On a hot day, with plenty of sunshine, thus it was yesterday, Sunday, 29 August 2010.
www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ny/pattersonville/842128321601954636
I drove over to the Rice Rd. parking spot near Lock 9. Not too many fishing at 9:30 or 10 am Sunday morning. It was hot and getting hotter. I debated what exactly to do in the way of a ride, but opted for a "two hills +" and was getting ready to do a Schermerhorn or Crawford, mighty Crawford, when I got the inspiration to do a Route 160 up the hill onto the plateau and then zoom down Rynex-Pattersonville to cross over to the Glenville Hills.
That even seemed a little boring, so I pulled the gear out of the back, clipped in, checked the water situation, and set off without being entirely convinced I knew what I wanted to do.
Soon I was hooked into a 25 mph zone then took the old Erie Canal towpath from the standard 5S route through Rotterdam Junction. I came out of the trail in time to see the rail cars parked right in the way. Someone had put up cement wall sections to discourage traffic like me. I walked through, up and across the rails, down the other litter-strewn side of the path to come out on the 5S . . . LEFT to go west and I passed Rynex-Pattersonfille Rd. thence on to Rte 160.
Left or up or south and you're into it immediately. Every time I encounter this hill I want to go off on Florida Rd. which seems to be very inviting, because it's flat. I gain elevation. Then it flattens out as the road gains an altitude it likes. I pass a couple of roads to the east that I've taken or thought about before. Then, I see it . . . Sterling.
Doesn't look that bad . . .
Then the switchbacks start and grade increases, but if Ti Man were here, he'd just switch to a lower gear and hammer. Not me. Nope.
The sun is hot. I haven't had enough to drink. I am beginning to weave across the road so I don't stop!!
Pathetic.
I'm at the top, finally, and find I'm going to turn left onto 160. I just turned off of 160 and now I return to it. I have to take a map on these trips -- that's it.
I DO have a compass, knowing how well I orient in the hills above the Rotterdam, so I check and the shadows are sharp; I'm not too lost. Yet.
159 looms, and I turn left again and find myself at Mariahville Lake!! I'd just spoken to a colleague who lives up here 'Stop in any time. Really. We'd love a visit from a tired and worn out rider.'
I fit the description. But it was one hour into it and I had to get back for lunch. . . . so I hammered a way and it paid off. I kept up a 30 mph+, 40 mph in spots, ride down from the plateau. To eventually turn left at Rynex Corners. . . to roll up the infamous Rynex hill to Upper Gregg Rd. and Crawford intersections.
Then DOWN hill for minutes, honestly, it was superb!!
But NO!!
I'm dreaming. I took Ennis and had to battle the little rollers, residential spots, intersections, and finally, after ablastdown that hill, I connected up with 160 again, again, and rolled on to the down pipe into Pattersonville.
Nice Ride.
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