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3/5 - Dirt Road Reconnaissance Ride
I figured I'd let the masses know that I'm planning to get out and check on the condition of some of the local dirt roads this coming Sunday morning. The goal for the ride will be to verify that some roads that appear on the satellite maps actually are there and are passable for a ride later in the month. (Full disclosure: this means that there may be some mountain bike-y, rough-going, orienteering going on for a couple of spots. Just remember that it is about character building! 
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Here is the route that I'll be taking: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19289106
Plan is to leave from Berg Field/my house at 9:30am.
I've ridden this in parts over the years on my road bike (I now have a gravel grinder) so you shouldn't have any problem except for the swamp at mile 14 or so. It's quite a workout so you shouldn't need to worry about the cold. I'm too slow to join you so have a good time. I hope you get some folks to go with you. It's fun riding.
I can't remember if its Standard Road or Miller Swamp Road, but I have bad memories of knee deep puddles and a sketchy swamp crossing over a homemade bridge constructed of pallets and discarded kitchen cabinets.
This sounds entertaining. Two days ago I went down Hurricane Brook Road, it was passable but had sections of soft ice. not really a problem, but just a heads up,there may be snow ice hiding in the shade of the woods here and there.
I like this GG exploring idea. Planning on joining the ride Sunday, riding up/back to the ride from Avon if anyone else is interested.
Lmk if you would like to meet for the ride up. ---Randy---
Just a heads up; it looks like I may have my commuter/gravel bike out of service this weekend (we'll find out tonight at the shop) so I'm most likely going to take the mountain bike on this journey.
Now for pretty much everyone except for me that really doesn't make a bit of difference, but I wanted to put it out there that I'll be out there with a big bike so if your "gravel grinder" isn't ready either come out with us on your MTB!
The weather man says that it should be a balmy 16 degrees at the start of the ride. I'll still ride, but will anyone be out there with me?
Sounds too cool, I'm bailing out. Like to ride this route on a warmer day in the future. ---Randy---
NWS just issued a wind chill advisory overnight and into Sunday morning. That's God telling me to go for a mountain bike ride in the afternoon when its 35F.
I think Jonathan's story about his Gravel bike being out of commission was just a cover up. The mountain bike was proper tool. He took me down a road he claimed was shown on Ride with GPS that was really a woods road that I used to ride my off road motorcycle on. About 1/4 mile of ice covering the road and then 1/2 mile or so of fist size stones. I was amazed I did not flat with 32 mm tires @ 55 psi (rear is flat this morning)! We will skip that section on club rides.
Rest of ride was fun and a lot of effort. Nearly 3,200' of climbing in 26 miles. Hope to have group ride on Saturday, 3/18.
Ron did a fantastic job navigating the "pre-gravel" rocks and bobsled run out on Wendy's Road with his skinny tires! I felt like my MTB was cheating in the rough sections, but we were only there because of a failed attempt at connecting with a "road" that was visible on the satellite images.
Oh, in my defense, my gravel/commuter bike is being replaced under warranty and is at the shop so the MTB was really my only option! :-)
I had lots of fun and I plan to spend many more days this season out on those dirt roads and I'll be sure to post if I have the ability to pre-plan so others can join.