On Columbus Day this year we had sun and temperatures in the 80s, so I went for a bike ride that afternoon.  I rode into the Mt. Tom reservation, which I had ridden my bike into once before.  I rode the Norwattuck trail over to Northampton, then headed down route 5 into Holyoke a bit to the reservation entrance.  Going in from that entrance involves a lot of climbing to get to the middle of the park, but unlike the time I rode it 4 years ago, I only had to stop and rest one time on the way up in this case (I’m definitely in better shape, though I also have a better bike now).

Once I got to the main intersection in the park, I took a right turn and headed along an old road that’s closed to car traffic.  It’s not even that hospitable to bikes, as there’s lots of broken up and loose pavement, but it’s doable.  Mostly people walk along this road.  The road eventually terminates at a lookout on the side of Mt. Nonotuck, right near the ruins of the Eyrie House hotel.  I’ve hiked past those ruins before, but had not biked up there before.  Here is the view from the lookout:

Up on the ruins themselves you get a higher angle view of the Conn. river oxbow:

Here’s a piece of the ruins themselves (doorway or window?):

Once I was done looking around, I headed back down the path, and rode out of the reservation through its other entrance on route 141.  Once there, I headed down the big hill into Easthampton, and picked up the Manhan Rail Trail, following the new connector trail back to Noho, and then headed for home.  This was just a brief ride, about 33 miles total.