Hill Junkie: Spring Training Camp

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Spring Training Camp - Phase-II

Teammate Brett Rutledge and I are meeting Mark and Tom Luzio down in Virginia for four days of hill climbing nirvana. We'll be staying just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and near Wintergreen Mtn, an awesome area to put some great rides together. Weather is looking ideal other than a chance for some rain on Saturday. I've never ridden the Parkway or in that area. It should be greening up by now. Normally I travel only with MTB, like Arizona a couple weeks ago. This will be my first pure roadie cycling trip. We probably won't have Internet access, so don't expect any blog updates until next week.

This run of stellar weather we're having is phenomenal. While several Battenkill competitors competed in other events Sunday, I hopped on my mountain bike and hit 34 miles worth of trails from home. This included hitting everything in Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro state forest, a loop along the Merrimack River in Hudson, and a loop up and over Seavey Hill behind my house. GPS says I did over 4000ft of climbing. It appears mud season has been cancelled this year. In 11 years I have lived here, I have not experienced going from so much snow to dry earth so quickly. I've logged over 450 miles on mountain bikes already this year. I hope to finish at least one 100 mile mountain bike race, possibly the Shenandoah 100 later this summer.

Sunday's Trail Ride

4 comments:

Matt Simpson said...: D - e-mial me off-line at feltslave_at_yahoo_dot_com, or msimpson_at_stonyfield_dot_com, I have a couple of q's.; April 23, 2008 at 9:03 AM
solobreak said...: The riding down there is awesome. You'll love it. Stop by the Acorn Inn (Adial Road, which is across from the Stony Golf Course). Martin will show you all the cool roads.; April 23, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Hill Junkie said...: Solo,

Thanks for the tip. We're staying on Reids Gap at Cabin Creekwood, which is quite close to Acorn Inn. I believe Mark and Tom have gone down there several times in the past, so I'm trusting they know some good routes too. I tend to favor hilly routes, such that a ride with less than 1000ft of climbing per 10 miles is boring. Poking around in Topo, it looks like going 50 miles out and back either way on the BRP entails over 10,000ft of climbing. Really looking forward to it.; April 23, 2008 at 10:58 AM
solobreak said...: The Reid's gap climb is Wintergreen, right? And you're staying on the west side? That is steep as a mofo.

The parkway climbs are all gradual, but some are long. Awesome pedal descents. Montibello is an awesome stairstep. I never did ride up Wintergreen, or get to Vesuvius. There is also Irish Creek Road.

Don't over look the riding on the other side of Rockfish Valley (Rt 151) if you want some miles without long climbs. Most of the side roads connect together and they are traffic free, rolling and twisty, lots of fun. I am going back there for sure. Hope you get great weather.; April 23, 2008 at 4:11 PM