I Saw the Sign, It Opened Up My Mind

The title for this article is not just the lyric for a 90’s pop song.  Signs, and their placement, make a world of difference. If you can’t find it, it doesn’t exist for you.  Unless you are interested in obsolescence and avoiding the majority of those interested in your city or product, pay attention to signs.  I’ve noticed in my recent travels that many cities do signage in a more proactive way than Hartford, Connecticut.  Particularly from the viewpoint of a pedestrian or cyclist, there isn’t much to guide you in getting around Hartford and the near suburbs.  Finding the best route from point A-to-B, say for a work commute, usually involves internet research, asking local experts, and then testing the route out on the weekend to determine if you’ll become roadkill when you brave the trip during a morning commute.  In Columbus for example, there were several bike signed routes crisscrossing the city that included bike lanes, multi-use paths, and shared use roads (with Sharrows).

Learning up on history.  This sign was about the Homestead Strike.

The 2014 Parks Plan proposed (and was accepted by the City) a signed and color coded system of bike routes throughout Hartford, connecting the parks, and more importantly providing clear cross town routes for those choosing to make their way via bicycle.  This portion of the parks plan was the only section that received applause during the Parks Plan presentation and public comment session.  Since being adopted very little has been done to implement that beautiful and forward thinking concept.  Hartford residents, cyclists, and Parks users should continue to ask the City (City Council, Hartford’s Mayor, and the Department of Public Works) what they are doing to achieve the vision set out in that plan.

The East Coast Greenway runs directly through Hartford.  This is a nationally significant bicycle route connecting the entire East Coast, from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida.  A significant portion of the trail (~30%) is on multi-use paths and that non-road share is growing.  The purpose of the trail is to provide safe and enjoyable routes connecting cities all along the Eastern seaboard.   The cities and states that embrace these non-car multi-use routes get benefits galore.  Weekend recreational users come from the nearby areas to take short trips, shop, and dine at the nearby restaurants.  Organized regional bike tours choose those cities for tour stops, filling up hotel rooms and restaurants.  Bicycle and hiking tour books list those trails and cities, drawing in out of state visitors that come from all over to experience the day trips and loop rides from a convenient central location.  Cross country cyclists, the tail of the bell curve, carry a lot of weight when making recommendations to others on where to ride – and where not to ride.

I bring up the East Coast Greenway because it is pathetic how little and sparse the signs are for the route in the Hartford metro region.  The East Coast Greenway Alliance has provided signs, and the local committee has valiantly hung them, but they are small and far between.  There isn’t a “Hartford Welcomes the East Coast Greenway” sign on Founders Bridge or at the Bloomfield border, and there aren’t signs directing ECG users to the nearby shopping and restaurants downtown.  Signs noting that there are temporary lockers for panniers at the Science Center and Wadsworth Atheneum would free riders up to economically cavort around the city with their bikes and locks alone.  A half dozen clearly labeled “bike lockers” located on Founders Plaza could be used by commuting employees and bicycle tourists alike.   This is a ripe opportunity for the Hartford Business Improvement District.  Spend a couple thousand dollars bragging about what you’ve already got and shout about the existing East Coast Greenway.  Pull folks off the riverfront and into your business establishments, and advertise that Hartford is welcoming to those that come to town via bicycle.

  

The Gold Street realignment would have improved the East Coast Greenway connection between the Hartford Club and Bushnell Park, but the expensive overreach of the project and a NIMBY short sighted condo board squashed that plan.  There are several infrastructure projects on deck in East Hartford (see page 19 of the linked PDF) that will massively improve the ECG route.  Connecting the multi-use path from Forbes Street to Simmons in the I-84 corridor is one of them.  The CT DOT is also looking at a way to connect Riverside Drive to the dirt road that comes off of the Route 2 off ramp.  Riding up the off ramp to the dirt road is a favorite non-road alternative to Main Street, but you run the chance of getting collared by the state police.  Closing that 400 yard gap shouldn’t be difficult, until you consider that it involves working with both the CT DOT and Pratt and Whitney.

  

Despite wrangling a $500,000,000 tax deal Pratt & Whitney (or someone at UTC corporate HQ) is against routing the East Coast Greenway from Pratt & Whitney Field and down Willow Street.  P&W is building a supposedly “green” engineering headquarters right on Willow Street.  One would wonder why a company trumpeting their environmental chops is against the best routing of a sustainable transportation connection for the both their employees and the community.  UTC just moved its headquarters out of Hartford to Farmington, where the amazing Farmington Valley Trail provides all the benefits that I’ve described above to the towns it passes through. I encourage folks at P&W, UTC, and the Town of East Hartford to ask about the plans and where they stand.  If you’re not asking for it, it will never arrive.

