rons bikes blog dot com

the brooks are bumbling and rumbling here in Nutmeg Country! what better way to bring in the green season than riding the waves of water and dirt down to the picturesque Connecticut coastline. hard to believe, but this is the 4th annual Nutmeggers spring event. sometimes called the “spring fling”, but not maybe just spring break. I don’t know. we were supposed to have a more official version with the East Haddam Land Trust this year, but the red tape was clearing at a glacial pace. this ride will still however benefit the Land Trust that makes all these miles of trails and terrain possible in our bucolic corner of unassuming cycling paradise.

so this is our small event on the other side of the Connecticut river, not to be confused with the size or more organized aspect of the Nutmeg Nor’easter which happens every late October. this year is October 26-27 … worth noting. so with that said, we can only accommodate a fraction of the participants, so this event has always kinda been on the down low. a spring fling for mostly locals in the NYC, PVD, BOS, VT, ALB area. if you are up in vermont/albany, then we are 2 weeks ahead of you in the seasons, so expect it to feel the the Bahamas down here!

this event costs a $25 donation to the East Haddam land trust. click here and scroll to the bottom of the page to send your donation. you also must register for free at this bike reg link to get the routes emailed to you when appropriate.

parking will be in the Gillete’s castle parking lot. they close the gates there at sunset, so be sure to get your vehicle out before 8ish. you can also park over in chester where the good food and drinks are and take the ferry over.

ride starts at 10:38 am at the Hadlyme ferry landing on the East Haddam side of the chester-hadlyme ferry. if you are coming from chester, the first ferry is at 10:30, and it costs $2 cash for bikes, and $5 if you take your car across. the last ferry of the day to the other side is 4:50 (to be safe). if you miss it, it just adds 10 miles to your ride to take the East Haddam Swing Bridge to the north if you parked over in chester.

if there is rainy rain all day rain forecasted, then I might switch to Sunday the 12th.

two 50sh mile ride options including one that is mixed on the way down, and 3/4 ridable but chunky single track on the way back, and one that is the same mixed on the way down, and delightful country tree/historical home lined paved roads on the way back. if you’ve done this event in the last 2 years, then expect relatively the same route. excited to ride the Goodwin trail with you all again!

routes will be emailed by Thursday the 9th to participants who have signed up for free at bike reg. so be sure to sign up! it also is very helpful for us to know how many folks are attending.

ideal bike is a rigid mountain bike like thing. I ride my 27.5×2.2 upright bar’d Alumalith. the single track can be done on 42mm wide tires though. the easier surfaced route can be done on 33mm tires.

both rides half way unsupported stop at the beach for a picnic of your bringing.

hope to see ya’ll there!

Ronnie