Northeast - Six Gaps, Vermont Century +

Six Gaps (http://www.northeastcycling.com/six_gaps.html)



* Approx. 132 miles riding distance
* Approx. 14,500 feet of climbing*
* Six major climbs ranging in 1300 to over 1900 feet net gain
* One moderate 500 foot climb through Granville Gulf
* Sustained grades of 20% to 24% on Lincoln Gap
* True loop – no backtracking or revisiting earlier points
* Can bail-out after 2 or 4 gaps
* Nice views from many of the gaps


Brandon, Middlebury, Lincoln, Appalachian, Roxbury, Rochester

Sunday, October 1.
Leaving from Rochester, VT - 7am start time.
Self supported. Lots of general stores along the way.

A group from my old club is hoping to do this this. (waiting to see how many... we've got 4-5 confirmed)
Anyone from BF wanna join?

More info here (http://www.northeastcycling.com/six_gaps.html).

I got the email from West Hill and I really want to ride but.....I don't think I am ready. Since school has started, kid obligations have eaten into my riding time....soccer, horseback riding, gymnastics, birthday parties, cub scouts,....I am down to 100 miles a week. I am starting a new buisness October 1st and need to be around for any problems.....Excuses,,,Excuses.
I was talking with a friend from Randolph who has rode it 2 or 3 times. He says it can be brutal but there are those that do it in a standard double....crazy!!! He has convinced me to try my hand at some hill climbing races (I certainly would be racing myself!!). Maybe Ascutney, Whiteface, Mt. Equinox and Mt. Washington. He does them every year. If I do the hill climbs next year I will also shoot for Six Gaps.
If you do Six Gaps a significant ride report needed...

I want to do it but it wholy depends on whether I can get the next day off.
I would be one of those guys doing it on a dbl but also the added bonus of
that dbl being attached to a 20 year old steel Peugoet !! :eek: Not exactly
a stellar climbing unit :eek:
I believe I could do the 132 but I would definately need a recovery day before
toilng fo 'da Man'.....

If this doesnt come to fruition for the VT-BF'ers maybe a more laid back saturday
ride during the Fall Foliage stuff ??? :D
Fixed ?!?!? :D :D tee hee......

If this doesnt come to fruition for the VT-BF'ers maybe a more laid back saturday
ride during the Fall Foliage stuff ??? :D
Fixed ?!?!? :D :D tee hee......

Absolutely... probably not fixed though. :D
I'm up for a VT BF meetup / ride.

I got the email from West Hill and I really want to ride but.....I don't think I am ready. Since school has started, kid obligations have eaten into my riding time....soccer, horseback riding, gymnastics, birthday parties, cub scouts,....I am down to 100 miles a week. I am starting a new buisness October 1st and need to be around for any problems.....Excuses,,,Excuses.
I was talking with a friend from Randolph who has rode it 2 or 3 times. He says it can be brutal but there are those that do it in a standard double....crazy!!! He has convinced me to try my hand at some hill climbing races (I certainly would be racing myself!!). Maybe Ascutney, Whiteface, Mt. Equinox and Mt. Washington. He does them every year. If I do the hill climbs next year I will also shoot for Six Gaps.
If you do Six Gaps a significant ride report needed...


There's the bailout option after 2 or 4 gaps. If you aren't feeling it you can get out - and still get a really nice ride in.

If this doesnt come to fruition for the VT-BF'ers maybe a more laid back saturday
ride during the Fall Foliage stuff ??? :D
Fixed ?!?!? :D :D tee hee......

Defintely not fixed......I can barely get up some of the nearby stuff in my triple......I am so busy right now a trip up north is not in the cards......maybe a BF spring 2 - 3 gap ride to start the season.....I hear bmikes ride out to Lake Placid was quite nice......I continue to work hard on the wife for a new ride....I have seen some cracks in her 'No whats wrong with the bike you have' response but have not yet seen a definite yes.....The new bike will definitely not be fixed....

I think this'll have to wait until next year.

Defintely not fixed......I can barely get up some of the nearby stuff in my triple......I am so busy right now a trip up north is not in the cards......maybe a BF spring 2 - 3 gap ride to start the season.....I hear bmikes ride out to Lake Placid was quite nice......I continue to work hard on the wife for a new ride....I have seen some cracks in her 'No whats wrong with the bike you have' response but have not yet seen a definite yes.....The new bike will definitely not be fixed....