IMPORTANT NOTE - The other huge thing that affects the route of the East Coast Greenway is the I-84 Redesign.  This is the biggest infrastructure and public works project that Hartford will see in our lifetimes.  There is a public comment session next Tuesday (Sept 22nd) in Hartford at the Lyceum.  Go there.  Be loud.  Verbally and in writing include the importance of Complete Streets and the Greenway.  Can't make the meeting, you can still comment online.

Obvious sign showing the way.  Come spend money here.  And I did.

This type of sign is common along the gap.  Where the local amenities are.  Spend money guide map.

That being said, there are already amazing trails in the Hartford metro area that are woefully under-utilized.  Why?  Because there aren’t any signs and the publicity of those resources is non-existent. Only those that read the Beat Bike Blog know about these multi-use paths and trails.  I’ll list a few below:

• The Hockanum River Path – Part of the East Coast Greenway.  You can pick this up at the end of the East Hartford Great River Park trail or jump on behind East Hartford Town Hall.
• The Charter Oak Greenway – This path starts on Forbes Street just a block North of Silver Lane and follows the I-84 / I-384 corridor.  You can ride to Wickham Park on a spur or go straight to downtown Manchester.  This trail almost connects to the Hop River Trail between Manchester and Willimantic.  
• The East Hartford and Hartford multi-use paved paths along the riverfront.  There are several miles of paved paths along both sides of the river.
• North-South off road trails along the dikes and Connecticut River.  One can ride all the way from Hartford North to Windsor on off road trails – on both sides of the river.  Heading South from Great mountain biking right from Downtown Hartford.
• Mountain Biking in Keney Park – Right in our back yard.  Easy carriage paths and rather technical single track.  Keney is such a big park you could camp there for a week without bothering anyone.
• The I-91 overpass between North Downtown and Hartford's Riverside Park.  I wrote a whole article about that under used connection.
• The trail system from New Haven to Westfield, MA.  This nearly cross state route only has a few gaps remaining.  This is also part of the East Coast Greenway route.
• The 5 miles of trail along CT Fastrak between Newington Junction and Downtown New Britain.  

What do we do about this lack of signs?  I suggest we make our own.  I’m tired of waiting for cities, committees, and the DOT to turn their broken rusty gears.  I would love to see Hartford Prints design and hang their own way finding signs that takes walking and biking visitors from Bushnell Park, Downtown North, and the Founders Bridge to Pratt Street.  Hartford Prints could then offer "way finding sign design services" to the other businesses clamoring for the exposure to directed and hungry foot traffic.

Sign for Round Bottom Campground.  I like signs.

Free camping trail side.  Round Bottom!  Like both.

Listed below are other "proactive" things I’ve noticed while riding the Great Allegheny Passage, an economic engine for many cities along its route.  The more of these we do along the Connecticut East Coast Greenway route, the better.

• Camping.  Informal, free (or cheap) primitive camping at ~10 to 15 mile intervals.  These sites are maintained by the local park district or volunteers.  The lean-to shelters are for through hikers and bikers only and are built by the local scout troops.  This would be an ideal amenity in the Riverfront Park on either the East Hartford or Hartford side.  Cyclists that stay at the shelters are guaranteed to stop in your city for groceries, tourist activities, and restaurants.  They’ll also wax ecstatically about the awesomeness of your city to friends.  Examples – Connellsville, PA has 4 lean-to shelters on a grassy rise outside their business district.  I ate a huge breakfast there and they just got free advertising.  Confluence, PA has $5 hiker / biker camping at the city campground, walking distance from the city center.
• Obvious and advertised lodging, hotels, and bed and breakfast directly along the route.
• Mileage signs along the route letting you know how far you are from nearby cities and amenities such as lodging, restaurants, and bike shops.
• Warm Showers hosts to provide options to budget bike tourists.  These bike tourists are usually on a tight budget.  If you can’t get their hotel dollars, they’ll still eat in your city.  Hartford fortunately has an active group of WS hosts, but it would be good to get more of them along the route in other Connecticut ECG cities.
• Connectivity.  Connect the damn segments.  Even if there are on road segments.  Put up clear signs that hook trails into each other so that folks don't have to guess - or miss the connection altogether.

