Three Bears and Three Bridges

 

Round Valley Reservior

25 May 2025

We rode up to Round Valley Reservoir yesterday. I picked a route I'd used in 2023, the day my car had a flat tire and Janice had two. (That adventure is included in a particulary gripey post.)

There were nine of us: me, Tom, Rickety, JackH, Heddy, Blob, Pete, Nilesh, and Kamaljit. There was a strong wind out of the northwest, of course. The air was cool and dry, more like early April than late May. People had long sleeves and jackets on. I had arm-warmers and glove liners poking out of my half-finger gloves. The temperature turned out to be perfect for this ride, though.

The three-part climb from the southwest to the reservoir is known locally as the Three Bears: Papa Bear, Baby Bear, and Mama Bear. Before that, there are a few teaser hills. Papa Bear is the longest and steepest. The name is spray-painted on the shoulder partway up. I took my time, more of the pack ahead of me than behind. I'm used to trundling along in the middle by myself at this point. 

I thought Mama Bear came next, so when I saw "Baby Bear" spray-painted on the road, I wondered if I'd completely spaced out for an entire hill. I hadn't. Mama was last.

How slow am I? Slow enough that I was able to make note of the weeds growing by the side of the road and wondering if any would be the foxtail grass I like to grab as I climb in the late summer months. 

But I didn't feel bad at all at my pokey little pace, and I wasn't in my lowest gear. I guess I'm ready for Cadillac Mountain next week.

Now that the berm repairs are done and we've had some rain, the reservoir is almost full again.

Tom pointed out the water line, where the pale rocks are the ones that are usually submerged.

Our rest stop was at Jerry's Brooklyn Grill. Heddy showed us pictures and told stories from the Italy trip 30-some-odd FreeWheelers have returned from. This is the trip I said no to without hesitation. If they go again next year, I might hesitate a little before I answer. (If I can't climb with a bike tricked out exactly like Janice, I can't climb at all.)

We were on our way back, on Pulaski Road, when we found ourselves under the thundering clatter of helicopter blades. There were two of them, coming in to land at Thor Solberg Airport. When we turned south and got near the airport, we went in. There was a small group of people at the edge of the runway trying to figure out what the helicopters were. Military for sure. Some folks were supposing that they'd taken the king to his golf course and were here to wait.

I stopped for photos on Higginsville Road. "The sky!" I explained.

We had a tailwind through Three Bridges and made quick work of it, crossing the South Branch of the Raritan River three times in four miles between Higginsville Road and River Road in Neshanic. 

Tomorrow is the club's Memorial Day All-Paces ride. Pete suggested he'll likely ride in and meet me along the way as I do the same. "I might be bringing Kermit," I said. He replied, "Bring all the frogs you want!"

Kermit is ready.