Appalachian Trail Day Saturday, October 13, 2012

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1 September/October 2012 THANK YOU! Thank you to all the ride leaders for organizing week-end rides in August. Thank-you to the Tuesday night leaders: Wayne Tursi, Judy Borrman, Rick Merritt, Ray Taksar, and David Waldburger for a wonderful season. Thank-you to Finlay Ferguson, Beverly Medlin, and Mark Henebry for leading the spectacular Thursday night rides in Essex, and Dan Johnson, Wayne Chapman, Barbara Rutugliano, and Rick Merritt for leading the enjoyable coast-line alternate moderate routes on Thursday nights in Essex. Thank you to Rami Haddad and Ben Klaus for leading their week-end trip to New Hampshire, and to Terry Bludeau, and Susan Wallen for leading their week-end trip to the Cape last month. Thank you to Tom Ebersold for organizing and leading the Tanglewood bike ride and concert August 18th. Thank you to all of the Monday morning ride coordinators and leaders. It is because of all of the hard work and efforts that you do that makes this club successful. Thank you to all of the September ride leaders for coordinating a ride and to Finlay Ferguson and Mark Henebry for organizing another year of the Fairlee Vermont trip, Any member who has never led a ride and is interested in becoming a new ride leader, please contact Rick Merritt. There are still open spaces for rides in September and October, so if weather permits and any member is interested in leading a ride, you can send an via the short-notice list to amcyclist@ct-amc.org. AMC Bicycling Committee GET YOUR AMC CYCLING JERSEY TODAY The Connecticut Chapter has colorful bicycling jerseys for sale in a range of men and women sizes. The jerseys feature an AMC logo. In stock, currently available are Men's 2 XL, Medium, and X- Small; and Women's Medium, Small and X Small. The price is $55. To order or for more information, including a picture of the shirt, contact Wayne Tursi by at Wtursisr@yahoo.com, or call You can also see Wayne at Jo Ann's on Tuesday evenings with the jerseys. Appalachian Trail Day Saturday, October 13, 2012 Come out and enjoy the bike ride listed on the back page of this newsletter in celebration of AT day. Or participate in one of several hikes on sections of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut, on trails in Macedonia Brook State Park. All of the hikes and activities end in time for the Grand Picnic BBQ Cookout and social that follows at Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent. For further details on all of the events, go to the AMC website at

2 SEPTEMBER RIDES Sat., Sept., 1 Orange to East Rock (and Back!) RC, FL/RL, CUE, 14 mph) 39 miles. Meet at 10:00 am for a 10:15 am start, Racebrook Elementary School, 107 Grannis Rd., Orange. Route 15 Exit 57 (Route 34 East) for 1 mile to Route 114 South for 1 mile. Turn left at the light onto Grannis Road and follow for 0.5 miles, then turn right into the school. I-95 Exit 39B to Route 1 N/E and follow for 3.5 miles. Turn left on Route 114 (Racebrook Road) at the light and follow for 1.3 miles. Turn right onto Grannis Road at the light and follow for 0.5 miles, then turn right into the school. Ride is mostly downhill from Orange, through Bethany and Woodbridge, to Hamden. Rail trail through Hamden, then local roads to climb East Rock. Return to Orange with some climbing via Westville and backroads of Woodbridge. Lunch stop in Hamden where lunch can be purchased. This cue sheet is not on CT Bike Routes, but the leader will have copies for riders. Visit St Barbara's Odyssey after the ride which is only a short distance form the ride start. L Mark Kiley ( mkiley431@aol.com) Sun., Sep. 2. Bethany Blast, Orange, Connecticut, West of River, CT. (RC, RL/HL, RG, Cue, 13 mph) 40 miles. Meet at 10 a.m. to ride at 10:15 a.m. from Race Brook School, 107 Grannis Road, Orange. Cycle along low-traffic, well-shaded country roads through Bethany and surrounding towns with views of horse farms, reservoirs, and forests. Some extended climbs in the middle of the ride are rewarded by exhilarating downhills, particularly the descent into Hamden on Rt. 42. Lunch at Billy's in Bethany. This cue sheet is not on CT Bike Routes, but the leader will have plenty of copies at the start. Directions: Rt. 15 to Exit 57 (Rt. 34 East) for 1 mile to Rt. 114 South for 1 mile. Left on Grannis Rd. at light for 0.5 miles. Right into school. Rt. 15 to Exit 57 (Rt. 34 East) for 1 mile to Rt. 114 South for 1 mile. Left at light on Grannis Rd. for 0.5 miles. Right into school. From I-95, take Exit 39B to Rt. 1 North/East for 3.5 miles. Left on Rt. 114 (Racebrook Rd.) at light for 1.3 miles. Right on Grannis Rd. at light for 0.5 miles. Right into the school. From points north, take I-91 South to Rt. 15 South and follow as above. L Tom Ebersold, (bikehikekayak123@sbcglobal.net) Mon., Sep. 3. Back Country Roads Around Hebron (aka The Hebron Hustle), Connecticut, East of River, CT. (SO, RL, 11-13mph) 31 miles. 10:00am start from Ted's Food Center, 127 Main St. (Rt. 66) Hebron. Rolling shaded back country roads with a stop at Lake Williams. Includes 2+ miles along Air Line Rail Trail (packed stone dust OK for road bikes). From junction of Routes 85 and 66, go east on Route 66 for 0.5 miles, or from Route 2 Exit 13, go east on Route 66 to above junction. Print cue sheet from related web address. L Tom & Nancy Mann ((860) before 9:00pm, tomannance@netzero.net) Sun., Sep. 9. Best of the Shoreline and Taste of Mystic, Connecticut, East of River, CT. (SOC, FL/RL, CUE 11-12mph) 33 miles. Meet at 10 a.m. for 10: 15 a.m. start from I-95 Exit 91 CPL. This mostly flat ride visits many points along the eastern shoreline with sensational views of Fishers Island Sound. The ride travels west for stops at Groton Long Point and Noank before back to Mystic for the lunch stop at the festival, and then continuing east to the village of Stonington and Stonington Point. Bring your appetite to the Taste of Mystic. More than 30 local restaurants line Cottrell Street, in Historic Downtown Mystic each offering a unique and delicious taste of their specialty. The band Eight to the Bar will perform from 2 to 4 p.m. L Vinnie Kiernan ( , vinniebikerider@yahoo.com), L Rick Merritt ( , mascetti@aol.com)

