July 7, 2005

One last Hurtle

We got up at around 5:30 and were treated to a great breakfast by my sister Pat. The early rise and start is due to the hard day we have ahead. It is just drizzling when we get up but we check the weather and see that heavy rain is coming. By the time we finish breakfast it has already started. It is one thing starting to ride and then it starts raining; you just suit up and keep riding. It is another to roll out of a garage to a pouring rain. Everyone dilly dallies hoping it will stop. It doesn’t so we leave. My brother in law Jim suggested a route to get to NY Route 2 which connects to MA Route 2. We had to navigate around Albany and get through Troy. Nick approved the route so that’s the way we went. It was a much better way than the way I went a number of years ago when I rode it with my son’s Jim and Jason from Buffalo, NY to Southington, CT. The traffic was not as bad and the climb out of the Hudson River valley was much more gradual. Thanks Jim! The heavy rain subsided as we reached the Hudson River, but it was overcast and cool with some drizzle from time to time the rest of the day.

Hudson River at Troy NY

MA Route 2 is the Mohawk Trail. I have ridden it before from east to west which is the easier direction as the climbs are not as steep. West to east it is much steeper. Also, when I rode it before I was only carrying a small Camelback pack. This time it’s the Camelback and full packs with about 50 pounds of gear.

Welcome to Massachusetts

Tim’s climbing style is in the saddle with a higher cadence (pedal revolutions per minute). To keep that style he has a much faster speed than either Nick or I. Nick gets out of the saddle and grinds up the hill as he doesn’t have the higher gearing in his rear cassette. I alternate between a high cadence in the saddle and out of the saddle with a moderate cadence which usually gets me up the hills faster than Nick. On the first climb of the day I decided to slow down and stay with Nick due to his rear wheel’s recurring spoke break problem. Tim was long gone and waited for us at the top. During the second big climb I was tiring and was staying with Nick not only because of the wheel but because I was struggling for the first time on the trip. We descended into Williamstown and stopped and got an ice cream. Nick got a haircut. Tim also ate a sandwich. My recollection was that there were no huge hills left so I figured it was pretty much down hill to Greenfield.

At the top of the first big climb of the day

Boy, was I wrong! When the biggest and steepest climb started I knew I was in trouble and ate a Little Debbie Bar, a gel pack, and a banana on the way up. Unfortunately I should have eaten more earlier at the break in Williamstown. Big mistake! I came very close to bonking. My heart rate was very high and I was struggling. Tim got to the top about four minutes before Nick and I. I had all I could do just to stay within one hundred yards of Nick. I have been cycling a long time and I should know better. We took a long break at the top inside a souvenir shop as it was pretty cold and damp. Nick exclaimed to me at the break, “You forgot about that hill??!!” We replenished our water supply and all ate some more. Although it was mostly downhill it was still about thirty-five miles to Greenfield and there was much pedaling to do.

There was a serious descent and then a gradual down hill most of the way. It also warmed up after descending about 600 feet. Going down we were next to the Cold River and then the Deerfield River. At one point I asked Nick if this reminded him of anything and his answer was what I was thinking; day one and two riding through the Tillamook Forest in Oregon. Nick said: “It even smells like it!”

This is what the day was like

We made great time the last twenty or so miles but still got in late. Nick’s wheel broke a spoke on one of the final hills before Greenfield.

There was a lot of vertical change during the day. With three major climbs, a few minor ones, and the other usual ups and downs we estimate that there was at least 5,000 feet of vertical change during the day. It was most likely the highest of any day on the trip including the Rockies.

We rolled in at 7:15 and got a motel room in Greenfield at a place I have stayed a couple of times on cycling trips. I asked the desk clerk if she remembered me, and she did. They don’t get a lot of touring cyclists on that route.

The hills on the Mohawk Trail seem to be our last big hurtle of the trip.