Warning: Vermont Rt 17/App Gap

[markbvt]

I know some of you guys like to plan long day rides up to Vermont and ride Rt 17, aka the App Gap. I rode it on Saturday and felt it my duty to warn you all to be VERY careful on that stretch of road.

Sadly, the days of knee-down on the App Gap are long past. This winter has destroyed the road. In some places, it's just very bumpy, but in others, cracks have opened up in the pavement that are literally wide enough to swallow a front wheel. Some of these cracks are in the middle of corners, and you need to adjust your line to avoid them.

The App Gap's curves are enough to take down several motorcyclists each year; these cracks and bumps take the road from challenging to downright dangerous.

--mark

[darkduc7]

its really too bad...its been getting close to unrideable the last couple years. sad to hear its finally done. now we must wait years for VT to repave it.

[NobodySpecific]

For me it was a combination of runoff, snow, and the pavement, but I came through there on Sunday and it was the slowest I've ever had to go. I don't really have any desire to go back to it until it gets paved, or I'm on the dual sport. I actually had trouble keeping up with the cars in front of me in some spots.

[Stromper]

Well if you live another 20 years it may get paved or the western half returned to dirt.
Eastern side serving ski folks

Other VT roads have been decommissioned and as farming etc shrinks further expect the roads to deteriorate. That is why I went to the Strom from a gixer.

[JettaJayGLS]

The frost heaves last year killed it for me, funny cause the year before i don't remember it being near as bad, maybe i just got that much faster. I decided last year not to make the long trip up there anymore. Front tire should stay planted during turns...

[KB]

There are far superior roads in NE than the long trip to 17. It's a great ride just a long ride for a few good turns.

I enjoy sitting on the picnic table for a while watching bikes!!

KB

[Uncle Snake]

Unfortunately it's directly between our house and T***** Rd. Fuckin' stupid Rt.17.....

[Slyder]

Unfortunately it's directly between our house and T***** Rd. Fuckin' stupid Rt.17.....

Bah! you'll still be out there draggin knees. crazy bassard

Take 125 over, extended route but you know it got repaved last year, so it should be ok till next summer. by then it'll be all ratted up again.

[Kitt]

Bah! you'll still be out there draggin knees. crazy bassard

Take 125 over, extended route but you know it got repaved last year, so it should be ok till next summer. by then it'll be all ratted up again.

125 E of middlebury was sick in the fall after it got repaved.

[Slyder]

That section is nice without the holes deep enough to eat a front tire up to the rotors....just watch the guardrail and the ledges. Also not uncommon to have damp patches on the surface, even on a hot day.

[pk4882]

I lived up there a long, long time ago (ski bumming at Sugarbush).

In the summer, we would hitch a ride from the Mad River Glen parking lot up to the top, then slowly carve our way back down on our long boards. Gravity gods we were.

One sad spring, the state put down a layer of hot asphalt and loose stone on both the east and west slopes. It ended our epic skateboarding rule of the east side. The 10 speed guys had to abandon it too.

... I will never forget days of non-stop cranking all the way from the comm tower down to MRG!

PK (having a serious no-helmet flash back)
NOTGAOTT

[RandyO]

Unfortunately it's directly between our house and T***** Rd. Fuckin' stupid Rt.17.....

on a direct route for me as well.... as bad as it is, I've seen it worse, hell, I remember when it was gravel and when it wasn't maintained in winter

[theothersean]

3 letters

K
L
R

[zombie]

Love them bumpy roads
need to visit again this spring

[Garandman]

A buddy of mine lives on that road in Buels Gore. He had an old Norton and a sports car he likes to drive there.

....He said that sport bikes doing wheelies past his house at 100mph is getting old, though.

[Trouble]

Apparently the people that live on 17 were the ones pushing for the sound restrictions on motorcycles too. I can't really say I blame them all that much. It'd get old if I lived there too. I used to love to get up there at 6-7 am on the weekends before there was traffic. I'd do 3 or 4 "laps" and barely see another vehicle. Now I try to respect the residents a little more. That and the road sucks...

[SRTie4k]

Guess I'll have to stay away from there. The LeoVince's on my TL are loud enough to wake the dead.

[Stromper]

MY cousin lives somewhere on 17 on the west side

[catamount]

Ahh, the people who move in next to a road and then complain about road noise.

They remind me of the people who move in next to an established shooting range and then complain about gun noise.

[RandyO]

Ahh, the people who move in next to a road and then complain about road noise.

They remind me of the people who move in next to an established shooting range and then complain about gun noise.

I remember when they widened and paved Rt 17 my great grandfather was bullshit, they took some of his property by emmenent domain, and all it was going to do was bring more traffic

[Stromper]

Don't worry it will be back to gravel in 10 years

[Garandman]

Ahh, the people who move in next to a road and then complain about road noise.

They remind me of the people who move in next to an established shooting range and then complain about gun noise.

You could make the same argument about your entire state. You built your economy on tourism, then complain about the tourists.

[tonyd]

No just the ones that are assholes.

[catamount]

You could make the same argument about your entire state. You built your economy on tourism, then complain about the tourists.

Nah, just the Massholes.

[SRTie4k]

You could make the same argument about your entire state. You built your economy on tourism, then complain about the tourists.

I as a VTer, I do not support tourism as the primary industry in the state. Considering the majority of the land in VT is owned by out-of-staters, and then the state taxes all the full time residents up the asshole, us regular citizens never see a dime of any of that supposed money.

I'd just assume see VT throw out all the vacation home owners as well as the entire state gov't (who is also made up of mostly out-of-staters unfortunately).