A Transportation Stage Deep into the Heart of the Catskills

Finding time to train during the spring remains a serious challenge. With work and family commitments, spring really is the busiest time of year in my household. As the result of a little careful planning, though, it's still possible to get the job done.

This weekend, for instance, we had a trip planned to visit with my in-law's in Andes, NY - right in the heart of the Catskills, so I seized the opportunity to plan a long ride as one of the legs of the journey. Jan Heine of Bicycle Quarterly, refers to rides of this type as "transportation stages." So rising early, I clipped in and hit the road to begin my 75-mile journey.

Undertaking a transportation stage takes a little planning, of course. On Saturday, I prepped the bike and packed a bag with a change of clothes and (mercifully) remembered to attach the bike rack to the roof of my wife's car. Unfortunately, we were out until 2:00 AM on Saturday night, so I did not get the best night's sleep, but the weather could not have been more ideal.

The trip to Andes involves some lovely backroad riding up to the Ashokan Reservoir and then a long stretch heading northwest on State Route 28. Since Route 28 is basically the only road that runs in this direction between the Catskill high peaks, there's no really avoiding it, but thankfully, the road crews have repaved in the past several years so, for much of the journey, I was treated to 10-foot wide shoulders free of cracks and debris.

There's still lots of water running at this time of year, so at various points during the trip, I was surrounded by the sound of rivers, waterfalls and creeks, all of which slow down considerably by late summer.

One of the best things about a transportation stage in combination with a family trip is the inevitable point in the journey when family and rider intersect. On this trip, I texted my de facto crew that some fresh cold water and a little nosh would hit the spot, so shortly after the longest and steepest climb of the day, I saw a familiar blue Subaru pass by complete with waving arms.

After 50 miles, a few bottles of cold water and an energy bar really hit the spot, but it was the "Paris Brest" that really took my breath away, but I decided that this gorgeous confection would serve better as an incentive rather than as a mid-ride snack, and so sent the crew off with instructions to keep the pastry in the shade.

While the casual viewer might see a mocking daughter, a shocked son and a wife trying to get as far from her stinking husband as possible in these photos, I prefer to see love and admiration. 

Finally, the glories of reaching the top of a hill are far greater when achieved by riding a bicycle. In all, I arrived around lunchtime about an hour after my "crew" feeling very grateful for the chance to have both a good workout and a fun day with the family.

The Ronkonkoma 200K: Two Ferries, Two Islands and a Very Big Duck.

The Ronkonkoma 200K is one of two brevets put on by the Long Island Randonneurs this season. Only in its second year, LI Randonneurs sure knows how to throw a party. This event had almost 50 starters, many of whom had not previously ridden a brevet of any type or size, which is a testament to the club's ability to effectively spread the word. Having ridden the club's inaugural brevet last season, I knew I was in for a treat that was well worth the price of admission.

This Saturday's event began at 8:00 am at the Ronkonkoma station of the Long Island RR and both the time and the location serve to accommodate the needs of NYC riders who want to travel to and from the ride via public transportation. At the start, RBA Steve and his partners Susan and Dan were filled with energy and good cheer as they signed riders in and offered hot coffee and bagels to all who were interested.

After a listening to Steve's safety instructions and wise advice, riders clipped in and hit the road. The first leg of this brevet involves riding over some pretty flat, low traffic roads that lend themselves very nicely to pace line riding. Aided by some healthy tailwinds, it was not too difficult to keep the pace above 20 mph most of the way from the start to the first control.

We arrived at the control with Steve still smiling as he signed in riders and doled out drinks and energy bars. After a quick pitstop, I headed out in search of the ferry landing only eight miles away.

The delight of our ride to the eastern tip of Long Island at this time of year involved seeing calm blue waters, peaceful back roads, low season activity in the quaint, historic villages, scores of diminutive pine trees and colorful early spring blossoms.

There are also two short ferry rides on this route, which provide great views of the coastline, the smell of the sea and allow riders to take in scenic Shelter Island for all of about 4-1/2 miles.  It's also nice to have a forced rest break while technically moving forward on the route.

