Adirondack Sports March 2024

▲ MUD? NO PROBLEM AT FARMER’S
DAUGHTER. IF NOT FOR YOU, THE
NEW GRANDDAUGHTER HAS NO
OFF-ROAD SECTIONS. DAVE KRAUS
▲ RIDERS ENJOYING
QUIET, SCENIC
ROADS AT THE 2023
TOUR DE LEWIS IN
LEWIS COUNTY.
▲ 2023 TOUR DE CURE CAPITAL REGION:
GREAT TIMES AT GALWAY’S DOCKSTADER
RECREATION PARK. DAVE KRAUS
BICYCLING continued from 9
MHCC members, so join the club for just
$20, and get up to $15 of it back to you
when you register for The Great North!
Visit: mohawkhudsoncyclingclub.org.
Like some of the organizations and
events listed in this story, MHCC will be
staffing a booth with cycling information
and friendly people at the Adirondack Sports
Summer Expo at the Saratoga Springs City
Center on Saturday-Sunday, March 16-17:
adksports.com/summer-expo.
Sunday, May 19: Farmer’s Daughter
& Granddaughter Gravel Grinder – Now
in its 10th year, the Farmer’s Daughter is
the must-do spring cycling event in the
Northeast. To celebrate, Capital Bicycle
Racing Club has added the Farmer’s
Granddaughter, a 43-mile route with
3,700 feet of climbing, but no off-road
sections! Regardless of which course you
ride, you’ll be treated to some of the most
beautiful scenery in the Northeast, with
plenty of climbing and fun descents to
match. Named after Chatham Brewery’s
Rye IPA, born and brewed in Columbia
County, both rides offer a truly grand
tour of northern Columbia County and
surrounding areas. All riders receive a
Farmer’s Daughter baseball-style cap, pint
glass, and custom name plate. There will
be great food and support along the way,
a meal at the finish, and you can reward
yourself with a pint of Farmer’s Daughter
Rye IPA. The Daughter is 63 miles long with
6,000 feet of climbing, almost entirely on
dirt roads with some sections of off-road –
be prepared for a challenging but fun ride!
This year the combined field limit is 1,600
but don’t hold off because the event has
sold out repeatedly. Visit: bikereg.com.
Sunday, May 19: Team Billy Ride &
Walk for Research – This year is the 20th
annual ride that takes riders from the
Farmer’s Market in downtown Saratoga
Springs on three different routes of 50, 25
and 10 miles through beautiful roads in
Saratoga County. For non-riders, there’s
also a three-mile walk in historic Saratoga
Springs. Team Billy was created to promote
awareness and support to find a cure for
brain tumors. The event involves the community
where Billy Grey lived, in a positive
setting to help further the mission. To
ensure donations have the greatest impact,
proceeds are directed through the National
Brain Tumor Society funding the most
promising brain tumor research. Because
of Team Billy supporters, over $2.8 million
has been raised. Visit: teambilly.org.
Sunday, May 26: Tour de Lewis:
Oswegatchie to Osceola – The third
annual “O to O” is a point-to-point ride
through Lewis County’s scenic Black
River Valley, starting in the Adirondack
MARCH 2024 11
Park at the Oswegatchie Education Center
(overlooking Long Pond) in Croghan,
and finishing in the green state forests
at the Osceola Ski & Sport Center (on the
Tug Hill Plateau) in Camden. The Metric
Century, their main route, takes riders
through 62 miles of farms, forests and
hamlets – crossing Lewis County from
corner to corner. The tour is organized
by Adirondack Foothills Cycling Club,
and includes four rest and aid station
stops along the way. All riders will need
to get dropped off at the start or purchase
a shuttle from the finish line to the start.
Their shorter but challenging route of 29
miles takes riders through rolling hills,
farms and forests. It’s an out-and-back
route from Osceola to the village of West
Leyden and back. Both rides are open to
recreational and competitive cyclists of all
abilities, and e-bikes are welcome. There
will be a celebratory after-party at Osceola
including great food, drinks and music.
Visit: bikereg.com.
As an early heads up, register soon
for these three popular early summer
events to fundraise, get prepared, or not
get closed out. Tour de Cure Capital
Region at Elms Family Farm in Ballston
Spa on Sunday, June 2 to benefit American
Diabetes Association, with supported
rides of 62, 50, 31 and 10 miles for all
ages and abilities, with lunch, beverages
and music: diabetes.org/capitalregion.
North Country Subaru Black Fly
Challenge is the Adirondack gravel grinder,
on Saturday, June 8, covering 40 miles
through the Moose River Recreation Area,
this year from Inlet to Indian Lake – and
limited to 1,000 entries: blackflychallenge.
com. Adirondack Women’s Weekend in
Saranac Lake on June 28-20 pairs supported
road riding of 30-35 miles per day with
local dining, based Saranac Waterfront
Lodge – initial 40 spots are sold out but
join waitlist in case of cancelation or more
spots open: bikeadirondacks.com.
No matter what your cycling ability or
goals, there’s something for everyone! To
stay abreast of rides and races, keep your
eyes on the ads and Calendar of Events
in every issue of Adirondack Sports magazine
and signup to receive Adk Sports
Weekly emails: adksports.com. Bike safely
and enjoy your ride!
Dave Kraus (dbkgrafik@gmail.com) is
a longtime area road and gravel cyclist,
photographer, and writer who is looking
forward to another season of vainly
trying to keep up with friends on a variety
of rides. Visit: krausgrafik.com.