# Spring MTB ride..



## JD (Feb 6, 2009)

Come spring, after the whitewater,  I'm always looking for a dry place to go ride while our woods are still soaked.   I've heard good things about  Northern CT riding...what's the best spot for fun flowy singletrack?


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## bvibert (Feb 6, 2009)

I'm by no means an expert, nor have I been everywhere, but my local haunt, Nassahegan in Burlington, CT, has some nice ST in it.  There's some places in MA that are supposed to be pretty good and would be closer, so that might be an option too.

If you're really going to drive all the way down here to ride let me know, we'll put a crew together and show you a good time.


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## Greg (Feb 6, 2009)

bvibert said:


> I'm by no means an expert, nor have I been everywhere, but my local haunt, Nassahegan in Burlington, CT, has some nice ST in it.  There's some places in MA that are supposed to be pretty good and would be closer, so that might be an option too.
> 
> If you're really going to drive all the way down here to ride let me know, we'll put a crew together and show you a good time.



+1

Nass has a really expansive trail network and a little bit of everything. Lots and lots of singletrack, some flowy, some techy, some really techy. Some stuntry too. We could put together a ride there that meets just about anything you would want. We could 3 - 20+ miles. Some guys do 40+ mile rides there, barely riding the same trail twice. I'm good for probably a 15 miler max.


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## bvibert (Feb 6, 2009)

In the spring I doubt I could pull of a 15 miler.  I guess it depends on how much spring bump skiing I get in to condition myself. 

Here's some info on Nass:
http://www.crankfire.com/trails/trail.php?trailid=7


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## Greg (Feb 6, 2009)

bvibert said:


> In the spring I doubt I could pull of a 15 miler.



Wimp. :razz:

Not saying the first ride, but I definitely want to start doing longer rides this season.


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## o3jeff (Feb 6, 2009)

Anyone looking to ride Sunday? Suppose to be almost 50, should loosen up the ice and be nice and slushy


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## Greg (Feb 6, 2009)

o3jeff said:


> Anyone looking to ride Sunday? Suppose to be almost 50, should loosen up the ice and be nice and slushy



Ain't going to be MTBing until the local ski hills close....

Anyway, here's a little helmet cam video from Nassahegan:



Kinda shaky and I didn't have the angle right, but you get the idea. Tons of twisty singletrack there.


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## JD (Feb 6, 2009)

Looks fun.  How far from Springfield?  I got a brother in Otis Mass and would prolly stay there.


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## drjeff (Feb 6, 2009)

Is it just me or is a MTB trip planning thread the 1st week of February with super prime conditions across the Northeast on the hill right now a bit blasphemous?????


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## gmcunni (Feb 6, 2009)

Greg said:


> Anyway, here's a little helmet cam video from Nassahegan:



who's the slow guy in the yellow shirt???

i forgot about this video.. there was a thread about trying harder when in a group,  this was that for me.. knew you were behind me with that damn camera rolling on a steep/rocky downhill section.  thought i was going to die but didn't want to give up and look like a pussy on film.


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## RootDKJ (Feb 6, 2009)

drjeff said:


> Is it just me or is a MTB trip planning thread the 1st week of February with super prime conditions across the Northeast on the hill right now a bit blasphemous?????


No, I was thinking the same thing...or it's a jinx


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## Greg (Feb 6, 2009)

JD said:


> Looks fun.  How far from Springfield?  I got a brother in Otis Mass and would prolly stay there.



If you are staying in Otis, you would shoot right down route 8. Probably 45 minutes tops. Very easy to get to both Nassahegan and Nepaug from Otis. I also believe there are some whitewater opportunities right along route 8 in the Otis area. You could easily make a couple day adventure out of it.


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## bvibert (Feb 6, 2009)

JD said:


> Looks fun.  How far from Springfield?  I got a brother in Otis Mass and would prolly stay there.



About an hour from Otis:
http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=S...-72.977629&sspn=0.007173,0.019076&ie=UTF8&z=9


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## bvibert (Feb 6, 2009)

Greg said:


> If you are staying in Otis, you would shoot right down route 8. Probably 45 minutes tops. Very easy to get to both Nassahegan and Nepaug from Otis. I also believe there are some whitewater opportunities right along route 8 in the Otis area. You could easily make a couple day adventure out of it.



Nepaug would be a bit closer, but I don't think there's as much flowy single track in there.  Seems to be more based on stuntery to me.


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## Greg (Feb 6, 2009)

bvibert said:


> About an hour from Otis:
> http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=S...-72.977629&sspn=0.007173,0.019076&ie=UTF8&z=9



Exit 44, route 4, is quicker:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...-73.00577&sspn=0.727925,1.235962&ie=UTF8&z=10

I doubt it would even take an hour. You can do 60 much of that route even before the expressway starts in Winsted.


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## MR. evil (Feb 6, 2009)

JD said:


> Looks fun.  How far from Springfield?  I got a brother in Otis Mass and would prolly stay there.



Have you ever ridden Batchelor Street up near Umass? Its abour 30 minutes north of Sprinfield. Really sweet , and huge trail network. I could show you sometime this spring. Nass is also alot of fun, but Nass won't be dry for some time.


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## Greg (Feb 6, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> Nass is also alot of fun, but Nass won't be dry for some time.



Sessions will be wet for a while, but I would bet the Lamson loop and Stone Road trails dry out quickly. Can't speak first hand since I've never ridden there in the early spring, but based on how things drained over the summer (and we had a very wet summer), I think certain areas will be rideable a week or two after the snow is gone.


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## bvibert (Feb 6, 2009)

Greg said:


> Exit 44, route 4, is quicker:
> 
> http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...-73.00577&sspn=0.727925,1.235962&ie=UTF8&z=10
> 
> I doubt it would even take an hour. You can do 60 much of that route even before the expressway starts in Winsted.



Quicker by what, a couple minutes? :roll:  I wasn't giving exact directions, more of a general idea for time.


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## Greg (Feb 6, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Quicker by what, a couple minutes? :roll:  I wasn't giving exact directions, more of a general idea for time.



More highway in my directions = less time. You should know that Mr. Lead Foot. And Google time approximations are just that.....approximate.


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## bvibert (Feb 6, 2009)

Greg said:


> More highway in my directions = less time. You should know that Mr. Lead Foot. And Google time approximations are just that.....approximate.



I'm well aware of the approximations.  However, even with my lead foot I find them to be pretty accurate usually.


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## severine (Feb 6, 2009)

Heck, googlemaps thinks I can get from our house to the West Hartford UCONN campus in 37 minutes going down Route 44 with all those lights. :lol: I don't think even Greg could do that!


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## campgottagopee (Feb 6, 2009)

Singletrack=just wide enough for one bike???


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## bvibert (Feb 6, 2009)

campgottagopee said:


> Singletrack=just wide enough for one bike???



Yes.


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## campgottagopee (Feb 6, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Yes.



Thank you


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