Singlespeed Turkey Burner

I intended to go mountain biking on Friday for CT NEMBA's annual Turkey Burner but the wife asked if I wouldn't mind staying local because she needed to go to NYC with my daughter.  So, I went on a 30 mile road ride on the Monster Cross.

I put on a different crankset last week and this was my opportunity to test it out.  Gearing wasn't really for road riding (34:17) but it helped in the hills.  I had been worried about whether I mounted the rear wheel too far out on the drops but didn't have any issues.  Of course, having a Surly Tugnut back there is always comforting.  I need to get the chain length so I can change cogs without having to lengthen or shorten the chain.  I am hoping that I can go from 14t to 20t on the same change, but if it's 15t to 19t I will take that, too.  Next I am going to ride this on Roxbury Dirt Roads and I am looking for the optimal gearing for climbing for next year's D2R2 in mind.

Today's ride was the first time that I ventured onto Route 59 in Monroe.  It's a popular stretch of road for cyclists but it sucked on the singlespeed.  Next time I come down this way, I need to come at it either from Sport Hill either by taking Poverty Hollow or Eden Hill and of course on a different bike!

Temperature got above 30 deg in the sun and I was layered up pretty well.  Lobster gloves were perfect and the balaclava (not Baklava) might have been over kill but I never got cold.  The one place I did have trouble was the feet.  I have always had pour circulation in my toes and feet and even with over booties and my cold weather riding shoes keeping my toes warm was a challenge. 

I don't know how many times I have passed by Hattertown Pond wanting to stop and take a few pictures so I did so today so that I could get a little circulation to the toes and experience the raw beauty of this one little pond that through the seasons is always captivating.

Riding back towards the Newtown, I rode the trails at Fairfield Hills wondering what is going to be the Cyclocross Course on 12/21.  The one thing I didn't know was there are these grass trails cut into the fields that could be fun to ride sometime.  When I get the big meats on the Qball truly start rolling Monster Cross I am going to give the grass trails a whirl.  Eventually, I am going to get some Rock and Road tires for D2R2.

When I got home I discovered my cell phone missing so I drove back to Fairfield Hills and ran up the trails, back tracking my route on the horse trails and I found it.  I should have closed up my top tube bag when I hit the trails but forgot.  I won't do that again.