Category: Litchfield County CT

GrNY Lake Waramaug Gravel Ride: “Bears, Bobcats, and Hawks, Oh My!

This is a variant of one of Kathy’s favorite routes in Litchfield County, CT. The riding is spectacular here and includes the scenic shoreline of Lake Waramaug. Everyone enjoyed the ride, which was not as dirt oriented as many of our rides, but made up for it with good views and quiet country roads.

The long-distance group had some good wildlife spotting: A young bear running down the road in front of us (we were watchful for where mama bear was hiding!), a bobcat later in the ride, and a hawk that flew right in front of us at eye level, among other encounters.

Our usual three pace groups were present. All of the groups ended at almost the same time, having travelled different distances. We even had some mid-ride hanging out at our first water-refill spot on Lake Waramaug. Many riders hung around for cold drinks and snacks at the end. We picnicked next to the river in New Milford.

Note: This ride required driving to the start location. There are no trains to New Milford. We could have started elsewhere (e.g., Pawling), but trains would not have arrived until very late in the morning. We needed to start early given how hot it was predicted to be on this summer day.

Routes

Extra Credit: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43692320
Long: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43691565
Medium: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42464289
Short (v2): https://ridewithgps.com/routes/47183661

Steve’s Strava Post: https://www.strava.com/activities/11888393334

Views from above Lake Waramaug.

Young bear on the road! Not a tiny cub, but it definitely looked too small to be solo. We took care to give lots of space in case mama bear was around (hence the blurry zoom photo).

Columbia County Gravel Century (starting in the Berkshires)

This ride started in Millerton, NY, quickly reached the base of Mt Riga Rd in the Berkshires, and then continued northward where we spent most of the day riding in Columbia County, NY. This is the area between the Farmer’s Daughter routes (to the north) and our own GrNY routes in Dutchess County (to the south). I don’t think anybody left disappointed!

For this ride, Steve reached out to GrNY riders in our long-distance pace group and those riders invited others. We made food stops at the Depot Deli across from Taconic State Park Campground and at the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store. After the ride, we met at a BBQ place for food and post-ride celebrating.

For those who want to try this, here’s the updated route, which now avoids a potential private property section: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46060990

…and the extra credit version that includes the Mt Everett climb, which some of our stronger riders did. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46090231

You can easily cut ~30 miles off the main route for a more manageable, but still very challenging, ~70-mile day.

Steve’s Strava Entry: https://www.strava.com/activities/11389565400

Great views in the Berkshires portion of the ride.

Many farms and country roads.

Zooming downhill. The ride included a lot of up and down!

GrNY Spring Gravel Series 2024: It’s over, but more rides to come!

UPDATE: Our Spring Gravel Series is over, but we’ll continue to post rides throughout the year! Look for invitations to our Strava group.

Photos and Ride Recaps: See below for links to Steve’s Strava entries.

Original Announcement: I’m happy to announce Gravel NY’s third annual Spring Gravel Series! We have planned five weekends of gravel rides, starting on April 21. Each ride will have three “pace groups”, which will differ in speed, distance, and intensity of climbing. There will be a common hangout location after each ride, so all groups can socialize over food and drinks. Participating in all five rides will take you to all of the major gravel riding zones in our region – a true gravel tour! We hope you can join us!

Questions? You can email Steve at track.smart@gmail.com

Disclaimer: This is totally informal. You ride at your own risk and are responsible for your own safety. You are expected to be self-sufficient. We cannot guarantee the condition or safety of roads and trails. Nor can we control the behavior of other riders. This is not a supported event. We expect everyone to be an experienced cyclist who can repair a flat, carry appropriate food and hydration, and navigate independently if they lose the group.

SCHEDULE OF RIDES*

Sunday, April 21: Katonah, NY. Ride some of the best and most scenic rural roads in Westchester County. [THIS RIDE IS COMPLETE! See Steve’s Strava activity here: https://www.strava.com/activities/11234340871]

Saturday, April 27: Dover Plains, NY. The picturesque dirt-roads of Dutchess County. It is worth the drive or train ride! [THIS RIDE IS COMPLETE! See Steve’s Strava activity here: https://www.strava.com/activities/11278170936]

Moved to SATURDAY, May 4: Cold Spring, NY. Much of the ride is near Fahnestock State Park, with lots of fun and challenging climbs. [THIS RIDE IS COMPLETE! See Steve’s Strava activity here: https://www.strava.com/activities/11332463445]