Returning to the main island after our second brief ferry ride, we wound our way through the North Shore, which is filled with more wineries and fewer people than it's southern sister. In the final 25 miles, though, the generally flat terrain gives way to a series of choppy hills that were not exactly welcome after pounding out the preceding 100 miles in the 20+ mph range. Ouch!

Finally, what ride to eastern Long Island would be complete without a nod to the great Big Duck?

Up Next: the Blue Mountain 400K organized by PA Randonneurs this coming weekend.

Another Roadside Attraction: The Saratoga 300K

The man-made roadside attractions on the shores of Lake George stand out in part because they are in such stark contrast with the largely desolate wooded splendor of the Adirondack High Peaks region of New York State that comprised much of this ride. Starting in Schuylerville, the Saratoga 300K is an out-and-back route that winds its way up along the northern Hudson River before passing through Glens Falls, Lake George, Schroon Lake and turning around in Elizabethtown. It's a no-frills ride with plenty of scenic beauty that continued to surprise me throughout the day. When I scanned the route and saw that we would be riding on State Route 9 for considerable portions of the day, I did not have such high expectations, but boy oh boy, was I pleasantly surprised by what we encountered.

Since this north-south, out-and-back route generally follows the path of the Adirondack Northway (US87), there are few reasons for cars to take secondary roads. As a result, we spent much of the day riding in peace and quiet. While we did not encounter much wildlife (unless you count Spring Peepers and the cows that dot the farm country at the start of the ride) but it did seem possible that a bear would pop out of the woods at any minute for much of the ride. The temperatures hovered in the 40s throughout the day and despite being generally comfortable, I was able to find a lone stand of ice at the site of a shaded waterfall.

The were only four of us that turned out to ride on Sunday morning: a local ultra racer, who shot off the front with a support crew to meet up with at each of the controls, a rider from New Jersey out for his first 300K and a rider named Simon who I had met on last year's Bash Bish 300K and fell into riding with again this weekend. All told, it was a very enjoyable day. With smooth, low-traffic roads and majestic views, this is definitely a ride to put on your calendar.

Up next: I'll be riding in the PA 400K in a few weeks. Time to build some endurance and speed.

A bike, a camera and plenty of time: Nick Hand's Conversations on the Hudson.

Every now and then, you meet someone who does something so perfect you wonder why you never thought of it. That's the way I felt when I first stumbled across the book Conversations on the Hudson a few weeks ago at a book store in Rhinebeck. This small, hardbound book is filled with gorgeous photographs that illustrate the stories and interviews author Nick Hand shares of the 20 artists and artisans he meets in his cycling journey from Brooklyn to Hudson Falls north of Albany. Nick's tale is a magical one in which he finds interesting creative people all throughout the Hudson Valley with wonderful stories to tell.

Conversations on the Hudson is not Nick's first project. He accomplished a similar (if more ambitious) journey several years ago in his native Britain. More information and photos from that project, known as Slowcoast, can be found on his website here. The book that grew from the Slowcoast project, entitled Conversations on the Coast, can be purchased through his publisher's website (and presumably in a few book shops in Britain). Another feature of Nick's brilliance is his creation of "soundslides," which are short films that include photos from each interview accompanied by the audio he captures during each interview in which his subjects describing their lives, work and passions. Think Studs Turkel for the 21st Century on a bike with a gorgeous visual sensibility.  Once you start watching these, I guarantee you will become hooked. Warning: they are quit addictive. You cannot watch just one.

British clothing designer Paul Smith discusses his life-long passion for cycling.

A tea taster explains the intricacies of his work.

A collector discusses the history of cycling in Britain from the earliest days.

A hat maker enjoys making people happy.

