Farmington, Collinsville, Simsbury Loop Ride, Joint ride with Farmington Bike Up

This will be our weekly ride for people who are interested in a slower pace that tries to avoid cars as much as possible. This is a combined ride with Farmington Bike Up! There are amazing views of the Farmington river on this ride. Meet at 5:00 and wheels roll at 5:30 sharp! Parking is at the Thompson Road Greenway trail parking. This ride is 30 miles long, 28 of it is on the bike path and off the roads. There is a 2 mile stretch that is on the back roads of Simsbury where the posted speed limit for cars is 25 mph. There is also a 3 mile stretch that is on smooth gravel going through Stratton Brook State park which connects to the Farmington Valley Greenway in Simsbury. All bikes should be able to navigate this gravel part of the ride. The overall speed of the ride will be 12-13 mph. We go faster on the flats and slower on the hills. This is a no drop ride so if you find yourself not able to stay with the group then you can complete the ride on your own or turn back at any time and return to your car. On the trail, we slow down for dogs and young children as well. This is mostly a flat ride with two moderate climbs with 1300’ of elevation gain during the course of the ride. Half way through the ride we stop at the flower bridge in Simsbury for a bathroom break and snacks. Make sure you have spare tubes and any tools you might need to fix mechanical issues during the ride. The last 30 minutes of the ride is in the dark so make sure you have lights on your bike. E-bikes are welcome! Ride leaders are only responsible for leading the ride and everyone should be prepared to take care of themselves. Make sure you download the route in case you get separated from the group. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55077047 We park at West District school in Farmington, where there is plenty of parking for everyone.