GuitarWizard

Just wanted to see who from CT is around, and where everyone rides

Panic

I'm in Farmington, do most of my rides in the area. Use the rail-trail into Avon. I'm not from here, so hills suck. Plus I'm about 50 lbs overweight.

Eating right is wrong for me. Did I mention I'm from New Orleans originally?

GuitarWizard

Farmington is a nice area....and fairly flat as well. I grew up a bit south of ya, in Southington (which actually means "south of Farmington"....little history lesson for ya).

When I started riding again last August, after coming back from a shin injury (ending my running "career"), I was 180 pounds, my heaviest ever. A far cry from 11 years earlier and 135 pounds soaking wet, and in pretty decent riding shape. Ah well....I'll be happy to get back to 145 or so....at 160 right now.

I ride throughout the northeastern part of CT....but stay mostly in the Willimantic, Mansfield, Ashford, Phoenixville, Chaplin, Windham (North/South) areas. I've been as far north as Stafford (sorta near the MA border), and as far south as Norwich.

When I go up to the campground in Granville, MA (just to the west of Southwick), I ride all through that area and into CT (Granby, etc.).

Did you leave New Orleans pre or post Katrina?

cycle17

Norwich/New London area.

Panic

Crap Farmington is flat? I'm in trouble.

We left back in 2002. Back in 1999 or 2000 we evacuated for a few days, and when we came back I started to look for a job out of town.

Are you going to do the 2 Ferrys ride in Rocky Hill? That's probably a piece of cake for you.

GuitarWizard

Fairly flat, yeah....

Head to the northwest a bit to the corner of the state....or the Barkhamsted area. There's a bit 'o climbing for ya....

Nah, I'm signed up for a century in Sept. that goes from Vernon, VT to Vernon, CT.

https://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=3730

When is the Rocky Hill ride?

GuitarWizard

Where do you ride in New London?

cycle17

(NEw London)I don't. I head up to your area a lot. Baltic, Franklin, Willimantic, Mansfield etc... I ride near my house in Noriwch a lot too. A little in Mystic and Ledyard.

XC99TF00

From Mystic, and I tend to ride in North, up to Norwich, and east to the beaches in Rhode Island. occassionally I'll venture to East Lyme or Old Lyme, but only if I start my ride from the New London side of the Thames. I pretty much stay in the southeastern portion of the state during the summer...

Panic

I need my knees and heart to work for another 40+ years, so I'll take it easy getting up to Barkhamstead, Winsted, heck Litchfield

==

2 Ferry's is on September 30th. Its a metric, and I think its pretty hilly, but I'm a flatlander.

===

I've heard riding in Mystic is pretty nice. Little traffic on most roads.

GuitarWizard

I think I might be busy that weekend....but if I'm not, 62 miles shouldn't be too bad. Got any info on it?

tuolumne

I commute from Ellington to Hartford by bike 3 to 5 days a week. We like the rail trails for family recreation. A lot of work has been done in the past few years on the east coast greenway in Northeastern CT. The Vernon rail trails and the Airline trail are great. Any sort of road riding will be beautiful in NE CT, but this makes us more nervous with 5 kids along. There are also lots of trails in the Soapstone mountain area for mtb as well; of course the kids aren't old enough for this yet.

GuitarWizard

What's the East Coast greenway?

tuolumne

I think it's a political name. See this web site: https://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=1390&q=259684 Request the free map at this link if you don't have it. It has a lot of good information.

XC99TF00

Its pretty nice, I enjoy my 5:30Am rides when the tourists are all still asleep and the roads are quietest. We have a group that meets every weekday morning at about that time to go out for an hour or so. Biking along the Mystic river at 5:30 when it is still with no boat traffic and a calm river at sunrise is pretty nice. But I would say the best riding is to be had prior to Memorial Day and after Labor Day. That is pretty much the bulk of our tourist season in between those dates... damn tourists... (no offense to those of you who visit)

Panic

Crap! I was wrong, its the 24th

Crap! I was wrong, its the 24th


I am out of town the week before so no riding, that's going to be a rough one for me. I better get out and ride ... now!

Bibi

SpongeDad and I are cycling in the Berkshires (or whatever they're called in Northwestern CT) this weekend. So if you're there, and see ~8 dorky middle-aged riders, we'd be in that group -- don't forget to wave!

cycle17

HEy Bibi!

Where in the Berkshires...and which day?

GuitarWizard

I won't have my bike with me this weekend (recovery week)....good luck with some of the climbs

I think my schedule has freed up the end of Sept., so I may do that ride.

Oh, and I already have that CT bike map....

Nathan Cloud

Howdy. I am from Burlington.

Weekday after work rides are usually at Huntington (right next to my work), Nassahegan (my back yard) or Nepaug (up the street). Sometimes I will get out to the West Hartford Reservoir, but not that often.

Weekend rides on the other hand I try to get away from those places. My favorite ride in CT has to be Middlesex. I just rode Meshomasic sunday, that place is amazing. We hit Trumbull and Westwoods somewhat regularly as well. Case and Penwood on a less frequent basis.

But I am always looking for new places to ride!

Edit: just noticed that you might have been looking for more the road biker aspect of things

Panic

GuitarWizard, what kind of music are you into?

My son's a guitarist in name, but is probably more of a bass player in spirit. We like the English stuff, Muse, Stone Roses, Kasabian, Oasis... etc.

And to bring this back on topic, damn rain! I won't ride in the rain. When is it going to stop?

==
Anybody ride in Rhode Island? We checked out URI today and it looks like a nice place to ride.

mirona

you're coming to my neck o' the woods and you weren't going to say anything?

GuitarWizard

For guitar-oriented type stuff, I like Joe Stump, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Adrian Legg, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jason Becker, etc.....basically I like anyone who is very talented and sounds good.

Bands....most notable are Godsmack, U2, Metallica (Black album and older), Filter, The Hollies, Oasis, Van Halen.....and some others that aren't coming to mind. I also like a bunch of other stuff, but usually only a few songs here and there from a multitude of different artists. I used to always buy CD's just for 1 or 2 songs.

Rhode Island, I'd stick to the "western" part of the state. They have pretty much the worst drivers in the country there. I work in Cranston, RI and live in CT - I'm no longer surprised by what I see on the roads any longer. A buddy of mine at work wants me to join his team for next year, though.....group rides will be a bit of a PITA if I do that, since I'd have to drive an hour just to get to the starting point.

Panic

How far is the team from URI?

I'm pretty sure all drivers are bad, everywhere you go.

I heard you can't ride from URI to Newport because they don't allow bikes on the bridges. That's pretty sad.

GuitarWizard

I've driven all over the country (literally), and RI drivers are the worst. I'm almost convinced that people are automatically issued a license at 16 years old, no testing necessary.

I wouldn't really want to ride to Newport to begin with.....area is a bit busy in regards to traffic. However, Jamestown wouldn't be too bad for a leisurely ride. There's actually a bike race there in Oct. that I'm debating entering.

The team is all over.....Arc En Ciel is the name of the team. Their group rides on Saturday mornings are in the southern part of the state from what I understand.