I Heart the East Coast Greenway

The first third of my recent Northeast bike tour was on the coast and much of that portion was on the East Coast Greenway.  The ECG has grand plans to connect an off road bike route from Key West, FL to Calais, ME.  In the meantime, it's a patchwork of rail trails, bike paths, and on road segments.  You can pick up cue sheets online.  Several route segments have also been signed by local ECG chapters, for example, the route in coastal New Hampshire.

When you've been futzing with cue sheets and traffic all day it's very relaxing to come upon 5 miles of blissful bike path.  You can comfortably ride two abreast and take a break from incessant 'car back' rejiggering.

I'm going to get off my butt and join this awesome organization.  Perhaps you should too...

By the way, did you realize the East Coast Greenway passes right through downtown Hartford?  I expect this will result in more bicycle tourists calling on me as a Warm Showers host.

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Three Rules for Maine Drivers

Formulated these guidelines for Maine drivers while recently touring through that fine state.

1)  Things are really far apart so drive your truck as fast as you can.

2)  Don't slow down for anything as that would violate rule #1.  For example, obstacles such as tractors or bicycles shall be passed at full speed.

3)   When passing a slower moving vehicle on a two lane road, give them the full lane because that's the kind of nice guy you are, but try to time the pass for a sharp corner or blind hill.   Pay no mind to approaching traffic, and remember rules #1 and #2.

Once you've mastered these three simple rules you're an honorary Maine'r.

Extra Credit:  A true bred Maine'r will toot the horn from about half a mile back to let you know they are approaching at full speed.

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Mon Goo Se

I rebuilt my dad's old Mongoose Alta and rode out to Case the other day. While 34:16 is not too bad along the way, with flat pedals it's pretty hard to climb stuff. That's ok. Walking makes you a better mountain biker.

The 1995 Alta was the ne plus ultra of Altas. For some reason, my dad's came slightly better than stock, because it was full STX. Although, in making it a single speed, not much of the STX remains. I made it sort of a singlespeed like five or six years ago, when one of the shifter pods broke. It never worked that great, because while I'm a bad bike mechanic now, I was a really terrible one then.

I returned by cutting through the green spots on Google maps along the Manchester/Glastonbury boarder and ended up in the Glen Lochen mall. I love the Glen Lochen mall. I also found that new Glastonbury bike path, which led me to some turtles.

I stopped under the route three bridge, too.

Yesterday, I went to the Reservoir and found another copperhead.

Also, if anyone has the "MON GOO SE" tshirt from a long time ago, you can give it to me.

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Yale

I rode up to Boston on Friday for my friend Joe's birthday. I don't know the area between there and here that well passed Vernon, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover things like a cave and the Yale forest in Eastford. The Yale forest had this really pretty dirt road running through it.

Much the route through Connecticut, when nice, had road names like old turnpike or just turnpike. In fact the really nice dirt section was called turnpike, I think. There are not enough unpaved turnpikes these days. I think a dirt mass Pike would be great.

Once I got to Massachusetts, the roads were all terrible for the remainder of the ride. Apparently they haven't invented shoulders in much of that state.

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Bike to Work this Friday, May 18th

Get on your bikes and ride down to the Old State House  in downtown Hartford for some camaraderie and free breakfast.  I'll see you all there.  There are actually events throughout Connecticut on the 18th, not just in Hartford.

While you're at it, register for the National Bike Challenge.  This is an online tool for logging your bike commute miles where you can compete with friends and other employers to show you're the baddest ass bike commuter(s) in the state.

Some National Bike Challenge Stats:

• Pratt & Whitney is handing it to Travelers.  Engineers trump accountants?
• As of May 13th, Connecticut is ranked 21st of the states in the National Bike Challenge.  This curiously is the League of American Bicyclists most recent bicycle friendliness ranking of our state.
• Mississippi is as expected DFL in state rankings.  Sorry Mississippi, you suck.
• Metro Hartford is whipping the rest of the state on the community leaderboard.  Next runner up is Norwich-New London.

I think we can do better than 21st.  Come on folks!

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Ghost Bikes Return

Put back up a couple of ghost bikes on Burnside Avenue in East Hartford.  The CT DOT removed the originals last winter before one of the snowstorms, which was understandable.  The only irritating thing was they took them down the day before I headed over to get them myself.  So.... we painted a couple more bikes and replaced the memorials.  Lots of bicycles on the road in May, and everyone could use a reminder that we need to ride and drive safely.

Odd thing, when I was placing the first bike in front of the little grocery store I was immediately approached by "The Press."  It was odd because I'd told no one that I was placing the memorials today.  A friendly reporter from the East Hartford Gazette, who is also a cyclist, had seen me riding down the street with the ghosts in tow.  Recognizing them from last winter, he stopped and got the scoop.  I expect to see something show up in the Gazette in the near future.

