Ripitz
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2020
I have been meaning to pull off this trip for quite some time. I have a Bulls electric gravel touring bike that I use daily instead of a car. I usually commute 20 miles a day but sometimes it is 40. I ride year round so I am used to being out in the elements. I have been wanting to ride the bike up into the Catskills to ski. I managed to clear my schedule and with a good weather window decided to go for it. Then I realized it was Harvey’s birthday on Sunday. I wanted to meet him and share first chair. Now, I was not just going for a ride anymore, I was on a mission.
On Saturday, I packed up all of my gear into my Burley Coho XC trailer. Then rode 5 miles from my house to the restored Hopewell Junction Station and the Dutchess Rail Trail.
The rail trail is such a pleasure to ride. My bike is a pedelec which means it is has no throttle. It has a torque sensor so the harder you pedal the more power is allowed from the motor. This gives incentive for more effort. There is a common misconception that e-bikes are for lazy people or that you can just sit back and do nothing. There are bikes and people that do that. Pedelecs are something different. You can put as much effort into riding as you would a regular bike, you are just going to go further faster. My bike has 4 modes of electric assistance, Turbo, Sport, Tour and Eco. Turbo is the fastest but the range is the least. Eco is the slowest and hardest but has the best range. I set it on Tour and pedaled happily along at about 15 mph to Poughkeepsie and the restored train trestle that crosses the river, known as the Walkway over the Hudson.
Looking north with the Catskills in the distance.
Looking south with the Highlands in the distance from where I started.
It was a beautiful afternoon.
From there I continued on the rail trail to New Paltz where I picked up the Empire State Trail that has a bike lane on the side of the road that detours town. I took a stop at Huguenot Street, known as the oldest street in America.
This house was built in 1698.
I then got on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail and headed north. The trail isn’t paved but it was in good condition. I was happy to make it to the Shawangunks. I lived in this area for a little bit and it was nice to see some old stomping grounds.
I had ridden about 35 miles at this point and my battery was almost out of juice. I brought an extra one stored in the trailer. I kept it warm along with a portable power station by wrapping them in a rechargeable heating pad stuffed inside a soft insulated cooler bag. The battery, once in use, generates it’s own heat while being discharged and a neoprene wrap keeps it from getting cold. I switched them out and started charging the depleted one with the power station. Then I got back on the trail. I crossed the train trestle in Rosendale and made it to Cottekill where I transitioned to country roads.
It was now dark and the roads were free of cars which made for some pleasant riding. A near full moon rose to my surprise. I didn’t realize it was going to be full and helped explain why I was out there like a lunatic. I made it to the Ashokan Reservoir causeway that is closed to cars and enjoyed the solitude for a bit.
After that I was on to Rte. 28. It was late so there was little traffic. The shoulder of the road is almost 12 ft wide allowing plenty of room. It feels a lot safer than most roads. I was in the zone in the cold and dark with just my light tunnel. I came upon a little farm stand store with a sign that said open. I thought it was a mirage. Maybe they forgot to turn off the sign? I went inside and it was warm. There were nuts and fruit, jerky, artisanal cheese and local everything. I stocked up on what I could including some maple candy, switched batteries again and got back on the road.
Luckily that little place was open because when I got to Phoenicia the gas station was closed. I managed to snatch up two slices of pepperoni pizza at Brio’s just as they were closing and jammed them in my trunk bag. Now it was time for the long climb to Hunter. A friend of mine has a trailside condo there where I planned to spend the night. The road was deserted so I had the whole lane to myself. I enjoyed the moon overhead as I passed beautiful Notch Lake. Ski Bowl Road was a welcomed sight and soon I could see the mountain.
When I got to the condo complex the bike was dead. I could not remember which condo it was because they all looked the same. There was no plan B except my 40 degree sleeping bag and my ski clothes. Eventually I found it and prayed he had given me the correct code to open the door. It worked. I was inside safe and warm. It was now just after midnight, 11 hours after I started. I had traveled 78 miles.
