A Beautiful Fall, until the Trees Followed their Leaves

No pictures of fallen trees here.  These are all pre-snowmageddon. 

I prefer to remember the stellar fall rides, including a chilly overnighter with Valerie around Barkhamsted Reservoir.  Valerie is a super fan of gravel roads, but I broadened her palette with some touring on trail.  Valerie was visiting from the Illinois flatlands, so it was imperative that we hit every hill in NW CT, especially steep gravelly ones.

Also went on some spectacular hikes, which is like biking except slower.  Purist riders should try it some time.  Valerie is a botanist, so she was helping me figure out which berries I could eat.  One edible berry I don't recommend is the highbush cranberry.  It tastes awful raw and when you boil it down to make jam it makes the house stink like zombie feet.  The jam (even full of sugar) is almost as bad as the raw berries.

In other news I've started riding on odd stuff while towing a trailer.  Like over a mattress or down the stairs by Founders Bridge.