My lovely wife picked up a copy of this book for me several weeks ago at Oblong Books in Rhinebeck and when I noticed that Nick was coming to town to do a reading, I quickly added the event to my calendar. I knew the best way to attend a reading about cycling the length of the Hudson Valley was by bicycle and luckily the weather cooperated. With temperatures reaching the high 70s I was able to ride with a short sleeve jersey for the first time this season. After being held up by some computer troubles at home, I took advantage of some fabulous tailwinds as I rode north to the bridge making great time and turning what might have been a lazy saunter into a full-out sprint.

Miraculously, I made the 19 miles to Rhinebeck in about 1:04 and arrived in plenty of time to find a seat and settle in for a very enjoyable talk as Nick read from his book and showed several soundslides he created on his journey. Nick was joined by Ken Greene of the Hudson Valley Seed Library who's featured in the book and who told us about his fascinating work preserving heirloom seed varieties in the region. After the talk, I introduced myself to Nick, had my book signed and took off to cycle to Vassar College 20 miles to the south where I met my wife and daughter for a performance by the amazing ZviDance Company.

Another great day in the Hudson Valley. Nick reads from his book at the Rapha Cycling Club in NYC on Wednesday evening. Check it out if you're in town.

Spring is Finally Here! A Solo 200K Makes Up for a Washout Down South

While I had planned to ride in the MD 200K in Late March, a terrible forecast for a weekend of rain caused me to reassess my plans. Somehow driving ten hours round trip to ride for ten hours in the steady 45F rain did not seem like a terribly good idea. As a result, I took a DNS down south in favor of a slightly delayed inaugural 200K right out my back door.

There were quite a few "firsts" on this ride. It was the first time I've risen before the sunrise to prepare for a bike ride this season.  It was also the first time I've ridden a 200K in 2014, which says something about how terrible this winter has been in Upstate New York. It was also the first time this season that I've heard song birds and spring peepers as well as the first time I've ridden without gloves on for at least part of a ride since last fall. I could go on, but you get the picture. Winter is finally gone and spring is here to stay.

While I'm not in the kind of shape I would like to be in at the beginning of April, I am so overjoyed to be out on the road on one of my nice bikes without the fear of corrosive salt crystals eating away at a beautiful steel frame that I just don't really care. Fitness follows the joy of riding, as they say.

After a cold start at home, I zipped over to New Paltz to the beginning of the Flatlander's Delight 200K permanent adding a few extra miles to the day. The rolling hills served to warm me up and got me to the start eager for the day to unfold. I love the early spring in the Northeast as the colors are still so muted and subtle and this atmospheric serenity was matched along this route by the peaceful country roads generally devoid of traffic during this mid-week excursion. Against this muted landscape, even the most subtle colors stood out dramatically.

Another thing I love about this route in particular is a short section of hard pack dirt about halfway through the ride. It always feels so "isolated" in all the best ways and leaves me wanting more. Time to design a permanent or two with more substantial dirt riding deeper in the heart of the Catskills.

One of the things I truly love about long rides are the many surprises we find along the way. Even on familiar routes, it's possible to discover something new and unusual. In this way, randonneuring feeds my need for adventure in the most welcome ways.

Next up: the Saratoga 300K on April 27. In the meantime, there will be lots of riding to get this old body back into "rando shape."

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe: Choosing an Early Spring Brevet

I did it. I just clicked the “pay now” button for my first brevet of the 2014 season and, boy, did it feel good. While I’ve not ridden nearly as much as I would have liked at this point in the year, I couldn’t be happier that the rubber will finally hit the road on March 29 when I clip in at the start of the MD 200K. I thought something special was in order this year to kick off the season and with the average temperature differential between New England and Maryland hovering around 10F, I’m wagering that it may just be a bit milder (and more pleasant) on this early season brevet if I drive five hours south.

I’ve sampled a range of brevet series over the years, but never I've never ridden in the MD/Capital Region. Beyond the potentially milder weather, I’m also excited to clip in with a different group of randos than I’m typically riding with. There are some familiar names on the roster and it will be exciting to put names to faces as I make the transition from social network acquaintance to real life riding companion.