3 SEPTEMBER RIDES Sun., Sep. 9. Harlem Valley Rail Trail, Amenia, NY, New York, Hudson River Valley, NY. (SO, RG, FL/RL, 10-12mph) 28 miles. Meet for a prompt 10:15am start. Social ride on a very scenic paved rail-trail, suitable for a road bike. Lunch (bring your own) will be at Rudd Pond State Park. Meet at the Wassaic Railroad Station (free parking on weekends) in Amenia, New York. From southern and western Connecticut, take I-84W to Brewster (NY), then Route 22N for 30 miles. The RR station will be on the right. From central Connecticut, take Route 44W to Millerton (NY), then Route 22S to Amenia. The RR station will be on the left. Visit the Harlem Valley Rail Trail website for a full-color map you can print. L Mike Ceruzzi ( Before 9:00 PM, mceruzzi@snet.net) Sun., Sep. 9. Housatonic Double Cross, Milford, Connecticut, West of River, CT. (RC, FL/RL, CUE, 13-14mph), 41 miles. Meet at 10:00 to ride at 10:15 am from the Margaret Egan Center, 40 Mathew St., Milford. I-95 Exit 34, turn right onto Route 1 South and travel 0.5 miles. Turn left onto Naugatuck Avenue at the light, and travel 0.4 miles. Turn right onto Mathew Street and park in the rear of the building. From Route 15, take Exit 54 to I-95 South to Exit 34 and follow as above. Cycle through Milford and Stratford, crossing the Housatonic River twice - once on the Sikorsky Bridge with return loop over the Washington Bridge. Mostly flat with a steep climb to the bridge and one hill after the Sikorsky Bridge. Only 1,200 feet of climbing. A 30 mile option is available, but misses all the water views in Lordship. The cue sheet is not on CT Bike Routes, but the leader will supply copies. L Tom Ebersold (bikehikekayak123@sbcglobal.net) Mon., Sep. 10. Amenia, NY to Sharon, CT, Connecticut, West of River, CT. (SO,FL/ RL,Cue,10-12 mph) 33.1 miles. Prompt 10:00 AM start. Scenic ride includes Harlem Valley Rail Trail, some hills, 3.5 mi. dirt road portion. Meet at Rail Trail trailhead, Mechanic St., Amenia, NY, Rt.4 west to Sharon, CT, at clock tower, take Rt. 343 west to Amenia, NY, Left in Mechanic St. (Across from Cumberland Farms) Rain Cancels. L Dick Ruddock ((203) Before 9 PM, rhiker2000@aol.com) Sun. Sept Fabulous Fifty Fall, Madison, CT (RC, FL/RL, Cue/Regroup, 11-13mph) 50 miles. Meet at 9:45 to ride at 10:00 am from Polson Middle School, 302 Green Hill Road in Madison. I-95 Exit 61 to Route 79 North, then left on Green Hill Road. Cooler and more comfortable version of Summer Breeze Century 50- mile route. Ride on lovely tree-lined, quiet roads. Route has some hills but is much less difficult than the Century 62-mile route. Stop for lunch or a snack along the way. L Mike Cohen (best time to call: before 9 p.m.) mrc06405@gmail.com Mon., Sep. 17. Killingworth-Madison- Haddam Fall Foliage Ride, Haddam, Connecticut, West of River, CT. (SO, HL, RG, 11-13mph) 31 miles. Mostly back country roads with beautiful rural views. Rolling terrain with few hilly sections. Lunch at Roberts Food Market Plaza. Meet for 10am start at Rt. 9, Exit 8 CPL. Participants must bring own ride cue sheets (see below). L Tom & Nancy Mann ((860) before 9pm, tomandnance@netzero.net)

