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7 miles from my front door is this little gravel paradise. A 2 mile dirt road with an 8 mile dirt road loop attached to it. It's an incredible 10 mile stretch of unbroken gravel that I could ride forever and never get tired of, although I would get pretty tired. The way this loop changes with the seasons is fantastic, always something different, dipping down to the riverside then up up up then back down again. There are fast sections, a few hills that'll make one feel some burn, and some descents and twisty corners that have really helped me become a better off-road bike handler (I still suck, but I'm better than I used to be!) 4 cars, dozens of cows, a Siberian Husky + his little terrier pal, lots of lurking cats, a llama, some donkeys, a goat, and two old men in a Klunker rustbucket black Pontiac with yellow racing stripes. All in 2 hours, I'll take it.
[IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] ...And here are a couple from yesterday's ride. The pic below is Locke's Mill, which is still active. No relation. [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] And this is an unexpected little-to-mid sized waterfall. Easily missed since it's at the bottom of a hill that most people bomb down at 40+ mph, but worth stopping for if you know about it, it's really nice. (Most people don't do this road in the opposite direction, as it's more fun to bomb down a quarter mile hill at 40 mph than climb it at 4 mph.) [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] |
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Jealous!
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Some lovely riding in the Fort Valley and Woodstock Tower area.
Woodstock Tower Road from the river to the peak is my 100% Absolute Favorite Climb (and from Fort Valley to the peak is close behind!), but man, that peak to river descent might be my least favorite descent in the area. Endless tighter-than-you'll-ever-see-anywhere-else hairpins on loose-over-hard gravel with ruts all over the place. The climb is a couple of miles at 9, 10%...and I think I go down slower than I go up, which is pretty slow. But I will crack the top 10 one day when I hit it with fresh legs. [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] |
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Speaking of fatties... good day for some fall woods riding.
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Took my first gen Fargo out for a gravel ride that goes through a wooded abandoned farm.
It's only about 10 miles from my house i Pennsylvania, but I have to cross over into New Jersey to get there. It's actually inside of Washington Crossing park. Don't tell anyone. |
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Lately I've been enjoying some of the back farm roads of NJ. Rolling hills and quiet roads. This new Ritchey is the perfect companion to the riding I've been doing lately.
What an absolute treat of weather we have been having lately. Mid 40's overnight warming into mid 70's in the afternoon. To still be very comfortably riding in shortsleeves deep into October is really great. I wonder what kind of winter we will have?
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http://less-than-epic.blogspot.com/ |
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Resurrected an old Garmin (remember "cue sheets?) that had a great route taking me into the Sourlands. Car free, small, country roads with great colors. The deer was wondering where the stream disappeared to, we are officially in a drought now. The last photo is from a ride yesterday which was higher in elevation and Fall colors were more intense.
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Sweet! I ride the Sourlands a good bit.
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It was awesome there today!
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Well, I always thought this would one day happen. I finally became too smart for my own good.
[IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] The following pictures were taken earlier in the day, when my helmet still fit. [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] And here are a couple from yesterday evening. A different kind of ride. [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] And as a bonus, here are a couple of Finny going apple picking. Or, to be more precise, bossing his mom and dad around at the apple orchard, commanding us to bring him only plumpest, ripest, juiciest, and did I say plumpest (?) Fujis in on the mountain. Tough kid. He even brought his little plush apple bucket [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] [IMG]Untitled by Michael Lock, on Flickr[/IMG] (Sorry, I know these pictures have nothing to do with cycling, but I just adore this little guy. Despite being vegetarian out of respect for animals, I am definitely not an animal lover in the smushy-smushy dog-dad sense...but girlfriend brought Finny 'into the marriage', and almost three years in I am completely smitten.) |
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Today was a ride on the purple Paramount again. Wound up doing a lot more miles than I planned. I don't think the temps ever got out of the 50's though. Two dog "attacks" today but neither mutt was a match for the old Paramount's swiftness, LOL!
The bike shot at Cemetery Point, first time out with the IRD purple skewers Deserted Beach, I guess the cold kept them away. History of this Monastery: https://www.intermountainhistories.org/items/show/694 This has been dry for weeks. The clear water is from the rain and snow that fell in the mountains a day ago. Wintering grounds for Elk are along those far ridges. |
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