#9 - Connecticut
Route 7 Corridor
By Mark Zimmerman, author of the new book The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance.
If I only had one afternoon to share with riders from out of town, I'd treat them to a ride along the Route 7 Corridor between New York and Connecticut. Naturally we'd have to do some tire kicking at Marcus Dairy first, though I'd caution them to tread lightly when ordering breakfast, especially if they're watching their cholesterol--care for some eggs with that grease? From there we'd head north on the local roads I've been exploring for 30 years. These secondary routes wind between farms, small lakes and homesteads that were already old before the redcoats were chased out of New England.
After some back-road bending we'd take a breather in the village of Gaylordsville, mainly so I could tell them the dark tale of the "Pyramid." The huge cinderblock edifice isn't very pretty, and neither is its story. Its builder created it as a monument to a child born out of his incestuous relationship with his daughter.
Just up the road we might stop at the Bulls Bridge Inn for a hot toddy, depending on the outside temperature, of course, and a quick ride through the covered bridge before we continued north on Route 7 along the Housatonic River. Or perhaps we'd just carry through until we hit the town of Kent. It's a genteel village, typical of "old money" New England, though in recent years it's become somewhat of a tourist trap, especially on the weekends.
The farther north we go the better it gets. The road winds along the river past several state parks--camping permitted--and some of the best fly-fishing territory in the country. Route 7 is a designated "scenic road," so be prepared to share it with leaf peepers and antique hunters, not to mention local farm equipment and truck traffic. But if we time our ride right (early morning on the weekends or midday during the workweek is the best, especially in the fall when the leaves are in full color), we should have most of the road to ourselves.
If it's warm enough, a picnic at Housatonic Meadows State Park wouldn't be too difficult to take. We can get our vittles at the old general store and watch kayaks shoot the rapids while we eat. The next 15 miles of road are some of the best I've ever ridden. In the spring and summer pine scent permeates the air, and in the winter the naked beauty of the river can take your breath away, as can the chill coming off it. A short detour through another covered bridge at the hamlet of West Cornwall would get us over the water, and then it would be up the road through Falls Village and Canaan before heading past Lime Rock Raceway, one of my favorite tracks. The roads back are less traveled, and they can be extremely entertaining. We'd loop back toward New York state, maybe heading south on Route 22 for a short spell before cutting back along the fast downhill sweepers of Route 4. From there it'd be a quick toot over to Route 45 that would take us past the abandoned, allegedly haunted ruins of Dudleytown, around Lake Waramaug, then through the towns of Washington Depot and Roxbury. All told the ride would cover about 150 miles, making it a decent day trip or providing the perfect starting point for an extended tour of New England.
Don't Miss:
Marcus Dairy--breakfast with 2000 close friends; the Kent Antique Machinery Show; or the Rolex Vintage Festival presented by BMW at Lime Rock Raceway.
Season:
Autumn is the most scenic; only the hard core should consider it in winter.
Road Notes:
Watch out for farm equipment on the road; lots of suicidal deer up here as well.
More Info:
We recommend Motorcycle Journeys through New England by Marty Berke. Available at www.whitehorsepress.com.
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