The scaling on this graph isn't so great, but you get the idea...
graphic borrowed from http://www.northeastcycling.com/six_gaps.html
I started to do the write up of this little adventure, but then decide that no one was going to read all the boring details anyway, so I'd just post a few pictures. Well, since I didn't take any pictures (none?!) and since Roger only sent the one, there isn't much to tell other than a few random thoughts...
Drove up Friday morning with Andrew and his father. Met the rest of the crew, 9 riders in all, 1 support driver at the condo. Whipped up a spaghetti dinner for 10 hungry people Friday night and prepped for the morning.
Jake (Andrews father), myself and Larry left out a bit early on Sat so that Jake could finish in daylight this year. Last year there was heavy rain, darkness, etc... He was definitely ahead of last year's time, but some cramping on Lincoln was a major setback and one again he finished with a car behind him to light the final climb. Not bad for 70, though.
We took a wrong turn around Lake Dunmore which added a few extra miles for the three of us, but it also meant that we hit the lower part of Middlebury Gap which is the steepest part. Coincidentally, we all re-grouped during that climb and had our first group photo at the top.
At the top of Middlebury Gap (#2)
(L to R) Roger, Ronnie, Andrew, Eric, MArk, Louis, Michael, Jake, Larry
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The climb up Middlebury also took us past
Of course we crossed the Long Trail a number of times so I was thinking about my parents' hiking adventures...
Yes, Lincoln Gap was very steep. Yes I went VERY slowly. I said that I would just ride to that next corner. Then the next one. I only climbed it about 50 to 100 feet at a time, at between 2 and 3 miles an hour. Fortunately it was well shaded.
Clockwise we went from Brandon>Middlebury>Lincoln>Appallachian>Roxbory>Rochester
That's Lake Champlain on the left and Winnipasaukee in the lower right.
The re-grouping (waiting for all 9) that we did at Middlebury, Lincoln and App slowed us down such that the "total" ride time isn't really meaningful. And it did give us a chance to recover, so it wasn't even like we did 130 miles non-stop. It's too bad we didn't finish earlier (especially since most of the eateries close at 9:00 on Saturdays), but other than that no complaints or major problems.
Ronnie had one flat, but other than that we were problem-free.
The other funny thing is that these guys aren't "roadies." They are more mountain bikers, they just like to go out and push themselves. They hardly ever race, although they are pretty strong and fast and could do very well if they were interested in that. They do it to push themselves and for the fun of it. And although they can be pretty competitive amongst themselves (they played six rounds of King of the Mountain), and can be pretty brutal with the joking, they don't leave anyone behind, and if anyone has a mechanical or needs anything, they step up totally and unreservedly. Pretty cool.
Will I do it again next year or was this just something to check off the bucket list? Not sure, we'll see...
Other miscellaneous scenes:
The horses that escaped the pasture and were grazing on the side of the road
The kid and his father selling (giving away) chocolate chip cookies at the top of App Gap
The cliche-ly picturesque town square in Rochester
The ice cream sandwiches and birch beer at the end!
Thinking about my "friend" from grade school who lives somewhere around here, whom I have never spoken to.
Noodling only on Lincoln and Rochester, riding straight up the others.
The various waterfalls, fields and beautiful mountain streams
The damage left over from the horrendous floods of last year
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