Saturday, May 11: Columbia County Gravel Century. This is not one of our SGS rides, but if joining some members of the faster pace group for 100 miles and >10,000 ft of climbing is in your wheelhouse, feel free to reach out to Steve for more information: track.smart@gmail.com. [THIS RIDE IS COMPLETE! See Steve’s Strava activity here: https://www.strava.com/activities/11389565400]

Saturday, May 18: Pawling, NY. We will spend much of the ride in gorgeous Litchfield County, CT. The NY/CT border has some of the nicest gravel riding in our region. [THIS RIDE IS COMPLETE! See Steve’s Strava activity here: https://www.strava.com/activities/11441847954 ]

Saturday, June 15, Far Hills, NJ (Natirar Park). Spectacular ride that goes through the Teetertown Ravine and Lockwood Gorge – worth the trip! [THIS RIDE IS COMPLETE! See Steve’s Strava activity here: https://www.strava.com/activities/11660226512]

For Saturday rides, the default rain date will be Sunday of the same weekend. We will generally start each ride around 9am, with adjustments for train schedules. Ride schedule and routes are subject to change due to weather or other factors.

PACE GROUPS

Long (60-65+ miles, faster speed, and killer climbs): These rides will be led by Steve. 17+ mph (“Strava speed” on paved solo rides); 19-20mph (NYCC standards); ~14MPH average on gravel rides with 100ft/mile of elevation gain.

Medium (45-55 miles, moderate speed, skips some of the deadliest climbs): Kathy will lead these rides, which will still be challenging, but travel at a slower speed. Pace expectation: 14 mph (“Strava speed” on paved solo routes);l 16-17 mph (NYCC standards); ~12 MPH average on gravel rides with 100ft/mile of elevation gain.

Short (40-45 miles, no-drop): Ralph will typically lead these rides. This group will stop more often to rest, take photos, and enjoy the scenery, riding at a friendly, no-drop pace. Pace expectation: 12-13 mph (“Strava speed” on paved solo routes); 14-15 mph (NYCC standards); 10 MPH average on gravel rides with 100ft/mile of elevation gain.

“Strava speed” = actual recorded average speed for long, solo paved rides on relatively flat terrain (i.e., not group rides with drafting).

EXAMPLE RIDES FOR EACH PACE GROUP

It is difficult to describe pace for rides that include dirt, pavement, and substantial climbing. You can compare these examples to your own gravel rides over similar distances and elevation gains. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE ELEVATION GAIN. THESE WILL BE HILLY RIDES.

Long: 63 miles, 6300 ft climbing, ~14 MPH.
– Example: https://www.strava.com/activities/9023394582

Medium: 47 miles, 4500 ft climbing, ~12 MPH.
-Example: https://www.strava.com/activities/9023193918

Short: 45 miles, 3600 ft climbing, ~10.5 MPH.
-Example: https://www.strava.com/activities/9197009980

[These examples are from last year’s SGS rides]

RIDE ORGANIZATION

We will have at least one place to buy food and drink on each ride, but we are only doing grab-and-go during the ride itself (e.g., gatorade + portable snacks). Each group will have a few “wait for everyone” stops. That said, the Long and Medium groups will not wait for riders who are considerably behind the pace. The Short group will be no-drop — with some limits. If you are walking the hills and suffering, even at the slower ride pace, please take a shortcut back to the start and tell the rest of the group to travel without you. We can all hangout after the ride.

THREE REQUESTS

1) Please choose a ride group based on your riding speed, not distance. We want the groups to finish around the same time, so we can all hang out post-ride. We understand you can go the longer distance, but it will be more fun if people ride together (rather than get dropped) and then hangout for food and drink after the ride.

2) Ride safely! Please read our ride guidelines: https://grny.org/guidelines. Key points:
– Control your speed when traveling downhill. Racing downhill is how many serious injuries happen. If you’d like to ride hard, save it for the climbs! Then wait at the top.
– Being predictable to other riders and cars will keep everyone safer. Never pass a rider on the right. If you want to pass, call out, and then pass on their left (like a car).
– You need some form of off-line navigation and should have a backup navigation plan. Why? Many areas won’t have cell coverage. And phone batteries can die during long rides. Examples of offline navigation: Dedicated bike computer (Garmin, Wahoo, etc); Phone with paid subscription to Ride with GPS or Strava and remembering to download to route for offline usage before the ride; Paper map + cue sheets.

