botto 

After spending the past few weeks visiting family and friends, and getting plenty of riding in, I thought I'd share some pics from some of the views along the roads I've been on.

Most were taken on a ride that took me from Westbrook, CT up to Deep River, then Middletown, across the bridge to Portland, then more or less working my way down towards Old Lyme - which btw includes plenty of bumpy roads. Now I know why Guitar Wizard likes his compact

If anybody has the chance to ride in the area, do it. There's great riding to be had, and some very friendly group rides out of Rock n Road bike shop in Westbrook.

A view of the Long Island Sound, where I started from



Up the CT River, a view of the bridge to East Haddam, with the Goodspeed Opera House on the east side.



Something to keep in mind if i'm angry with one of my tires



A view from the bridge in Middletown of the old rail bridge



Alongside the eastern side of the river there's a bunch of 'resorts', straight ot of the 50s.



Along this road I spotted a car on the side.



Looks like the MG bonked. My father has a TF-1500, so I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case.



Clichéd leg shot with my 'plastic Giant'



Back, and ready to pop open a bottle of Sam's summer ale.



thanks for lookin'

GuitarWizard

Heh....nice pics. I really should ride south a bit more.

Yeah, the compact is nice....combined with a 12-27 9 speed rear, I can climb the smaller grades while still in the 50T while in the 24T (and sometimes the 21T when I think I'm in the 24T) cog without churning the pedals at 36 rpms. I have found the 34T particularly useful in the Berkshires.

There's some nice climbs on Rte. 66, a bit north of where you were....I haven't ventured down that way on my bike due to traffic, but a century I have mapped out on paper goes through that whole area (down to Hammonassett Beach). The hills seem to get bigger and steeper the further north you go.

botto 

I did those climbs on 66 yesterday during an early morning century that started out of Ivoryton.

GuitarWizard

Where is Ivoryton?

botto 

tiny little town that doesn't seem to be much more than a crossroad with a playhouse. it's about a mile west of Essex.

djbrod

That makes me miss home. I love the Litchfield area for riding when I can get out there but most of my family is split between Oxford and Tolland. Thanks for sharing.

Panic

The opera house is pretty close to the 2-ferry's ride next month.

GuitarWizard

BTW, one time several years back, I was going across the river from East Haddam over to Gillette Castle, and some ******* in a truck apparently decided to see how close he could come to a couple cyclists (me and my buddy). I was pretty much as close to the curb as I could really get, and he was literally a few inches from my handlebars, and not passing very quickly. It was a tense 5 seconds or so....

roadfix

Wow....those are beautiful shots botto! Thanks for sharing..

GuitarWizard

I could spend the rest of the afternoon just sitting there on a nice day after a long ride, just spacing out into the distance, with a nice tall frosty glass of Gatorade.

badkarma

Nice pics, I remember a lot of those scenes from growing up in CT. Now I'm stuck in VA hoping for the chance to move back to new england.....

botto 

i already miss it