April 12, 2023 - Redding, CT, to Torrington, CT

Start: Redding, CT
End: Torrington, CT
Miles: 53.8
Feet climbing per mile: 86
Record of the day's ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/117767394

On this trip I applied three lessons I learned on the first day of my previous trip:

• I must leave home 30 minutes before the train departs.
• A test ride is needed after even routine bike maintenance.
• Contrary to the rules, bikes are allowed on peak northbound Metro-North trains in the morning.

I left home at 7:30 to catch the 8:02 Metro-North train from Grand Central to Redding where I arrived at 9:54. I had not set an alarm the night before and had considered catching the 9:35 train that would have put me in Redding at 11:19, but I woke at 7:00 and decided to get an early start. The temperature was 65F when I left home but in the afternoon it would get up to 80F. The day before this trip I installed the wheels I built last year, adjusted my brakes, and cleaned my chain, chainrings, and jockey wheels. After doing so I rode about five miles and verified that all was well.

As I was packing my gear the day before this trip, I discovered a pair of cleat covers in the left outside pocket of my handlebar bag. That is not my usual place for storing my cleat covers when not in use. They're supposed to be kept in the left outside Velcro pocket of my trunk bag. The last time I ordered cleat covers was December 16th of last year, the day after I had taken both my handlebar bag and my trunk bag on a shopping trip. I don't know why I didn't put the cleat covers in their designated place, but as a result of doing so I did not find them when I returned home. In How I Pack My Gear I write that "I pack according to the adage A place for everything and everything in its place". My experience of not finding my cleat covers shows how important it is to follow that adage.

As I left home I noticed that the 15 pounds of gear held in my handlebar and trunk bags did not interfere at all with the handling of my bike. I think that's because of the excellent distribution of weight between the two bags and because of all the riding I've done with the extra weight.

The 8:02 was a peak train on which bikes are technically not allowed, but the conductor who examined my ticket said nothing about my bike.

My bike secured on the train with a bungee cord

I had to change trains at South Norwalk to catch a train to Redding. Out the window I could see a beautiful road running parallel to the tracks. I considered getting off the train before arriving in Redding, which would have added as much as 17 miles to my day. Wisely I forwent that option.

Just 1.5 miles into my ride I needed to walk a short steep hill. Throughout the day I would need to walk a total of 8 times (at mile 1.5, 25.7, 46.0, 46.4, 48.0, 48.9, 51.0, and 51.2). Fortunately the walks were all short.

As I had expected based on my use of Google Street View, almost all of my riding for this trip would be on country roads with plenty of green.

A pond along Poverty Hollow Road

My route had not included passing by Sandy Hook Elementary School, the site of the mass shooting in 2012, but it was only a half mile off my route so I took a detour to see the school.

Sandy Hook Elementary School

On the school grounds there was no indication of what had happened in 2012, but near the entrance there was the sign shown in the picture below.

After returning home I learned that the school building was demolished in 2013 and later rebuilt, and that a memorial had been built near the school. I would have visited the memorial if I had known about it on my trip.

What sort of progress have we made with mass shootings since the shooting at Sandy Hook? Any at all?

I try to play my routes so that they run along creeks, rivers, and other bodies of water, and I always enjoying seeing dams. The one in the video below is along Glen Road in the Rocky Glen State Park Scenic Preserve.

I also enjoy seeing bridges.

Glen Road Silver Bridge across the Housatonic River

The traffic was steady but not overwhelming on U.S. 6 from mile 21.9 to 25.1, and again from mile 35.6 to 38.5. Other than those two stretches traffic was light.

Can one photobomb one's own photo?

A pond along Old Sherman Road

The Wooden Warrior in the Quassy Amusement & Waterpark looked like it would be fun.

Being closed is not the way to get a positive mention in my blog.

At mile 37.3 I stopped at a gas station to enjoy a Mtn Dew. I felt better afterwards, as I usually do.

I stopped at Scoop It Up in Thomaston, 42 miles into my ride, to enjoy a scoop of strawberry ice cream. The owner told me that one of his regular customers once left a $700 tip (yes, $700!). I suggested he name an ice cream flavor after his benefactor.

About 44 miles into my ride I saw an interesting rock formation along Hill Road. It probably would have been better if I had taken the video from farther back.

Shortly after seeing the rock formation I experienced cramps in both of my thighs, so I took the magnesium pill that I had planned to take with dinner that night. Fortunately the cramps soon dissipated. I wonder whether the magnesium helped.

At about mile 47 I started having a visual migraine (or was it a retinal migraine?) which lasted about half an hour. The visual disturbance was not in the center of my field of vision so it did not interfere with my riding. Furthermore I had previous experience with this phenomenon so I knew what was happening and that it would pass.

A few miles later I saw that someone on Clearview Avenue had a large collection of logs.

I arrived at the Days Inn in Torrington at 5:30, two hours before sunset. I was glad I had caught the 8:02 rather than the 9:35 train which would have had me arriving much closer to sunset. My room was clean, the bed was comfortable, and there was good water pressure in the shower.

After a shave and a shower, I realized (again!) that I hadn't brought a comb. On my 4,500-mile trip in 2019 I brought a scrub brush that also served as a comb, but I no longer carry the brush and had not added a comb to my gear. I made a note to do that. After putting on my off-bike clothes, I walked a short distance down the street to La Cucina where I thought I might have dinner. There were no diners there so I went a little further to Twin Colony Diner & Restaurant which had a few customers. There I had a mediocre but nourishing meal. I returned to my room to watch an episode of Law & Order before getting to sleep about midnight.

Next day: April 13, 2023 - Torrington, CT, to Riverton, CT, and return

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