With that in mind, the surviving partner of William Laramie, Linda Piotrowicz, is working with friends and family to organize the First Annual William Laramie Memorial Benefit Concert.  The event is Saturday, June 17th at the East Hartford Cultural Center from noon to 4PM.  The band lineup is amazing and entry donations will go to East Hartford school music programs and Bike Walk Connecticut.  Spread the word about the event with this Facebook invite.

On a totally different note, and I think a positive one, I have a P&W intern moving in late tonight for 10 weeks. He doesn't have a car, and I'll be setting him up with one of mine and showing him the routes to and from work.  The intern is actually in my group.  Either this is just a happy coincidence, or there is actually a wave of young college grads that don't automatically think they need a personal automobile.  I've read a recent article to that effect, and know of another friend that is housing a carless intern.  If the baby boomers and gen X'ers can't kick their car addiction, at least we can look to future generations to adapt as we pass from the scene (AKA die off). Read more!

BJ and the bear

There aren't any bears in BJ and the Bear, but I saw a bear yesterday at the Reservoir. It was awesome. I was coming down the fence line on the east side. Right near the house where the asshole throws all his stuff over the fence and into the trail I startled this bear that was in someone's back yard. It took off running along side me and then climbed right up a tree. It was undoubtedly one of the cooler things that I've seen while mountain biking. I'm also quite thankful that a fence separated us and I was traveling downhill.

I encountered two guys who riding in the opposite direction. I told them about the bear, about which they didn't believe me at first. I guess West Hartford doesn't really feel like a bear place.

When I was flipping my wheel to leave. A nice fellow who probably rode through five or ten minutes behind also saw the bear. He also helped me find the wing nuts I dropped that attach my silly bottle opener wrench to the frame.

Apart from the bear, the ride wasn't really all that great. my rhythm was all off and I kept tripping over things.

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Mountain bike movie

Surprisingly, the genre "mountain biking" is not that big in cinema. None the less, they still make a few of those movie with guys dressed for motorcross on springy bikes. Readers of pinkbike are way into it. Me? I like those Danny MacAskill and Chriss Akrigg videos and bmx videos. The downhill videos have too much erosion and slow motion usually. But, maybe 45 minutes of it will change my mind.

Anyway, the Wadsworth, which house lots of awesome art, will be showing Strength in Numbers on Friday at 7pm. It's only $5 and perhaps it'll strengthen the numbers of the mountain biking community in greater Hartford. You should go.

If you were good at knowing where things are in Hartford, you could have got free tickets. Read more!

The far afield posts begin again

As you know, I like Vermont. Since there was no winter, mud season ended early this year and Johanna and I decided to go up there. That caused me to learn how to do rudimentary plumbing. Next: bike frames!

I rode my old familiar haunts and discovered that some of them had developed Strava segments. This was almost as weird as having marginal cell phone coverage and the synchronized blinking of the wind turbines after dark.

I also ate a lot of fiddleheads. Read more!

Warm Showers, Freestylin', and Mourning

Interesting week.  Hosted my first bike tourer, Stu from the UK, on Wednesday.  I just signed up for www.warmshowers.org, a reciprocal hospitality depot for touring bicyclists.  I had heard of this years ago, but now that I've got a place of my own with an extra bedroom I'm able to participate!  Stu was a fine guest, and I wish him the best of luck on hitting as many US capitols as he can manage.  You'll notice that his touring gear is - a backpack - that's all.

On Saturday, Salem and I wandered north into Massachusetts.  We came across this gem of a stationary bike (Huffy Freestyle) at a tag sale near Agawam, or something.  I can't keep straight any of the nearby MA cities.  Was a pleasant ride, although Salem wouldn't stop complaining about some inside baseball CT NEMBA stuff.

Looks like Brendan is organizing the Ride of Silence in Hartford this year.  Glad he is, since otherwise I'd have to.  If you're not familiar with ROS, it's a solemn memorial ride to remember those lost to cars while cycling.  The ride starts at 7PM from the Bushnell Carousel in downtown Hartford Pond House at Elizabeth Park and will be a slow, silent 10 miles.  Folks often attached signs to their backs or tie black fabric around one arm to show they are in mourning.

Stay safe out there kiddos.  Lots of newbies cycling this year.  If you see them doing something unsafe, clue them in.  Similarly, if you're riding with a friend (who's driving) and they pull an asshole move around a cyclist, let them know they could kill somebody - and it might have been you or someone you know.  There were several cyclist deaths in the area last year.  Let's do our part to lower that number this year. Read more!

Come on down to the Blow Hole

Ok,
So they renamed the park "River Highlands," but either way, CT Nemba along with REI is hosting a trail clean up at the park in Rocky Hill on Sunday.  In case you haven't been there, it's a nice place for walking, riding, and watching holes blow.  Here's the clean-up blurb.

