Adventure Riding to Loaded Goat Coffee in Naugatuck, CT

The Ride

Anytime I climb aboard an adventure bike, I feel obliged to find some dirt roads to get underneath the tires.  As I finished programming the destination for Loaded Goat Coffee in Naugatuck, CT, the Beeline Moto 2 indicated 32.3 miles.  Not a lot of distance to find some dirt, but fortunately, I knew of some right near our start in Cross River, NY.

I headed north on Route 121 and, in less than a mile, turned right onto Schoolhouse Road, a dirt road.  A couple of fistfuls of throttle got the rear end a little loose, which is, of course, one of the fun things to do on dirt roads.  But, the dirt road lasted less than a 1/4 mile before I reached the end and returned to pavement.  My desire for dirt at least partially satiated, I turned north onto Mead Street even though the compass was urging me more to the northeast.  As I passed the Mead Family Chapel, Lake Waccabuc was just visible to the right.

I turned right onto Hawley Road, heading slightly more to the east, although it was actually more southeast.  My route now took me on the opposite side of Lake Waccabuc, forming a zig-zag shape that would become a running theme in today’s ride.  A left turn onto Old West Mountain Road got me heading back northeast along an excellent winding road climbing up and over the hill, but when the road ended at Route 116, I was forced to turn north once again.  Another attempt to head northeast got me turned around, and I was heading south again with yet another zig-zag shape.  Compass rides aren’t always the fastest way, but they do let you find many new roads, and I couldn’t really complain about the diversion.

Passing Ridgefield, I took Route 7, which isn’t the most interesting road with strip malls on either side along much of its path.  Starrs Plain Road offered a path aligned with the compass, leading over one of the ridges on either side of Route 7 as it led to West Redding.  Another turn north toward Bethel, then back south toward Five Points, and then back north toward Newtown, CT.  Here I was able to get something heading nearly east, so I stuck with that heading toward the Housatonic River along Route 34.

I stopped to see the Lake Zoar Drive-In, which sits at a wide part of the river called Lake Zoar just before the road turns to cross the river along the dam.  At first, I’d thought it might be a drive-in movie theater right on the water, which would be an interesting spot to check out.  It’s actually more of a roadside cafe meant for takeout.  It can still be a cool stop for food with a great river view.

Kickstand back up, I crossed the dam to the other side of the Housatonic River.  Route 34 hugs the coastline, but as the river heads southeast, I needed a left turn to head north to match the compass.  Squantuck Road answered the call and led me up the hill on this side of the river, passing two parks, Naugutuck State Forest - Great Hill Block and Rockhouse Hill Sanctuary, on either side of the road.

Chestnut Hill Road matched the compass heading more closely, so I took that to head more northerly, passing the main section of the Naugatuck State Forest near Hunter’s Mountain.  The compass was urging me to turn more to the right, so I took Andrew Mountain Road.  Any road with ‘Mountain’ in it tends to be interesting.  The road wrapped around Andrew’s Hill and Andrew Mountain Park as it descended toward the Naugatuck River and the town of Naugatuck.  Rever indicated that my ride had been 62.2 miles, so all the zig-zags did add up!  See the route below.

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The Coffee Shop

Naugatuck, located in New Haven County, is a sizable town with over 30,000 residents.  Originally a mill town situated on the Naugatuck River, it incorporated parts of the neighboring towns of Waterbury, Bethany & Oxford in 1844.

Perhaps the biggest claim to fame was that Charles Goodyear, who invented vulcanization and the major tire company Goodyear is named after, worked at his brother’s rubber company in Naugatuck.  That company was incorporated into the United States Rubber Company in 1892, founded in the town.  It was rebranded as Uniroyal in 1961.  Keds sneakers were also produced in the town from 1917 to the 1980s.

Beyond rubber, the town also hosted factories for safety pins and beach rakes.  It was also the place for the manufacturer of the Peter Paul Candy Company, now owned by Hershey’s, which made the Mounds and Almond Joy candy bars.  Production continued here even after the company was acquired by Cadbury Schweppes in 1978 and subsequently by Hershey’s in 1988.  Hershey’s ended production here in 2007, although the operations were later moved to Virginia.

During my visit, the road on which the shop is located was closed for road work, so I had to park in a large lot along one of the other roads, still within sight of the shop.  As some of the sidewalk was broken up with the construction, it wasn’t as beautiful as it often is.

Upon entering the shop, you’ll find a garage door with windows on the side of the main entrance.  The interior, featuring exposed brick on one side and weathered wood on the other, gives it a rustic, urban feel.  There is a small table with a couple of leather swivel chairs and a couch on the other side.  As you go further in, you’ll find a couple of drink refrigerators, including one in an old-style Pepsi-Cola unit, and a counter with stools opposite the main ordering counter.

Signs were everywhere asking people to be respectful of others, with an example of no FaceTime or speakerphone in The Goat.  I was glad to see them call that out, as it is one of the downsides of our modern digital society that people often overlook the well-being of those around them.

There were several stations with swag available for purchase, ranging from cups to bandanas, sweatshirts, and even t-shirts emblazoned with the Loaded Goat Coffee Company logo.

There was only one other patron when I arrived, but several others came in just after me, filling up a bit more.

Drip coffee, latte, cappuccino, americano, cafe mocha, cold brew, nitro, and other iced versions of the regular coffee options, along with several tea options.  There are plenty of baked options available if you’re feeling hungry.

I got a cappuccino along with a heated cinnamon roll.  Served in paper, as many patrons did take out.  It’s a good cappuccino, though it’s hard to ascertain the visual presentation in the paper cup.

With plenty of nearby parking and some fun roads along the surrounding hills, Loaded Goat is a fantastic motorcycle destination.