I quickly ate some food and set everything up to charge, batteries, power station, lights and phone. I laid down at 1am and set my alarm for 3am so I could change over the charger to the second bike battery. I went back to sleep and woke up at 4:30am to start the next leg of the journey. After some breakfast and repacking I was back on the road at 5:30am.
I was hoping to make it to Platty but that meant I would have to spend a second night at Hunter which I could not do. I had to be back home. I told Harvey I could ski Belleayre in the morning then head back from there. Now it was a race to meet up with him. I had 27 miles to go.
The full moon was still high and bright as I pedaled off into the dark. Strava recorded me at 50 mph at one point during the trip. I think it was during the descent to Phoenicia. You don’t need coffee when you're doing 50 in the dark on a bike with a fully loaded trailer.
I hit Rte. 28 and soon the sun started to rise. Seeing a new day born in the mountains never gets old.
Balsam Mountain from Big Indian.
I knew Harvey was going to ski Belle in the morning and Platty in the afternoon so I could not pass this sign without taking a picture.
I climbed the access road with two of my lowest gears missing. There was no time to stop for a derailleur adjustment. I was in Eco mode since the battery was on it’s last legs. I was too as I had to stand and crank. I vowed not to walk and I made it without having to. I was in the Overlook Lodge by 8:30am and met the legend himself, Mr. Harvey the Ski Man, that is what my daughter the Peanut calls him.
I told a nice woman at guest services about my 105 mile trip and asked if I could charge my battery while I skied. She was super helpful and allowed me to set up the charger in their office. Then it was a mad dash to boot up. I figured if we skied down to the Quad or the Gondola there might already be people there waiting so we walked up to Lift 7 and no one was there. First chair for me and the birthday boy!
It was time to rip.
We had a blast ripping most of the trails. Onteora was groomed and we dropped that first. It is a short double black and might not compare to a true double black at bigger places but it sure does get the blood pumping when you run it out. That sets you up for some speed turns in the blue mid mountain section. With no one around we could arc the whole trail. We jumped all over the place skiing as much terrain as we could and did not ski it all.
Harvey especially liked the bumps on Winnisook. They had the guns blasting on it all morning so we returned a few times to check out the snow storm. The accumulation was noticeable as the day went on. The last two laps I stuck to the edge and snuck into the trees where there was some drift from the guns. It might have been only a few turns of manmade ‘powder’ but I will take what ever I can get.
We had a great time talking about life and skiing. We even made time for a walk in the woods.
We skied until about 12:30pm and chilled at the Overlook Lodge for a bit. Harvey debooted and got ready for the drive to Platty. We said goodbye and off he went to continue his birthday party. He is a good dude. I am definitely looking forward to skiing with him more.
I checked on my charging batteries and went to the bar to get a Devil’s Path IPA. Beer tastes so much better when it is earned. I took some time to just hang out and got some nachos with pulled pork to fuel up. Then I packed up and hit the road around 3:30pm for the 77 mile trip home.
I bombed the access road and the descent through Main Street of Pine Hill. After that it was a nice easy grade down 28 and soon I was in Phoenicia, where I made a quick detour to see the old Simpson Ski Slope.
In Boiceville I jumped on the Ashokan Rail Trail and was alone again in the fading light.
Once over the causeway I made it to the spillway and caught the rising orange moon. It was a sight to behold.
After that I hit the country roads to the Wallkill Rail Trail. I switched batteries near Tillson and made my way to New Paltz. I took Main Street this time and found the next rail trail that would deliver me almost all the way home. The problem was now the Walkway over the Hudson was closed so I had to take the Mid-Hudson bridge. I wish I got a picture of that. It was beautifully lit up but I was too tired and cold to stop.
After some adventure riding through the hood I was relieved to ride through the beautiful campus of Vassar College. Soon I was back on the trail but I was in rough shape. I kept passing benches along the way and I just wanted to stop and sleep on one. I dug deep for the 12 miles to my local roads and crushed it hard for the last 5.
