tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21787818440326455482011-06-10T19:15:44.909-07:00Posting what the crew at West Hill have been doing , both in and out of the shop.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662913175777149197noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2178781844032645548.post-27148724125390225262011-06-09T11:51:00.000-07:002011-06-09T11:51:47.877-07:00Well, after recovering from Sunday's 60-mile Tour De Heifer Challenge, I was inspired to have more fun on my cyclocross bike.&nbsp; I am really enjoying riding this bike on dirt roads and woods trails, since I equipped it with a compact 50/34 crankset, an 11/34 cassette and tubular cyclocross tires (32C wide with 40psi).&nbsp; Headed out at 6PM with a loose plan to get up to the Putney Mountain rigdeline.&nbsp; Gained the ridge via Burnett Road, the Crocker sugar bush, Windmill Hill Class-4 road, and then up the washed-out remains of Holden Road.&nbsp; Once to 5-Corners, I seemed to have the time, so I dropped down the Dodd Trail into Brookline.&nbsp; This descent was mostly about going as fast as possible to keep ahead of the mosquitoes, which given the washouts involved a lot of running with my bike.&nbsp; At the bottom, Grassy Brook Road was a pleasant 4 miles of smooth pavement before ascending back up via Putney Mountain Road.&nbsp; Over the top, I wound my way back home just past 8PM, for a total of 20 miles and 2600 feet of climbing.&nbsp; Maybe more fun than mountain biking!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2178781844032645548-2714872412539022526?l=westhillshop.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662913175777149197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2178781844032645548.post-42190308138910182792011-06-08T13:52:00.000-07:002011-06-08T14:04:45.820-07:00We've been waiting, and it is finally here.&nbsp; After a very prolonged winter with snow falling well into April, and then a rainy and cool (and flood prone) May, June has brought on 90F temperatures.&nbsp; No complaints though.&nbsp; The riding (dirt road, pavement, woods) could not be better.&nbsp; West Hill was one of many sponsors of the inaugural Tour-de-Heifer ride this past Sunday, and Putney/West Hill riders were out for both the 16- and 60-mile rides.&nbsp; Wow, Malcolm Moore of Marlboro put together an incredible "loop" of southwestern Windham county, mostly on dirt roads with a few Class-4 roads thrown in to keep it interesting.&nbsp; You know that when the fastest riders were out there cranking for over 5 hours, calling it the Tour-de-Heifer Challenge may be an understatement.&nbsp; I know I had a great time, enjoying the hours of ups and downs with only 5 cars seen all day.&nbsp; I love riding in Vermont, but I <u>really</u> love riding Vermont's dirt roads.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2178781844032645548-4219030813891018279?l=westhillshop.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662913175777149197noreply@blogger.com