Hills for days in Peacham! Great annual ride organized by Ian & Gretchen Boswell, and Love Your Brain.
Peacham, VT | 25 Miles | 2,850ft elevation gain
A challenging ride with steep, long climbs, the Peacham Fall Fondo is not for the faint of heart! That being said, it boasts some of the best views around and we highly recommend it. The organization of the event was great, and there were several excellent vendors at the start/finish line that made for a fun environment. There were also a few well-timed stops throughout the ride that were stocked with goodies such as homemade apple pie, artisanal ice cream, chocolate chip cookie bites, and bananas!
Unfortunately, one of us was recovering from a knee injury and we could only complete the first loop of the figure 8 route- the full course was 50 miles with roughly 5,500ft of elevation gain. However, the first loop is a great route on its own and whether you’re riding the Peacham Fall Fondo or not, it is one worth riding! Starting in the center of Peacham, you’ll make your way down one of the very few paved segments of the route before quickly turning onto some gravel. The first few miles are pretty tame, but don’t be deceived! The first climb comes at around the 6-mile mark and quickly turns to a fun downhill that takes you down to just over 600ft elevation. You know what that means….get ready to climb! Between miles 12 and 16, your legs will be on fire. But if you can remember to look around you, it might just take your mind off of it! There are some incredible sweeping views of the rolling hills and farms that will take your breath away.
Relief comes just after mile 16, making for a good place to stop and refuel. There isn’t too much in terms of businesses around this area, so make sure to bring plenty of nutrition. From there, some shorter ups and downs await you before one last climb up to mile 23. Shortly afterward, you’ll zoom downhill back into the quaint town of Peacham.
Check out our video above for some footage of the ride! We have included the first loop map and route below, as well as a link to the full 50-miler.
Check out the first loop here: https://www.strava.com/routes/21773972
For the full route, visit this link: https://www.strava.com/routes/20462577
The Road Less Graveled 