Saddle Up! Spring Events and Races

By Dave Kraus

With the annual Adirondack Sports Summer Expo just around the corner March 16-17 at the Saratoga Springs City Center, you know that spring is just around the corner. So, if you’re a cyclist it’s time to markup that smart phone, computer, or vintage planner or paper calendar with all the great cycling events that are ready for your participation across upstate New York. Fortunately, at Adirondack Sports, we may be a few cranks ahead so we can supply you with this chronological list of exactly where the action is happening as the weather warms up!

March 8-June 22: Saratoga Brevet Series – Organized by Adirondack Ultra Cycling Bike Shop in Schuylerville, and administered by John Ceceri, the Saratoga Brevet Series is run under the auspices of le Audax Club Parisien and Randonneurs USA. The schedule includes 100K Populaire (celebrating International Women’s Day) on March 8, 200K Brevet on March 24, 300K Brevet on April 28, 400K Brevet on May 11, and 600K Brevet on June 22. Go online for more info about their brevets, Adirondack Ultra Challenge, and Montreal Double Double – all provide an opportunity to complete a century (or longer) every month. Visit: adkultracycling.com.

Sunday, April 7: Saratoga Shredders Bike Swap – Join the Shredders for their biggest fundraiser of the year, the third annual Bike Swap at Saratoga Spa State Park. From 11am-1pm, you can swap or buy bikes, tools, apparel, bike racks and more, they need more bike donations to be able to pull off this event. Visit: saratogashredders.com.

Saturday, April 13: Toad Strangler Gravel Grinder – This third annual edition of the only ride we know named for an intense thunderstorm has something for everyone riding out of Crellin Park in Chatham. There’s a super fun and challenging 40-mile route with 3,208 feet of vertical for adults that’s great for a new or experienced gravel rider looking to build fitness. Plus, a 10-mile casual and family-friendly route to experience the joy of gravel riding, and a fun Flow Riders on-site kids course and post-ride kids race. Entry fee includes a food truck meal, a beer from Chatham Brewery, and Toad Strangler swag. When it’s over, get that Columbia County mud hosed off your steed by NICA kids and coaches at their bike wash station; all donations support this Capital Region youth cycling program. The event helps raise funds for Capital Bicycle Racing Club’s junior development team, and it has already established a tradition of selling out, so register soon. Visit: bikereg.com.

Saturdays, April 20 and 27: CBRC Trooper David Brinkerhoff Memorial Race Series – This popular early season race series, conducted by Capital Region Bicycle Racing Club, is held in Coxsackie, just 30 minutes south of Albany. It’s dedicated to NYS Trooper David Brinkerhoff who was killed in the line of duty in 2007. There are four separate race fields: men, women, juniors (free), and a beginner’s field for first-timers. Whether you’re a cyclist or triathlete, these races are ideal to gauge your fitness. Visit: bikereg.com.

May 1-31: ADK Unite – This is a virtual ride, run, walk or hike – just get out and move – event, organized by Bike Adirondacks, that raises money for Adirondack community food pantries. Register as an individual or a team of five, and enter your miles to a live online leader board, and be eligible for prizes. Since 2020 ADK Unite has raised $27,000. Visit: bikeadirondacks.com.

May 2 & 4: Tri-City BMX Open House – There will be free BMX track practices with new riders welcome, plus new parent clinics, mock racing, and member signups in Schenectady on Thursday evening and Saturday midday. In season, Tri-City BMX has practice on Tuesday nights and racing on Friday nights. Tri-City BMX is ranked first in NYS (out of nine tracks), fifth in the East Coast, and 21st nationally. Visit: tri-citybmx.org.

Saturday, May 4: The Great North Battenkill Valley – Based in Cambridge, from the founders of Tour of the Battenkill, The Great North offers three gravel distances of 70, 50 and 20 miles, plus a 25-mile paved course – for all levels of riders, all in the heart of the Battenkill Valley. Event director Dieter Drake has put together an event with lots of sweet gravel, hills, and beautiful views through Washington County, and into Vermont for the two longer rides. For the competitive, there will be a new king/queen of the gravel climbs GPS-timed challenge. The rides are fully supported and include a pint glass with free first beer, event shirt (register by 4/25), food truck lunch, apple pie and live music. The after-party at Argyle Brewing’s Cambridge’s old train station depot is very relaxed and social. Visit: bikereg.com.

Sunday, May 5: Tour de Force Charity Bike Ride & Run – The ninth annual Tour de Force combines running races and bike rides of 25 and 50 miles highlighting the beautiful roads near Lake Champlain in scenic Clinton County, starting at Point Au Roche State Park in Plattsburgh. This year’s event will honor and raise funds for the family of NYS Trooper Joshua Gushlaw, 31, who died in an off-duty snowmobile accident in February 2022. Trooper Gushlaw joined the police in March 2016 and was assigned to Troop B in Plattsburgh. If interested in the runs, there are 13.1M, 10K, 5K and 1M distances available. Visit: runsignup.com.

Saturday, May 18: Mohawk Hudson Cycling Club’s Spring Kickoff Ride – MHCC invites you to join their annual kickoff ride starting/finishing at Indian Ladder Farms Cidery & Brewery, just outside of Voorheesville. The details are being finalized but will be similar to last year’s 20-mile casual/flat and 34-mile sport/hilly rides, and riders are encouraged to stay for lunch and a beverage at the Farm. Established in 1969, MHCC is one of the oldest and largest recreational cycling clubs in the Northeast and works to promote cycling for everyone, averaging over 300 social and fitness club rides every season – and new riders are always welcome! Also, keep in mind that The Great North is offering a 20% registration discount for 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 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.