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Nassahegan RAW - 9/3/08

Greg

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What a crazy ass adventure tonight was!!! :blink:

I left the house about 5:30 noticing the thunderstorms in the area. The sky to the north and east (in the direction of Burlington) was pretty dark. It got progressively stormier as I got closer, but once at the route 4/69 merge it lightened up. By the time I got to Lamson Corner, it was pouring. :-x

Pulled in next to Chris Grassi and rolled down the window and told him we'll wait it out. Once the rain lightened up, I took the bike down and raised the hatch and we sat back there until it let up (about 10 minutes wait total). We then found powhunter and powbmps also emerging from their cars.

Within a few minutes, we were off. Grassi's new bike is very sweet and will surly serve him well. We headed into the saturated cemetery twisties. The trail was more water than trail, and normally I wouldn't opt to ride them, but since powbmps Chris was down from New Hampshire, we rode anyway. There were actually a fair number of riders out tonight despite the rain. The cemetery twisties were a little miserable being so wet, but I did clear one of the techy spots. Grassi was battling a headache so he opted to bail down the doubletrack. I don't blame him. Challenging trails, new unfamiliar bike and a headache is not a good combo. I could tell he was disappointed though.

Well, Chris, Steve and I headed up the climb. I actually cleared the whole thing with a short break right before that challenging part. I've found the rock I've been trying to ride around is easier to just ride over. We then headed east at the big boulder towards the Stone Road area. Steve and Chris liked the mellow singletrack crossing through there. Light was fading so we decided to crank it southeast to hit the nice smooth downhill and take the fire roads back.

Chris and I made it to the area where the trail we rode Sunday peels off towards the Devil's Kitchen and we stopped and waited for Steve. We got to bullshitting and then realized we were waiting a pretty long time. Chris commented how quickly it was getting dark. A bit concerned about Steve, we backtracked to find him. We kept riding and riding. It was then like someone flipped a light switch, it was getting dark so fast. I knew we were about as far away from the parking area that we would be on this ride so after several unsuccessful call-outs to Steve, I tried calling his cell. No answer.

So Chris and I rode a bit more and came to an intersection - one that I never noticed before, and certainly didn't notice tonight. We figured Steve must have went that way, the direction towards the upper part of the Devil's Kitchen. :-o At that point, I made the call that I had to get the two of us out of there. On the way back to where we turned around, my cell rings. It was Steve who apparently navigated the Devil's Kitchen in the fading light and found his way to a fire road and eventually to pavement. I'm still not sure where he came out, but I'm sure he'll chime in. I told him to let me go so we can get out and that I'd call him and try to figure out where he is and drive over to pick him up.

Chris and I carefully picked our way out. Probably another 3 miles in virtual darkness. I was really close to pulling out my hiking headlamp, but I just wanted to keep moving. The DT wasn't fun in the dark, but it wasn't that dangerous given we were going pretty slow. Eventually, we discovered why it got dark so quick when we saw lightning. Another storm was rolling in. :-o We pressed on and got to Lamson corner just as the lightning started getting really bright and flashing often.

We then saw this minivan pull in and who jumps up but Steve-O! :) Apparently, a group of of "cougars" gave him a lift. :lol: Steve hurried off since he had to go back to some diner or something to retrieve his bike. I bid farewell to powbmps Chris who was back on his way to New Hampshire. Sorry the ride didn't go as well as planned, but I sure gave you one helluva adventure! Still, good riding with ya!

Time to buy a headlight and a light for the visor...
 

Grassi21

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damn, and i thought my head ache was bad. that sucks. glad ever one was accounted for in the end.

i knew right off the bat that i wasn't feeling it tonight. started as a dull head ache and then progressed to full on pounding of the temples. had to stop for a moment on the fire road to gather myself. made it back to the care and took a few minutes to hydrate. grabbed some chips and a coke at cumby's. crushed water the entire way home. head just started to feel better when i got home. i usually drink 2.5 - 3 liters of water i day. today i only had a liter before the ride. my stupidity.

bike felt great. shifting, size, weight, and it seemed to climb muuuuuch better than the giant. i might try to go for a ride tomorrow after the DDS. quick run to waldo, ride to the river and back. that bike makes me want to get on it more often. i guess i can say the same about my wife too.

steve i listened to radio city on the ride home. thanks again for the tunes!
 

