Connecticut River – Hartford Cycle

July 16, 2022 | Happy Mid-July

No Independence Day ride this year, but I did make it downtown for the Saturday Closest to the Ides of July. The Jazzfest was going down at Bushnell Park, the furries out in force thanks to ConnectiCon, heavy rock on the pavilion, Irish music at the waterfront, and a Goats game at the Donut park.

But I’m not here to join in the festivities, I have puttering around to do. Like getting my steps in hauling Toro up to the Charter Oak Bridge.

I’m wondering if there’s an event that could bring together all of the disparate cultures… Probably fireworks. Or maybe Ghibli.

July 22, 2021 | Soggy

In July, the Big River was like this:

The Farmington was like this:

And the trails were like this:

… Rewind to the end of June, the days were drier and Elizabeth Park reached peak rose:

Sunny days, return… some day?

June 10, 2021 | Rails and Rail Trails

Planes and cars and bikes and boats
These things will all take you to places remote
And if you’ve a minute, I’ll now you regale
A journey once taken, by rails and rail trails…

A chug and a choo, a woot and a clang
All now make way for the oncoming train!
“Step up, this way sir – you’ll notice in back”
“A bay and some bungees, fix your bike to that rack!”

And away now, with speed, we cast off up north
Past locks and canal and that River with girth…

But what is the goal, where does this train go?
Springfield, Massachusetts – we might as well slow!

And onto the platform, then station depart
To search out the scene, some sights and street art…

…To halls that enshrine the famous at hoops
And courtyards remembering that fellow called Seuss

But the journey’s just started, we must up the pace
So refill with treats from a usual place

Past sun beaten roads, provisions run low,
But a welcome relief – the greenway to home!

So if you are tiring of oft-travelled routes
And biking your umpteenth Farmington loop
Just grab your ticket, from your locale bail
To some destination, by rail or rail trail!
(-_-);;

June 1, 2021 | Do You Believe in Ferries?

I’ve heard tale of mythical entities from ages past that dwell deep in the woods of our fair state. If one hazards the trip to a certain mystical location along the banks of the Tidal River, you’ll be suddenly whisked away. No one knows for certain the final fate of these poor souls, but rumors persist that they can invariably be found on the opposite shore.

This ride starts on the Bloomfield green, then meanders through backroads in an all-out effort to avoid Cottage Grove Road. The charm point here is a sidewalk between Ellsworth and Eagleton, bridging the cavernous divide between cul-de-sacs and joining the disparate locations of Bloomfield and Windsor together as one.

As with all battles to avoid 218, this one ends in abject failure, but at least the crossing is purely lateral and, ignoring a stack of dismembered tree parts that absolutely should not be trespassed upon, we arrive at Windsor Meadows State Park.

Next we grit our teeth traversing the Bissell Bridge and Route 5 before ignoring the unrelenting quaintness of Glastonbury, slowly closing in on our destination…

Goal!

And with space warping magic…

Now we’re in Rocky Hill!

On the way home through Wethersfield, I’m delighted to find the town has been taken over by bicycles.

But this one’s both decorative and useful.

October 11, 2020 | Planes, Trains, and Velomobiles

After one too many rides along the Farmington, it’s time to take a ride along the truly mighty Connecticut River.

The ride starts taking in the respective town greens of Bloomfield and Windsor, with a quick detour by Windsor Station to see the train roll by.

On the way up to Windsor Locks, we actually do pass over the Farmington River. This is a bit upstream from where it drains into the Connecticut River.

A quick sail through the historic district, and it’s off to the Canal Trail…

In ages past, the canal let ships navigating the Connecticut bypass a particularly treacherous portion of the river. Today the area is presided over by bald eagles, who magnanimously allow humans passage through their territory.

From the Suffield end, we turn west and battle headwinds on exposed roads, passing Bradley Field.

And back through Poquonock, for one more encounter with that other river.