AOC-1
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2005
- Messages
- 191
- Reaction score
- 43
A last minute decision to hike the Devil's Path meant I would have no partner and no car spot at the end. Could I spot a bicycle on Spruceton Road and ride back to Prediger Road in a day? Only one way to find out.
After narrowly missing a coyote who dashed in front of my car, I stashed a bike at the Westkill parking lot on Spruceton Rd., and hightailed it to Rt. 214 to cache lunch and some Gatorade at Stony Clove, hitting the trail about 6:00 a.m. The trail is in good shape and is mostly dry (some muddy sections on Indian Head) and clear (one large deadfall on Plateau). Runoff is abundant with all the recent rain.
I was bone tired when I reached the bike at 6:45 p.m., and deeply uncertain I could manage the ride back. But the ride from Westkill to Rt. 23-a (approx. 7 miles) is almost all downhill. So far so good. From the junction of Rt. 42 east to Hunter is 7 miles and is a mostly level ride along the Schoharie Creek. It was nearing dusk and I saw a bear and a lot of deer along the creek. The wildlife sightings took my mind off the pain, but by the time I stopped to eat in Hunter I was totally out of gas. I had previously done the 7 mile ride from Rt. 214 to Prediger Road and I knew there were some hills to climb. Time to pull the plug on this experiment.
I locked the bike to a lamppost and called a cab to transport me the rest of the way ($14). Because the ride from Westkill to Hunter is relatively easy, this hike/bike is not outlandish, at least for stronger hikers/riders than me. I may try it again (after setting my time machine to 1984 to attempt it at age 25).
After narrowly missing a coyote who dashed in front of my car, I stashed a bike at the Westkill parking lot on Spruceton Rd., and hightailed it to Rt. 214 to cache lunch and some Gatorade at Stony Clove, hitting the trail about 6:00 a.m. The trail is in good shape and is mostly dry (some muddy sections on Indian Head) and clear (one large deadfall on Plateau). Runoff is abundant with all the recent rain.
I was bone tired when I reached the bike at 6:45 p.m., and deeply uncertain I could manage the ride back. But the ride from Westkill to Rt. 23-a (approx. 7 miles) is almost all downhill. So far so good. From the junction of Rt. 42 east to Hunter is 7 miles and is a mostly level ride along the Schoharie Creek. It was nearing dusk and I saw a bear and a lot of deer along the creek. The wildlife sightings took my mind off the pain, but by the time I stopped to eat in Hunter I was totally out of gas. I had previously done the 7 mile ride from Rt. 214 to Prediger Road and I knew there were some hills to climb. Time to pull the plug on this experiment.
I locked the bike to a lamppost and called a cab to transport me the rest of the way ($14). Because the ride from Westkill to Hunter is relatively easy, this hike/bike is not outlandish, at least for stronger hikers/riders than me. I may try it again (after setting my time machine to 1984 to attempt it at age 25).