"CT NEMBA and REI West Hartford are hosting a trail work day this coming
Sunday 5/6 at River Highlands State Park in Cromwell, kicking off at 9 AM.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided to the volunteers, and we'll do a ride
afterward.  I'll be there.  Click here for location:
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=434748#directions."
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Grand Opening of the Hartford Bicycle Studio

Guest Post from a new Purveyor of Downtown Bicycle Culture:

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Hello ladies and gents of the Beat Bike Blog,

I’d like to invite you all, and all your readers, to the grand opening event of The Hartford Bicycle Studio this Friday night.  This has been in the works for a long time and we’re very excited to share our work with everyone.

I’ve created The Hartford Bicycle Studio with the goal of promoting local artists and our cycling community here simply because I love art, bikes, and of course, Hartford.  Our artists paint bike frames by hand to create unique, functional works of art.  Bikes, art, and items made from recycled bike parts will be available for sale. Some of our artists will also be offering custom bike painting services to customers beginning this month.  You can go to www.HartfordBicycle.com for more general info on the studio, too.

The Artists:

Matt Rubino

Molly Lantagne

Brian Burke

Heather Platen

Meredith Arcari

Amy Canter

Patrick Connolly

This event will be held from 5-10pm at 57 Pratt Street, home of our gracious friends at Downtown Yoga and Cycled Energy, Hartford's first green cycling studio (and winner of the 2011 Hartford Innovation Challenge) which captures energy generated by pedaling and sends electricity back into the power grid.

Aruna Chocolates will also be showcasing their ridiculously delicious organic, raw chocolate.

Our friends at Atom Space, the pop-up contemporary art exhibition, will also be hosting the opening for their show, As It Ever Was, next door from 6-9pm.

Come out to support the growth of local artists and our cycling community!

Thank you,

Patrick

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Of note:  This is the 1000th post on the Beat Bike Blog.  Kick ass kiddos!

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Detour to A Dong

A Dong, the giant Asian grocery store on New Britain Ave, is a staple in many people's lives around here. I can't really remember how long they've been open, but it's been a long time and I've been going there since whenever that long time began (I think some time in middle school). One would think that since I've been living within two miles of it, I'd be going there far too much and eating more ramen than ever. But, in the three, almost four years, that I've been living in the South End, I've been going there less and less. While the Stop & Shops are on sort of bike friendly routes, the obvious way to A Dong is New Britain Ave and I hate riding on New Britain Ave. I think riding on that street with a bike loaded with groceries is especially unattractive.



Two weeks or so back, I bit the bullet and rode over there and it wasn't terrible. I forget that it's so close that my time on New Britain Ave is pretty inconsequential. Last night I went over there for a new cleaver and bottle of Sriracha sauce. Johanna and I are going up to Vermont and food prices are high up there. However, the most overpriced food of all is Sriracha. If you want to make good money in Glover, VT, sell Asian condiments (or tofu or kimchi). If you sell them at 250% markup above A Dong retail and undercut the present 300% markup, you'll make a killing! To wit: the big bottle at A Dong is $2.95 and at the Parker Pie store the small bottle is like $7! Not that I have anything against their pizzas, beer, chicken wings, salad, etc., but things vaguely Asian are super expensive! Those aforementioned things are not expensive and I really like them. Anyway, I digress from my digression.

Anyway, I took the scenic route and encountered a man who pointed out some lichen that looked like a panda bear and kept the A Dong trip on about 50% dirt. I think once you ride the De Tour, you will only pick routes that are 50% dirt and quintuple the travel time. 

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Couldn't ask for a better day aka Tony rode the furthest

Today was the De Tour de Connecticut (this is where it went) and a higher power decided to give it the greatest weather ever. Unlike last year, I drove out to it and was on time. Of course, nothing can ever be that perfect, so I forgot my pump in the car. I rode back to retrieve it and gave myself an extra mile or so. The pace started quick, so I thought I wouldn't catch anyone until Willimantic or so, but I started catching friends with whom to ride a little bit before the Bolton Notch. Eventually I caught the main group out in Coventy or Andover or some place like that.

We rode and rode. This year's route had more dirt, provided by a slight different (and better, I'd say) route, and a muffin stop. I cannot stress how good of a time I had, even though though my lead group bona fides were dashed when I bonked going up Champion Hill. I guess Jesse and Salem are the true hardmen. Also, I need to pack more food.

But anyway, thanks to Salem for putting together an awesome ride.

And, Tony rode to the ride!

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Money and mouth

At some point, I was once again lamenting the problems with the trails at the West Hartford Reservoir. Unlike other times I'd done that, I said "I should be a trail ambassador!" You know, that NEMBA thing. So, I went to the training for it and paid my NEMBA dues. Now I've have a yellow jersey declaring me an ambassador.