Just passed midnight I made it home with no power left. It was a trip like none other. I found the outer limits of myself and the bike. I also ripped the mountain and made a new friend along the way.
Life is short. Dream big. Live bigger.
On Saturday, I packed up all of my gear into my Burley Coho XC trailer. Then rode 5 miles from my house to the restored Hopewell Junction Station and the Dutchess Rail Trail.
The rail trail is such a pleasure to ride. My bike is a pedelec which means it is has no throttle. It has a torque sensor so the harder you pedal the more power is allowed from the motor. This gives incentive for more effort. There is a common misconception that e-bikes are for lazy people or that you can just sit back and do nothing. There are bikes and people that do that. Pedelecs are something different. You can put as much effort into riding as you would a regular bike, you are just going to go further faster. My bike has 4 modes of electric assistance, Turbo, Sport, Tour and Eco. Turbo is the fastest but the range is the least. Eco is the slowest and hardest but has the best range. I set it on Tour and pedaled happily along at about 15 mph to Poughkeepsie and the restored train trestle that crosses the river, known as the Walkway over the Hudson.
Looking north with the Catskills in the distance.
Looking south with the Highlands in the distance from where I started.
It was a beautiful afternoon.
From there I continued on the rail trail to New Paltz where I picked up the Empire State Trail that has a bike lane on the side of the road that detours town. I took a stop at Huguenot Street, known as the oldest street in America.
This house was built in 1698.
I then got on the Harlem Valley Rail Trail and headed north. The trail isn’t paved but it was in good condition. I was happy to make it to the Shawangunks. I lived in this area for a little bit and it was nice to see some old stomping grounds.
I had ridden about 35 miles at this point and my battery was almost out of juice. I brought an extra one stored in the trailer. I kept it warm along with a portable power station by wrapping them in a rechargeable heating pad stuffed inside a soft insulated cooler bag. The battery, once in use, generates it’s own heat while being discharged and a neoprene wrap keeps it from getting cold. I switched them out and started charging the depleted one with the power station. Then I got back on the trail. I crossed the train trestle in Rosendale and made it to Cottekill where I transitioned to country roads.
It was now dark and the roads were free of cars which made for some pleasant riding. A near full moon rose to my surprise. I didn’t realize it was going to be full and helped explain why I was out there like a lunatic. I made it to the Ashokan Reservoir causeway that is closed to cars and enjoyed the solitude for a bit.
After that I was on to Rte. 28. It was late so there was little traffic. The shoulder of the road is almost 12 ft wide allowing plenty of room. It feels a lot safer than most roads. I was in the zone in the cold and dark with just my light tunnel. I came upon a little farm stand store with a sign that said open. I thought it was a mirage. Maybe they forgot to turn off the sign? I went inside and it was warm. There were nuts and fruit, jerky, artisanal cheese and local everything. I stocked up on what I could including some maple candy, switched batteries again and got back on the road.
Luckily that little place was open because when I got to Phoenicia the gas station was closed. I managed to snatch up two slices of pepperoni pizza at Brio’s just as they were closing and jammed them in my trunk bag. Now it was time for the long climb to Hunter. A friend of mine has a trailside condo there where I planned to spend the night. The road was deserted so I had the whole lane to myself. I enjoyed the moon overhead as I passed beautiful Notch Lake. Ski Bowl Road was a welcomed sight and soon I could see the mountain.
When I got to the condo complex the bike was dead. I could not remember which condo it was because they all looked the same. There was no plan B except my 40 degree sleeping bag and my ski clothes. Eventually I found it and prayed he had given me the correct code to open the door. It worked. I was inside safe and warm. It was now just after midnight, 11 hours after I started. I had traveled 78 miles.
I quickly ate some food and set everything up to charge, batteries, power station, lights and phone. I laid down at 1am and set my alarm for 3am so I could change over the charger to the second bike battery. I went back to sleep and woke up at 4:30am to start the next leg of the journey. After some breakfast and repacking I was back on the road at 5:30am.
