Ride
Page
Here You will find the reports of our
exploits for the month August 2001 more or less as they happened. If you
have a ride you want listed or want to submit a report of a ride you
went on, please leave me a note. bikebob@crocker.com
Glossary of Names used in these reports: ME (MaryEllen) Ice
Princess, IP (Lynn Black); Moose Boy, MB (Kris Black); Marcus P. Marcus,
MPM (Marc Lombard); Black Beauty, BB (Marsha Martin); Timster, (Tim
Fowler); Little Puke, LP (Matt Putnam); Jorge, (George Katzar); His
Majesty Jack, HMJ (Jack Spanbauer); Queen Nancy, QN (Nancy Spanbauer);
Donna the Hon, DTH (Donna Golec); Star, (Dave Walker); Crash Test Dummy,
CTD (Ed Sokoloski); Georgie Boy. GB (George Bernegger); Little Bugger,
LB (Casey Golec);
JiT, Just-in-Time (Justin Golec); Homer (Michelle Hurley); Tywor (Tyler
Golec); Service (Rod Perez); Rick2
(Rick McCulloch and Manson)
Thursday 8/1: It was a warm and humid evening and I had planned to do the Whatley-Conway ride as it is going to be getting dark sooner every week and we will not be able to do these longer routes. I had 22 riders show up at the shop for the trip tonight. (Although GB did not make an appearance for his favorite ride.) We left the shop and I led the group down to Main Street at a 22 mph pace. I made the turn with most of the riders still right behind me. I slowed the pace a bit to let everyone get back onto the front and then I rode down Russell Street. After I made it onto Washington Street I headed towards Deerfield Street, and when I got about half way down the street, my tube blew out. I pulled over and sent the riders on ahead. As I started to make the repair a group of riders that included Tom Silko, Malcolm, Michael, QN and several others stopped by to give a hand. I made the repair fairly quickly and soon we were back on the road in pursuit of the rest of the group. Well, the lead group had too much of a lead for us to catch them and so I decided to settle in at a much more reasonable pace. We rode down to Old Deerfield and then out to Stillwater Road where we made the climb to the top of the hill. I had Tommy keep the pace down so that the rest of the people could catch up and we could all make the trip together. I rode back to gather up the riders who got strung out on the hill and we all worked together to catch up to Tommy's group. Malcolm and Michael we not fully co-operating with the plan and I had to push pretty hard down the hill on RT. 116 to the turn onto So. Mill River Road where I could see Tommy's group off in the distance. My bunch pushed on and we caught up with Jorge, Wendy and several other riders as we headed into Whatley center. As we made the last climb into town, Jorge tried to sprint me to the top, but I gave him another lesson in how to climb a short hill. The group got pretty strung out as we neared the turn onto Haydenville Road, so I went to the back to make sure that all the riders made the turn. When everyone was on the right road I tried to help out at the back with Wendy and some of the others, but we kept getting further behind, so I asked Jorge if he minded staying with the people we were with. He said that he was OK with that and so I went off to catch up with QN and Rick M. Rick and QN waited up for me and we then made the decision to take Conway Road to try to catch up with the other riders in Tommy's group. QN and I pushed on ahead and soon we were on the road to the reservoir. QN and I rode together to the top of the hill and we were soon joined by Malcolm, Michael, Tommy, Jamie and several others. We headed down the hill and over to Pumpkin Hollow, where Karen and her kids were out on her lawn cheering us on. Our group made the turn onto RT. 116 and began the last climb of the day, when QN mentioned that I might make use of the other shiny, little pointed thing on the other side of my large chainring. I told her that I had no idea what that was for and that I did not want to get into any trouble by misusing the equipment. Anyway, I managed to make it to the top and start the descent down the hill to Deerfield with the whole group right behind me. Jamie had told me that the roadway was recently patched and we could go safely down it at our usual speed, so it was on his head if anything happened on this stretch of highway, but we all made it and soon we were making the left turn onto Lee Road. The group headed down to Stillwater Road where we set land speed records going down the hill. We all rolled back to Mill Village Road and then through Old Deerfield and onto RT. 5&10. I took the lead and pulled the group back across the Cheapside Bridge and into Greenfield. We made the turn onto Washington Street and we all rolled back to High Street together. Jamie and Malcolm did the sprint back to the shop and the rest of us soon followed.
