This week's edition of Why Cycle Wednesday highlights a ride I'd been wanting to do for a long time - climbing to Castle Craig in Meriden, CT.
I hadn't been able to join up with the Cycling Concepts Wednesday night group ride but once this year due to my work schedule, but I'd been packing my bike and stuff just in case I got out of the office in time. On Wednesday May 9, we got out a little before 5:30 (an extreme rarity this time of year) so I had just enough time to get to CycCon by 6pm clip-in. Imagine my surprise when, at the pre-ride intro, they mentioned that the group would be going up Meriden Mtn. Looks like I'd be able to do my Castle Craig climb whether I was ready or not!
The quality of the pics on this post isn't as high as usual - since I wasn't prepared to do one of my "top ten" rides, I didn't have my camera with me, so had to use the cellphone camera. If a regular camera adds 10 pounds, then a cellphone camera must add at least 20.
Or maybe I'm just pumped from the great climb?
According to this website, Castle Craig is an observation tower "on the tallest land mass so close to a body of water (Long Island Sound) from Maine to Florida." As you can see in the pic below, the views are spectacular. As a matter of fact, if you click on this pic for a larger view, you can just barely make out another favorite haunt - Sleeping Giant - in the center FAR background. It actually LOOKS like a sleeping giant in the distance. (ok - ya gotta use your imagination. The head is to the right end . . .) Pretty cool. The Sound is back behind the Giant - but it was just a little too hazy to make it out well.
This is the view from the top looking west along I-691:
In case you want to try this ride yourself, here's a map of the route. The top of the mountain - as you may have guessed - is at the lower left corner of the map:
And here's the profile - guess where the mountain figured in the ride:
The climb itself wasn't as bad as I thought. It's about 2 miles long and, according the Garmin, around 9% average grade. A great climb where you just hunker down and grind it out. There were a LOT of other cyclists that had the same idea - it was a beautiful evening - and it was nice to have so much company.
The best thing about a climb - to my mind - is the descent and this one is a doozy (at least to this coastal-dweller). I hit 44mph before my front wheel started shimmying way too much for my liking - and there was a sharp curve coming up anyway - but what a ride down!
And even better - this climb (and even more importantly, the descent down the same way) is TOTALLY CLOSED to auto traffic.
So if you want to get a little climbing in your legs and you live just-about-anywhere in central Connecticut, try riding up to Castle Craig. I think you'll be glad you did.
(be sure to check out the Garmin stats in the right hand column under "Recent Rides" or click here)
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Well folks, this may be the last post for a bit. I'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon for my 210 mile GYGIG charity ride. I can't believe it's already here! And a VERY BIG THANK YOU to all of you that have donated and supported Mrs. Suitcase and I for this amazing event. While I hope to be able to blog about it while actually doing it, there may be no internet connection. Rest assured though I'll be sure to post all about it - with pics - next week at the latest.
So watch this space - get out and ride this weekend if you can - and I'll see you next week (if not sooner!)
Have a great ride!
Posted by: Greeley | June 07, 2007 at 08:55 PM