This year 8 people showed up to ride the Ilion Gorge Century. Fran Toombs graciously provisioned and drove the sag wagon - which came in handy as two of the 14 tires on the trip suffered flats. You may wonder how 8 cyclists could get by on 14 wheels? The secret to that is that there was a tandem team on the trip.
We left Morris just a few minutes after hearing the church bells ring 8 times - there were a few patches of sunlight and some fog - but the forecast was for early sun to be followed by increased clouds - but NO RAIN. Well - we learned Sunday September 13th that you can't or shouldn't count on the forecast. We had a very foggy morning and stayed pretty bundled up on our way to Ilion. We snacked along the Erie Barge Canal and had to put on sweatshirts to stay warm in the breeze.
Climbing the gorge warmed us a bit - but the mists came and went. We heard the vrrroomm and the rannnn rrrrrrannnn of motorcyles on the motocross course at Unadilla Valley Sports Center where they were holding a Grand National Cross Country race but we didn't have too much traffic from that on Otsego County 18. We did actually get into a little rain as we rolled into South Edmeston. As we passed New Berlin the sky began showing a little blue. Our ride from Mount Upton to Morris was the best part as far as weather went. We arrived in Morris in time to hear the bells ringing 6 PM. Two of our eight made a somewhat faster pace and finished an unknown amount of time ahead of us.
It is a good course. You don't need to wait for the club to lead you. You could do any time with a group or alone and it could be very enjoyable.
The course for the century starting from Morris NY to Ilion NY and back follows. This is one sweet route with very little traffic and not too many hills. The little park and the marina at Ilion has bathrooms and picnic tables. Some of the tables are under pavilions. In the summer there is some traffic on the Erie Barge Canal and rail fans may see a train go by as the tracks are just on the other side of the canal. When we did the ride in 2001 we had one tire give out. Fortunately it was on a Saturday and we got directions to a bike shop in nearby Mohawk - or was it in Herkimer? Either way we were able to get a tire.
The ride down and even the ride up the Ilion Gorge is a highlight of this century ride. I didn't make a video of the whole descent but this clip of nearly 2 minutes will give you a taste of what it is like - sorry abou the wind noise.
On the way up we were amazed to hear the sound of bagpipes. Three of us stopped to listen to the piper for few minutes. It was very nice just to have the sounds of the pipes and bubbling noises of the Steele Creek. The piper told us he comes out there every weekend. I asked, "Do you like the acoustics of the gorge?"
He replied, "No, I come out here to give the wife and children a break from the sound of the bagpipes." Fair enough I suppose. They wouldn't seem to be too nice inside a room with you perhaps.
He sounded good to us. We heard a bit more as we changed a flat near where he played. When we finally bicycled off up the gorge he was playing "Amazing Grace."
The terrain of the gorge is shown below. There is about 6.6 miles of very nice riding in the gorge proper which extends from Cedarville to South Ilion.
Hill lovers will be offered the option of doing the ridge between the Unadilla River and the Butternut Creek at three times along the route - others will follow the water course way and finish via Mt Upton - people finishing via Mt Upton will be able to brag that they have bicycled every cotton picking mile of NYS 51 - and let me tell you that is one exclusive club.
Here's another map - a bit less detailed.
The Route Out
Starting at the light in Morris NY at the intersection of NYS 51 and NYS 23
Go north on NYS 51 all the way to the sign that says END RT 51 - which is where NYS 51 comes up against the Erie Barge Canal in Ilion NY - along the way you will pass through the following - services known to be available as of September 2009 are noted
Morris - Mobil gas station will be open - has a mini mart - coffee available (I'm not sayin' the coffee is good - I don't do coffee - also in Morris across from the Post Office just after the left at the light there is a Coffee Shop that is open for breakfast - the locals have seen people in cycling gear but they still may stare - they haven't seen YOU in cycling gear, you know?
Garrattsville - 8 miles north of Morris - in sight of the 90 degree left made by NYS 51 here there is a "General Store" - which has some food and cold drinks, etc - but not so general as to offer everything from Aspirin to Zodiac charts and almanacs - like some stores might have - but there is a phone - and there ain't no more anything for the next 12 miles - so if you think you may need it - get it here.
West Burlington - 12 miles north of Morris - a deli on the corner of the intersection of NYS 51 and NYS 80 - as I said - -
we make a right here and go with NYS 80 for almost a mile -
then we make a left and NYS 80 continues up and down and up and down to Cooperstown without us
Burlington Flats - only a Post Office - I didn't see any phone around
West Winfield - 30 miles north of Morris - West Winfield is quite the US 20 burg - with a NYS Police Barracks and a bank or even two perhaps an ATM- and multiple gas stations - but the place that I will stop is on the right at the light where NYS 51 meets US 20 - a gas station mini mart combo - with booths you can sit in and a bathroom you can use.
