Noontime ride, no sweat, right?
Ha.
We planned to do the standard http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/ny/niskayuna/886127333331216373 but with the twist that David was back from his business travel . . . Ohio? He was glad to be back and to show us how happy he was he left us all in the dust. The route takes us up onto the bluffs above the Mohawk and once up there we have flat to descending, with rolling terrain until one reaches Sugar Hill Rd. (L) and the access road to the Vischer Ferry Power Station.
He felt great to be back on the road, and to celebrate he wound it up to 29 or 30 mph on that well-worn section of pavement. We spread out as the speed increased, and folks fell off the back. By the time we made it to the left-hand turn, we had 1, then 1, then 2 then 1 last one. 'I don't have that gear,' someone screamed into the noisy background of rushing air past the helmets. I laughed. No one has that gear. And crank.
We turn north at the intersection and mosey on up the little approach bit to peak out in front of one of the apple farms, then drift down past Ray Rd. (to the right), to approach Grooms or Rte 91.
Once there, I look down at the moment when everyone else moves across the busy road. I fumble for stance and apply a push on the pedals, not yet engaged in clipless, and so we rejoin the fight.
Again the pace is increased as we go north along Miller Rd. to the Waite Rd. left-hand turn, just on the other side of the residential developments, the old farms, onto the downhill stretch we always do at 26 mph. The old house on the right at the intersection with 146 is now gone, and in its place since the work began last fall, are new apartments. They stand three stories tall and well help relieve the housing pressure due to the slowing pace of home building, and reduced job opportunities, but won't beautify the route!
Once across 146, we're on the rise, down the hill, and around the bend to cross the railroad tracks. We are occasionally prisoners of the train schedule and from time to time, there are some train spotters.
Left onto 146A to wind up the hill past the seasonal gardening store, named after the two proprietors, no doubt, and roll on down to Ashdown's left at the light. We all keep an eye on the oncoming traffic from down below at the village Ballston Lake.
A quick look to the right reveals a northeast direction view of the Glenville Hills. Once along past the bridge over the railroad spur headed east from Schenectady to Mechanicville, we are on to the Blue Barn itself. Left up the hill to get us out of the last bit of the valley or low stream conduit, we look over Hyde's wares. Boats, mostly, and of course the consignment shop outside in better weather.
Down the hill at well above 30 mph, the sport is to keep up with traffic headed south to the Rexford Bridge, into Niskayuna, from Clifton Park. He hit all the lights while green and break some sort of modest record for steaming past the another garden center, post office, fire station, Dunkin' Donuts (where we never, never stop during the Tour de Doughnut de Cidre event in the fall, to my surprise), Stewarts Shops, Rexford Mansion, to the bridge itself.
The city of Niskayuna is working on the bike trail and so passage by familiar right hand turn past the boat house, left onto the trail across the Aqueduct Rd. traffic is not NOT an option. We don't want to do the Rec Center, either, so it's across the Balltown Rd. traffic. What a mess. What a risk!
The rough gravel still lies in wait for the unsuspecting and it will be there all summer, goes the TiMan's prediction. He isn't out today but we can remember his words.
Blown out by the ride's three big pushes, we stand at the top of the hill huffing and puffing.
