2009 Veterans' Day Ride at Grayville Park

Seventeen people showed up to ride today for the CT NEMBA Veteran's day Ride. We started out as one group and eventually broke into two with Al's friend Mike leading the more advanced riders on a hammer fest through Grayville. Al and his brother Joe led a more intermediate ride that covered 9+ miles of buff single track!

Folks getting ready

Ryan Tucker

Brendan

Joe (l), Mike (r)

Darlene Phillips (l) and Joe (r)

Glenn Vernes making a nice little up

Group picture of the B ride group

Bad luck: derailleur nut snapped coming off a log ride

Snapped clean off

rest break on the river trail

Veterans Day Ride & Meeting (11/11)

The CT NEMBA Board of Directors will be meeting at Grayville Park in Hebron, CT for a 3 hour ride leaving the parking lot at 1 PM.

This Town Park, connecting with Salmon River State Forest, offers the Grayville Falls of Raymond Brook, picnic areas, and hemlock forests. To reach the park, travel 1/5 mi. west from the intersection of Grayville Road and the Air Line Trail. As the Trail traverses Grayville Falls Park, one can access the park directly by descending west on a steep connecting path.

Following the ride, CT NEMBA will hold it's November Chapter Meeting at CFPA Headquarters, 16 Meriden Rd (Route 66), Rockfall, CT 06481. Meeting starts at 6 PM

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Big Ride Series: Fall Epic - Tour de Natchaug 11/08

CT NEMBA's Fall Epic, the Tour de Natchaug will be held on Sunday, November 8.

Wheels in the dirt at 9:30AM

Meeting/Parking: 58 Old Kings Highway, Hampton, CT 06247-1224.

Park in the field across from the house.

Expect a 4 hour plus self supported tour of the Natchaug State Forest, with some of the most scenic and least traveled trails in CT, at an intermediate pace. Several bail-out points will be available. CT NEMBA will provide food and refreshments after the ride. Contact Mike Cyr (860-428-4409) or Glenn Newcombe (860-455-9864) for additional info.

Big Ride Series: Bigelow Hollow State Park 10/18

Canceled due to weather

CT NEMBA's Big Ride series continues with a ride led by John Isch at Bigelow Hollow State Park. Bigelow Hollow has some very technical sections and lots of hills - it really is intermediate terrain. Expect the ride to be about 15 miles and last 3-4 hours.

Wheels in the Dirt: 9:00 AM

Directions: 84E to exit 73, take a right off the exit onto route 190, follow for 2 miles, take a right onto route 197. Follow 197 for 1.5 miles. Look for park entrance on the left just past Bigelow Pond. Follow paved road for 3/4's of a mile and park on the left next to Bigelow Pond near the hand pump. Contact John Isch at 860-808-6221 for additional information.

Big Ride Report: Penwood State Park

I arrived about nine as was posted and met with Art and his two friends. We started out on a uphill climb that warmed me up for some nice rolling uphill and downhill single track trails. We got about 2 miles into the run and unfortunately one of our riders had a case of derailer stickectomy it snapped his derailer in half probably should have taken a pic of this but felt the patron of this mishap might not appreciate this.

Art tried in a valiant effort to turn bike into a single speed but this did not work so the rider had to walk out of woods. We were now three and we started off again and headed to the lookout which was some gnarly hill climbing roots angling out to catch tires. We got to the top and was amazed by the view of the Simbury valley. 

Art and Myself standing at attention

We started out again and we hit some nice downhill and some more techy uphill climbs, but during all this uphill and downhill riding I went over handlebars once and caught a nice strong sapling to do a pole dance around saving me from tumbling down the hill.  I got up and started out again Art and his friend where competing along the trail I was content to just stay on my bike at my pace . It was nice workout with some challenging areas one log jump twisted my handle bars around so my brakes where facing up, very hard to ride downhill this way.  We ended up back at parking lot about 11:30 and we went on our way. 

Bill