4 SEPTEMBER RIDES Mon., Sep. 17. Madison and Guilford Suburbia, Madison, Connecticut, West of River, CT. (SO,FL/Rl,Cue,11-13 mph) 33.7 miles. Meet at 9:45AM for prompt 10:00AM start at Robert's Food Center parking lot, 514 Old Toll Rd. (Rt. 80) in North Madison (200 yards east of Rt. 79/Rt. 80 traffic circle). Take I-95 to Exit 61 and head north on Rt. 79, then right on Route 80. Park away from the various businesses, in the more remote areas of the parking lot. This is a flat to rolling ride with a few moderately hilly sections; the ride is mostly in Guilford with some interesting pastoral views along with some excellent views of L.I. Sound. There is lots of variety on this ride. Bring lunch or buy en route. Please print a cue sheet from ctbikeroutes. L Barbara Frey ( , barbbikes@sbcglobal.net) Mon. Sept. 24 Bike Paths & Historic Districts- Windsor Locks (SO, FL, 10-12mph, CUE) 33.3 miles 10am start. This is a mostly flat ride that starts and ends at the north end of the Windsor Locks Canal Path and travels through sections of Suffield, East Windsor, South Windsor and Windsor. It passes through the South Windsor and Windsor historic districts, and the Loomis Chaffee School campus. A suggested lunch/snack stop is at Bart's Restaurant near the Farmington River. Meet for prompt 10am start at the north end of the Windsor Locks Canal Path at the end of Canal Road in Suffield. From I-91 Exit 47W (don't take Exit 47 E) and go west on Route 190 across the Connecticut River to traffic light. Turn left on Rt. 159 south and in 0.2 mile turn left onto Canal Road. Follow to end and parking area near the river. Helmets required. Rain cancels. If weather is doubtful, leader by 7:30 morning of the ride. Riders bring own cue sheet. Leader: Joy Himmelfarb- joyhimmelfarb@comcast.net Tues., Sept. 4 (RC,TR,FL/RL) Connecticut, East of River, CT. Meet at 5:15p.m for prompt 5:30p.m. start at Jo-Ann s Fabrics. Directions: I-84 East to Exit 62, left at end of ramp, then left at third light onto Pleasant Valley Rd. Right into shopping center to Jo- Ann s. Park near the former Bugaboo Restaurant. From I-84 West, taken Exit 62, left onto Pleasant Valley Rd., then right into the shopping center. Leaders to be determined. Join in for the last Tuesday night of the season. Speed and distance to be determined by groups. PLEASE BE PROMPT. WEAR REFLECTIVE CLOTHING AND GEAR. IF POSSIBLE, HAVE BLINKING LIGHTS TO BE VISIBLE. HELMETS ARE REQUIRED. UPCOMING WEEKEND TRIP FAIRLEE, VERMONT SEPTEMBER Road bike ride options of 20-65mi. along country roads. Flatter rides along the river with more challenging rides into the hills in VT and NH. Stay at Hulbert Outdoor Center in 3-4 bedroom cabins, 2/room. Cost is $145 includes 2 nights lodging, 2 full breakfasts, Sat. dinner, bedding & towel. Drive up early for an optional ride on Friday. Send your address, , and phone to Registrar with your check for the full amount payable to Finlay Ferguson. Fee is nonrefundable unless leaders find a replacement. Call or any questions. L Finlay Ferguson ((860) , Before 9PM, finlayferguson@msn.com), L Mark Henebry, R Finlay Ferguson, (46 Mitchel Terrace, Ivoryton, CT 06442)

