# Spring rides in upstate NY



## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

I'll use this thread to post some of my pics from my rides this Spring.

Today was beautiful. High 70's with cloudless skies. Columbia County is full of red barns.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Holga?


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

MB1 said:


> Holga?


That was taken with my phone (LG) and used Pixlr to filter.


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## tracerprix (Mar 19, 2011)

Nice, pic. I'm just a couple hours east of you. I'm loving this weather!


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

tracerprix said:


> Nice, pic. I'm just a couple hours east of you. I'm loving this weather!


Thanks. Are you in central Mass.? I actually live in Albany County but have family across the river. So I ride in Columbia County sometimes. Beautiful rolling hills. Great pavement. Occasional dirt roads, barns, sheep farms etc. And VERY little traffic. During my 90 minute ride yesterday probably only had 7 or 8 cars pass me.

Today we're expecting temps close to 80...and I'll have a two hour window to ride between 2pm and 4! Loving it.


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## tracerprix (Mar 19, 2011)

Oops I meant to write your a couple hours east of me. Or I'm a couple hours west of you. Either way I'm in Syracuse, NY


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

Not many good pictures lately. This one was from Tuesday's ride. Deep gorge didn't show well in the picture. 
I put 25mm gatorskins on the Z85 and they're a nice cushy improvement from the 23mm Bonts that came with the bike.


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

What a great weekend. Yesterday we had a nice birthday party for my oldest son. Nothing like seeing your children smiling from ear to ear for a few hours. We did it right again; paid to have it at a gymnastics place. 20 kids for 1.5 hrs, they supplied pizza and cupcakes...best $250 I ever spent b/c I didn't have to clean up a thing.

Then watched Flanders this morning as my wife filled me up with coffee and breakfast. Great race (with exception of Fabian's injury) and I thought NBC sports network had some good coverage.

Soon after the race I was out the door for a nice 35 mile loop. I had planned to do 40 but the last 10 miles it was raining pretty steady and I was getting a decent chill on my hands and head (was 44 degrees ).

These goats were closer until I reached into my back pocket for the camera/phone.


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## RideN (Apr 5, 2012)

Great pics. If ya get anywhere near Oneida County post some pics. I grew up back there and there are times I miss that area.


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

RideN said:


> Great pics. If ya get anywhere near Oneida County post some pics. I grew up back there and there are times I miss that area.


Thanks. I am going to try to make it out that way this summer.
This past weekend I was down on Long Island visiting family. I borrowed my brother in-law's Trek (they make pretty good bikes). Here is a pic I took on Shore Rd. in Port Jefferson.


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## RideN (Apr 5, 2012)

Nice!!


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

RideN said:


> Nice!!


Thanks.
This morning I decided to break out the old mountain bike (bought new in 1994), put my dog in the car, and drove over to check out some trails I read about. Holy cow it was some sweet single track. And the doggie had a blast too with the exception of a little scuffle he had with another dog as they passed each other on a small bridge.


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## RideN (Apr 5, 2012)

If you ever head upstate, you should try to ride the old Erie Canal route. I believe there are a number of places where the Barge Canal has bike trails that go on for miles!! I'd like to do that if we ever get back there.


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## GeoffBoulden (Apr 13, 2012)

I have ridden the entire length of the canal trail 3 times. I live about a mile from the canal in Lockport (canal locks). Mountain bike is highly recommended as most of the trail is crushed gravel. Its a nice and very flat ride. You occasionally need to get on Rte 31 for a bit, otherwise its all canal from Buffalo to Albany.


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

I live just outside of Albany. I haven't been on that canal trail, but will check it out in the future.

Here's a pic from yesterday's ride. One of my routes cuts through a nature preserve so I stopped to take a pic and have a snack. After a minute a goose started making her way towards me (you can barely make her out in the water) She had that killer look in her eye. Sure enough, she gave chase and a few hisses. I was quickly on my way.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

nice. looks like some good places to ride.