Let’s all see the signs – and where we don’t – we’ll create them ourselves.

Mckeesport.  A narrow bike way under a building overhang, next to rail.  Creative!

While leaving Mckeesport, PA outside of Pittsburgh on the GAP trail I noticed many creative infrastructure solutions that accomodated a multi-use path on a constrained or otherwise challenged corridor.  I challenge the CT DOT and Hartford's DPW to stop being whiners about "corridor width" and look to other cities for solutions.  Part of the solution is a city (and businesses) that cooperate.  We're all in this together.  If mountainous Pittsburgh can be a bike friendly city (with winter, cobblestones, and so many rivers), Hartford has it damn easy.

An unused (so far) rail bridge connection.  I chilled here for a bit.

Can you spot the coal seam?  

Learning about coal from a sign.  Holding in your hand is akin to reading porn.

I'm not sure why, but touch coal feels illicit.  I just want to burn it and act like a romping caveman.  So much history, geologic and human, in that small handful.  And so much slow destruction of our climate.

Entrance to a mine... that horizontal sliver.

Peeking into the mine.  Rotten timbers support the rocks above.  

Ohiopyle is beautiful!

This summer we most definitely made signs for BiCi Co.  You won't catch us under publicizing a new Hartford gem!

Summer BiCi Co service project - Painting signs with Brendan Gingras!

Read more!

Louisville Gets the Boot

This bulging tire needs a boot!

Not really.  So far Louisville is fine by me.  On my first day of the return ride from Santa Claus, IN to Hartford, CT I noticed a hop in my back tire.  Early in the tour I picked up a nail while riding through Native American land in upstate New York.  The nail had come in sideways through the tread and damaged the casing over about a half inch, rather than just a small puncture hole.  At first the reinforcement of the patch behind the weak spot was enough, but the tire degraded at the damaged location.  ~ 600 miles later - the back tire is hopping and the tube is trying to exit the casing.  Time for a tire boot.  I wrapped the tube with a dollar bill (great solution, right?) and tucked it back into the tire.  Good enough for now, but I need a new rear tire soon.  Aside from the blazing heat, it was a great day of riding with surprisingly low traffic and beautiful scenery.

Not a bad view from lunch.  Overlooking the Ohio River.

Crossing a rail bridge where the trail ended.  Shhh.  Don't tell.

Fortuitously, I was stealth camped just across the Ohio River from Louisville, KY and it's several bike shops.  The camp was quiet, appropriate for a camp fire, and boasted a river view of Falls of the Ohio.  Stealth camping doesn't get much better.  A short ride down the bike path, through a junk yard with a hole in the fence (trail ended), and then along some more dike-top bike paths brought me to a converted rail bridge between Jeffersonville and Louisville arching over the Ohio River Falls and dam.  The bridge was spectacular and lured one to linger with classical music and benches (really!).

This bridge plays you music.  Because awesome!?

Fingers crossed that the bike shop in Louisville that opens at 10am carries 700x40 tour capable tires.  I need the fatties for my GAP and C&O tour leg, not to mention my random trail jaunts for camping.  The minor detour will also give me a chance to peruse the bike friendliness of this  Bronze Bicycle Friendly community.

Falls of the Ohio, looking toward Louisville

Falls of the Ohio, looking downstream

Plug of the day - Night Fall.  There is a key Night Fall fundraiser on Sunday (9/13) at the Pond House in Elizabeth Park.  Support this surreal and ephemeral art and performance event, coming yearly to Hartford's parks.   Be a part of the community that loves and furthers this Hartford gem.  And save the date for the Night Fall performance on October 10th in Keney Park. Read more!

The Art of the Camp

I get incredulous looks from folks when they hear about my typical bike touring accommodations.  Certainly, one could stay at hotels, or line up a string of friends and WarmShowers hosts.  Even state parks with ready electrical outlets and community bathrooms are upper tier lodging when I'm traveling.  I appreciate the luxury of a bed, air conditioning, a door that locks, and the all important shower.  Having access to a washing machine to wash away the road and start fresh is a gem.

View from a stealth camp.  Photo credit Meghan Tarkington.

