A pause for celebration

On saturday my in laws came into town from Utah, it was really good to see them and to let them have a go with the boy they have not seen in some time. They were in town for my wife's graduation form Uconn. I am so proud of her, she has been nipping away piece by piece at getting through school these years and this semester she won an award for excellence in her degree as well as an A in organic chemistry. She still has a hard road ahead of her with dental pre req. science courses but she well be achieving her ultimate goal by next summer when she gets to decide where we are moving for her to go to dental school. Will it be Utah, Arizona, California, CT? We just don't know, for now we are only guaranteed to remain in Coventry for another year. I was very proud to watch her graduate, she has really worked hard and will continue on the long road ahead. My in laws left on tuesday morning and when LuAnn returned I snuck out on a nice 90 minute ride over at Crandalls. It was super nice out, it has been really cool here lately and is extremely welcomed! The SS got it's first ride on the new chain and ring and it felt nice and smooth. Pretty standard loop was rode, legs were nice and strong and all worked out at the end. I could of spent two more hours out there but I was anxious to get home and spend some time with LuAnn before I headed off to scouts.
Yummy crandalls at EveryTrail
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Friday

Snuck an hour ride out, trails were in good shape despite the rain, thank goodness. Suffered the wrath of allergies when I got home, no biggy. Bring on the rain! Friday shorty at EveryTrail
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Sun up to sun down

Tuesday morning brought another beautiful morning ride. I debated the 30 minute ride to Shenipsit forest since I would loose a little riding time with the drive but I went for it anyway. I decided to explore some of the interior of the loop of what I knew. I did pretty much the standard start and once I got to the base climb of Bald Mountain I took a dirt road heading south and it climbed a bit and got rough and had no clue what I was getting into. I caught a glimpse of a trail to my right and as soon as I turned onto it I knew it was fresh new MTB trail oh my. Good section was ridden for a mile of up and down and plenty fun. The trail popped out right on another dirt road that I have been on twice and apparently not noticed this trail existed! I headed back up that road and passed the trail I just rode and took a fork to explore some more. After some more rocky double track I caught eye on another section. Niceeeeee I found two new sections already, this section was on the short side but welcomed for sure. Trying to coordinate my loop I rode a section of known trail to me and then the section I have eyed the last two rides but not had time was about to be ridden. Another short section but worthy of tires. This was a solid ride, legs worked well luckily and I got to learn pretty much the last tid bits of the northern section. Now one day I get to put together a larger loop with Bald Mountain which is probably solid 2+ hour ride. Stoked to be riding and stoked on the weather.

Dayrlight is getting more plentiful and lately after Landon goes to bed at 7:00pm leaves some light in the day to ponde extra free time. I am usually gone biking enough as it is so I try not to leave my wife with the little bit of time we actually have alone without the boy. She would be studying for her exams through the night so I decided to head back into the woods. I got geared up and was pedaling by 6:45 at Nathan Hale in my recently fixed Kona Dawg. Turns out I was successful doing my very first housing, cable, and adjusting/installing derailleur. Wondering if the drive train was going to stay in tune I pedaled on as things shifted nice and smoothly. I was charged up and was really pedaling in fury and fun! It felt so sooo good to be riding, the trees are tremendously green and made for one heck of a background. I lvoe this time of year it is absolutely spectacular, truly inspiring. I am so thankful for the seasons but mostly spring! I put together a nice loop and was pushing darkness by the time I popped out at my house. Turns out I cranked a good 90 minutes. Whata bonus! Another double ride I can't believe it! 3 hours and 14 miles I was ready for more, I guess I will wait until Thursday to get back cracking. Be sure to click the pictures to see how nice it was out.

New trails w out bald at EveryTrail
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Hollowing Monday

Undecided still by monday morning what location to ride, I made a last minute decision to keep the new flavors coming fro Mansfield Hollow was the beverage of choice. Pedaling by 6:50am it was nice and cool out, super duper welcomed by me of course. I found myself forgetting the routes I took last year and had a few head scratches but I am working on that. I love this place, especially the trail that rolls the hills east of the lake and offers some nice scenery. Looks like some official trails are now up in Lions memorial park, names bridges and all. It was a pretty nice trail while it is a lollipop it was still nice to find new stuff on a ride. Other than that I was riding what I knew and all that I think is out there. Made my way up that big ol hill across the road and wanted to head out to schoolhouse brook park and try to make a loop back to the car. I have never ridden schoolhouse brook but I believe they can be linked since blue runs to it somewhere nearby. I hate how we can't ride blue blazed, I agree in some places bikers should be off limits to the blue trail, but most places it could easily be shared users. So I started on the blue trail from the summit and started to see where it went on my gps as I rode, with a little fear of running into a elderly man in khaki shorts and a walking stick. I turned around shortly and played it safe and took the standard way home. I checked some gps maps and turns out I was on the right path and having to violate the blue trail for a 1/2 mile is a risk I will take next trip out to make to get the schoolhoiuse brook trails. Probably my 5-6th trip to Mansfield, I love it, I always say I need to go here more. Sun came out half way through the ride and it was glorious, another amazing spring day, life is good.
Mansfield hollow dank at EveryTrail
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Saturday N. Snip/Hale

