I rode the Tokeneke course yesterday, mostly because I was down in CT for Father’s day, and the course isn’t far from my parents’ house. The course is actually really good. Most of the roads are like new, and only a few spots are rough. From what I saw, no major potholes are evident. There’s a lot of climbing in it though, so I’m paying that price at the moment.
Here’s the ride:
The beginning descent and end climb are from/to my parents’ house, so that’s not on course, but the two big climbs in the middle definitely are. The start line is actually towards the end of the loop I did, so the start is mostly flat and tame, but that changes quickly. According to Strava there’s a cat 4 and 3 climbing, but I”m fairly sure there’s more than that.
I didn’t ride that fast, mostly because I wasn’t sure what to expect with the climbing, but I was steady on them. I know I can climb them in my easiest gear without stopping, so anything more than that is a bonus. Hopefully by the time the race comes around I’ll be quicker as well.
The descent in the middle of those two climbs is totally worth it, too. Very long descent and wide open roads. This part is going to be FAST.
Some pics from the ride:
Zoe (my pup), Penny and Daisy (my parents’ dogs)
Tunxis State Forest
Done with the loop
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I raced it last year and will race it again this year. It is a spectacular course and was one of my favorites to race last year. The marshaling is great with CT State Police doing the pace and trail cars. The climbs are tough but do-able with the right gearing. 12-27 or 11-28 cassette with a 50/34 compact crank-set will work.
Thanks Mike! My parent’s live close by, and I’ll def be doing it. I do have compact and 11-28 on the bike, so it’s perfectly setup. I think by the time this rolls around I should be able to scoot up the hills a bit faster.