What I'd like to share is that the value of these luxuries is amplified when you stealth camp.  I often say, "You can't be happy until you've been sad."  That's my logic.  Those swaddled in silk pajamas, pillow top mattresses, and climate control don't truly appreciate those amenities.  When I get to a quiet, secure, and comfortable bed - it's Heaven.  Sleeping on clouds for a week at least.  If I forget I'm in Heaven, I can think back on the road and it's Heaven again.

That's not the only reason.  You think through reasons and details during a long tour.  The next reason to stealth camp is minimizing overhead.  If you're going to take off work for 6-7 weeks for a bike tour, and you're not disgustingly wealthy, the cost of the trip is of import.  Even a state park will run you $15 - $25 a night.  If you camp in a "dispersed fashion" at (or near) a state park, but then catch a shower on the way out in the morning, you just saved as much as food is going to cost for that day - doubling your range if financially limited.  WarmShowers is also a good financial option, since hosts will often feed you dinner and maybe even breakfast, but it's difficult to line up a host for every evening.  A tour that combines WS hosts and stealth camping can be had on a shoestring budget.

Far off the beaten path in pursuit of what looked like a pond. Photo credit Meghan Tarkington.

The last value of the stealth camp is the isolation and novelty.  I've had some of the most amazing and private camping spots on this past trip.   When you can stand around and air dry for 30 minutes in the sun after jumping in a pond - that's a freedom not many experience.  Try that in a State Park and you'll have a different type of lodging for the evening.

Do These Things

• Trust your gut feeling.  If a camp feels sketchy or not right, don't stay there.
• Start looking early.  Well before you need to camp, keep an eye out for good looking parks and wooded parcels.  
• Be prepared for rain.  My first long tour was with a hammock that didn't have a rain fly, and that significantly cut down my camping options.  Hammock camping can be super light, but you should get one with a fly.
• Plan your water supply.  You'll need enough water to get to camp, for in camp use, and then enough to get to your next refill.  I've been carrying 3 large bottles late in the day, and I have a filter bottle for backup if I need to pull from a lake or stream.  When you're riding during the day you may only need two bottles full.
• Bring toilet paper.   A bit more than you need for two days.   Stealth camps nay not have a bathroom.  Be a good camper - bury your waste.
• If you're going to "publicly" do an informal camp, it doesn't hurt to ask first.  I camped at a grassy trailhead in the small town of Millersburg, OH in Amish country at the recommendation of a Boy Scout troop that I passed on my way.  I followed up by asking local recreational cyclists if they thought it was acceptable to camp there, they said, "Sure.  Can't see why not."  
• If you know (or intuit) that the park or trail is going to get busy in the morning, get up early and move on.  
• Keep an eye out for free or locally accepted informal camp spots.  These often occur along popular through riding bike paths.  For example, the C&O Canal has a primitive camp site every five miles along it's length with well head, a grill, and a port-a-john.
• Have a helmet light or headlamp.  Stealth camp setup often happens at dusk or even at dark if you're running late.  An advanced technique is to scout a trail, catch a late snack, and just at dusk duck into the trail and set up camp after the last folks are likely to wander by.  Also after park staff has left for the night and potentially closed the park gates.  A headlamp makes this much easier in the dark.
• Bring a pair of comfortable (test them / acclimate at home) earplugs.  Your spot may look great, but be fifty feet from the train tracks or US interstate.  
• *** Initially not on the list. *** Learn what poison ivy and similar itch inducing plants look like.  It's a good idea to learn about stinging nettles too - although that is just a temporary skin fire.  My physiology is particularly well suited for stealth camping.  I don't get poison ivy and no bumps from mosquito bites.  That's why I forgot it in my first list of important things.  I've heard there is nothing worse than squatting to go to the bathroom in poison ivy and finding your nether bits covered in oozing, itchy patches for weeks.  Funny (not funny) story about my youth.  My brother, David, gets severe poison ivy.  I found it hilarious to pluck a section of vine and chase him around with it.  He'd get an itchy tattoo for weeks wherever I was able to swipe him with it.  I was a horrible child.

A roof to keep the dew off.  Photo credit Meghan Tarkington.

