I put a post up on ADV.com and also sent a couple emails about wanting to ride the Trans MA Trail, the route layed out by Keith from ADV. None of my friends could make that weekend but we had a few resoponses during the week from ADV. I suspected we may get 4 or 5 riders including Keith who did the route. Saturday we received heavy rains and there was some concern about the morning of the ride, and also the condition of the roads.
Turned out to be a Great day.... Road to Winsted CT to the start point.. by the time 9:30 rolled around we had a total of 9 bikes.. KTM 990 Adventure, Vstrom, R1200GS, 2 F650GS's and 4 KLR's. All had knobbies except the 1200, the strom and my 650...
We spread out and basically each road their own ride.. Keith led and was followed by the faster riders and those who ran a more relaxed pace... (me and the strom!) stayed more rear ward. For the most part, we never lagged behind much, usually just when it got a little bit loose gravel or rocky... Keith would hold up when encountering an intersection until we were all re-grouped. It worked well and he did a nice job. The roads were great, and actually in better shape than I expected after the rain!! Not much different than the PDR or Baley Hazen. Once section was washed out pretty good and Keith led the strom around it, I did it without much trouble... just slowed a bit..
We stopped about noon for lunch, 3/4 of the way in. 4 of the bikes peeled off after lunch while 5 of us continued on to Greenfield. The strom left us in Greenfield as the last 4 of us did a section of the PDR up towards route 9.. splitting up there, Keith and I headed east and parted company at 91... I then took 9/7 and 101 back through Keene... arriving home about 6pm Here is Keiths ride report with a few photos.. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7825394&postcount=43
Pat in NH
