Emmets and Newts ride report(s)?

[John]

Do any of the Emmets and Newts 600k riders have anything to share about that event? I was bummed to miss it and hope it runs again sometime!

rosy, in Providence

[Charles Coldwell]

I should probably have written up a ride report and posted it, but sometimes the Muse grabs me and sometimes she doesn't. This was a fabulous ride, with perfect weather and great support. I will definitely come back for the next edition.

Roger Hillas, who designed the route, drives a car with Washington, DC plates so you might think he wouldn't be familiar with the North Country, but it turns out he was educated at Dartmouth, fired Cog railway locomotives for a summer job, and has extensive knowledge of and a genuine passion for the region.

The route hits all the high points, literally. Let me see if I can remember them. On the first day you hit seven categorized climbs:

1. Kancamagus Highway (west from Conway to Lincoln)
2. "Gonzo Pass", close but not quite the same as Kinsman Notch
3. Vershire Heights (can't find a notch/gap/pass name for this)
4. Rochester Gap
5. Middlebury Gap
6. Appalachian Gap
7. Smugglers Notch

And on the second day, 

1. a gentle (by comparison) climb to Walden
2. Jefferson Notch (gravel)
3. An out-and-back to the Marshfield Base Station on the Cog

For which you are rewarded with a long, fast descent through Crawford Notch back to Conway.

For me, things started inauspiciously. Less than a mile from the (4 am) start, I hit a railroad track throwing a bottle and pinching a flat. Rookie mistake. I was riding with Matt Roy, anticipating that I wouldn't be able to keep up the whole 600K, but certainly hoping to get farther than that. Nonetheless, I told Matt to go ahead and pulled out my headlamp so I could fix the flat. I got it repaired and started rolling again, dead last. Turned right and started climbing the Kanc toward Lincoln. Much to my surprise and delight, I hadn't gone far when I saw a headlight approaching. I guess Matt figured he'd rather not ride alone, either, and turned back to meet me. We rode the rest of the 600K together, and he's great company.

Most of the ride I was just counting summits. I knew there were seven on the first day, and three of those were old friends from the Vermont 6 Gaps. It was getting dark again by the time we reached Stowe, and we went through Smugglers Notch in the dark which was a bit eerie. The descent has to be taken carefully; I had all my lights on full, but the first day ends with a nice long stretch of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail which is gravel, but still quite a relief. I think Roger wanted to limit our exposure to the LVRT because the gravel would slow us down, but I actually think the level railroad grade and absence of traffic makes it a very pleasant alternative to the paved roads.

The NER crew had booked a suite at the overnight hotel; I suspect it was built to house the innkeeper, but since he no longer lives on the premises it is made available to guests. Full kitchen and dining room, great hot meal ready for us upon our arrival thanks to Matt's Spot tracker keeping the support crew apprised of our arrival time.

I slept until 4:30 am and left with Matt at just about dawn. We held a good pace on paved roads more or less parallel to the LVRT until Littleton, where we took a long break at a Dunks. After Littleton, there's just two significant climbs left: Jefferson Notch and a little out and back to the Cog in honor of Roger's summer employment and an unintentional indulgence of my own passion for railroads. Jefferson Notch was probably the toughest climb on the route: it's gravel, wicked steep in sections and pretty long. I managed to summit without walking, but not without standing. There may have been a paperboy here and there.

From the Cog, you descend, including a bit of bad pavement that cuts the Fabyans corner. But once you reach Crawford Notch it's a descent practically all the way to the finish. We took it pretty fast in broad daylight.

That was not my best ride report (far from it), but the Muse cannot be forced. I apologize that it does not do justice to this ride, which is absolutely classic. I might be tempted to tweak the route here and there, but I would absolutely do this ride again.

--

Charles M. Coldwell, W1CMC
Belmont, Massachusetts, New England, FN42jj
"Turn on, log in, tune out"

On Mon, Sep 1, 2025 at 8:21 PM John <jow...@gmail.com> wrote:

Do any of the Emmets and Newts 600k riders have anything to share about that event? I was bummed to miss it and hope it runs again sometime!

rosy, in Providence

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[Tsun Au Yeung]

This is not a binding agreement but the ride will probably be run again in 2028, as this will service folks who are chasing the ACP10000 award after PBP year.  

Tsun

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 1, 2025, at 9:38 PM, Charles Coldwell <cold...@gmail.com> wrote:



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