Things Not To Do - Some of these are Lessons Learned

• ***NEW*** Do not camp among the boulders near the base of a tall cliff.  Those boulders got there by falling off the cliff and tumbling along.  In the middle of the night, you have a remote, but entirely avoidable, chance of getting smashed by falling rocks.  A frightening night listening to rocks cleave off a too close cliff in the Hudson River Valley helped create this rule. 
• Camp below the high water level on a river, creek, or beach.  Be a bit conservative here.  A tidal river can quite sneakily rise overnight and all the sudden you're sopping wet and your gear has floated away.
• Ignore trespassing signs, particularly ones with guns on them
• Keep food in your tent.  Unless you want to intimately meet a raccoon or bear, put your food far from your camp.   I keep it double bagged in my touring dry sacks.  When bears are a concern, the food gets hoisted into the air on a tree branch a good way from the tent.
• Do not start a forest fire.  If you don't know how to contain a fire, put it out all the way, or ascertain if the conditions are just too risk - do not start a camp fire.  Be careful with your camp stove.  Another reason to think twice about your camp fire is that it is an obvious camp giveaway and locating beacon if you are trying to keep a low profile.
• Pick a swampy spot.  You'll get eaten alive.
• Leave your bike unlocked while you take a hike or sleep.  I just sleep better, and this one time a drunk Quaker on the Earlham Campus green tried to steal my bike while I was sleeping right next to it on the ground.  I always carry at least a lightweight cable lock, and the amount of effort to lock up and unlock is negligible.
• Camp 20 feet into a well used trail, unless you're okay with every damn dog walker strolling by at 6am.  Go in at least half a mile.  That weeds out all but the most ardent walkers.
• Try to do this in a big city.  Camping under a bridge in a city with a lot of valuable gear and a transient population is a great way to get robbed.  I've camped several areas in Hartford, but that requires a lot of knowledge of the area.  Not something you're going to have passing through on a tour.
• Expect to get the perfect spot every night.  Some nights you might totally strike out and have to go to a "backup".  Getting a great view is a challenge for stealth camping, because a view means that you're potentially visible too.
• Neglect to dry out your gear.  This is a camping basic, but on this trip I've had to take extra steps to keep things from getting musty.  With stealth camping you sometimes have to get up early and pack up wet.  The dry out may be at the end of the day, rather than the beginning.
• Freak out about every noise you hear during the night.  There are animals in the woods.  Toads hopping in the leaves certainly sound like a person sneaking up on you when your lizard brain is engaged.  

Cliffs are pretty, but don't camp too close.  Falling rocks do happen.

There are backups.  Camping behind a church is usually okay, but be up and gone by services.  You can often get a spot behind (or even inside) a fire department if you stop and ask.  When you are super rural, and it's nothing but farm fields, pick out a farm house that looks well kept and you can ask if sleeping in their back yard or field would be OK.  

What if someone comes knocking?  It happens.  Be courteous and apologetic.  Explain what you're doing.  If it's the park ranger, you'll probably have to pay the camping fee.  Maybe sing an aria.  Meghan, the opera singer, actually did this on her first night ever stealth camping.  I prefer to be a likable, harmless story teller.  I've not yet had to "move on" in the middle of the night.  But it's not the worst thing that can happen.

Happy camping!  And remember ----- the following rural roadside advertisement was the cutest thing ever.

Past - School Houses - Take it Slow

Let the Little - Shavers Grow - Burma Shave

Did you "Like" and "Share" the BiCi Co. Facebook page?   Membership drive coming soon at this new Hartford community, teaching bike shop.  We need your help to get this wheel rolling.

Read more!

Hanging Out

The best part of bike touring is hanging out.  Stopping and spending time.  Taking in the scenery.  Breathing and enjoying the current moment.  Having a couple beers with strangers. 

When I lived in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois (2007-2010) there was a tiny bike cooperative - The Bike Project.  A crew of regular volunteers and members seemed to be there all the time - hanging out.  I'm headed off on this tangent, because I think BiCi Co. will be that destination and connection for our community.  Beyond the nuts and bolts and bike safety training, BiCi Co. will be a welcoming social space.  Conversation may involve bikes but will often veer into politics and the local bands playing this weekend.  The crew will be diverse and reflect both cycling die hards, Park Street neighborhood residents, and the downtown employee recreational cyclists.

My camp spots have been stellar this trip.  On the bank of Black Creek.

Hanging out.  That seems like a shallow goal for a nonprofit social enterprise.  Perhaps, until you step back and realize that most of the jobs folks get nowadays are through connections and networking.  Then hanging out means jobs access.  I could also describe how major projects and social movements are often hatched while simply hanging out.  The more diverse the group, the better.  Some of the best teaching and learning happens during down time and “hanging out”.  That’s when the experts aren’t frazzled and get one-on-one time with those that spend extra time in the space.  So yes, BiCi Co. must be somewhere folks want to hang out.  I think that means we’ll have a coffee maker with an honor box and some places to sit down and chat.  It also means, that we’ll plan unstructured time in the space and social meet ups.

