The Donkey Ride: some days speak for themselves

Dirty cyclists in New England had plenty of options last weekend. There was the Rhodekill Spring Classic on Saturday, both the inaugural Plymouth Gravel Grinder & the Dirt Roller Coaster in Vermont on Sunday, and just a bit further up I-89 was also the Kenda Cup Eastern Grind XC race. If you desired to ride the entire weekend Overland Base threw it's second Maneha, a 2 day 250 mile mixed terrain bike camping adventure. Lots of ways to run your knobbies on May 14th-15th


But I was having none of those. With 3 weeks left until the Dirty Kanza, fair weather forecast for Saturday, & a family day planned on Sunday, I chose to do my own thing. So I put together a pair of big dirt road loops on some favorite local terrain. I rode the first loop solo, the second with one team mate, Kat Zalenski. She noticed so many burrows out grazing at farms we passed that this became The Donkey Ride.



I could say many things about such a long day in the saddle, but I think these pictures say enough.

ready to roll for a 10 hour day in the saddle

some creative wood stacking on Atwell Hill

old barn in Piermont 

the view from the top of Indian Pond Road

cows will be watching me on the prairie too

grand old house on Canaan Lake, a place I should ride by more often

a beautiful farm house getting restored on Jersusalem Road

Huckleberry Hill, almost at the top



Kat Zalenski rode with me for the 2nd half

Roads like these, all day long

Hatch Pond



Mile 105, along way from home

Roxbury Road will wait for another day



Carleton Road, taking a rest before the last tough climb of the day

Kat & I saw donkey's at 4 different farms, not these donkeys, but the name stuck.

across Blair Bridge means I'm almost home.