3) Don’t blow up your pace group.
– If one or two riders are traveling much faster than the group leader, others will chase them. Then everybody will get strung out riding alone.
– If you are faster than the group average, wait at the top of hills and after major road crossings.
– If there are big speed differences within a group, the group will subdivide at the first catch-up stop. This way everybody will have somebody to ride with.

GrNY: Tunnels and Climbs from New Milford, CT

This ride had it all: A tunnel, climbing, dirt roads, trails, and an extremely high percentage of dirt. Be ready for climbing! Our computers recorded 6300ft in just 53 miles. We traveled many forested gravel roads along streams and got up to ridgelines with great views. Temperatures were in the 30s when we started, but we were quickly shedding layers as the day warmed up. A couple of us grabbed some beers at the Housatonic Brewery after the ride. An excellent day out.

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38210313

Steve’s Strava Post: https://www.strava.com/activities/11071718327

It was a day for going up and down (rarely flat).

Streamside riding on dirt roads.

Oct 22, 2023: Autumn Ride from Pawling, NY

We encouraged folks to “join us while you can!”, and many people came out to ride. Days are getting shorter and temperatures are dropping. We don’t know when the best riding weather will end for the season.

This was a beautiful ride with cool weather, gorgeous autumn leaves, and a great group of riders. We revisited our Spring Gravel Series route that starts in Pawling, NY and travels through Litchfield County, CT. It was great to return to this region for the fall colors. After the ride, people from all three pace groups gathered at O’Connor’s Public House for food and drinks. Thank you everyone who joined us for this spectacular day!

ROUTES:

Steve’s Strava Activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/10086672755

Long-distance group riding through forested dirt roads.

Part of the medium-distance group (with Kathy behind the camera).

Beautiful views with fall foliage.

Long-distance group stopping for a photo at Mud Pond. The pond is much more beautiful than its name would suggest!

Oct 1, 2023: Gravel Century – Mt Riga, Sunset Rock and the Berkshires

This was the second year that we’ve done this ride (previously in 2022). It needs to become an annual tradition! This is some of the best riding in our broader region. Absolutely worth the trip and the effort. Note: You’ll need a car (or a lift from another rider) to get to the start location.

Ride description: Epic gravel ride that includes the climb up Mt Riga (~1250ft), the more challenging climb to Sunset Rock (~1050ft, but considerably steeper), the flat (and beautiful) Housatonic River Road, and other premium stretches of gravel in the region. It includes the option to visit Bash Bish falls (the trail is just steps away from the route). This can easily be made into a two-day bikepacking adventure (camping overnight at Taconic Falls State Park). Worth the drive!

Itinerary for our ride.
-19.5 mi: Optional water/gatorade stop at LaBonne’s Market in Salisbury
**34.5 mi: Required stop at Depot Deli for snacks/food/water. This will be needed after climbing Mt Riga and before climbing Sunset Rock (each 1250ft and 1050ft, respectively). Bathrooms potentially available at Taconic State Park campground across the street (when open for the season).
**49 mi: Lunch or snacks at one of these places: a) The Marketplace Kitchen and Cafe in Sheffield (sandwiches, etc, but extremely slow service); b) Gulotta’s Convenience Store next to the Mobil Gas Station has sandwiches, gatorade, etc, but no batherooms!; c) The Bakin’ Bakery (good place for desserts, they had small bottles of gatorade, and a bathroom).
-65mi: Optional detour to Falls River Cafe.
**78: Required Stop at supermarket or gas station in Sharon, CT. Last reliable place to get food/drinks before end of ride. Gas station = no bathrooms. But the supermarket across the street has bathrooms.

Parking: Housatonic Meadows Picnic Area has been a safe choice. They had a decent pit-style toilet (no running water) when we last visited (Oct 2023). There is no fee (just drive and park — no booth). Mark’s ride starts at Housatonic High School. I’m guessing that will work for weekends or summer, only.

Too long? Try these still epic, but shorter options. The shorter routes include both big climbs and the Berkshires sections.

FULL ROUTE: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39908432

Shorter versions:
86mi: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39908354
75mi: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39908450
68mi: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44553792

Steve’s Strava Activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/9959324686

Our route includes an abundance of quiet dirt roads (~50%) and generally nice paved roads connecting it all together.

Great views across our ride.

July 22, 2023: Lake Waramaug Gravel Ride

Beautiful ride! The long distane group took a bit of a shortcut back and did some soft pedaling (rider with mechanical), but that didn’t take away from an excellent and enjoyable ride. Everyone gathered for cold drinks and food by the river afterwards, which made for a fun post-ride social. The weather was perfect, especially the cooler morning hours. We never regret traveling up to this area. We hope to see everybody out there another time!