Make a right with as NYS 51 and route US 20 run east together for two miles to East Winfield - 32 miles from Morris and then at East Winfield (which can't hold a candle to West Winfield)
NYS 51 makes a left and heads north again - US 20 goes east to Albany and finally runs out of pavement in somewhere near the Big Dig in downtown Boston
Cedarville - 35 miles north of Morris - there is a store here - I don't know how regular the hours are - don't count on it -
NYS 51 makes a left in front of the store and goes less than .5 miles
and makes a right - right into the Ilion Gorge - set it on cruise control and
enjoy the run down into Ilion
Ilion - 41 miles north of Morris - Ilion has it all - Italian restaurants, McDonald's, mini-marts, a snack bar along the canal.
We will stop by the canal to gather our forces and compare notes or whatever. Ilion is rust belt central and the home of Remington Arms -rifles, shotguns, typewriters, electric razors, bicycles - you name it - if it can rust at one time or another they made it. Learn about Ilion in this neat TV clip.
A magazine ad from around 1900 extolling the virtues of bicycles made in Ilion at Remington Arms.
The Route Back
starting from the Marina at the end of NYS 51
go south on NYS 51 to the top of the Ilion Gorge in Cedarville (about 7 miles)
when NYS 51 makes a left at the stop and goes .5 mile
then makes a right and continues south to NYS 20
AT US 20 make a right and go west- go through West Winfield - 12 miles from Ilion (52 total) get needed provisions for a long haul - if you stay on route you won't be too close to a mini mart for a long spell (can you spell Mt Upton?)
after stocking up in West Winfield head west on US 20 and keep an eye out for Otsego County 18 on the left - if you come to a bridge in the village of Bridgewater (and especially if you get to the NYS 8 US 20 intersection you have gone too far.)
Make the left onto Otsego County 18 - 17 miles from Ilion (56 total) going south stay on the east side of the Unadilla River going through:
Unadilla Forks - 20 miles from Ilion (59 total) (where the branches of the Unadilla join)
Unadilla Forks once was home to an artist's community and also lots of mills. Here's a link to a neat TV spot about it
Leonardsville - 22 miles from Ilion (61 total) there is a store on NYS route - you can cross the valley to get to it if you need something - make a left when you get to 8 to get to the store - Leonardsville also has a 5 star (yes, way out here) restaurant - The Horned Dorset - figure about $70 per person w/o drinks - I don't know if they'll let you in wearing cycling clothes
West Edmeston - 27 miles from Ilion (64 total) no stores that I know of.
South Edmeston - 31 miles from Ilion (71 total) yogurt factory - has a pay phone - a bar
New Berlin - 36 miles from Ilion (76 total) careful - if you need something you can cross the Unadilla River on NYS 80 and go into New Berlin - supermarket - pharmacy (ibuprofen anyone?) - pizza shop (better than the one in Morris) - mini mart - even a NAPA auto parts store!!! bank with ATM
South New Berlin - 43 miles from Ilion (83 total) - there is a gas station mini-mart in South New Berlin
Mount Upton - 51 miles from Ilion (91 total)
Just outside Mt Upton Otsego County 18 ends as it intersects with NYS 51 you can make a right and go less than a mile to the NYS 51 NYS 8 intersection if you need something at the mini mart - gas station in
Mt Upton - don't need anything? go left on NYS 51 - north that is.
Gilbertsville - 56 miles (96 total) - there is a store in Gilbertsville on the street the Major's Inn is on - just down and on the left - it will be open all day Saturday.
Morris - 63 miles (103 total) Congratulations!!! You did it!!
OK - so it is not exactly 100 miles - we won't charge you for the extra few. Going in a large circle we had to catch a tailwind at some point, right?
HORS CATEGORY TYPES - read on!
Masochists seeking more hills may leave the lowlands Otsego County 18 using any of the three options below
South Edmeston - climb the wall up Otsego County 20 to Edmeston - make a right at the 4 corners in Edmeston and follow NYS 80 west until you see the Edmeston town highway department barns on your left - take the road in front of the barns Otsego County 49 - going straight across Otsego County 17 until you come to NYS 51 - take a right and go into Morris
or
New Berlin - climb over the ridge via Otsego County 13 - you hit Otsego County 13 after we stop and then cross NYS 80 - brings you right to the traffic light in Morris
or
South New Berlin - climb a goodly set of ridges following NYS 23 east - brings you right to the traffic light in Morris
Here's a link to another version of the cue sheet. Ilion-Gorge.doc
Below is another ad from Remington - the fine print mentions that the factory is in Ilion, NY.
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