Tour de Syracuse Preview

Today I was lucky enough to get to ride the course of Next Sunday's Tour de Syracuse. I'll be participating in the Masters race, a total of 55 miles and two laps between Song Mountain and Amber, NY, just south of Rt. 20. Maps and elevation profiles alone cannot tell the whole story of a course, and a recon ride fills in so many details and gives you the opportunity to take in the scenery without worrying about tangling with other riders.

As you can see by the elevation profile, the race starts off with a quick climb up past Song Mountain ski resort, then heads north toward Otisco lake, a long, gradual descent until you get to the lake level. You can see by my messy map that I missed a few turns. Road names provided by Google maps weren't accurate in a few locations, and in other locations roads weren't properly marked, but none of this really mattered—with a route so beautiful, a few wrong turns were actually welcome.

The most memorable part of the ride was the climb up Amber Rd. The climb itself was only moderately challenging, but the views were stunning, and some of the older houses and what looked to be a former schoolhouse have been lovingly restored. The other notable part of the course was the steep descent down Fox Rd., followed by an insanely steep short climb on Hunt. GPS data doesn't seem accurate, because the grade had to have exceeded 15%. This was much more manageable than the wall on the Hollenbeck's course, since it levels off quickly.

Lots of other cyclists were on the road, most going in the opposite direction. This seems to be a very popular road biking destination for Syracuse residents, with good reason. Looking forward to next Sunday...