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## RideN (Apr 5, 2012)

Chico2000 said:


> I live just outside of Albany. I haven't been on that canal trail, but will check it out in the future.
> 
> Here's a pic from yesterday's ride. One of my routes cuts through a nature preserve so I stopped to take a pic and have a snack. After a minute a goose started making her way towards me (you can barely make her out in the water) She had that killer look in her eye. Sure enough, she gave chase and a few hisses. I was quickly on my way.


She was just helping you work on your sprinting :lol: That looks like a great place to ride :thumbsup:


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## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

Did you try spraying her with your water bottle? May not have the same affect on a goose that it does on a dog.


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

BostonG said:


> Did you try spraying her with your water bottle? May not have the same affect on a goose that it does on a dog.


LOL No, I didn't. Once I realized she was coming directly towards me I knew it was time to move along. I've seen how nasty geese can be in the Spring when they're protecting their eggs.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Pretty countryside.


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

Ridgetop said:


> Pretty countryside.


Thanks. I did a head shave like you did (I usually do it every year) and took before and after pics. Not sure if I'll post those.
On a more depressing note, I usually don't ride on this road because of the traffic/speed limit, but I wanted to get to some country roads on the other side of it. Then I saw this ghost bike. I think this cyclist was killed by a middle aged woman driving home early in the morning from a party she was at the night before.


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

*Adirondacks*

A nice relaxing weekend spent camping in the Adirondack Mountains. My buddies and I hit the beer, whiskey, and cigars pretty hard Friday night around the campfire but I set my alarm for 6:30am anyway planning on a nice ride. I hit the snooze bar 6 or 7 times, finally woke up, had a big breakfast, and eventually clipped into my pedals by 10:45am. 

I started out of Diamond Point through Warrensburg and followed the Hudson River for a while. Eventually turned down a dirt road which gave me five or six miles of beautiful, traffic free riding. Got a little spooky when I noticed a few sets of very large, and very fresh animal tracks along the side of the creek. The DEC has been saying for years that there are no mountain lions in the Adirondack Mountains. Last year they were finally proved wrong. 

Finally back on tarmac I headed towards Gore Mountain in North Creek, NY. Temperatures were climbing into the high 60's so I peeled off my arm warmers and wind vest. Circled through Johnsburg and during a decent climb I heard a thunderous sound approaching. Louder and louder then directly over head not more than a few hundred feet a military jet speeds by. Pretty awesome. 

Somehow missed a turn and I realized I had not seen a house or a passing car in nearly an hour. Came to a fork in the road and tried to make a choice while I choked down a Clif Bar. Just as the bugs were about to get me on my way an old timer pulled up in his Toyota and was kind enough to point me in the right directions. 

That missed turn added ten miles to my planned 35 mile loop. Pulled back into the campground and was delighted to see that my buddy had refilled the beer cooler with a selection of Sam Adams and Heineken lights. Life is good!


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

*Chatham, NY*

A beautiful afternoon in upstate NY. Columbia County is one of my favorite places to ride. I see more sheep and horses than I do cars.
Took my usual rolling hill roads and then took a dirt road that I had seen on my last ride out there. Ashley Hill Road, starts off with a nice steep pitch, 25 yds to rest, then what seemed like an endless grind up dirt and gravel. Map my ride said it was only 250ft in 1.6 miles but it seemed like a helluva lot more than that. 
These pics were taken with my Sony cyber shot (dsc-w350).


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## RideN (Apr 5, 2012)

Killing me man,......killing me!! Great shots. Beautiful place to ride. What campground were you in?


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

RideN said:


> Killing me man,......killing me!! Great shots. Beautiful place to ride. What campground were you in?


Thanks. Not sure of the campground name..it's just off exit 23 of the Northway along the Schroon River. It hardly feels like camping though. They've got an inground pool, showers, plumbing and a whole lot more. 
We'll be going back up in July. We'll have canoes and kayaks too.


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## RideN (Apr 5, 2012)

Sounds like a great trip you've got planned!!


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## Chico2000 (Jul 7, 2011)

65 mile "Arboretum to Arboretum" ride with the bike club yesterday. Sunny skies, nice climbs, snacks and drinks waiting for us at the half way point.


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