January 6, 2021 - Around Candlewood Lake

Start: Danbury, CT
Turnaround: New Milford, CT
End: Danbury, CT
Miles: 40.2
Feet climbing per mile: 88
Record of the day's ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/61141700

By the time I woke up, maybe 8:00, my stomach ache had passed and I felt refreshed from my sleep. The temperature was 31 so I followed my plan from the night before and had a lazy morning waiting for the air to warm. I walked to the nearby Stop & Shop where I bought some petroleum jelly to put on my feet and hands to help keep them warm while riding. I would also put a small plastic bag over each of my socks.

In order to explore alternate routes home that would avoid some of the suburban riding, I posted messages on two Facebook groups, Social Cycling NYC  and New York Cycle Club Members Group, asking about the surface of the North County Trail and the South County Trail. Several people responded with helpful information.

I departed at quarter to 12:00 when the temperature was 33. I figured I could complete the 40-mile ride around Candlewood Lake, including a stop for lunch, in the five hours remaining before sunset.

Looking north onto Candlewood Lake

What a pleasure it was to ride being able to feel my feet, and with the sun shining! After three miles I noticed that my right brake lever was loose on the handlebar. Having the tools for the job and knowing exactly what to do, it took just three minutes before I was back on the road. I find it satisfying to be prepared for such situations.

I decided to ride around the lake counter clockwise, going north on the east side. The traffic was very light and most of the roads smooth, although there were a few sections with a rough surface. I hoped that the headwind out of the northwest would continue through the day and ease my ride on the second half of my trip.

Shortly after mile 15, with the grade approaching 13%, I walked for a fifth of a mile. When the road is that steep even walking is a challenge.

I planned to have lunch at Dagwoods New American Lounge. When I called in the morning I was told the soup of the day was French Onion. A few miles from Dagwoods I realized that I hadn't asked whether I would be allowed to bring my bike inside. I arrived after two hours of riding 20 miles, exactly halfway on my route. I was greeted as I entered and immediately told, without me saying anything, to put my bike wherever I wanted.

While waiting for my French onion soup I posted on Facebook that I was Dagwoods. Chris Barker responded by asking "Where is Blondie?", and I told him I would ask my waitress. Elena told me she was from Russia, so I explained the joke. Besides the soup I also had an order of goat cheese balls. The two items made for a perfect lunch. 

I was back on the road at 2:50, with almost two hours of remaining daylight in which to make the return trip of 20 miles. During lunch I had studied my route and saw that I would almost immediately come to a two-mile climb with a grade of up to a 10%. Knowing the challenge before me I took it easy and rode the entire climb in the saddle in my lowest gear, never coming close to feeling the need to walk. Besides strength and endurance, climbing well requires knowing when to work hard and when to take it easy. At mile 24.6 there was a climb of three quarters of a mile as steep as 9%. Again I took it easy and rode the entire climb in the saddle in my lowest gear, never coming close to feeling the need to walk. After each of these climbs I enjoyed descents in which I went as fast as 38 miles per hour. Who goes up gets to come down!

The roads on the west side had more traffic and always an excellent surface, although not as often providing a view of the lake as the roads on the east side. The wind had continued out of the northwest as I had hoped it would, giving me some help. I did need to walk for a tenth of a mile at mile 32.5 when the grade went up to 13%. Perhaps I could have continued riding if I had taken it easy on the descent prior to the climb. I arrived at my hotel just a few minutes after sunset.

After a shower, shave, and change of clothes, I walked across the road to Stanziato's where I ordered French onion soup, a salad, and a hamburger with fries. The soup was disappointing, as I should have expected, given that it would not be served in a ceramic bowl in which it had been baked. Instead it came in a half-filled one-quart plastic container. The pecans in the salad had been marinated in some nasty spice which quickly sent them to the garbage to join the enchiladas from the night before. The hamburger was medium rare (as requested) and delicious, but the fries were cold and limp. I suspect my dinner was prepared in a sub-optimal order, with the fries first and the salad last.

After dinner I settled on a route home that would avoid some suburban riding by employing five miles of the South County Trail through Yonkers.

I spent most of the evening watching the news of the attack on the Capitol. What's next, a shooting on Fifth Avenue?

My post from the previous day: January 5, 2021 - New York, NY, to Danbury, CT
My post from the next day: January 7, 2021 - Danbury, CT, to New York, NY