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Sandy's West Hartford Reservoir -
Farmington Valley Tour
Total Distance: 33.0 miles Elevation
Gain: 1396 feet
Degree of
Difficulty Index: 1396 ft /
33.0 mi = 42.30 ft/mi Terrain: Rolling
Killer Hills: There
are several hilly sections
Geographical
Region: North Central
Connecticut
City/Town: West Hartford
Starting
Location: Rt. 4 (Farmington
Avenue) Reservoir in West Hartford near the UConn Health Center. The entrance to the reservoir is
located about 1 mile east of the UConn Health Center on Rt. 4 at a traffic
light. Go straight back, about
½ mile, to the very large parking area to the rear of the water
treatment plant.
Ride
Description: This is a ride
over rolling terrain with considerable flat riding combined with a few hilly
sections. The ride includes a
tour of the reservoir, visits bucolic Farmington, tours Avon Old Farms
School, passes by the old Ensign-Bickford munitions factory that is now the
police station and town offices for Avon, stops at the Farmington Valley Arts
Center, travels over the bike trails in the Farmington Valley Greenway, and
includes a lunch/snack stop on the rail trail over the Farmington River. Also visited will be Miss Porter's
School, the Hill-Stead Museum with its sunken garden and a pass-through of
the UConn Health Center. This is
a quality ride with lots to see.
Note:
Although this ride passes through populated areas of the Farmington Valley,
it keeps to lesser used roads and bike paths. As a result, it does not pass
any places to purchase food or beverages.
Facilities and
Points of Interest:
|
Mile
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Facilities
- Points of Interest
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0.0
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West
Hartford Reservoir; bathrooms
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0.0+
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Start
tour of reservoir; watch out for pedestrianswho have the right of way
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10.4
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Blue
Fox Run golf course on the left
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-
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Continue
past another golf course, views of the Heublein Tower on Talcott Mt.,
firing ranges, and ride beside the Farmington River
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13.2
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Roadside
park at the Pinchot Sycamore Tree, the largest in the state
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13.6
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Start
~ 2-mile ride on rail trail bike path to and through Sperry Park
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16.8
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Farmington
Valley Arts Center
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17.0
|
Former
Ensign-Bickford munitions factorynow Avon town offices & police
station
|
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20.1
|
Tour
Avon Old Farms School campusneat architecture and lovely grounds
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21.3
|
Start
~ 3-mile ride on rail trail bike path
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23.5
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Rail
trail bridge over the Farmington Rivergood spot for a lunch/snack break
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26.0
|
Miss
Porter's School; beautiful old homes in this section of Farmington
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27.1
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Hill-Stead
Museum; sunken gardens; bathrooms; water; beautiful grounds
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30.3
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Pass
through the grounds of the UConn Health Center
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33.0
|
West
Hartford Reservoir; bathrooms
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www.ctbikeroutes.org
Wu-096 abb
DLB03049
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