Nutmeg state Bike or Stage from Le Tour?

Well Yesterday I finally got a loop of the Nutmeg State Half Iron Bike course in all I can do is quote Conrad: "The Horror! The Horror!

Mile 1-10 : The first couple of miles weren't bad. You had a slow gradual climb up 45, and a nice little descent down College Farms Rd. Then you shot on to 341. After a not so perilous crossing it was a left on to Avegline rd. Since the gravel has been swept I managed to eek out some more speed this time around and mangaed to slowwly make my way up a nasty little climb about 3 miles in

Then it was on to the twisting little descent of town hill rd. I took it slow as usual and made the turn on to Cemetery Rd. Then climbed up 341 and took the turn down on to 45 out toward cornwall. I mad the turn I had missed last week onto Melius Rd. and ended up following it down onto a dirt path. ( I fell off my bike rather sexily trying to unclip and turn around.) When I got back on course I followed the rolling Flat Rocks Road and then and equally unstabel brick school road. All in all these weren't bad so things were looking bright that's when the fun starts...

The descent of the alps...I mean CT 341.

When you see Trucks use low gear signs it usually means high speed down hills. I adjusted accordingly ( unclipped one foot and had my hands on the bullhorns in case I had to stop quick.) The first two mills of the descent weren't bad. They were gradual, straight road or gentle curves, the crosswind made things hairy but not too deadly. Then came "the big Hill" a lovely mile and ahalf of switch backs at a rather sharp grade. I descended at the hair raising speed of 12 mph because I did not want to be blown out into traffic by the increasing crosswinds. This lovely, near fatal descent was made even more interesting by the fact that it ends at the route 341 route 7 junction. When I kissed the semi- flat ground at the bottom of the hill I believed the worst was over...boy was I wrong....

Geer Mountain is a beast!

After some intermiettent climbing and shallow descents ( and another wrong turn) Ifound myself on Gerr Mt. Rd. Now I frequent the HEAT forum alot and had head this climb was a beast so I kicked into low gear at the first signs of incline and powered up the first portion at a realtively good clip and easy heart rate. That's when I hit the hill. Now the hill starts off at a nice 7 to 8% grade and rounds the corner. When you turn the corner it still heads up and you see a stepper 10% grade behind it. "surley there is a little flat to regroup." I thought to myself. Wrong! I went straight into the next climb out of the saddle churnning my legs to power the bitch stomper as fast as it could go ( a whopping 4 mph) when I reached the top I was glad I didn't have a heart rate monitor , it most likely would have read " Cardiac Arrest imminent."

Let's just say I could feel Contador's pain after that climb. After this mess was over it was a descent down Anderson Rd. Now the way it sounded on the directions was Anderson Rd. would have one short steep hill and a tight left hand turn. ( a la weekeepeemee Rd. from the Griskus olympic.) Wrong again. I was met with three quick descents in a row and a sharp hair pin turn still somewhat on the hill. ( which I over shot and had to climb up to. ) Needless to say I hope it's dry next Sunday. The climbs on upper kent hollow were challenging but not impossible and the ride back to Warren ( for the second loop which I skipped ) and back to T-2 weren't too bad. So all in all the course has a good begining and End but the middle is lethal. Seriously If it rains some is going to die on either 341 or Anderson. The descents are just way too technical. Normally I have nothing but good things to say about the Guys at Endureitmultisports but this bike course definatley needs a revamp for next year. ( although, the sections from Flat Rocks, and Brick School, were quite lovley and not undo ably difficult.) But this ride seems more of like one of Lance's trainers instead of a Half Iron race course.

R.D.