I was hoping to make it to Platty but that meant I would have to spend a second night at Hunter which I could not do. I had to be back home. I told Harvey I could ski Belleayre in the morning then head back from there. Now it was a race to meet up with him. I had 27 miles to go.
The full moon was still high and bright as I pedaled off into the dark. Strava recorded me at 50 mph at one point during the trip. I think it was during the descent to Phoenicia. You don’t need coffee when you're doing 50 in the dark on a bike with a fully loaded trailer.
I hit Rte. 28 and soon the sun started to rise. Seeing a new day born in the mountains never gets old.
Balsam Mountain from Big Indian.
I knew Harvey was going to ski Belle in the morning and Platty in the afternoon so I could not pass this sign without taking a picture.
I climbed the access road with two of my lowest gears missing. There was no time to stop for a derailleur adjustment. I was in Eco mode since the battery was on it’s last legs. I was too as I had to stand and crank. I vowed not to walk and I made it without having to. I was in the Overlook Lodge by 8:30am and met the legend himself, Mr. Harvey the Ski Man, that is what my daughter the Peanut calls him.
I told a nice woman at guest services about my 105 mile trip and asked if I could charge my battery while I skied. She was super helpful and allowed me to set up the charger in their office. Then it was a mad dash to boot up. I figured if we skied down to the Quad or the Gondola there might already be people there waiting so we walked up to Lift 7 and no one was there. First chair for me and the birthday boy!
It was time to rip.
We had a blast ripping most of the trails. Onteora was groomed and we dropped that first. It is a short double black and might not compare to a true double black at bigger places but it sure does get the blood pumping when you run it out. That sets you up for some speed turns in the blue mid mountain section. With no one around we could arc the whole trail. We jumped all over the place skiing as much terrain as we could and did not ski it all.
Harvey especially liked the bumps on Winnisook. They had the guns blasting on it all morning so we returned a few times to check out the snow storm. The accumulation was noticeable as the day went on. The last two laps I stuck to the edge and snuck into the trees where there was some drift from the guns. It might have been only a few turns of manmade ‘powder’ but I will take what ever I can get.
We had a great time talking about life and skiing. We even made time for a walk in the woods.
We skied until about 12:30pm and chilled at the Overlook Lodge for a bit. Harvey debooted and got ready for the drive to Platty. We said goodbye and off he went to continue his birthday party. He is a good dude. I am definitely looking forward to skiing with him more.
I checked on my charging batteries and went to the bar to get a Devil’s Path IPA. Beer tastes so much better when it is earned. I took some time to just hang out and got some nachos with pulled pork to fuel up. Then I packed up and hit the road around 3:30pm for the 77 mile trip home.
I bombed the access road and the descent through Main Street of Pine Hill. After that it was a nice easy grade down 28 and soon I was in Phoenicia, where I made a quick detour to see the old Simpson Ski Slope.
In Boiceville I jumped on the Ashokan Rail Trail and was alone again in the fading light.
Once over the causeway I made it to the spillway and caught the rising orange moon. It was a sight to behold.
After that I hit the country roads to the Wallkill Rail Trail. I switched batteries near Tillson and made my way to New Paltz. I took Main Street this time and found the next rail trail that would deliver me almost all the way home. The problem was now the Walkway over the Hudson was closed so I had to take the Mid-Hudson bridge. I wish I got a picture of that. It was beautifully lit up but I was too tired and cold to stop.
After some adventure riding through the hood I was relieved to ride through the beautiful campus of Vassar College. Soon I was back on the trail but I was in rough shape. I kept passing benches along the way and I just wanted to stop and sleep on one. I dug deep for the 12 miles to my local roads and crushed it hard for the last 5.
Just passed midnight I made it home with no power left. It was a trip like none other. I found the outer limits of myself and the bike. I also ripped the mountain and made a new friend along the way.
Life is short. Dream big. Live bigger.
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