I'm game any time someone wants to ride...

Spring BF ride would be great.
Fall foliage would be good too.

Perhaps a mid state ride?

I'm doing the wedding thing mid October - then to Italy for 10 days - so my time will start getting crunched...

I just ask that its on a saturday because my day job is very
physical and I need a little recovery time before the horrendous toilage :eek:
Im 47....an old man needs recovery time :roflmao:
But, other than that, Im good to go, anywhere, any time :D

Wow, I just trolled into this post....I had heard of a ride called the Six Baps but thought it was in Colorado or something :rolleyes:
Sounds very enticing.....I'm supposed to do the Great River Ride a week later......
Like Hammertoe.....don't quite think I can tackle it this year....my training time has been shrinking of late too. :o
Certainly a definite for next year though.....

Do they do a ride in the Spring over this same terrain ???

I'm glad I found out about this ride though !!!
Someone please post a ride report (with pictures :D ) afterwards !!



I got the email from West Hill and I really want to ride but.....I don't think I am ready. Since school has started, kid obligations have eaten into my riding time....soccer, horseback riding, gymnastics, birthday parties, cub scouts,....I am down to 100 miles a week. I am starting a new buisness October 1st and need to be around for any problems.....Excuses,,,Excuses.
I was talking with a friend from Randolph who has rode it 2 or 3 times. He says it can be brutal but there are those that do it in a standard double....crazy!!! He has convinced me to try my hand at some hill climbing races (I certainly would be racing myself!!). Maybe Ascutney, Whiteface, Mt. Equinox and Mt. Washington. He does them every year. If I do the hill climbs next year I will also shoot for Six Gaps.
If you do Six Gaps a significant ride report needed...

Wow, I just trolled into this post....I had heard of a ride called the Six Baps but thought it was in Colorado or something :rolleyes:
Sounds very enticing.....I'm supposed to do the Great River Ride a week later......
Like Hammertoe.....don't quite think I can tackle it this year....my training time has been shrinking of late too. :o
Certainly a definite for next year though.....

Do they do a ride in the Spring over this same terrain ???

I'm glad I found out about this ride though !!!
Someone please post a ride report (with pictures :D ) afterwards !!


This is self organized. The Oct. 1 date is arbitrary, based on a friend that has done it the last 3 years on Oct. 1. Personally I'd like it a bit earlier in the season, as it would leave a bit more time to finish in the light...

I'd like to see this become a regular ride, perhaps even getting someone to sag it. The scenery and the area that the ride traverses is beautiful - some of the nicest riding I've done in VT... and if you need to shorten it up, or want to do some other rides in the area, any of the gaps are fun - you can make all sorts of loops depending on your mood and how hard you want to work...

This is self organized.

Oh...:o
Well then, I'd be up to try it if anyone else were interested, maybe in the first couple weeks of November.....if it hasn't snowed there yet....

I am taking my wife to a B&B in Waterbury VT. the weekend of Oct. 20th....this will be the first time I've been in VT since I was a kid.....:o

Oh...:o
Well then, I'd be up to try it if anyone else were interested, maybe in the first couple weeks of November.....if it hasn't snowed there yet....

I am taking my wife to a B&B in Waterbury VT. the weekend of Oct. 20th....this will be the first time I've been in VT since I was a kid.....:o


I'll be out of town that weekend. (Italy for honeymoon...!)

I'll be out of town that weekend. (Italy for honeymoon...!)


Congrats !!!! :)
Does your fiance ride ?

Congrats !!!! :)
Does your fiance ride ?


She's hooked, but so far only on short trips on the MUP.
I've got a LeMond I'm rebuilding for her... she's been asking me when it will be done... :D

She's a runner - and can do a half marathon with little training - her cardio is awesome - as she develops on the bike she's gonna kick my arse!

(I started running again too... but its alot harder than turning the cranks!)

Hey VT...
There is a slight possiblility I might be able to do two gaps with
a friend of mine from work. Where is the meet spot in Rochester ?

