A Trail to Connect Two Towns

A fall view from the CVT in Groton State Forest.

The Cross Vermont Trail connect communities along the Winooski and Wells Rivers, from Burlington to Ryegate. At times sharing the route with roads and at times traveling its own path through forests and fields, this four-season trail allows hikers, bikers, skiers, and commuters to connect coordinates on the map.

Being in Washington County, we frequent the portions of the trail that connect Plainfield and Marshfield. This is a particularly beautiful section, especially through Groton State Forest.

The CVT entering Groton State Forest.

Here are some ways to take advantage of the CVT on your bike: 

• Bike to school (Twinfield School students, for example, can access the school by trail from Marshfield or Plainfield)
• Incorporate the CVT into a loop, like I did today or last fall
• Ride from Plainfield Park & Ride out to Groton State Forest and back

Here are some ways to support the CVT:

• Ride the Central Vermont Cycling Tour June 22 with easy, moderate, and advanced options
• Support the Keystone Project, which is the completion of a critical section of trail that gets trail users off of Route 2, by contacting your local representatives in favor of providing transportation funds to the project
  

  

  A bridge crossing Nasmith Brook in Marshfield.

  

  The CVT between Plainfield and Groton is double track with an easy 1-3% grade.

  

  A fall view of Marshfield Mountain from the CVT in Groton State Forest.

  

  The trail east from Nasmith Brook Road in Marshfield.

  
   
  

Vermont's very own Green Mountain Enduro

With over 50 riders, music and food, perfect fall weather, and the phenomenal trail network at Shaw Outdoor Center (part of Norwich University) in Northfield, the Green Mountain Enduro was a great success, particularly for a first-year event. The field was comprised of pros, sport riders, and beginners. Racers competed in three timed stages, for which the climbs were casual and non-timed, and riders then put it all on the line for the descent. Riders had a great time and everyone had a smile on their face. 

Many thanks to Liz at the Shaw Outdoor Center, the many Norwich University volunteers, the Town of Northfield, and Onion River Sports for putting on a great event.

Follow these links for race results and more photos.  

Till next year........

A great time was had by all cheering on the cyclists and runners at this years Onion River Sports Cliff street hill climb. A huge thanks to the Cliff st. neighborhood and surrounding community's for supporting this fun and enthusiastic event.  We couldn't do it with out you! or the brutal yet beautiful Cliff st.

See you this Fall?

or till next year!

El Diablo.

It's been a good run indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kif_S8wwRRs

It's a beautiful life.

A memeorial service at the GMC headquarters will take place and then a hike for Dave lead by Lexi. In celebration of a life truly well lived. Heres to Dave.

A Sad Day

It started as a very good day in our household - T got his cast off! - and we celebrated with breakfast and coffee in Stowe. Then, we came home and rallied on what is hopefully to be a stellar tag sale - we organized, priced, and prepped. We decided to cap off this day with a beer downtown, and that is where we learned the news: Dave Blumenthal did not survive yesterday's collision with a car. Our neighborhood, town, and the greater cycling community - and outdoors community at large - is devastated. With this, we are going to go outside, find something beautiful to look at, and think how lucky we are. We're lucky to have the fortunate lives we do and to have now. When we try to make sense of someones death, we both turn inwards and we look to others. For me, I'm amazed at how life works: we talked with Dave the day before he left - he was so excited - and we wouldn't have known this was the last time we would talk with him. I talked with his wife and daughter the other day in the neighborhood. I told his wife we were following his progress, and his daughter peered out of her stroller to tell me her daddy was in a big bike race; she was elated. My heart breaks for them; my heart breaks for how short life can be. And I marvel at how we will just never know what the future holds.

Tristan and I try to show that life is what you make it; we try to inspire others to enjoy the now. We are not very concerned with status symbols, resumes and titles, fancy degrees, hours logged at work, or other markers of "success" as the modern world would define it. These are not the things that matter; these are not the things that you take with you. In the memory of Dave and in the spirit of a life lived with only the next adventure in mind, I am going to solidify the importance I place on enjoying the now, in the spirit of adventure, and in loving life and what it gives you.