5 OCTOBER RIDES Mon. Oct. 1 Berkshire Byways - Canaan. (RC, FL/RL, CUE, RG, mph) 32 miles. Prompt 10am start. A very scenic countryside ride through the farmlands and valleys of the Southern Berkshires. Meet at Stop & Shop Supermarket, Rte. 44, just east of Rte. 7 in Canaan. Helmets required. Rain cancels. Riders bring your own cue sheet. If weather is doubtful, leader by 7:00 morning of the ride. Leader: Joy Himmelfarbjoyhimmelfarb@comcast.net Mon. Oct. 8 Stonington Country Roads Stonington, Connecticut, East of River, CT (SO,FL,Cue,11-13mph) 32.3 miles. We will meet for prompt 10:00 AM start at CPL at Exit 91 off I-95 in Stonington.. The ride travels over quiet country roads of Stonington with lunch at Stonington Point. We will then ride to Barn Island before returning to CPL. L Nancy Mann (best time to call: before 9:00 PM) L Tom Mann tomandnance@netzero.net Sat., Oct. 13. AT Day - Cyclefest Upper 25, Gaylordsville, Connecticut, West of River, CT. (SO/RC, RL, RG, Cue, 12 mph) 29.4mi Nice ride with great views and some fun downhills. Meet 11:30 to start at noon from Geo. Washington Plaza in Gaylordsville. Ride will regroup so no one gets dropped. Finish in time for the AT Day Grand BBQ Cookout and Picnic at Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent. From New Milford, follow Rt. 7 north. Plaza is just south of intersection of Rts. 7 and 55. Rain, wet roads cancel. L Jim Scheef ((860) , jscheef@yahoo.com), L Rick Merritt ((860) , rchdmerritt@sbcglobal.net) (Mon., Oct. 22. Darling Rd/Gungy Rd/Devil's Hopyard, Connecticut, East of River, CT. (SO,RL,RG,11-13) 38.9 mi. Ride passes mainly forested areas and considerable farmland over mostly rolling terrain. Few uphills and several exhilarating down hills. Travel thru Old Lyme, Lyme, Salem and East Haddam with a visit to Chapman Falls at Devil's Hopyard where we will have lunch. Bring lunch since places to buy on route are limited. Meet at 9:45 a.m. for 10 a.m. start at Old Lyme Senior Center, Town Woods Rd, Old Lyme. Use I-95 Exit 70, follow Rt. 1 N about 2.5 mi (from I-95 South) or 3.5 mi (from I- 95 North) to Town Woods Rd. Follow for 0.4 mi to Senior Center on left. L Carol Hassett ( ), chassett46@yahoo.com), CL Bob Hassett ( ) Better Riding Habits Cycling Tips: Ride Efficiently (PART 2) By Alex Stieda Get more out of your engine by learning to ride efficiently. Practice this skill at least once a week while riding the trainer this winter, and you'll be ready to fly by spring. Take In More Air Breathing properly takes practice and concentration. Most people try to breathe deeper by expanding their chest, but the muscles between the ribs don't move much. The best way to bring air into your lungs is to expand your stomach outward--this pulls down your diaphragm, so the lungs can fill to maximum capacity. And when you contract your stomach muscles, the diaphragm pushes upward, forcing air out. As with the pedaling drills, try belly breathing for five minutes to start, then gradually increase the length of the exercise. Alex Stieda, the first North American to wear the yellow jersey in the Tour de France, with 7- Eleven in 1986, leads tours and skills camps (stiedacycling.com). Excerpt from

6 Appalachian Mountain Club Connecticut Chapter 32 Highland Ave. Redding, CT Abbreviation Legend CPL Commuter Parking Lot CUE Cue Sheet Provided FL Flat Terrain HI/HL Hilly Terrain L/CL Leader/Co-Leader MB/MTN Mountain Bike RC Recreational ride RG Regroup during ride RL/RO Rolling terrain SASE Self-Addressed Stamp Envelope SO Social Ride SW Sweep stays with slower riders TR Training Bicycle Committee 2012 Rick Merritt, Committee Chair Susan Grant, Committee Co-Chair Tom Ebersold, Short Notice/ Coordinator Jo Ann Hewett, Ride Coordinator Terri Pappagallo, Newsletter Editor Web Site For post-publication updates, check the Bicycling calendar on-line at: click on the Bicycling button. Short Notice Rides To subscribe to ct-amc.bicycling, the notification of upcoming rides that don t make the deadlines for AMC Outdoors and AMC Cyclist, go to the website, type your address in the box of upcoming rides by and click on join now. You will receive a confirmation message from Yahoo. Follow the instructions in the message to confirm that you want to join the list..

Thank you Ride Leaders!

June 2012 Thank you Ride Leaders! May was a wet month for cycling, but the AMC Bicycling Committee thanks all leaders who led rides in May. The Committee would love to have new leaders from members who