Rutland Vt to Killington Vt - US Rt 4 feedback?
09-18-19, 06:09 AM
#26
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Mr L and friends, sorry for the talk of depressing stuff, its not really representative of the overall picture, but good to know I reckon from a theft aspect, but just go with instincts and observation of a given area and people.
back to positive stuff---one other really nice aspect of riding in Vermont is that the road surface quality is loads and loads better than here in Quebec. Same climate, but they must have better quality control of materials and or how they pave etc, as there is always a marked difference in Vermont.
Maybe because Quebec notoriously has crappy roads we react more than others, but anyway, overall Vermont roads are pretty nice, so enjoy the ride and the lovely landscapes.
still crossing fingers for you and the weather.
back to positive stuff---one other really nice aspect of riding in Vermont is that the road surface quality is loads and loads better than here in Quebec. Same climate, but they must have better quality control of materials and or how they pave etc, as there is always a marked difference in Vermont.
Maybe because Quebec notoriously has crappy roads we react more than others, but anyway, overall Vermont roads are pretty nice, so enjoy the ride and the lovely landscapes.
still crossing fingers for you and the weather.
09-18-19, 07:25 AM
#27
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back to positive stuff---one other really nice aspect of riding in Vermont is that the road surface quality is loads and loads better than here in Quebec. Same climate, but they must have better quality control of materials and or how they pave etc, as there is always a marked difference in Vermont.
09-18-19, 03:06 PM
#28
Senior Member
In 2008 I did Velo Quebec's Le Grande Tour. Afterwards I vowed never to go back to that part of the world until they repave every road. You know things are bad when you are happy you got off the pavement and onto a wet, dirt rail-trail. On the upside, the food was terrific. We had duck for dinner the first night.
In any case, re our roads, I often joke that as someone who commutes in Montreal over all kinds of fine to ok to kinda bad to truly crappy road surfaces, it keeps you sharp and even if I hardly ever do any mtb riding, if I go on a trail or a dirt road or a road in Guatemala, nothing fazes me simply because I've ridden over the equivalent somewhere here in Montreal.....
05-10-20, 12:39 PM
#29
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Vermont Riding ...Bucket List Material
Ouch. You'll have the climbing or you'll have the traffic. At your age neither one is very good unless the 4 of you are well experienced and used to riding in heavy fast moving traffic. Around the Woodstock/Quechee area you will see a lot of traffic with small shoulder and the traffic is moving 50-55 mph. Some will move over for you and some think they own the road. At least that was my experience several years ago when I rode Rt 4. Like I said previously I know they were going to/did install rumble strips I believe on the center line to help both slow down the drivers and make them pay more attention to their driving. At your age I would question how comfortable you are riding in traffic. If you are well experienced and feel comfort in heavy traffic then it probably won't bother you any but otherwise you will find yourself not enjoying it at all.
As to the other side of the equation, Middlebury into W Lebanon, I haven't ridden that stretch but I can tell you from what I hear it has some of the nicest climbs you will find around Rt 100. Every year they have the 6-gap ride punishing the cyclists with riding the 6 gaps around the area. I think, MANY years ago I was in a car over Middlebury Gap, but it has been so darn long ago I cannot even begin to remember how bad the climb was. You will see climbing though getting from Rt 7 over to Lebanon, you can't avoid it. Rt 4 is milder climbing. Their is no real way to avoid the climbing, it all comes down to what do you want for traffic.
As to the other side of the equation, Middlebury into W Lebanon, I haven't ridden that stretch but I can tell you from what I hear it has some of the nicest climbs you will find around Rt 100. Every year they have the 6-gap ride punishing the cyclists with riding the 6 gaps around the area. I think, MANY years ago I was in a car over Middlebury Gap, but it has been so darn long ago I cannot even begin to remember how bad the climb was. You will see climbing though getting from Rt 7 over to Lebanon, you can't avoid it. Rt 4 is milder climbing. Their is no real way to avoid the climbing, it all comes down to what do you want for traffic.
05-10-20, 02:05 PM
#30
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We wound up getting up to Castleton, riding 4A over to around Rutland and eventually dropping down to Ludlow on 103. 103 was not fun but it was raining and cold that day so hard to judge though I suspect there are better rides. From Ludlow we went up 100 and 100A back to 4. 100A, in particular, was spectacular. We then took 4 to Woodstock and then some nice hardpack north of 4 on in towards W Lebanon. That was a nice day of riding. I have no doubt we could have made better choices but it was a good trip nonetheless. Personally, I think I would seek out more of the off pavement stuff but the guys I was with were leery of that. For example, I rode about 8 miles of the Delaware and Hudson Rail Trail, that paralleled 153, into W Pawlet while the others stayed on 153 (also nice). The next day, I think we could have taken that trail almost all the way to Castleton but we took roads instead.
Delaware and Hudson RT
100A
We were intentionally early in season for colors but, for a guy from San Diego, it was still nice. Feedback from locals seemed to suggest we might have been overly paranoid about leaf peeping traffic.
Total motel to motel loop from Hartford was 425 miles and maybe 16000 ft of climbing over 8 days.
Delaware and Hudson RT
100A
We were intentionally early in season for colors but, for a guy from San Diego, it was still nice. Feedback from locals seemed to suggest we might have been overly paranoid about leaf peeping traffic.
Total motel to motel loop from Hartford was 425 miles and maybe 16000 ft of climbing over 8 days.
