Reservoir Run

There will surely be a lot of reservoir runs in the coming months and years, one or another iteration of it makes the most sense for riding out of town especially when departing from the west side to begin with. Today, I ironed out the uncertainties that remained after the previous exploratory search for the Neighborhood Passage. I now know how to get to the base of the reservoir without having to traverse any section of the Bug Bummers, Pleasant St, May St, and Chandler St.

The other upside (literally) is the climbing. Along the new route are several pretty significant climbs and today I felt strong doing them. Atop the first good climb of the day is, of course, Bancroft Tower, my adopted good luck monument.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Then it was off through the warrens of residential housing along quiet sandy streets and stark hardwood trees without foliage, up up and away on Moreland St, then zip down Copperfield Rd, a right a left a right a left and BOOM, it's Mower St and the long gradual incline up to the southern tip of the reservoir where the road climbs west and hugs the left side all the way to the Y intersection with South Rd and the northernmost point of the still-frozen body of water.

Dubstoevsky at the northern end

I take in the wonderful climb up South Rd, there are never any cars on the mile+ narrow climb that goes through forest and then classic New England hillside farm landscape, with fields and stonewalls and old buildings defining the view.

Still plenty of snow in the hills

Then the climb up Bailey Rd to Putnam Rd and, unfortunately, a long blast on busy Salisbury St, several miles at least, to get back to the west side, to Beechmont St and one more climb past the Tower for good measure, then home.

Summary: A pretty sunny day, mid 40s, not super mild but pleasant enough. 19+ miles, 1545 ft of climbing.  Not bad for a Monday.