Northeast - Connceticut Shoreline Arrows

Yesterday I was riding on Rte 1 west of Old Saybrook and saw some arrows I was wondering about: big "C"s with an arrows and I saw another type, a set of three stenciled arrows across the Saybrook Bridge.

Does anyone know what rides these arrows are from? I would like to follow them sometime.

Not sure, we rode by that area about a month and a half ago for the MS150 but I don't remmeber seeing any C's painted.

Steve

The NYCC did a shoreline ride last Sunday. Maybe they marked the route.

I rode the CT Summer Breeze Century over those roads back in July.
http://www.ctcycle.org/century.htm
Don't remember if the arrows had a big C on them though....
That was a hot ride....mid 90's !
Thankfully they had plenty of rest stops...
Great ride !!

I rode the CT Summer Breeze Century over those roads back in July.
http://www.ctcycle.org/century.htm
Don't remember if the arrows had a big C on them though....
That was a hot ride....mid 90's !
Thankfully they had plenty of rest stops...
Great ride !!


I think you are right and that the arrows might be from the century route of this ride. The Century passed through that area at the half way point. I still have the cue sheet, but it does not specify the markings ("C" or otherwise - I don't remember the color either). I do remember missing a turn early on .... Come to think of it - I always seem to wander off course at least once. The route sheet does list the total feet climbed at 7476.

And yes, the heat was a killer that day! Thinking about the fact that it supposed to drop into the 20's the next several nights > I'll take the mid 90's again, thank you. Winter sucks!

I went for an inaugeral night ride last night, and QUICKLY learned that the Minoura Swing Grip + 2 Cateye EL500's = a really, really ****ty setup.

I can't even believe that people use just one of those lights - I could barely see with two of them. Not to mention the Swing Grip couldn't hold the lights worth a crap. I hit a good sized bump at an intersection at probably around 25+ mph, and the bar that the lights sit on rotated down and 180 degrees.

I'm currently shopping for a new lighting setup.

I think you are right and that the arrows might be from the century route of this ride. The Century passed through that area at the half way point. I still have the cue sheet, but it does not specify the markings ("C" or otherwise - I don't remember the color either). I do remember missing a turn early on .... Come to think of it - I always seem to wander off course at least once. The route sheet does list the total feet climbed at 7476.

And yes, the heat was a killer that day! Thinking about the fact that it supposed to drop into the 20's the next several nights > I'll take the mid 90's again, thank you. Winter sucks!

Was there really that much climbing ???
I did the Great River Ride last month and that was supposed to have approx. 7K of climbing too. I thought the GRR had much more climbing than the CT Summer Breeze.....but in all that heat, who knows...

Was there really that much climbing ???
I did the Great River Ride last month and that was supposed to have approx. 7K of climbing too. I thought the GRR had much more climbing than the CT Summer Breeze.....but in all that heat, who knows...

I didn't have a way of measuring it, other than the 6 hours of temporary pain :rolleyes:

GRR seems to have steady, longer climbs. There was quite a bit of climbing for the Summer Breeze Century - just a lot more of the steeper, shorter stuff. Not having and altimeter, I would have guessed it (by comparison to other centuries) at about 6,000 ft elevation gain. The club says 7476, and that is what is listed on the cue sheet.

Regardless, the new course for this century was one thousand percent better than their old routes. I really enjoyed it this year.

I didn't have a way of measuring it, other than the 6 hours of temporary pain :rolleyes:

GRR seems to have steady, longer climbs. There was quite a bit of climbing for the Summer Breeze Century - just a lot more of the steeper, shorter stuff. Not having and altimeter, I would have guessed it (by comparison to other centuries) at about 6,000 ft elevation gain. The club says 7476, and that is what is listed on the cue sheet.

Regardless, the new course for this century was one thousand percent better than their old routes. I really enjoyed it this year.

Well I guess what you're saying makes sense when compared against my own personal riding style/strengths/weaknesses. I do fairly well on shorter climbs where I can stand. Longer seated climbs tend to wear me down. It' something I really picked up on on the GRR. I could stand & climb with or better than many folks but when I sat, I lagged. I'm going to try and work on this over the winter some....I shattered my heel in an auto accident back in 2002. Surgery repaired it but my right foot, calf, & consequently entire leg will never be quite as strong as my left. That said cycling has been the best rehab I could ever ask for.

Thanks for the input everyone.

I followed the C arrows from Westbrook to across the Saybrook bridge, where they went south on 156. I would like to follow them all some time but they weren't very good and at times conflicting.

I was doing some research and came across rides from Zane's in Branford as well some maps from Yale Cycling team, even one ride that came down from Westfield, Ma, from that rando shop that does the GRR and D2R2. The MS ride from the Mohegan Sun once had cue sheets posted on the web site but not now.

BTW Joe, did you do that D2R2 ride?

BTW Joe, did you do that D2R2 ride?

Nope....I blew it off in favor of the GRR.

Had a great ride at the GRR even if I did get lost......

See my ride report here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=222419

My post is at the end of page 1.

Nope....I blew it off in favor of the GRR.

Had a great ride at the GRR even if I did get lost......



Nice report, I know a guy who also got lost on the GRR and added 15-20 miles too. I couldn't do it this year but hope to next year, if not sooner.

I signed up for the D2R2 beacuse I didn't think I would make our club's annual ride across the Mohawk trail.

