Vermont gaps, post-Irene

[markbvt]

Bob Locicero from Motorcycle Vermont posted a good article on what shape the roads are in:
http://motorcycle-vermont.com/front-...0-ride-report/

--mark

[Sheppo]

excellent read. Thank you!

[JohnCVermont]

excellent read. Thank you!

I agree. an excellent read. I am glad I read it before my unplanned ride yesterday (friend called.."hey let's ride"). Main roads are all good as they ever were, but as advised in the article when you are on Rt 100, 12, 12a etc ... expect those gravel section to " just pop up ". Not a problem if you ride expecting a cow, moose or deer in the middle of your lane around every blind corner like I do. Even yesterday, some of those gravel sections just seemed pop up.

If you like to stay off the numbered main roads, you will find more & less refined repairs on the various town roads. Yesterday, My Nighthawk & I earned a ADV sticker on a particular stretch of Jones Brook Rd-Chase Rd. (i.e. stay the hell away, from the intersection of Cook Rd & Chase Rd south to the top of the hill is quite treacherous for the inexperienced or talentless, and will not forgive any mistakes..I was just lucky) A few more days like this, I should be ready to think about doing a Trans-Lab someday...lol... slowly & carefully of course. Summary, if you like to jump off the main roads, expect some challenging unexpected conditions on those sleepy Vermont dirt roads we know & love.

Appalachian Gap was as good as I remember it from previous times in the year and consistent with previous reports. I kicked off Rt. 17 onto the nice section of new pavement on the first part of the Gore Road which was nice reprieve from the earlier parts of the day, then back to the usual pavement conditions that we all accept as normal for Vermont.

Smuggler's Notch, Pleasant Valley Road, etc was the same as before. Just a huge amount of traffic yesterday. (link)

[kbroderick]

If you like to stay off the numbered main roads, you will find more & less refined repairs on the various town roads. Yesterday, My Nighthawk & I earned a ADV sticker on a particular stretch of Jones Brook Rd-Chase Rd. (i.e. stay the hell away, from the intersection of Cook Rd & Chase Rd south to the top of the hill is quite treacherous for the inexperienced or talentless, and will not forgive any mistakes..I was just lucky)

Have you been up Chase Rd previously? It was rather interesting last time I rode it, before the storm rolled through (Maria rated it something she wouldn't drive her Subaru up or down, given the choice).

[JohnCVermont]

Have you been up Chase Rd previously? It was rather interesting last time I rode it, before the storm rolled through (Maria rated it something she wouldn't drive her Subaru up or down, given the choice).

first time I have been on Chase Road...and I completely agree with Maria, when I made the turn from Cook Road up Chase to follow my friend, after about 50 yards, I knew I was committed...turning around was impossible & no backing down a 500lb bike, not sure it is wide enough for a Subaru in a couple of spots, nothing to do but keep on the throttle, feet on the pegs & never stop..ever... The flash flooding is quite evident in the 5-8ft gullies on each side of the now even narrower "road" on the north side of the hill. That being said, it is quite a nice pleasant hilly road on the Rt12/West Berlin side of things especially the rather large ledges that the road cuts through. Very cool. I had stopped hyperventilating by the time I got there, so I could enjoy the scenery.

Maybe when I get my DR* & some more experience , I will give it another whack....maybe.... I was quite lucky this time because it wasn't talent or skill. (of course, there was some determination involved when I hit the point of no return ... )

[khuygie88]

Drove Chelsea Mountain Road yesterday.... Wanted to come back to RI, get my bike and go back up there just to ride that road over and over!

[stealthfighter]

Report on I-89 to rt 7 via rt 17 over the gap:

Rode over and back on Friday the 16th.

From 89, have to take Rt100 to Waitsfield, as 100b has a bridge out.

Waitsfield has a one-lane construction section where you may wait a couple minutes to be flagged through, no big deal. 100s is closed heading south, but heading to 17 is open

17 over the steep parts of the gap was normal. Once over to the west side towards 116 there are a few sections where the shoulder is washed out, but were marked with cones and/or construction equipment.

-Stealth