Note - The Bike Project grew from a small room to two large locations with paid staff in three short years.  Urbana, Illinois is now a Gold Bicycle Friendly Community.

This construction company fence makes me pine for Anne Cubberly's creations.

I tasted ALL of those honey wines.  And left with two bottles.

In Salmanaca, NY.  This shrine was amazing and confusing.  The whole front yard.

One of the prettier swamps.

This fellow galloped up to meet me.  Expectant.

Read more!

And then the days got short.

But did we stop riding?  No.  We did not stop riding.

It's pretty time.

In doing my part to extend fair weather cyclists and commuters into the Fall and Winter, I want to tell you about some upcoming events.

More pretty time.

1. Thursday, October 31st.  East Hartford IceBike to Work.  7-8AM at Maddies on Main Street.  Right across the street from Pratt & Whitney.  Don't forget to bring lights.  Rain or shine, and if there is another freak snowmagedon - we're still on.  An informal meet up of bicycle commuters (and aspiring bicycle commuters) to chat about miscellany - often bike related but not necessarily.  Something I try to organize (informally) once a month.
2. Saturday, November 9th.  There is going to be a cyclocross race less than a block from my house.  Colt Park.  Get yer bike dirty in Hartford and do your best to beat Brendan.
3. Sunday, November 10th.  Traffic Safety 101 Course in West Hartford.  Chris and I (certified League Cycling Instructors) will be co-teaching this full day course.  Classroom, parking lot drills, and a guided road ride will hone your street cycling skills and working knowledge.  Registration is now open.
4. Tuesday, November 12th.  Bike Walk Connecticut Annual Dinner at CCSU.  This years event will be even bigger and the silent auction items are better than ever.  A good time for a very effective organization.  Celebrating our accomplishments and energizing the Connecticut bicycle cognoscenti for another year of bike and ped progress in 2013.   I'm going to fill up a table of ten with friends.  If you are interested in a seat at the table, drop me a line.

Pretty awesome that the bike-ness is spilling into November.  Am I missing other bike stuff in November?  If so, point it up in the comments.

I saved like five turtles on a ride.  This one was really cranky.

Read more!

In My Own Backyard

Went out for a spin this weekend, initially with the intent of camping near the Barkhamsted Reservoir after exploring some of the dirt roads.  It was a soft plan, so soft that I changed it part way and looped back to Hartford after bush whacking a particularly gnarly gravel road (Broad Hill Road, off of Simsbury Road), that degraded into quad track (Weed Hill Road), and then became a vague memory of what at some point seems to have been a trail.  The rock walls on either side of the downhill track were the only thing that hinted at the creek bed having a prior life.  Somehow I got from Weed Hill Road to Firetown Road (LINK), which Google doesn't recognize as a road.  Lots and lots of undeveloped preserve land out here.  Prime for a weekend out and back trip with primitive camping overnight.

A beach in Hartford.  WTF?  

Part of the reason I turned back after lugging my camping gear most of the way to Barkhamsted was to catch the Pipes in the Valley festivities at the Hartford Riverfront.  An amusing pale alcoholic crowd, with a few in kilts.  In addition to the numerous beer tents, there was a whiskey tasting table and an Irish coffee booth.  I didn't stick around for the later shows, but I'm guessing the crowd was well soused, perhaps enough to even dance, when the Red Hot Chili Pipers went on at 9PM.

Wee driftwood campfire on the beach.

Instead of spectating the bag pipe fueled shit-show I rode North along the riverfront path, past the boat house, in search of a camping spot.  It was a beautiful evening, and clear.  Camping could still be had.  While considering potential spots to tie up a hammock for the night I noticed that the island just off shore appeared to have a passable land bridge.  I'd heard this happens with low water levels.  It ended up being a surreal location tucked behind a large pile of trees deposited by higher flood levels, but just a few steps from a great view of the city.  I set up my camp and put together a small driftwood camp fire.  The sand on the island was great for lounging next to the fire and gazing up at the heavens.  Now that I've told all 8 readers of the BBB about this priceless spot, I'll have to kill you all.

Rolling fog and amazingly quiet.