Hoped to make it back the Snip this weekend and I made it happen! I had about 90 minutes to ride or so I thought so I stuck close to my previous route. Another perfect day here in the east, a bit warm but not humid so consider it welcomed. Pedaling by 9:45 I was hitting my first climb and damn my legs were done. I guess you could describe them as dull and dead so climbs were tough with not much relief in sight. I took a few slight different roads and trails which lead me to the decision of sticking with previous ride trail choice. I am still a newbie here and it shows, but I love exploring and building the map in my head and a little adventure so big whoopy. I made it up Bald Mountain quite slowly but I did make it so count it. I checked off a few more trails I had question marks about, I have now two more that I will check off the next visit. I don't know how I am so good at calculating ride length, no matter where I am I always reach my car withing 5 minutes of when I expected to at the the beginning of the ride. This one I got there 90.50 minutes so not bad ehhhh. Really great ride despite heartless legs. I got home and LuAnn had already took off with the boy for a run so what's and addict to do, get his chores done such as wash a car and mow the tall grass patches and go ride again. I put down a 40 minute ride at Hale and got home before my lady so win win double feature! So 11 miles and 2.10 hours of riding instead of 7 miles and 90 minutes. Saturday was the bomb! bring it on Monday morning I am ready for ya. 2nd rip at n. snip at EveryTrail
EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut Hale quicko at EveryTrail
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Friday Crandall

Well it took me longer than I would have liked to recover from my little sickness so I got to it by Friday afternoon at 6pm. It was weird riding on a Friday night, I felt kind of bad leaving home but LuAnn understood I needed my fix. Lucky for me I have a loving understanding wife. I had the dog with me since Crandalls is not heavily wooded and he should be free from ticks by the end of the ride if all went well. Started the climb on TVA and did all the trails in good order and cranked hard and fast on the SS feeling pretty strong. Really need new pedals since the wellgos are beat, it's been on my mind a long time now and I really should just buy it but other bike injuruies are adding up. So far this season I have replaced numerous parts on numerous bikes, lets start with, fork, deraileur, hanger, cable housing/cable, cassette, chain, ring, two spokes and I am sure I am missing something. All this took place in the last 5 weeks and a toll has been taken. A good chunk of bike fund got lost but luckily time is on my side with a frame still 3-4 months out. Anyway, the ride was good, the woods are unbelievable, so nice and green and filling in. The temperature and skies have been un real. By far the nicest spring I can ever recall with any of my years in CT. This winter was so bad, I almost lost my mind I tell ya, it was not lack of sleep from the baby either trust me he sleeps extremely well from birth but it was just a nasty winter and still stressful adjusting to my new life. But the sun has rose and this spirit is soaring! Rides are plentiful for now but they will always be on the up and down but as long as rides are existing. Here I go again, ok on target now, ride ended bittersweet, I wanted more but 90 minutes did the trick and off I went with a tick free dog and home to a loving wife. The woods are bone dry, poor dog need riding glasses, time for a sprinkle.

Gimme moarrrr

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Crack of dawn

Slept like a champ monday night luckily so by 5:40am I was well rested and ready to rock. Look out the front porch and snap a nice sun rise picture and off I went. I miss seeing the the sunrise on my morning rides but as we lose light later in the summer I will be kicking myself for saying that. Trails are starting to bloom amazingly, I really thought this winter would never end. Allergies are mild so far and thank goodness cause my first year moving back from Utah two years ago was a crap show. As I began to pedal I felt lazy, just did not feel like putting the effort in to be honest, there are those days from time to time.I startled a owl that was chilling on the ground and he flew to a nearby tree. I think owls are so cool, I rarely ever see them that close so cool beaners. I met up with Colin and got cracking for a good ride around Hale. I am getting a little tired of riding there sometimes, I am trying to keep it once a week ride there. There are other places nearby within 20 minutes but none across the street from my house. Straight forward ride with nothing crazy. I noticed the soles of my feet are hurting after rides I am not sure whats up with that but probably the amount of pressure they are getting from pushing flats as hard as I can. I was set to ride Wednesday morning but I woke up at 2:30 and felt really sick and ended up barfing which is extremely rare for me. I began feeling better but still not all well so wednesday morning ride is canceled. I am thinking if I rebound from this quick enough I could ride tonight.

Hale sunrise

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