And, I wrote a report about riding at the blow hole. At some point, perhaps today, I'll go ambassadate at the Reservoir and in a single afternoon narrow all the trails and get rid of all the trail braids. Read more!

Another Bicycling Film at the Wadsworth

May 11th @ the Wadsworth Aetna Theater.  Mountain biking documentary. Strength in Numbers.

Holy bike culture Batman!  Guess the sell out of Bicycle Dreams may have started something?

Looks like tickets are only five clams.  Betcha it sells out too.

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More reasons not to write

I wrote a post about how I don't write enough and then promptly wrote nothing for a few days. I am truly a hypocrite. I did some stuff, though, and it was mostly pretty great. It was also rough on my bikes.

Last Friday, I figured how to remove a crown race with a pocket knife and reinstall it with a vacuum cleaner tube. Take that Sheldon Brown! Drunk on my mechanical prowess, I replaced my chain because it was bent in several places (a problem I didn't know could happen to chains). So, I put my bike in the trunk, stopped at Central Wheel for a new chain and watered my parents' plants on my way to Nassahegon. Of course, replacing the chain does great things like inform you that your cassette is so worn out that you can't pedal up any inclines. I wasn't going to let this ruin my day. So, I rooted around in my parents' garage looking for some old shoes, because I had only worn cycling shoes. I found a pair of New Balances from my youth that had no holes in the bottom, but left my right big toe rather exposed.

I went over to the Avon Land Trust's trail on Nod Road. I found an illegal tree stand, which I took down. I followed this deer trail for awhile and then ended up climbing this rather exposed cliff. It was probably kind of stupid for me to do that. Eventually, I found this big black snake. I texted Johanna a picture of it and she got mad at me.

On Saturday, I went to the CTNEMBA trail school thing. It had good sandwiches. I also learned how to deal with grade vs. the fall line and grade reversal so that your trail doesn't become an eroded mess. I learned that like no trails around here are properly built. After the classroom portion, we went to Huntington State Park and did some benching. When done, I thought we were going to go for a bike ride. Apparently, no one wanted to go for a ride besides me. So, armed with the map provided at the gate (the fancy state parks in Fairfield County have maps!) and advice from Mark I rode around for about 45 minutes before smacking my derailleur on a rock and bending the hanger. I bent it out of the spokes and limped out of the woods. They got a lot of rocks there.

I also have come to possess a Schwinn Le Tour with a strange fork crown that was in the dump for awhile and then in Peter's basement for awhile. Johanna even approves of it. Also, I realized on its maiden ride that the Schrader tube I had with me was incompatible with the pump (no reversible chuck). Living on the edge! Read more!

The Winds of Change are Blowing

Brendan accused us of not blogging.  Perhaps we've been riding too much?  Such thing as too much riding?

Before we start, I wanted to put a plug in for the deliciously beautiful sufferfest that Salem has arranged for next weekend, the DeTour de Connecticut.  Approximately 120 miles of the roads and trails less traveled.  Bring your chubby tires and buns of steel.  Don't forget to print up the cue sheets and bring a map and / or GPS device.  It's going to be a blast!

I noticed this past week that the bike racks outside my building at work were full.  Facilities had just added a third rack.  It seems that our Connecticut bicycles made sweet productive love this balmy winter in their dark garages and basements.  This Spring their energetic progeny is out frolicking on our streets and clogging up bike racks.  It's amazing really.  Overnight it seems some people are realizing that the world is changing / has changed and their old habits just won't work in the long term.  Not everyone.  But I feel it has begun.

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Whatever happened to the beat bike blog?

As we approach 1,000 posts, I guess we've decided to stop writing. It's probably because after all these posts we (I) have realized we're not that great at writing. Anyway, it is not time to shut the light off on the beat bike blog just yet, because exciting things like the detour de Connecticut is coming up and I took an extended hike-a-bike down the Metacommet trail last weekend. And, just last night I had a protracted fight with a headset. These are the kind of things that need to be written about.



Much like I had never been up Ragged Mountain, I had never been up Rattlesnake Mountain. So, I started my ride at 50 Cent's house and went south. There were a lot of nice stretches of singletrack and a lot of hiking. The climbers on Rattlesnake Mountain thought I was pretty weird clambering by with a bike on my shoulder. Additionally, while ATVs generally put me in a terrible mood and the greater Rattlesnake Mountain area seems to be replete with them, they stay off the Metacommet. Also, if you think I'm a bad guy for riding here, I assure you that there are no CFPA "NO BIKES" signs here. Here's a very incomplete Strava of the ride:

The headset story isn't very interesting. It's just indicative of how bad of a mechanic I am.

So, anyway.

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