D2R2 was a tough ride and I am listed on the web site as a DNF. I drove two hours in the rain to Deerfield and then it was cloudy but dry the rest of the day. First of all, the route was not arrowed or route marked in any way, just cue sheets. ( I had no maps with me because I figured an organized ride would be marked) I am horrible with cue sheets and got lost three times early, and even when on route I never really was sure most of the time. Second, the ride was like ten more miles than advertised.

Taking my new mountain bike, I got about 30 good miles in before I hit some hills north of Charlemont, just north of Rte 2. A series of hills off Rte 8A, one ominously called "Mountain Rd", got my legs pretty good, as well as a rest stop that was at the bottom of a steep hill that we had to go back up, needlessly positioned, at least in my mind.

A second set of hills, on dirt cooked my legs. all on dirt and including one that was billed as 25% dirt. I was by then with a small group and we all walked it, which was more painful. By the time I got the top I started to think about seeking an alternate return, and then 56 miles into it, after another hill it just wasn't fun anymore so I returned down rte 12 to Shelburne Falls and headed back to Deerfield. Once away from the dirt hill climbs I recovered nicely and rode along the CT river just to get 100 miles.

The route was very nice and was exactly as advertised, quiet secluded roads through beautiful NE forests and farms.

Next year I might to go back just to say I did the whole thing, though my 56 miles of D2R2 roads and the rest road made a nice century too.

I too am horrible if forced to navigate from cue sheets alone.
I am so used to either looking for arrows and/or following riders in front of me.

The GRR made me realize that I really liked either riding in fast packs or if solo, chasing & catching riders in front of me. I have no desire to ever race but there were some fast guys at the GRR and I drew inspiration from them...even while they were dropping me. :rolleyes:
I want to join a club in the spring and get more pack rides in....otherwise 100% of my riding is solo...


Nice report, I know a guy who also got lost on the GRR and added 15-20 miles too. I couldn't do it this year but hope to next year, if not sooner.

I signed up for the D2R2 beacuse I didn't think I would make our club's annual ride across the Mohawk trail.

D2R2 was a tough ride and I am listed on the web site as a DNF. I drove two hours in the rain to Deerfield and then it was cloudy but dry the rest of the day. First of all, the route was not arrowed or route marked in any way, just cue sheets. ( I had no maps with me because I figured an organized ride would be marked) I am horrible with cue sheets and got lost three times early, and even when on route I never really was sure most of the time. Second, the ride was like ten more miles than advertised.

Taking my new mountain bike, I got about 30 good miles in before I hit some hills north of Charlemont, just north of Rte 2. A series of hills off Rte 8A, one ominously called "Mountain Rd", got my legs pretty good, as well as a rest stop that was at the bottom of a steep hill that we had to go back up, needlessly positioned, at least in my mind.

A second set of hills, on dirt cooked my legs. all on dirt and including one that was billed as 25% dirt. I was by then with a small group and we all walked it, which was more painful. By the time I got the top I started to think about seeking an alternate return, and then 56 miles into it, after another hill it just wasn't fun anymore so I returned down rte 12 to Shelburne Falls and headed back to Deerfield. Once away from the dirt hill climbs I recovered nicely and rode along the CT river just to get 100 miles.

The route was very nice and was exactly as advertised, quiet secluded roads through beautiful NE forests and farms.

Next year I might to go back just to say I did the whole thing, though my 56 miles of D2R2 roads and the rest road made a nice century too.

Yesterday I was riding on Rte 1 west of Old Saybrook and saw some arrows I was wondering about: big "C"s with an arrows and I saw another type, a set of three stenciled arrows across the Saybrook Bridge.

Does anyone know what rides these arrows are from? I would like to follow them sometime.

I finally got back there last week and followed those big "C" arrows.

From the bridge in Saybrook they headed east on Rte 156 to Waterford. In New London, where I had seen the arrows before, it went over the bridge in Groton and after losing them several times, I gave up in Groton. There the arrows turned green which made me suspicious that it might be different ride, as well my suspicions that the ride was linear rather than loop ride.

In any case, I headed north to cross the Mohegan/Pequot bridge, which had no "no Bike" signage so I went across to Rte 82 to try to get back. I saw some "MS" arrows (that started from the Mohegan Sun casino last fall) and since I saw them earlier in the year near where i wanted to, I figured I would follow them back to near the CT River.

In one of my biggest cycling gaffes, I stoped at stop and go in Bozrah and discovered that I had left my wallet a stop and go in New London, and to make a long story short, I ended up having to return to New London. In a testament to good faith and goodness of people, the clerk saved the wallet and I got it back intact. To make matters worse, I left my car key in the wallet so I had to go there before before I could get my car.

My return route to New London took me down some new roads-even though i grew in the area i never had ridden much around there. To my surprise, I saw the same white "C" arrows that i had followed from the CT to Thames Rivers. Go figure.

So, I never really found out where the arrows came and went, or what ride they were from. And now i don't really care as much.

When did you do all this riding ??? It's been pretty cold the last couple days......
Glad you found your wallet !

When did you do all this riding ??? It's been pretty cold the last couple days......
Glad you found your wallet !

This was last Friday when it was in the 40s, in fact I overdressed for the ride.

What a difference a week makes huh ??
Wet snow in the forecast for tomorrow.....

Snow? What's that?

Seriously, I am glad so I can finally use my new used bike I got on E-bay just for this reason. It has these great big knobbies