Day 48 – Latham, New York to Brattleboro, Vermont

79 miles, 5696 feet climbed

Today was perhaps our biggest day of climbing, comparable to Teton pass in total, but spread out over more, smaller climbs at lower elevations. While we haven’t climbed this much for weeks, we were still stronger for all the miles we’ve ridden and this did not feel as difficult.

There was no rain in the forecast but dark clouds were hovering over Hogback, our last climb before the descent into Brattleboro. A light rain started at the second SAG, and abated before I topped Hogback.

Again, I had my rain jacket with me, not because I thought I’d need it, but because I left it in my seat bag the days before. It came in especially handy after I stopped in downtown Brattleboro to visit a couple of bike shops. That gave the storm time to climb over the hill and drench me during the 3 miles or so from downtown to the hotel.

We had a couple of potentially good (you can go fast and the turns are not too tight) downhills. What’s the ‘but’ part, you ask? Poor pavement and shoulders, especially the city streets coming into downtown Brattleboro. If I was going to make this ride a charitable endeavor, my charity would probably be America’s crumbling infrastructure.

Downtown Brattleboro is somewhere I’d like to spend more time without having to worry about my bike. Lot’s of little places to eat and window shop for stuff you don’t need.

The Hudson River
I remember this store from my drive from Killington back to the Albany airport at the end of my March-April ski trip this spring. I was heading west then, not east, of course.
One of several picturesque churches in Bennington, VT. I’m pretty sure this one caught my camera’s eye in 2004 too.
The eponymous Big Pond
Harriman Rservoir
The view from Hogback