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its true, now that we are working stiffs, rides that used to be our job’s are now our vacations. not sure how that happened — too early to tell if it was a good decision — but what isss a good decision anyway?? it’s been well documented that humans get used to just about anything… like autotune in pop music

we drove the van 2 hours north (1 hour from the factory in waterbury) to my new fav town. it was my birthday too, but that happens every year.

we then met up with our pal Joe Cruz in Williamstown and headed up the dirty way to the top o’ mt greylock. this was our 2nd time up, but it had been years. tallest mt in Massachusetts folks! some photos in the gallery bellow::..

so that was Sunday. a full week of vacation to go! we left Williamstown and headed a few miles north and over the boarder to Vermont where Joe lives with his wife Margaret. Joe and I share the same b-day, so awaiting us were veggie burgers and cake! a nice night of watching the final stage of the tour de femmes and lights out.

after breakfast we headed down to Lenox to meet up with Ballz and Troy for a recommended route by our friend Tin of crust videos fame. October mountain. Lenox is nice, but kinda old in the average age — we would really study this whilst looking for food post ride. GB on the other hand actually had young people. young people in New England is something to always take note of.

photos of that ride here bellow:::

as mentioned above, this day ended looking for food in Lenox — a handful of restaurants all with 1 hours waits on a Monday! we decided that since we were riding near GB the next day anyway that we should head south and trust all the recommendations for Prairie Whale.

Prairie Whale is described as a “Brooklyn style eatery” by many reviewers — perfect, we live in the sticks— always looking for “Brooklyn style” — that just means, shamelessly, I will probably like the food. I know my people! shamelessly. I’m 42 years old!

we were very lucky to receive the VIP treatment here as the chef and maitre d’ were both ultradynamcico dynamic choosers, happy to make the connections and have us for what was my best meal in months. thanks guys!

the next morning after breakfast in town, it was off on our 2nd time up mt Riga in recent years. such a good ride — I fudged the way out of GB just a little (as there were seemingly quieter roads going in every direction), but quickly changed course into the primo stuff after 5 miles.

the first half of the ride is mostly up. the kind of sustained climb I miss living down where we do. I love getting into a good climbing rhythm, just makes everything feel right. my happy place — especially when on a bike where the low gear is 22 x 34 like it is on my Atlantis. I don’t use that gear much, but nice to know it is there.

up up and up, and then a screaming down to stuffy Salisbury CT. a brief downpour while we were snack shopping, and then back to GB on some lovely most dirt and flat valley roads with views of the mountain we’d just traversed to the left.

and then we drove home via New Haven for a ride up East Rock and apizzzzzza at Modern. a weekend of riding to come, but that would be from home. nice to get out, if only a few hours away!

New Haven Photos :: thanks for reading/looking

XO Ronnie Romance