I had talked repeatedly this week about my upcoming 60 mile ride. However, I never sat down to figure out a route. So I woke up today with the ill-conceived plan that I'd be out the door by 8am in order to beat the heat. I wasn't out until 9:20am.
I got out of bed about 7:40am and after getting breakfast, sat down to figure out a route. I had rode out Rt. 44 last week which was a torture session, so that was out. I could avoid the hills of Rt. 44 and take the Rt. 10 detour, but again I'd be on Rt. 44 most of the time and I didn't want that. I checked local routes on mapmyride and found my LBS's metric century course. Despite having a lot of turns, I thought that might be a good choice. I started making out my own map when I realized that the distance that this course goes South looks equivalent to the distance North to the MA border. A quick check revealed that the MA border was only 28 miles away. BINGO! Found my destination!
Border hopping here I come!
After a few changes, I had a route plotted straight up Rt. 10, my typical weekly stomping ground, to the MA border. The biggest risk was hoping that the roads beyond the first 13 miles were going to be safe. Thankfully, they were!
And roughly 1:40 after leaving the apartment - 1.5 miles from the turn around - I spotted the border.
My wife and I have now increased our state riding by 100%; we've ridden in two states. However, I have no desire to head back to Southwick. I'm sure it's a great town, but Rt. 10 has zero shoulder to ride on making it not so safe for cyclists. Thankfully I only had 1.5 miles to go. I hit the turn and headed back.
I've never been so happy to be back in CT. I might gripe about the road conditions in the Hartford area, but at least Rt. 10 has a decent shoulder to keep cyclists safe. And they also have quite the bike trail that seems to run all the way from Avon, CT up to Southwick, MA. If I had known about it apriori, I might have ventured onto that instead of sticking it out on the roads. Live & Learn.
60.06 miles
3:20:06
18.01 mph
Lastly, while I road through Simsbury, I noticed signs that said...
Good Luck Sara!
...with the Olympic rings and "LONDON" on it. I hadn't known until now, but Sara Hendershot, a Simsbury High graduate, qualified for the London Olympics in Rowing. Very cool!! Gotta' love a home town hero.
Ok, time for food and relaxation. Tomorrow's plan is a 16 mile run.
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Questions
1. What does your weekend training look like? Any big rides/runs/swims/events?
2. How many states have you run/ridden in?
I've run in I believe 8. I've ridden in 3, but my wife has only ridden in 2.
3. Do you know any local Olympians? If you're watching, which sport are you going to be glued to?
Primarily swimming (it's the only time it's ever televised), but also Triathlon.
Swim fast. Bike smart. Run hard.
5 comments:
Summer Olympics swimming is my big favorite.
Biked in hmmm I 've got to think. Vermont, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Mass, New York, and I think that's it. I took my bike to Conn. last summer but rode in Rhode Island. I may have to start keeping track of this.
I will bike again tomorrow and run. Next week I will do an open water swim. There. I'm committed now.
Okay I had to go look. Running I do have written down. (Colored and coded on a map. I am such an elementary school teacher.) I have raced in 11 states and just run in 2 more states and 1 province. No new ones this year.
Okay I promise. This is it. I can't believe I forgot riding my bike in Colorado.........where I broke my wrist!
Kurt - never met (we'll maybe at the OWS or Lake Ts) but there are some great side roads that lead up to Southwich/Agawam if you're ever up this way again. I'm in Simsbury and I primarily stick to East Granby/Suffield using Rt. 187, 75 or 190. Or head a little more west to via 189 or 20 to Granville, MA. Good luck..waiting to hear about B2B as I'm considering that for next year.
Maggie
(maggie.lawry@comcast.net)
Back when I lived in Delaware, my friends and I used to do a 23 mile, tri-state loop pretty regularly. It was great because you could add extra loops here and there and get it well over 30 miles if you liked. We started in Delaware (GREAT roads), looped through Maryland (ok roads) and then spent a bit of time in PA (HORRIBLE roads) before swooping back into Delaware. Right at the state line sign the roads immediately became heavenly again. Smooth, massive shoulder with bike symbols in it. Ah, those were the days. I've since biked in those three states plus California, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. This summer I'm adding Minnesota to the list. (Running states list is a WHOLE nother matter). Delaware still has the best roads.
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