Let's Get Hoppin' Colonial Road to Bolton Notch State Park, 6.9 Miles Manchester, Vernon, Bolton, June 2020 Alright, let's get going with this thing. 20.2 miles of graded stone dust trail from the center of Manchester east to the Airline Trail in Windham. (I suppose I should mention that means Calvin and I will … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail: Section 2
Spurring Adventure Rockville Spur, 3.7 Miles Vernon, June 2020 I first began chronicling these rails-to-trails trails when my son Calvin could join me. I sort of ignored them for a many previous years until I realized that several are actually Connecticut state parks... and since I'm visiting every Connecticut … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail: Section 3
Another Notch in Our Belts Bolton Notch State Park to Parker Bridge Road, 8.5 Miles Bolton, Coventry, & Andover, May 2020 As Calvin and I rode the first mile or so of this section of the Hop River State Park Trail, I pondered aloud, "This may be one of the coolest stretches of Rails-to-Trails in all of … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail: Section 4
Hoppin’ Cold Parker Bridge Road to Willimantic River, 4.1 Miles Andover, Coventry & Columbia, November 2019 I used to race. Bicycles. Road race. For years. I raced for UConn back in the early 1990’s which meant I used to train in cold weather. I used to race in cold weather. I can’t count how many times I … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail Intro
A Hop, Skip, and... a Bike Pump 20 Miles, Andover, Bolton, Columbia, Coventry, Manchester and Vernon For years this page existed to tell readers that I wouldn’t be completing the Hop River State Park Trail. Then my son got a bike and liked to ride it. Then I got a bike and I liked to ride it. Then I got a bike … [Read more...]
Cheney Rail Trail
Yup, There are Hobos Here Manchester Land Cons. Trust Trails (MLCT): Cheney Rail 1.2 miles one way, December 2016 2.5 mile one way, May 2020 I revisited this trail in 2020 with Calvin on our bikes. The trail has been extended on its southern end and improved elsewhere. Below you'll first read the original 2016 … [Read more...]
Day 12: L’Alpe d’Huez, France (TdF)
July 20 We made it! The famous 2004 individual time trial stage straight up L'Alpe d'Huez. It's is referenced to this day as one of the largest crowds ever for a sporting event - they like to say there were one million people on L'Alpe that day. Who knows... We woke up pre-dawn, took one of the thousands of … [Read more...]
Day 7, La Mongie, France (TdF)
July 16 The Tour de France is massive. It's the Super Bowl on wheels for three weeks across 2,000 miles. It's insane. Planning to see some stages, notably mountaintop finish stages, requires a lot of planning, a lot of effort and a even more patience. About 8 months before the Tour's route is announced, strong … [Read more...]