Game On!

I need to be careful using those words, "Game On," after they encouraged Maggs and Jessie to open a couple big ol' cans of whup-ass rolling back into Willimantic on last year's Detour.  I'd meant it in more of a Wayne's World street hockey sense, but that nuance didn't translate, and next thing I knew, I was hanging dearly on their wheels, thinking maybe I should reign them in, but grinning too much to do so.  Anyone who was wondering what the hell was happening there, sorry, my bad.

So anyhow, that long winded introduction is my way of saying there really isn't much to say.  No changes that I need to announce, weather looks great for Saturday, and the parking has dried nicely, so no Super Swampers required.  Make sure you have your cues (regardless of having GPS, you'll need the few notes from the ride introduction 2 posts down the page) and GPX file set, or a thusly equipped friend, or at least a good sense of adventure.  Really, it's a good area in which to be lost with a bike, so you can't go too wrong.  Please arrive early enough that you're ready to roll at 10.

Not sure there's anything else to add.  More cow bell?

I'm not dreaming of a white WeeTour

Hey, anybody notice the climate has been doing funny things of late?  Almost like it changed or something.  So, today's scheduled for another late March Nor'easter, just like the ones we, well, never really knew.  Yeah, something is different.

Messy Meshomasic Motorway Monday

Anyhow, as of yet, none of the white stuff has actually made it to the ground in central CT, but the route does head south from there, so may touch into the projected heavy snow band.  That said, yesterday was the first day of spring, so when it's not actually snowing, the stuff on the ground has been melting quite quickly, especially once the sun can hit on any dark earth, so I'm optimistic that conditions will be fine for the ride in a week and a half.  How bad could it be?  We'll answer that question more completely in 10 days.

As with the big Detour, there is a Sunday rain date reserved for the WeeTour, so I'll plan on confirming the ride day by the end of the day next Thursday, so check the blog for that and any last dire warnings, important tips, or more of my general rambling blather.  Stuff like that.

Speaking of speaking, I didn't specifically mention in the ride's introduction, that this is a self led ride, or at least you need to follow someone who is self leading.  The general idea here is to get enough people out there that everyone has someone to ride with at a comfortable pace.  Also, Pete needs people to talk to.  So download the GPX file from MapMyRide AND the copy the cue notes from the ride posting.

For those of you riding without a GPS unit, you are wonderful people, or maybe not since you have something in common with me.  For this ride, cues are a little tricky: Click on "Directions/Notes" on the left side of the MapMyRide page, and that will give you cues for "most" of the route, but for some reason, it is showing the later part of the course, after leaving rt149 as an offroad section.  I'll see if I can fix this, but if not, you'll need map sections, or your own written cues, or to follow one of those magical modernist with the GPS bling.

That should cover the ride for now.  I did have some questions about what 8spd parts I need, so I should clarify, the last thing I need is more bike parts, but I would be happy to give a home to any 7/8spd chains, cogsets, or shifters you never got around to tossing.  I also use worn out 34 tooth chainrings with the 110mm compact road BCD, and I love old narrow, racy saddles with torn covers so I can mistreat my bum on hard plastic.  Please no medications to help me with these issues; I'm perfectly happy the way I am.

(Re)introducing the WeeTour De Connecticut 3/31

A few years back, after requests for a shorter option of the big daddy Detour, I proposed people joining the ride on the first pass through Willimantic, but it was a convoluted action of guessing arrival times, much akin to riding Amtrak and their counter-positive train controls.  I dubbed this option the WeeTour, but my heart wasn't really in it, and I suppose sensing that, nobody took me up on it.  Just as well in all likelihood.

But anyway, I'm bringing it back!  Now that the Detour is a fall event, I miss organizing a ride for cyclists with a still pasty spring complexion, which to me, is the perfect excuse for a shorter WeeTour De CT.  Well, that and I did a really neat ride yesterday that I thought would work well for it.  Honestly, that's more or less how the original Detour came into being.

So, the route, at about 56 miles is roughly half the length of the Detour, and I'm going to make an effort to put about half the effort into running the ride.  You know, KISS (keep it simple stupid), but hopefully not the KISS of death.  With that in mind, this will be both the introduction and basic ride information, with updates to follow as I think of things.  Again, it's a good area to ride, so even getting lost should work out pretty well.

When: 10AM roll-out March 31, 2018 with Sunday April 1st (no fooling) as a rain date.  The 2nd is my birthday, so this is also a birthday ride, please, no presents, unless you have old 8spd parts you really don't want.

Where: The ride will start from the gas line clearing (look for the yellow "candy-cane" vent pipes) on Coldbrook Rd in South Glastonbury.  This is just past house #618 when coming from Country Club Rd, but do not pull into that driveway.  Park against the treeline on the gas line clearing.

Route: What can I say, I'm getting soft, especially since it is easier than writing cues.  The route can be viewed here at MapMyRide.  THREE VERY IMPORTANT NOTES/CUES:

1) (between markers 11 & 12) At the end of Aldens Crossing, just before the T with Rt16, turn left onto the crushed stone Airline Trail bike path.
2) (between markers 27 & 28) At the paved dead end, follow the blue trail blazes onto singletrack.  Continue straight on the old woods road when blue blazes depart to the right.
3) (between markers 34 to 37) Follow brown street signs into Day Pond State Park.
-Once in the park with the pond on your right, continue STRAIGHT through yellow gate onto the woods road.
-Descend to the large powerline clearing & turn left on powerline.
-The worn path will depart the powerline twice.  Shortly after the 2nd departure, continue straight(right) to follow blue blazes.
-WARNING: After a large clearing with expansive view, the blue trail drops down a STEEP rooty descent.  I have seen people on mountain bikes walk this section.  Use extreme care and walk as needed.
-When the blue trail reaches the covered bridge, cross it.

More about the route: Lots of well groomed, car passable dirt roads, but also some rocky woods roads and even singletrack.  You'll want a bike on which you're comfortable riding trails and shoes in which you're comfortable walking them.  That said, there are no long slogs and I expect 4-5hr ride time at a good clip.

Questions: As usual, if you have a question, post it as a comment on the blog and I'll answer in the form of new posting for everyone.  Sort of a preemptive FAQ, if you will.  Or even if you won't, so there.

So yeah, I think that's the basic nuts and bolts for now.  And to clarify, wee, as in "small", not urination (as a dear friend automatically assumed).  So, we hope you'll come out for this wee dirt road ride, and at the end, you'll maybe say "Oui, oui, give us more.  That was fun, wheeee!", instead of crying "wee, wee, wee" all the way home.

Hey, it's spring in New England,

things could be wet.