Originally Posted by
UniChris
But Bardswell Ferry was a mistake. Really given all the time I spent on the gravel excursion I should have simply turned for home, instead decided I'd ride north at least to the bridge over the Deerfield river. Only it's down a huge hill, and who wants to ride back up the hill you just descended? So pressed on north, walking many steeper spots from fatigue and riding the shallow ones. Passed a couple of branches that didn't look promising like Hawk Rd and Old Albay Rd (only later passed them southbound; they actually would have been great choices).
Ah, congratulations on hitting some of the notorious roads/climbs of D2R2. I thought the climb northward after Bardwells Ferry Bridge (awesome place) was finally going to be the place where my wife kills me, but I guess in the end she decided to redirect all her strength towards not stopping (and being unable to start).
Old Albany road has some pretty steep sections, 12% either way you go. Hawks Rd too gets rowdy but would've been a better choice. Regardless, I have to say it's pretty incredible for you to be doing these on a unicycle!
I did the classic 100K D2R2 a month ago and all climbs were kind of on par - long and grueling - but Peckville Rd up to Apex Orchards was somehow worst of them all. If you really want to punish yourself! But the view from up there is great plus you can get some cider (and other things) from the orchard store. On the other side of the spectrum I found 112 heading north into VT from Colrain to be a very nice, mostly flat picturesque road with a generous shoulder and would like to return at some point to do a road loop.
Originally Posted by
UniChris
RT 2 from Shelburne Falls towards Greenfield is pretty decent for the most part with a quite generous shoulder though definitely some climbs of rolling hills as the road ventures from one valley to another. The thing is that it ends with a CRAZY descent - so long I had to take breaks to give my brake hand a rest! At one spot there was a tower that claimed you could see both VT and NH; took my best shot from the shoulder. Would not want to be trying to climb that in the reverse direction, not just because of the hill but because the shoulder on the uphill side becomes a truck climbing lane. Also ends with a rotary at the I91 interchange. On an ordinary bike the descent would be a non-issue so it's a viable route eastbound though it would take a lot of determination to to it in the west direction.
Wow, yeah, that one is insane!