please use at your own risk!

Parking:  You can park either at the Exit 14 or Exit 15 commuter lots.  If you want a 30 mile ride and a nice dirt road at then end, ride this route from Exit 14.  You can also park at Meadowview Park in Middlebury and ride the entire route from either direction.  There is also a parking lot on Route 63 in Naugatuck by the terminus of the Larkin Bridle Trail.