Greg

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Here's the track record and map. 5.2 miles with the backtracking to attempt to find powhunter.
 

o3jeff

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So you didn't talk to Steve to find out which way he went? I would have to guess he made it to Stone and over to GW Tnpk and over to 4 were he was then saved up by a van of cougars.
 

2knees

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damn guys, glad you all got home in one piece. Wreck yourselves skiing or riding, not getting hit by lightning.
 

Greg

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So you didn't talk to Steve to find out which way he went? I would have to guess he made it to Stone and over to GW Tnpk and over to 4 were he was then saved up by a van of cougars.

Yeah, I did talk to Steve tonight. He mentioned getting to Case Road at some point, so yeah, I think he ended up on Stone Road eventually. I guess the cougars were feeding him chocolate or some shit like that. :lol: Classic Steve yet again. I feel bad though. It was definitely my fault not noticing that trail.

damn guys, glad you all got home in one piece. Wreck yourselves skiing or riding, not getting hit by lightning.

We didn't notice the second storm coming until way into the ride. We actually never got rained on, but the storm definitely cut the light out quick.

We are experiencing our third storm of the evening right now. Crazy night.
 

bvibert

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Sounds like a crazy ride!

The only trail intersection that I can think of in that area is the trail that heads back towards the entrance to the kitchen. It's not really obvious from the direction that you guys were going. It leads back to some DT before meeting up with the trail that leads to the Kitchen, which also isn't all that obvious from the direction. The DT leads back to Stone Rd. so it's possible that he just followed that without actually hitting the kitchen. But it's entirely possible he found his way into the kitchen and then hung a left, instead of right, when he got down to the DT, which I imagine would also lead to Stone Rd eventually. I'd like to hear Steve's account of where he rode to try and get an idea. If he did indeed navigate the kitchen in failing light then that's pretty impressive.

You can see the trails I'm talking about in the track that Jeff got when we rode out that way earlier in the year.

http://www.crankfire.com/map/index.php?tid=7&t=442,469&w=0&k=&h=
 

Greg

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You can see the trails I'm talking about in the track that Jeff got when we rode out that way earlier in the year.

http://www.crankfire.com/map/index.php?tid=7&t=442,469&w=0&k=&h=

Yup. That's definitely the spot. The way the trail flows SSE, it's hard to notice the trail to the left to the northeast. Apparently Steve found it. This evening was probably the fourth time I rode that trail and I never noticed it going in that direction. I suspect Steve continued northeast right to Stone Road. He seemed to find pavement pretty quick and I think if he got hung up in the kitchen, it would have taken him much longer to get out.

Looking at that map again, it makes sense why Chris and my ride out seemed to take so long...that was a pretty long way! Most of that ride was in less light than we had when we finished last week's RAW. RAW season is quickly coming to an end, I think.
 

powbmps

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That was an "interesting" ride :razz:. Thanks for letting me tag along.

Disapearing powhunter, hooting owls and flashing lightning...what more could I ask for.

Greg, you should be good to go for ski season. You were cranking up those hills.
 

severine

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That lightning was crazy last night!

Creepy way to end the ride, but glad to hear everyone got out safely. Figures on Steve-O's experience for the night - he has a knack for flair! ;)
 

Greg

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That was an "interesting" ride :razz:. Thanks for letting me tag along.

Disapearing powhunter, hooting owls and flashing lightning...what more could I ask for.

Greg, you should be good to go for ski season. You were cranking up those hills.

I'm glad you were at least entertained. :lol: I wish we were able to take advantage of that sweet downhill while it was still light vs. picking our way down it in the dark. It would have made the clmibs worth it. Again, fun riding with you anyway.
 

bvibert

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Yup. That's definitely the spot. The way the trail flows SSE, it's hard to notice the trail to the left to the northeast. Apparently Steve found it. This evening was probably the fourth time I rode that trail and I never noticed it going in that direction. I suspect Steve continued northeast right to Stone Road. He seemed to find pavement pretty quick and I think if he got hung up in the kitchen, it would have taken him much longer to get out.

Looking at that map again, it makes sense why Chris and my ride out seemed to take so long...that was a pretty long way! Most of that ride was in less light than we had when we finished last week's RAW. RAW season is quickly coming to an end, I think.

That's the trail I was telling you last time that we would need to take if we wanted to get over to the beginning of the Kitchen.

If he ran into pavement quickly then he probably went right past the kitchen entrance to Stone Rd like you said. If he had gone down the kitchen it would have taken him a while just to get back to the DT, then he still wouldn't have been very close to pavement (I don't think).
 