These were the routes:
Extra Credit: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43692320
Long: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43691565
Medium: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42464289
Short: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43691836

Here’s my Strava activity: https://www.strava.com/activities/9501953863

2023 Spring Gravel Series Recap

GrNY’s “Spring Gravel Series” (SGS) included 5 rides over 5 weekends and was great fun! Each ride had three speed groups, which corresponded to different route lengths (short, medium, long), so everybody would finish at about the same time to socialize after the ride. Join our Strava group to be notified of future rides (but see here first: https://grny.org/category/about-grny).

Just want the routes from each ride? Here’s a collection in RidewithGPS:
https://ridewithgps.com/collections/1897351?privacy_code=5fvuXMgvhsk25x93

SGS1 – Katonah, NY (May 6, 2023). Our first Spring Gravel Series ride of the year was an awesome time! Thank you to everyone who showed up and made it the fun day that it was. We travelled on some of Westchester’s most scenic rural roads. Many of us celebrated together after the ride at Paulie’s Deli, which has only about 5-6 taps, but always good stuff in them. Today’s selection included Lawson’s Finest Liquids: Sip of Sunshine, Maine: Lunch, and other non-IPA beers, of course. Those cold beers were well-deserved!
Photos and ride stats (Steve’s Strava profile):
https://www.strava.com/activities/9023394582

SGS2 – Dover Plains (May 13). It was an awesome ride. The long distance group had a fast bunch and we cleared this beautiful course impressively quickly. This route includes many of Dutchess County’s best dirt roads, including some hidden gems. We tackled the gorgeous streamside climb through Wassaic (Tower Hill Rd), Ludlow Woods Rd, Deep Hollow Rd, and so many other great spots. We saw everything from forests with deer hopping across the trail, to farms full of animals, to ridges with long pastoral views in the distance. Many of us capped off the ride together with burgers, ice cream, and beer.
Photos and ride stats (Steve’s Strava profile):
https://www.strava.com/activities/9066076684

SGS3 – Pawling, NY (May 21). Beautiful and fun ride! Thanks everyone who joined us today. The weather was perfect (warm enough for comfort, but not hot enough to overheat), and the condition of the dirt roads was really good. There were only a few rare spots that were soft from the previous day’s rain. And the route was as beautiful as I remember it. Many of us celebrated with cold beer and food at O’Connor’s Public House after the ride.
Photos and ride stats (Steve’s Strava profile):
https://www.strava.com/activities/9115448504

SGS4 – Cold Spring, NY (May 27). Awesome ride with a huge turnout! Much of the ride took place near Fahnestock State Park, with lots of fun and challenging climbs. We found all the hills today! The “long”, “medium”, and “short” distance groups accumulated ~7500ft, ~5400ft, and ~4800ft, respectively. There were beautiful forested roads, ponds, crazy climbs, and steep descents. A really fun time! Some of use stuck around for beer, ice cream, and snacks by the Hudson River in Cold Spring.
Photos and ride stats (Steve’s Strava profile):
https://www.strava.com/activities/9152286381

SGS5 – Far Hills, NJ (June 3). Spectacular ride. We traversed some of the region’s best rural roads, tackled the rugged climb through the Teetertown Ravine and later traveled through the spectacular Lockwood Gorge. The rest of the ride was wonderfully scenic, too. We had a great turnout – and missed a few from the group photo, as always. Most people joined us for drinks and snacks at the park after the ride. It was great to catch up with returning riders and to meet many new folks!
Photos and ride stats (Steve’s Strava profile):
https://www.strava.com/activities/9196314449

Questions? Feel free to reach out to Steve (track.smart@gmail.com).

“Fall Back” Gravel Ride: Brewster > Wingdale > Wassaic

In addition to turning back the clocks, on November 6, 2022 a group of GrNY riders tackled a gravel ride of 79 miles and over 7,000 ft of climbing (or a truncated 65 mile version).  This ride offered a bit of redemption, because the previous time we did this route was in early March, when we encountered many miles of snow-covered back roads.  The ‘normal’ dirt roads were fine that previous day in March, but the closed-for-the-season dirt roads had not yet melted.  Live and learn! 

Overall, this was a fun day out and a great first GrNY ride since my (Steve’s) return from Colorado.  It was a beautiful route with a mix of rural dirt and paved roads. And it was such a wonderfully warm day. It was hard to believe it was November.  Some of us celebrated with beer and pizza after the ride and both tasted mighty fine after our efforts.

