Sunday, January 22, 2017
My original plan was to ride the Norwottuck Rail Trail after lunch, since the trailhead is only 15 minutes away from Mt Tom... but while I was driving to Subway it started lightly raining, and I really didn't feel like riding in the rain - so I headed back toward Albany via Lanesborough. Made a pit stop at the Berkshire Mall - which is really on a downward slide, having lost both Macy's and Best Buy. The food court (which is where the restrooms are located) looked like it's down to about half the previous offerings, and word is there are more than a few empty storefronts. With Sears likely looking at bankruptcy sometime in the not-too-distant future, I don't see how this place will survive much longer.
Enough ramblings about Berkshire County retail... the Ashuwillticook Trail was icier than any of the paths around here, but still rideable until just past the Rt 8 crossing. There were a couple of places where I needed to dismount and walk the bike over stretches of ice, but they were manageable. Bit of a headwind on the ride out, nice tailwind heading back. Sadly no views of Greylock (shrouded in low cloud cover.)
On the way out I spotted a beaver in one of the small ponds next to the trail, and there were lots of ducks at Farnam's Crossing.
Quite a few people out on the ice fishing... don't know that I would go out there given all the wet patches I saw, but then again I swim like a brick even in warm water.
Incredibly, today's ride makes 100 miles since the start of the year... with a week to go until the end of the month. The fat bike definitely makes a difference but I also think I've just been better about getting out for rides - last January was warmer (I think) and I only managed 60 miles by the end of the month.
JMH