This brevet also appeals to me because the start is just 15 minutes from my sister-in-law’s house and a nice visit with family before and after the ride should be a whole lot of fun. Who knows, I may even be able to convince my kids to come down with me. Hell, my daughter could even share the driving. Unfortunately, my wife needs to work on Saturday so she won’t be able to join in the excitement.

We had some lovely spring weather yesterday, but I was tied up with a family event all day and today the mercury plunged back down into the low 30s. So much for a full day of base miles! I got out for a nice hilly loop, though, which put some added spring into my legs.  I have a nice ride scheduled with a friend on Tuesday afternoon when temperatures climb back into the 40s. This winter just doesn’t want to let go, but I did pass a stand of maple trees tapped for syrup production. In fact, as I was taking the photo above, the farmer came up to say hi. When I mentioned how pleased I was to see tapped maple trees as they are a sure sign of spring, he immediately told me how glad he was to see me as he associates cyclists with the coming of spring. I guess it's all relative. 

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb (We Hope).

Whenever I think of the month of March, the phrase "in like a lion, out like a lamb" enters my mind, often accompanied by memories my mother's voice. Growing up in the Northeast, March has always been a dramatic transitional month between winter and spring. This year, though, the month has not only come in like a lion, it also challenges the imagination to think that anything lamb-like is remotely around the corner. Last week, temperatures hovered in the teens and low-20s after we awakened each day in the single digits. To be honest, with a solid covering of snow and ice in every direction, it feels a lot more like January or February in these parts.

That said, the calendar tells me that in just three weeks I'll be clipping in for my first brevet of the season and while my training is a bit off, I could not be more excited. There are several 200K options on the calendar for me in that last weekend of March and I certainly hope that something more lamb-like than the current weather is in store for all of us who chose to begin the 2014 brevet season this month.

Despite the arctic visuals, during today's morning ride, I enjoyed temperatures in the balmy low-40s and actually felt the warm air fill my lungs with the hope of spring. No longer was I forced to take shallow breaths to avoid the shock of frozen air, and this alone seemed to put a direct and dramatic spring into my legs.

What are your riding plans as winter finally recedes into memory?

Two Randonneurs Suffer in Hit and Run Accident on 200K Permanent - Please Share.

I write today with a a heavy heart about two fellow randonneurs who were tragically struck while riding a 200K permanent in Maryland last week. To makes matters worse, the assailant abandoned the riders to die on the side of the road at the site of the crash. Fortunately, emergency crews were notified and both riders were taken directly to hospitals for treatment, one by ambulance and the other by helicopter.

The investigating police department was quick to post the notice above on Facebook, which you should read and share if you have not done so already, especially if you live in the Washington DC area. While unlikely to bring the perpetrator to justice, there's always hope that someone out there may be able to connect the dots. Here is a link to a full article in The Washington Post with additional details.

Gauging from the story and from photographs posted online, the accident occurred at what appears to be a fairly common location, a bridge where the road narrows and the shoulder disappears. We've all been there before. There are steps to take, but no manner of reflective gear, lighting, hand signals and "taking the lane" will fully protect you from the negligence of a driver of a two-ton SUV.

This accident certainly stirs memories for me as I recall the long, painful road to recovery after my own particular run-in with a car. In my case, though, I was fortunate that the driver of the car that hit me did not leave the scene and took full responsibility for his actions. As a result, the medical team came to my aid quickly and his auto insurance company delivered on their commitments to my care.

Please join me in sharing the news of this terrible accident and in offering support to the victims and others who suffer from similar tragedies. I hope that our two sisters in randonnering will recover quickly and completely from this terrible crash and that they and their families get the support they need along the way.

Beyond this particular crisis, we all need to engage in whatever it takes to reduce the incidence of vehicular cycling accidents. Ride your bicycle often. Call your representative. Write a letter to your local paper. Riders of bicycles have just as much a right to use our nation's roads as do drivers of automobiles. We will not live in a civilized society until everyone acknowledges this simple fact.