This was a great ride.
Well, at least I thought it was a great ride.
RR might believe differently. Actually, she had an experience at the end that made it a great ride, and it involved men.
But I'll let her tell you about that.

This ride is 60-63 miles with 31 hills. That's one hill for every two miles. Some hills were more manageable than others, but none were "forgiving." The riders who organized this metric were serious about hill training. I had routed this on mapmyride.com to get the elevation, and I have to say that the elevation map was intimidating to look at. However, being the Pollyanna that I am, I figured, if I can ride a century, I can do 63 miles with hills.

We started at ten in a pack of about twenty and quickly spread out. RR and I slowed our pace way down with the idea in mind of saving our stuff til we needed it. We rode with a gentleman RR called "Eagle Eye" because he spotted all (but one) arrows on the road. After she called him this, he was distracted and missed an arrow (as did we all) and we went two miles the wrong way. I turned us around and we went back down and we dropped Eagle Eye.

The next 15 miles were a joy; rolling hillettes, state forest mixed with rural farmland and low woodland; stone walls and bluffs characteristic of the area, and early color on most all of the maples and nut trees. Connecticut roads are a joy to ride on. We are used to the ruts and potholes of Rhode Island roads. We were in high spirits, averaging around 14/15 (my computer is not working and RR's new bike isn't hooked up with one yet.) We got to about mile 20 and I lost RR for the rest of the ride. I picked up another female rider and tailed her for about eight miles of narrow, winding climbs and hair-raising descents into ravines where the temperature was ten degrees cooler, then passed her and headed for the ferry. At the ferry, I had a pb sandwich and waited for RR. A guy turned up and we checked around and found out that the ferry was closed due to high winds. So I finished my lunch and headed out up towards Gilette Castle.

The hills to Gilette and just beyond are long, straight hills, one after the other. They are backbreaking. I got a call halfway up the second from RR and she was just behind me. I told her I'd meet her at Devil's Hopyard and got back on the bike. I'd have to say this was a challenging set of hills. I used my grannies on every one. The guy from the ferry and I kept passing each other. I latched on to the girl I had worked with before at the top of the hill heading toward Hadlyme and we circled around to get onto a long stretch of flat, where I passed her again. At this point, I was alone and the arrows were hard to see, so I kept thinking I'd passed the turn for the Hopyard. But I had not. Finally, I took the turn for the Hopyard and into the campground (I camped here years ago so it was a nice re-visit) and went in to the loo and refilled my water at the ancient pump. I took a minute at the falls and then got back on my bike and took off for the next set of hills. I caught up with the girl I had passed a couple of times before and passed her; she said, "if you pass me one more time, I'm going to kill you."

Miles 50-55 were some steep graded hills. I kept looking ahead and thinking, "uh oh, RR is not gonna like this." I came flying down one grade only to look up and see a terraced hillside just ahead, with bulldozers and a quarry operation. The road went straight and then disappeared left. I figured from the way the ride was going up to this point that this only meant one thing: another hill. Head down and tuning my brain to some Styx song (where did THAT come from... the brain is an amazing thing) I headed out for it. As I rounded left, the road went straight up. Like College Hill in Providence. Yes, that steep. I geared to mini-mouse and spun up the first half, and then heard a huge truck behind me. I knew that the road turned sharply right and by the way I was wobbling, knew it would be dangerous to stay on the bike while the truck and I rounded that bend. So I got off. The truck blazed past me leaving me in a billow of sand and dust. I walked ten paces (like hiking up a trail with a bike in your hands) and rounded the curve and... more up. So I got back on, because riding HAD to be easier than trying to walk in bike shoes. I got to the top and it leveled out for about a half mile, and then, another hill. I think this was hill number 28. Judging by the time (and having mapped the ride including waypoint mileages) I knew that I only had about 10 miles to go and how many hills can you get in ten miles? So I humored myself and counted them down and managed to do them all except for one, where I got off and walked ten paces for a rest. At this point, I was passed by ferry guy. I got back on and pedaled hard. I passed ferry guy and he yelled out, "that's it! I'm done for today!" and I said, "hey! we're almost done! Just think, in two hours you'll be home, showered and having a big dinner!"

The road at this point was quite pretty. Bozrah is a beautiful little community and the hills became less steep and more rolling. I was feeling fairly good except for the shoulder/neck thing I get on all long rides. But I could live with it. I had eaten steadily all day so I had no bonking episodes, but I did feel a little lightheaded at this point. I rode along and took the next hill, the last series of hills. And I must say I was spent at this point, but I did spin them out, maybe going 3 mph. I think this hill is called Leffingwill hill. I came down the other side and checked the map and I was a mile away from the finish. I jumped on to 82 and flew back to the park and ride, where I found RR waiting for me! She had a big smile on her face and so I know she had a good time, despite all the hills. But I'll let her tell that part.

All in all, a good hilly ride. I'll do it again next year. I think this would also be an excellent training ride for anyone who wants to ride in the Adirondacks or in New Hampshire white mountains. It took me about five hours, and I averaged around 11/12 mph. I lost two pounds even though I drank 3 bottles of water.

It was fun.
I love hills!