September 30 – October 2, 2019
Trail forks shows MTB trails around Lake Dunmore so we head for Branbury State Park. Plenty of room in the CG. We pick a spot with potential for sun since these cloudy days are limiting our solar gain and our batteries are getting low. If we didn’t curse generators so much we’d ask our neighbors for a plug in.
After lunch we get out the bikes and head up (and I mean UP) the Falls of Lana Trail to the Leicester Trail. Riding the Leicester Trail North to South started out as an easy ride down an old carriage trail, built in the 1930’s, to get guests to a retreat along Silver Lake. Pretty trail, easy riding, gradual down – although I wasn’t impressed with the stinging nettles that were numerous along side much of the trail. At least the sting seemed short lived. Part way down the trail gets much more technical – too technical for me. Still pretty, but a hike-a-bike show. I had originally planned to take Chandler Ridge back, but the Campground host had said it was much rockier than Leicester so I work my way to Hwy 73 and then back to the CG on Hwy 53. Rick perseveres and takes a longer, hillier, non-hwy route back.
Rick has been neglecting his speed workouts so the next day he opts for hill-bounding on the Falls of Lana Trail. I get out the road bike. With the help of Ride with GPS and Rick I get a couple possible routes and head out to enjoy riding on Vermont’s rural roads. Mostly good riding, some packed gravel roads. A bit too many dump trucks for my liking. Nice camp relaxing time in the afternoon. Dinner is spaghetti squash – cooked on the Weber Q. Who needs an oven.
Van Around 