Greg

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That's the trail I was telling you last time that we would need to take if we wanted to get over to the beginning of the Kitchen.

I remember you saying that, but that's not the one I thought I saw on Monday. Once cutting across from the Lamson loop and shortly after taking the right at the 'T', there's another not heavily traveled trail that comes in almost parallel. That also links up with the trail Steve apparently rode out last night. It's marked in light purple here, I believe.
 

bvibert

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I never noticed that trail, good to know it's there though. The one I was talking about is the one that I posted earlier.
 

powhunter

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Sounds like a crazy ride!

The only trail intersection that I can think of in that area is the trail that heads back towards the entrance to the kitchen. It's not really obvious from the direction that you guys were going. It leads back to some DT before meeting up with the trail that leads to the Kitchen, which also isn't all that obvious from the direction. The DT leads back to Stone Rd. so it's possible that he just followed that without actually hitting the kitchen. But it's entirely possible he found his way into the kitchen and then hung a left, instead of right, when he got down to the DT, which I imagine would also lead to Stone Rd eventually. I'd like to hear Steve's account of where he rode to try and get an idea. If he did indeed navigate the kitchen in failing light then that's pretty impressive.

You can see the trails I'm talking about in the track that Jeff got when we rode out that way earlier in the year.

http://www.crankfire.com/map/index.php?tid=7&t=442,469&w=0&k=&h=

Nice riding with you guys....Yea it was an adventure....Powbumps and were greg were a bit ahead of me.....I came to a trail intersection and took a left....it was some gnar ST then after a while I came to an X at some DT...I was gonna cross and continue on the ST but it was getting real dark, and the only real light was from the lightning...

So I took a left on the DT which eventually led to a gravel road and a paved road....I was still unsure of where i was....anyways I just kept going in the direction I thought was right..ended up at Marrinellis restaurant out in the sticks.... I stopped to call greg and I hear someone say "look at that boy on his bike hes soaking wet" Anyways there was 3 middle aged Milfs that offered to give me a ride back to scoville...So I get in this minivan sweating like a pig, soaked from the rain, and covered in this black really smelly mud...so 2 of them are talking german...I understand a little from my years living there... I thought they were gonna try something with me....but they just gave me their after dinner chocolates and dropped me off back at scoville....what a FN mission!! Nice riding with ya Grassi....powbumps.....greg


steve
 

Grassi21

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Nice riding with you guys....Yea it was an adventure....Powbumps and were greg were a bit ahead of me.....I came to a trail intersection and took a left....it was some gnar ST then after a while I came to an X at some DT...I was gonna cross and continue on the ST but it was getting real dark, and the only real light was from the lightning...

So I took a left on the DT which eventually led to a gravel road and a paved road....I was still unsure of where i was....anyways I just kept going in the direction I thought was right..ended up at Marrinellis restaurant out in the sticks.... I stopped to call greg and I hear someone say "look at that boy on his bike hes soaking wet" Anyways there was 3 middle aged Milfs that offered to give me a ride back to scoville...So I get in this minivan sweating like a pig, soaked from the rain, and covered in this black really smelly mud...so 2 of them are talking german...I understand a little from my years living there... I thought they were gonna try something with me....but they just gave me their after dinner chocolates and dropped me off back at scoville....what a FN mission!! Nice riding with ya Grassi....powbumps.....greg


steve

geman milfs? and you didn't try to wrangle a sponge bath out of them?
 

severine

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Nice riding with you guys....Yea it was an adventure....Powbumps and were greg were a bit ahead of me.....I came to a trail intersection and took a left....it was some gnar ST then after a while I came to an X at some DT...I was gonna cross and continue on the ST but it was getting real dark, and the only real light was from the lightning...

So I took a left on the DT which eventually led to a gravel road and a paved road....I was still unsure of where i was....anyways I just kept going in the direction I thought was right..ended up at Marrinellis restaurant out in the sticks.... I stopped to call greg and I hear someone say "look at that boy on his bike hes soaking wet" Anyways there was 3 middle aged Milfs that offered to give me a ride back to scoville...So I get in this minivan sweating like a pig, soaked from the rain, and covered in this black really smelly mud...so 2 of them are talking german...I understand a little from my years living there... I thought they were gonna try something with me....but they just gave me their after dinner chocolates and dropped me off back at scoville....what a FN mission!! Nice riding with ya Grassi....powbumps.....greg


steve
Only you, Steve. That could only happen to you. :beer: :D
 
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