There were a few minor imperfections on the day, but they didn’t dampen our spirits (even if they did dampen the roads!). The weather turned a bit wet and misty during the second half of our ride, but on such a warm day it really wasn’t much of a bother. And the first part of our ride, Pugsley Rd, was in the process of being redeveloped so it was a sketchy trek through an in-progress construction zone.  Thankfully, there was no active work on this weekend morning.  Say farewell to the formerly- quiet, and formerly-dirt Pugsley Rd!  It will soon be paved and have a huge warehouse operation, a large recreation center, and lots of truck traffic.  You may need to choose an alternate route to start this ride if construction is still underway.

The top “loop” of this ride has much more gravel than the bottom loop, especially now that Pugsley Rd is no longer dirt. It might be time to develop a better route that no longer starts from Brewster.

ROUTES:

– Full, 79 mile version:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41370685

– Shortened 65 mile version: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41370810

ACTUAL RIDE: https://www.strava.com/activities/8079592997

WARNING: After emerging from Penny Rd onto pavement you will encounter a crazy steep downhill. Go slow! One rider almost lost control. I guess I wasn’t clear enough when I tried to warn folks.

Note:  This version of the 79-mile route switches the direction of the “top loop”.  This is a change for the better.  First, it puts our lunch spot (Kent, CT) at mile 35.5, which is better timing.  Second, it allows for a  shortened 65-mile route that keeps everyone together until lunch time.  Third, it allows us to ride *up* Macedonia Brook State Park, which means you get more time to enjoy the lovely scenery, rather than bombing down it at high speed.

Tackling the climb inside West Mountain State Forest on the way to Penny Rd
Tackling the climb inside West Mountain State Forest on the way to Penny Rd. Penny Rd is definitely not a road anymore! It is a rough forest trail, but doesn’t last for long.
Foggy road through rolling farms and forests.
Foggy road through rolling farms and forests.

Riga, Sunset Rock, and the Berkshires

On June 24, 2022, a group of GrNY riders completed this epic ride to celebrate 2x Peter’s birthday (plus some extra miles to make it an even century). It was also a great sendoff before I head to Colorado for the rest of the summer. The upper ~65 miles come from Mark L’s excellent 2021 Riga route. I did an 80-mile version of this route last summer and knew that I needed to return!

Route Description:

Epic gravel ride that includes the climb up Mt Riga (~1250ft), the more challenging climb to Sunset Rock (~1050ft, but steeper), the flat (and beautiful) Housatonic River Road, and other premium stretches of gravel in the region. It includes the option to visit Bash Bish falls (just steps away from the route). Worth the drive!

I’ve pasted the RidewithGPS route below, which contains a detailed description and options for shorter 75- and 86-mile distances. The 75-mile route is probably the sweet spot as it includes both big climbs and the entire Berkshires part of the ride. The last 22 miles of the full route have some excellent dirt roads, too. We were originally going to start in Kent, CT, but moved the start location to Housatonic Meadows State Park Picnic Area to allow for some shorter “bailout” options (75 or 86 miles), in case anybody needed to get back earlier, or in case we ran out of steam. Thankfully we managed to keep the pedals turning for 100 miles and 9500 ft of climbing and had an awesome ride! We celebrated with some beer at the end.

ROUTE LINK:

SHORTER VERSIONS:

OUR ACTUAL RIDE:

Itinerary for our ride.

  • 19.5 mi: Optional water/gatorade stop at LaBonne’s Market in Salisbury
  • 34.5 mi: Required stop at Depot Deli for snacks/food/water. This will be needed after climbing Mt Riga and before climbing Sunset Rock (each 1250ft and 1050ft, respectively). Bathrooms available at Taconic State Park near the swimming area (across the street).
  • 49 mi: Lunch at the Marketplace Kitchen and Cafe in Sheffield (sandwiches, etc). They might not carry sports drinks, but we could backtrack 0.1 miles to the Mobile Station across the street if needed.
  • 65mi: Optional detour to Falls River Cafe.
  • 78mi: Required Stop at supermarket in Sharon, CT. Last reliable place to get food/drinks before end of ride.

Parking:

Housatonic Meadows Picnic Area has been a safe choice. They had decent porta-potties when we last visited (late June, 2022). There is no fee (just drive and park — no booth). Mark’s ride starts at Housatonic High School. I’m guessing that will work for weekends or summer, only.