Bear to Bear two bridge loop
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- November
- 16
Really enjoyed leading a ride today from Fort Montgomery and back via the Newburgh-Beacon bridge and 
Bear Mountain Bridge. Most of my weekend rides start at 09:00am but this late in the season I set the start at 10:00am thinking the sun would be up and add a few degree in that hour. Well that didn’t work out today, but it was still a good temperature. The wind on the other hand was tough early blowing us to a stop a few times as we climbed our first and hardest hill out of Fort Montgomery. Mine and Mine Tome roads hit hard at the start, but build the body temp to make the rest of the day more comfortable.
I pulled my car into the parking lot and saw Rockland Bicycling Club member Steve Brehl waiting. He rode from central Rockland County. Steve led a ride first through Bear Mountain and then south to NJ over Skyline Drive back in August. That was hard hilly ride where I sucked his wheel the past third of the ride to get back to the lot. It was good to ride with him again.
Next to park was Jonathan Winn. Jonathan had not ridden much in the past few years but has made fantastic progress in the past four months. He started riding July 15th to get ready for The Golden Apple. He rode the 50 mile loop. He’s been going strong losing ten pounds a month, 40 pounds total. Wow! 
Mike Demis pulled next as we also waited for Kate Marshall and Victor Urvantsev also riding from Croton.
We headed out shortly after ten enjoying the climb up Mine and Mine Tome on our way to Rt 293 over to West Point and Rt. 218 around the edge of Storm King Mountain. This is my favorite stretch of road in the area. The cliffs drop down to the roads edge and the views of the Hudson Highlands are just spectacular. We stopped at the pull off for a group photo.
Down the fast descent, wind in the face and back to the river’s edge through Cornwall on Hudson. We worked our way to the bridge. The trip was fast along the bridge’s walkway with a 15 mph wind at our backs – sweet.
The Muddy Cup was a welcome stop for coffee, snacks and conversation as we talked bikes training, past rides, and school taxes.
The trip south on Rt. 9D turned out mostly with a favorable tailwind. I stayed with Jonathan as the B+ pace was a little high. But he dug deep to keep his pace up and hold my wheel enjoying being last on this ride instead of in the front on a C+ ride. I’m sure next year with a few more miles he’ll being pulling strong and I’ll be on his wheel. Either way it will be good company as the miles pass by.
This entry was posted
on Sunday, November 16th, 2008 at 7:23 PM by Randall Wolf. 
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