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Bike trip report!
Spent most of last week touring around the Berkshires, MA with a friend of mine at work. Left Oct 3rd from NJ, did about 70 miles north to New Paltz, NY, staying at a friend of mine there. Ride was very nice, very moderate hills since we were riding north (with the natural ridges in the area, the Kittatinies, the Shawungunk ridges all run north-south). Great views of Smiley's Tower in New Paltz for those that are familiar, beautiful color in the trees and a slight nip in the air! That all changed Saturday, Oct 4th for our planned ride to Butternut Ski Basin in Great Barrington. We woke up to cold and drizzling rain. So much for the scattered shower prediction. By the time we got to about 70 miles and Millerton, NY (dutchess cty), my friend's rain gear was leaking and we knew it was going to get cold(er) and dark shortly with about 25 miles to go. So since I didn't have the tent then, we bailed out at a B&B in Millterton. Or so we tried! Turns out the only place to stay in Millerton was booked but the very nice lady there called around and found us a hotel in Copake and even drove us there the 6 miles or so.
So after an extra stay in the motel (and a hot shower) we left for the short trip to Butternut. Since Bash Bish falls was on the way and I wanted to take a day trip there, we sidetracked there in the morning, which was very nice, warmer and finally sunny. We could visually see the western Berkshire ridge parallel to NY 22 that we'd have to climb over shortly. Anyway, Bash Bish falls is very nice and is also near the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, which we would do later on. Anyway, having decided not to go over the mountain that was inside Mt. Washington State Park, we backtracked back to Rt 22 to head north to Hillsdale and then east on Rt 23. Past the Catamount Ski Area, the hills began, culminating in the "welcome to the berkshire" sign and the "welcome to Massachusetts" sign at the top. After the huge climb, we were greeted with a nice and fast descent into Egremont and eventually rolling through downtown G.B. and onto Butternut where I met up with my sister and her boyfriend at the art show there.
Picking up our tent and stuff, we biked up to Beartown State Forest where we camped out for a week. Colors are not peaked yet but should be peaking soon. In either case, it is a nice park with boating and hiking/biking trails and a nice road that goes over Beartown Mtn north to Stockbridge. We did daytrips to Pittsfield to see the Hancock Shaker Village and also trips to Stockbridge to see the Norman Rockwell museum, as well as short hiking trips up Laura's Tower and trails in Beartown itself.
Leaving for home on Friday, Oct 10th, after some really warm mid 70s days where it felt like summer, we decided to stop in Hyde Park on the way back to check out the Vanderbilt Mansion and FDR's home. We also took some more back roads south to Salisbury, CT and to a Covered Bridge between the two. We got back to Millerton via route 44 and picked up the Harlem Valley RailTrail for about 8 miles to Amenia. From there we headed due west to Hyde Park and a hotel for the night. About 70 miles that day.
After seeing Freddie V's mansion and FDR's place (it was Eleanor's 119th birthday and they had a ceremony in the rose garden where both of them are buried) we biked the 20 miles across the hudson on the Mid-Hudson bridge and back to my friend's place in New Paltz. Then sunday, we biked the 80 miles home after stopping in a friend's house in Newburgh.
Overall, it was about 160 miles to and from G.B. although we took different routes, and about 481 miles for the 9 days. We had no mechanicals and not even a flat, although I had to retape my US flag which started to come apart. My bike weighed about 60lbs sans water when I got home, not too heavy but alot of volume.
Pictures to come!
Jay
You are the crispy noodle in the vegetarian salad of life
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