Weekly Rider: Triangle de Midd, Cornwall, Weybridge

People from across the country consider Addison County a bike Mecca. It’s home to steep climbs, 30-mile rollers and spectacular views. It also presents an extremely varied set of riding options to a wide range of cyclists, from those hammer heads looking to climb multiple mountain gaps to those bikers who haven’t been out in years. One of my favorite shorter rides in the area is what I call the Triangle de Midd, Cornwall, Weybridge.

Length: 10.3 miles

Difficulty: Easy

Average duration: 45 minutes – 1 hour 15 minutes

This is a fun bike ride for any level of rider with any type of bike. When I was rehabbing my knee after surgery, I regularly pedaled this route, and on those days when I want to get some blood flowing through my legs, but only have 45 minutes, I really enjoy it.

The ride begins in downtown Middlebury and heads south on freshly paved Route 30. You’ll encounter a small uphill at the start, but then you get a nice breezy downhill for your work. You’ll then pedal through picturesque Vermont farm fields and up a gradual hill.

When you see the sign for Cider Mill Road, hang a right and coast down an easy hill for almost three miles. You’ll see few cars here and can enjoy the lush outskirts of the county’s shire town.

When you get to the intersection of Route 125, keep going straight — do not turn right. This section of 125 between Cider Mill and Middlebury College is the worst stretch of road I’ve encountered in all of Vermont. It harvests moon-sized craters and the craziest drivers I’ve encountered in the state. It might as well be the college’s death moat.

After crossing this dangerous pass, the ride gingerly winds along quiet, pasture-ridden James Road. You’ll follow James Road past Monument Farms to Weybridge Street and take a right, then straight on until taking a left at Pulp Mill Bridge Road, then a smooth glide to the Pulp Mill Bridge.

Here you can cross Otter Creek on the pedestrian walkway to the right of the covered bridge (there’s a sign that prohibits cyclists from entering) and after another half-mile you’ll find yourself back in Middlebury where you can pick up a milkshake, pizza or anything else you may fancy.