Hey VT...
There is a slight possiblility I might be able to do two gaps with
a friend of mine from work. Where is the meet spot in Rochester ?

There's a dirt pull off near the jct of 73 and 100 just out of Rochester, VT. (south side of town, I think)

Weather is questionable... if I get there and no-one from my group shows, I may do that with you! (It will be a day of decision. Hope to see you there!

Mike....check email :)

Apologies to Lem and anyone else who showed.

My friend from Putney bailed late Saturday, due to concerns of the weather. The rest of the list I had was so-so - and didn't email me back for final confirmation.

After a late night (1am) Saturday (household and work stuff getting in the way) I got to the MRV around 8am or so. Never made it to Rochester - as I was another 30-45 minutes away. I wanted to get a ride in - so I parked in Waitsfield and rode of into a misty rain, starting about 8:30 am.

My plan was to ride over Middlebury, then to Brandon and back, perhaps adding Lincoln and App to the mix on the return depending on how I felt.

That didn't work.

I rode in a mist to Middlebury and it started pouring about halfway up. I struggled over the top, layered up for the descent- but I was soaked to the bone! I descended REALLY slow - its steep and twisty - and I didn't want to bite it. Took me twice as long to get down. I was frozen! Got into a general store and warmed up for about half hour. I pulled a dry layer out of my bag and thought I would do better moving. 1 mile away I was shivering and my teeth were chattering. Back to the g-store for more coffee, I then called the wife to be to come get me from Burlington. I headed north on 7 and she picked me up about 10 miles north of Middlebury.

I was absolutely soaked and cold to the bone. I was worried about hypothermia - and really glad I didn't try to ride through.



Another time... for sure.


I'm planning on organizing this ride for next year - sometime in September perhaps. There will be more daylight available, and I think I can get some friends to SAG it.


Anyone up for a foiage tour? I posted another thread in the Northeast forum.
Perhaps next weekend?

Sorry to bump... :)

Has anybody done the LAMB(Lincoln, Appalachian, Middlebury, Brandon)?

Sorry to bump... :)

Has anybody done the LAMB(Lincoln, Appalachian, Middlebury, Brandon)?

Planning on it this year.... along with the Six Gaps.

Lincoln is tough. Had to walk the last stretch my attempt last summer - I blew up trying to climb it with a compact double and a 12-27 cassette, and I had a hard time keeping the front wheel on the ground. Its steep!

You planning on it soon?

Sometime...
I just did Brandon yesterday, which was my first gap. :)
Didn't have to stop on the way up, but it was tough.
I think I'll try the Ap gap next.

My back is started to get messed up again.....but, I may be up for it this year. Would Sept. be better though....doesn't it get kinda cool up there in Oct? Think I'll have to throw the 34T chainring back on for this one (running a 12-26 cassette).

My back is started to get messed up again.....but, I may be up for it this year. Would Sept. be better though....doesn't it get kinda cool up there in Oct? Think I'll have to throw the 34T chainring back on for this one (running a 12-26 cassette).

Was planning on late August or September... as daylight also gets shorter, and the ride is 126 miles and over all the gaps.

Power to you if you're going to do it with a compact.
I blew up trying Lincoln in 34x27 last year. Plan on either a 32x29 or a 30x29 this time around.

If people are still interested in this ride I'd vote for 9/15/07 or 9/22/07. I'd love to join a group.

If people are still interested in this ride I'd vote for 9/15/07 or 9/22/07. I'd love to join a group.

I can't on 9/15 - I'm leading our 113 mile 'century' on the 16th. (starting in Burlington and heading over Middlebury and Appalachian gaps) - not sure if I'm up for it - been off the bike for a long while with some health stuff. (anemia, again, fatigue, and my f-d up thyroid)

I can't on 9/15 - I'm leading our 113 mile 'century' on the 16th. (starting in Burlington and heading over Middlebury and Appalachian gaps) - not sure if I'm up for it - been off the bike for a long while with some health stuff. (anemia, again, fatigue, and my f-d up thyroid)

We're planning a 6gaps ride for the last Sunday in September.

We have 3 to 5 so far, hoping to make a group of 8-10 total. Maybe more.

Who's up for the ride?

I 'd love to join, but am racing the Vermont 50 that day.