9/25/09, Blackberry Rd. Loop, 16.3 mi, 1SFC, 2LFC

Blackberry Road is quite the SFC. And an LFC (about .7 mi) to boot, climbing up the side of West Mountain, at least 500 vertical feet and maybe more. A sign going back down said 17% grade. I made it up without stopping... barely. With a lot of switchbacking.

Beautiful early fall weather though I stopped noticing after I started climbing Blackberry Rd. It made Harmony Hill Rd. look like, not quite a breeze, but nothing much hill-wise (still a LFC).



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9/20/09, Harlem Valley Rail Trail, 18 mi

Or maybe a bit less since we started from Amenia not Wassaic. As always, beautiful scenery, enhanced by late afternoon, late summer light. Have to check out the Irving Farm Coffeehouse in Millerton and some other places that we peeked into but did not go in.

No map this time; check out hvrt.org.

8/31/09, Pleasant Ridge-West Dover Rd., 21.8 mi, 3LFC-0SFC

Cool but perfect weather. Pleasant Ridge Road is, as Larry said, indeed not so bad except near the end (between Susan Drive and Wingdale Mountain Rd.) when it gets steep. Beautiful views near the top, especially from Pleasant Ridge Road Extension. One of those places (the top of Mt. Tom is another) where you'd almost think you were in below-tree-line Colorado or Switzerland.

Stopped at Mckinney & Doyle for one last cinnamon roll served by Maggie behind the counter.

I was contemplating two new terms while riding: "LFC" and "SFC", as ratings for rides. "L" = long, "S" = steep, "C" = climb. 55 up to Little Pond Road is an LFC, Pleasant Ridge Road is an LFC, 55 from Dutcher to Harmony Hill Road is another LFC. No real SFCs on this route, unlike yesterday's South Harmony Hill Rd. That is an SFC. So is Kirby Hill Rd. Harmony Hill Rd. from 55 to Mt. Tom Rd. is almost an SFC but a bit too short to qualify.

So, this was a 3LFC-0SFC ride.



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8/30/09, Whaley Lake-Holmes-Patterson, 19.1 mi

Beautiful out, not too hot at sunset. Dry for the first time in several rides. Solo this time. Legs a bit tired for the hills but I was keeping a pretty fast pace (I think).



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8/29/09, Tour of Holmes lakes, 17.8 miles

With Foster. Grey and cool but no rain. There are a lot of hills around here. Some of these mileages don't sound impressive, but when you take all the climbs into account...



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706 miles this year so far

Rough calculation.

8/28/09, Quaker Ridge, 21.5 mi

w/Foster. Cold and rainy but good anyway. Half a sauna afterward.


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