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SCCC's Connecticut River Double Cross
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NOTE: This Ride
Description and its corresponding Route Sheet may not have been checked for
accuracy by the www.ctbikeroutes.org
team
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Total Distance: 28.7 miles Elevation Gain: 1892 feet
Degree
of Difficulty Index: 1892 / 28.7 = 65.88 ft/mile Terrain:
Very hilly
Killer
Hills: Joshuatown Road is a very hilly and narrow road w/ several
long, steep sections.
Geographical
Region: South Central Connecticut
Starting
Location (city/town): Essex Town Hall Parking Lot
Starting
Location (detailed directions to): Essex Town
Hall parking lot near the tennis courts; from the intersection of Rtes. 153
& 154 in the Centerbrook section of Essex (Rt. 9 Exit 4), take West Ave.
toward Essex for 0.3 miles (approx); turn left just after library onto Grove
St. Parking lot is immediately on your right behind the Town Hall. Park
near the tennis courts.
Ride
Description: This interesting and challenging
ride passes through the Otter Cove section of Old Saybrook en route to the
Baldwin Bridge bike trail crossing the Connecticut River. The route then
travels up to Hamburg via mostly back roads before tackling the very
difficult Joshuatown Road route to the Chester Ferry ($2.00 fee). After
departing from the ferry the ride heads back to Essex through Deep River via
the classic River Road bike route. This ride is very similar to the Essex
Loop via Joshuatown Road ride except this one doesn't visit Chester village.
Facilities
and Points of Interest:
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Mile
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Facilities
- Points of Interest
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2.0
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Start tour
through the Otter Cove development; pay close attention to the route cues,
it's a maze
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4.8
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Start
bike path over the Connecticut River via the Baldwin Bridge
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6.2
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A&P
plaza; bathrooms in A&P; various shops in plaza
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12.9
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Hamburg
village; general store
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13.5+
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Scenic
bridge over Eightmile River at Hamburg Cove; start of serious hills on
Joshuatown Rd
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19.2
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Chester-Hadlyme
Ferry ($2.00 fee); possible lunch/snack stop
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23.1
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Start 4-mile
ride along Connecticut River (views)
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27.5
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Essex
business district; various shops and eateries; convenience store
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27.6
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Public
restrooms in little park beside the post office and New Alliance Bank on
right
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27.9
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Connecticut
River Museum; Essex town boat launch and Essex town dock/pier (views)
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27.9+
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Ice cream
shop on right as you are heading back from river
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Note: This ride has been provided by
the Southern Connecticut Cycle Club from its Ride Library (Ride #30) as a
service to the Connecticut bicycling community.
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