Speculator / Perkins

Did the loop on Saturday – Lake Pleasant, Sacandaga, Fawn Lake, the outhouse, Red Gate, Perkins, and back down to Speculator via C4. A lot of slush on the lakes but not bad as long as you’re comfortable with the throttle. Sacandaga to the outhouse was in great condition – props to the groomers getting it done. From there up to the Red Gate was a mixed bag. All of Perkins was a mix of bumps – looked to have only been groomed once since the big storm. C4 back down to the ball park was not great but I’ve seen it worse. The trail down to the river was not blocked at the east end but WAS blocked at the ballfield parking lot with a snow bank (which included a buried sawhorse). No signage up by the power line indicating that the trail was or wasn’t closed – or directing people coming down from Perkins to turn right rather than left). Nor any indication why someone might have closed the river trail (no issues riding through there, at all – other than the snowbank at the parking lot). Maybe just a good way to get traffic running by a few of the businesses. Ballfield parking lot was pretty much dead full.

Lake Pleasant has some significant snow piles thanks to the race a couple weeks ago – if someone hits one of those at night, they’re in for a ride. Ice is still plenty thick, but the frozen slush ruts on Sunday were challenging. Did not make it down to the Kunjamuk. Trail running down Route 30 south of Speculator was positively brutal on Sunday.

Unclear at this point what is getting groomed and what isn’t – there doesn’t seem to be much communication about what’s been groomed, what’s going to be groomed, or what’s been given up on. Didn’t look like much was done on Saturday night as the temps dropped and there was an opportunity to get things set up as they froze. Don’t see anywhere online where that info is communicated. I guess that info will remain a mystery for the time being.

I think this is it absent trailering somewhere. Over and out until next year.