Gran Fondo NJ 2012

I was one of nearly 2000 cyclists who assembled for the mass start of the Gran Fondo NJ 2012 in Morristown on Sunday. The largest ride in New Jersey history was presented by Jamis Bicycles and hosted by Marty’s Reliable Cycle in support of; The Seeing Eye. Inc., Grow it Green Morristown, and Homeless Solutions, Inc.

The courses passed through several of Morris County’s picturesque towns. All of the turns had highly visible, color coded markers along the route. With a touch of autumn is the air, the brisk September morning was perfect for cycling. It was easy to see why Bicycling Magazine described this as New Jersey’s best ride.

Among the four routes, Breve, Piccolo, Medio, and Gran, I chose the Piccolo for this year’s Fondo. Each rider was outfitted with a chip timer to calculate the various competitive climbs along way. I was pleased with my 12th place overall (2012 Gran Fondo NJ - Piccolo Fondo results) on the climb in my category. I received a handshake from Marty himself, a commemorative medal, and a kiss from my lovely wife at the finish. A perfect day!

The 3rd Annual Tour de Long Valley

It was a great pleasure to ride in: The 3rd Annual Tour de Long Valley. The event was sponsored by Cycle Craft, in support of; the Long Valley First Aid Squad, Washington Twp. PBA, and David D. Hammar Foundation.

The ride staged at Rock Spring Park on Schooley’s Mountain in Long Valley. The course contained several challenging climbs with exceptionally beautiful scenery.

My ride became a bit more interesting after my Garmin had a glitch and I followed some other riders about 3 miles past a left turn. We checked our cue sheets and doubled back, motioning to several other riders who apparently missed that turn, as well.

I’m actually glad I took that detour. As I worked my way back along the course, I found myself riding along with so many different cyclists. I think cycling has a different meaning for each individual and that makes events like this very special. I view cycling as a celebration of life, health, and survivorship, for which, I am always grateful.

The Highest Point in New Jersey

High Point Monument is located inside High Point State Park. Aptly named, the monument marks the highest point in the State of New Jersey at 1800 feet above sea level.

Admission to the park is free for cyclists. The only price you’ll pay is the satisfaction of a challenging 3 mile climb to the entrance of the park. The elevation profile from my 50 mile out and back demonstrates this, while looking something like a monument itself.

From the base of the monument you’ll find panoramic views of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.

Tour de Lake

I had a wonderful time on Sunday riding in the Tour de Lake Challenge.

The event was supported by the David D. Hammer Foundation, the Mount Arlington Fraternal Order of Police, and the Police Unity Tour.

The course wrapped nicely around Lake Hopatcong passing through Mt. Arlington, Landing, Hopatcong, Roxbury, and Jefferson.

My appreciation goes out to the Cycle Craft bicycle shop for running a terrific cycling event.

Walpack: Population 16

I finally got the opportunity to ride through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Many of the roads had suffered flood damage from Hurricane Irene and remained closed for several months.

After a steep climb into the park from the Millbrook Road entrance, I stopped at historic Millbrook Village.

I proceeded North on the Old Mine Road, one of the oldest roads in the United States. This section was closed after the Hurricane.

One word of caution if you travel on this section of the road by bike: The road surface is rough and covered with pot holes along an extremely steep descent.

As I proceeded North, I stopped at Walpack Center. The population of Walpack Township is now about 16 according to the last census. It’s astounding to realize that thousands of people once lived in this area. The Tocks Island Dam Project forced most to relocate. It’s also strange to imagine this area underneath a 140 foot deep by 37 mile lake. Once the proposed largest dam project east of the Mississippi was scrapped, the area became one of the nation’s most beautiful parks.

At the Northern most portion of the ride, I walked around Peters Valley Craft Center in Layton; its home to a number of artists in residence and hosts an Annual Fall Craft Fair.

Friday the 13th

I passed by Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco, as I often do when riding south into Hardwick and Blairstown. Apparently, the horror movie Friday the 13th was filmed there. Since today is Friday the 13th, I thought I would mention that. Who knew?

Hope. Shades of Death. Tranquility.

Some of the names you’ll encounter on the Allamuchy Allegory Ride. This route passes through 42 miles of scenic back roads in Sussex and Warren counties. The State of New Jersey Department of Transportation has an excellent web page with descriptive maps in downloadable brochures.

I just rode 24 of the 30 mile northern loop of this ride. Having cycled thousands of miles over the roads on this route, I can honestly say they are amazingly beautiful.

This route is traveled by individuals, cruiser club and pace line riders from all over the area. The rolling hills are a backdrop for roads that serpentine through historic towns, farmland and pass through Jenny Jump State Forrest.

At the top of the ride, Kittatinny Valley State Park provides an excellent starting point. This park is a destination for mountain bikers, hikers and horseback riders. Rock-N-Root Cycle is located along the route 206 portion of the route if you need any bike service.

In search of a bathroom

Today, I went for a slightly longer ride. It took me through several towns, two counties and past Swartswood State Park. I snapped a picture of a cove on the lake.

I can’t say I was very pleased with my speed on this one. Some of these routes are fairly new to me, and there are more hills than I’m accustomed to. I climbed a little over 1700 feet according to the Garmin. I may have to ratchet down my expectations as far as speed goes.

Also, I spent the first half of the ride distracted and looking for a bathroom. It’s really rural in this part of the state (we like it that way). In fact, our town doesn’t even have a gas station. I did find one at the park, a stop that took me way off the road and into the rocks and mud.

When you have to go…

Cadence is more than a rhythm

One of the more beautiful aspects of the Skylands Region is the rolling hills and mountains cut by the Delaware River. The ridge that marks the horizon to our west is part of the Delaware Water Gap National Park and home to a section of the Appalachian Trail.

While the more southern roads tend to meander though relatively flat pastoral farmland, the area where I most often ride contains some category 4 and 5 climbs. These hills can be a challenge for an old goat like me.

One of the training skills I found myself needing to work on when I returned to cycling was cadence. Initially, I was inclined to use the big gear and climb out of the saddle in some vain attempt to overpower the wind and the hills.

After some research, I purchased a Cateye Strada Double Wireless cycle computer. The wireless cadence sensor displayed my RPM along with the speed and other features. By focusing on my tempo, I was able to increase my cadence from a 70-90 range to a more efficient 90-110.

This past Christmas, my daughter gave me a wonderful gift, a Garmin Edge 200. Wow! This amazing little fun machine introduced me to the world of GPS tracking. I’ve had a great time mapping my rides and comparing times. But it lacks one important thing – cadence. Unlike its more expensive counter parts, the 500 and 800, it doesn’t have the ANT+ feature which transmits to the cadence sensor.

Initially, I removed the old cycle computer, but recently I put it right back alongside the Garmin. Now, I have the best of both worlds at a very reasonable cost. I use the Gamin for recording rides, mapping courses, etc. Then my eyes check the old Cateye for speed and cadence.

Today’s ride was a short one. The headwind was nasty. Still, I never tried to overpower it; I spun through it with my old friend – cadence.

One down and twenty-nine to go

Today was the first day of 30 days of biking. The weather was cold and gloomy, but I was happy to get it done before the rain we expect later. I picked an easy and familiar route along county 521 to Stokes State Forest. It’s a short out and back - less than 14 miles. The picture of my bicycle is along Plymouth Lake below the Kittatinny Ridge.

30 days of biking

I signed up to participate in the 30 days of biking challenge. The concept seems simple enough. Ride somewhere every day for thirty days. The event begins on April 1st. I’ll be updating this site throughout the month with some photos and short blurbs.