On the topic of amazing stuff in Hartford's backyard, if you didn't get enough during Hartford's bike-splosion last weekend, Providence is trying to do one better this coming weekend.  During the day on Friday, October 4th, Providence is hosting the New England Bike Walk Summit.  That night in the same venue you can catch the FREE New England Builders' Ball.  The ball is chock full of regional frame builders with their drool worthy rigs.  Saturday and Sunday brings the Providence Cyclocross Festival.  Just a short drive.  I'm planning to catch a carpool over on Friday morning, and ride back to Hartford on Saturday.

Read more!

I am so f-ing glad I don't have a yard.

Folks at work this week talking about their three day weekend were saying things like, "I'll finally get a chance to catch up on my yard work."  I remember those times.  As a near suburban home owner I too had a yard and sacrificed one, if not two, nights a week.  Never again.  For those that find this time meditative, good on ya, but it ain't my bag.  Would much rather take in a movie at Real Art Ways, go for a hike, head to the museum, volunteer somewhere, go for a bike ride, well - you see there are a lot of things that seem more fun (for me) than cutting the grass or yanking out weeds.  And I totally don't dig the guilt trip, keeping up with the neighbors crap.  Might as well grow a huge yard sized garden rather than grass, at least you'd get some tasty organic veggies for the labor.

Bike Trailer Movers.  Raining all damn day.

Since I've long escaped the enslaving bonds of lawncare, I was able to help Ken K continue his gradual move into his new digs.  We didn't get to use a pulley and ladder to wedge stuff into his second story window, as it was too rainy for that to be even marginally safe.  Instead we loaded up bike trailers and ferried stuff the three blocks from his old place to the new, freshly painted one.  Ken was using the nearly dead coffin trailer, and I hooked an extra kid trailer in tandem with my standard flatbed.  The tandem handled remarkably well.  Ken rewarded me with a huge Salmon fillet for my trouble, a fractional share of the 40 lbs that he had picked up that morning at the restaurant supply warehouse in the South Meadows.  That's a lot of fish!

Creepy Graffiti in Stafford Springs 

Saturday I decided at the last minute to ride up to northeastern CT to test out my new tent with an overnight trip.  The destination was Bigelow Hollow State Park, and more exactly Breakneck Pond.  On the DEEP website map of the park there was a tent symbol although the info for the park makes no mention of camping.  My guess was that there were some under publicized primitive sites around the pond, and I was right.  I didn't get to check it out, but based on the signage in the park there is even a 3 walled shelter on the East side of the pond.  My approach to the park was from the north via Mashapaug Road, which turns into Breakneck Rd, which turns into a washed out, rocky quad track that was quite interesting.  Those that love their rims or are smarter about cracking their skull (far away from cell service) might want to stick to the southern approach from Bigelow Hollow Road.

Hat Trick.  Tent, bike, and fire.

The camping was amazing.  Memorial Day is usually to total cluster fuck at State Park campgrounds.  Everyone and their loud drunk brother decides to take out the RV or popup trailer.  At Breakneck Pond I was totally alone.  No cell service, a book, a bottle of wine.  A beaver, peeved that I was poaching his pond shore, postured with tail slaps as he swam by.  It's amazing what a mile and a half of hiking into a primitive site does to thin the hordes.  Awaking to the myriad birds at 5:30AM I hiked a bit of the loop path south of the campground.  Totally worth staying two nights next time.  Lots of hiking opportunities.  A hook and line could bring in dinner.

Artsy?

The ride back was through some of the best dirt roads that CT has to offer.  South of the park is a large parcel of forest owned by Yale.  I was on dirt roads from Bigelow all the way to Westford.  I also spent some time on Route 89, which for a numbered state route is a surprisingly good ride.  Meeting up a friend for lunch in Willimantic at the Thread City Diner was the calorie boost I needed to make it back to Hartford via the Hop River Trail and East Coast Greenway.  A stop in East Hartford at a friend's Memorial Day BBQ rounded out the day.   At no point this weekend was I stressed about what my neighbors thought about my lawn.

Awoke to a swiftly rolling fog.

Oh yeah.  There is an Alley Cat, the Hartford Hellraiser, coming to Hartford on June 22nd.  Get your fixie bikes ready, or any bike for that matter.  Perhaps I'll ride a three speed just to spite the hipster element and keep myself from riding irresponsibly.  Should be a good time.

Raising the Dead

Read more!