Monday 8/6: Boy is it hot!! Today the temperature got to 98 degrees and I was thinking that we would not have such a good turnout for the ride. But when 6:00 rolled around I found about 10 riders waiting for me in the parking lot. Along for the ride was IP, Penny, Mark, Shawn, Chris M., Ken, Patrick, and Tommy Heider. We left the shop and headed over to the Coke Plant in two groups. Mark took two riders with him on the Trails behind Stop&Shop, while I rode with the rest of the troops over to Gill Road. We crossed the highway and rode up to the truck turnout and re-grouped. We decided to take a little different route tonight, to give us a little more warm-up before we hit the hills, and I suggested that we start off riding out through the swamp to Five Points. After we met at Five Points we then headed off on the Mud Road to the Streambed trail. I ended up riding with Patrick and IP while Ken rode with Tommy and Penny (The other three riders had not yet caught up with us.). IP led the way up the Streambed Trail, followed by Patrick and them myself at the rear. I cautioned them to drink plenty of water and to try to pace themselves on the hill. We rode at a steady pace up to Red Rock and then out to the power lines. We climbed the hill all the way to the turn around without having to stop. After we got around the tower I had IP make a right turn and we headed over to the water tank and we arrived just as Mark and his companions finished the climb up the steep Water Tank Road. We were soon joined by Ken, Tommy and Penny who had followed my group up the long hill. Penny did great, she made it all the way up the Streambed Trail without stopping. She was stoked!! After a few minutes everyone except Mark, Chris and Shawn followed me on the Crossover Trail back to Red Rock. Once there we split up with Patrick, Shawn, Mark, Chris and myself heading down The Chute to the Hill of Doom, while IP took the rest of the riders down the road to join us at the hill. I was next to last going down the hill and I waited for Chris to make sure that he got down the hill OK. (Chris is just getting back on the bike after having broken his hand.) When I arrive at the Hill of Doom with Chris, the last couple of riders were just starting up the hill. I waited for them to clear the trail before I rode up. When I got to the top I asked IP if she had made it and she said that she did not, so I suggested that she try again. At first she hesitated, but then she said sure and she followed me down the hill to give it another try. She made it. It was quite a relief for her, because I thought that maybe she was doubting her ability and when she made it on her own, she knew that it was skill, not a fluke that put her over the top. We rested for a few moments and then headed off for the Orchard Trail and then Double Dip. IP led the way and I followed at the back of the group. As we neared the turn for Double Dip, I noticed that Penny wasn't with us so I waited for her and sent the rest of the group on ahead. Penny and I rode along together on the Mud Road and then we headed up the Streambed Trail to Deer Run. Penny was getting a little tired at this point, so we headed over to meet up with the rest of the riders who were waiting for us on Water Tank Road. I suggested that we take Deer Run all the way past Double Death and then ride up Stinger. IP was a little nervous, because the last two times she did that she got stung by the bees. I told her that I would provide all the god bee karma that was necessary to get her through that section and out of the trails safely. She agreed to try and off we went. Penny, Ken and Tommy took a more gradual route and we all headed off for the rendezvous point. I led IP and the other riders up Stinger and then down the hill to Five Points, where we turned onto the swamp trails. I kept IP right behind me to prevent any bee attacks and we headed out of the swamp onto the trails behind Lillian Street. We headed straight back to the highway crossing and then onto Gill Road. It was still pretty hot and the riders were getting tired so we then rode back to the shop at a slow pace. I can tell you that we all must have dropped quite a few pounds tonight due to the heat and humidity, but it was a fun ride.
Tuesday 8/7: Boy it is really hot!! Today a customer came into the shop and said that it got to 100 degrees on Main Street. I knew that it was going to be warm but this is really warm, so I decided to take it a little easier than the last few rides. We had 23 riders show up for the trip down the valley. I had Joe and the Bell Brothers take the lead and I fell in at the rear. We headed down High Street and by the time we got to the hospital the group had split in two. I decided to go to the front of the second group and pull them down to Main Street, but I went too fast and some of the riders started to fall back, so I slowed the pace some more. We were mostly together as we made the turn onto Hope street and I waited to make sure that everyone was still in the group. I rode down to Russell street and then down to RT. 5&10 where Service came up to tell me that IP got a flat and turned around and went home. I was going to go back but they told me that she did not want any help, so I continued on with my group. I led the group down to Deerfield and made the turn onto Old Main Street, where Marsha said that she needed to slow down, so I told her to wait up for ME's group. After she departed, my group was down to four people, Bruce Rogers, Lynn Freshette, QN, Service and me. We rode down Mill Village Road to Lee Road, and it was here that Service and Bruce started to fade. I told the girls to continue and I went back to ride with them. I got Service back up to the girls, but Bruce decided to head back home. After Bruce left, the four of us made the left turn onto Stillwater Road, and we headed over to RT. 116 together. We headed down the hill and onto the flatter sections of So. Mill River Road. We stayed together until we got to first hill and that is where Service started to fall behind. I dropped back and began to give the dear boy a push when all of a sudden I felt a burning on my left thigh. I got stung by a bee and my leg started to swell immediately. I dropped back and made sure that there were no other bees still on me, and when I determined that I was bee free, I then rode back up to Service. Service and I climbed the last few hills together, but he was fading fast so I left him and rode up to the girls and told them to go on ahead. I then dropped back to Service and we took a little shorter route down to River Road. Service was not doing good and our pace dropped to 14 mph. We rode for a short distance and he said that he was not going to be able to finish. He said that he would ride over to his sister's house and get a ride to the shop from her. I told him that was OK and that I would wait for Joe's group to come along and then I would ride back to the shop with them. I turned around and soon I saw Joe and his group riding towards me. I waited for them to get closer and then I took up the lead position as they caught up to me. I pulled the group along at 25 mph for a mile or so, but my leg began to stiffen a little so I pulled off and headed to the back of the group. I rode along with the group as we headed across RT. 116 and back onto River Road in Deerfield. I found myself at the front again as we neared the first hill and although I was able to stay with Joe, Matt and Pat, I could not keep that pace up for long. When we got to the next hill I dropped back and rode with Baby Bell, Shawn and Chip. We rode down the hill and over to McClelland Farm Road, where I sprinted to the top of cemetery hill. I rode a brisk pace with Baby Bell and Chip (Shawn dropped his h2o bottle and went back to get it.) and Shawn back to Greenfield where I led my trio up Deerfield Street to Hope Street. When we got to Hope Street I told the boys to go on ahead and I slowed the pace back down to 15 mph for a while. I rode back to the shop at an easy pace and then waited in the air conditioned comfort of Bicycles Unlimited for the rest of the riders to arrive. I was glad to see that Jamie made it back OK, although he now only weighs about 135 lbs. QN and Lynn came riding into the parking lot looking fresh as daisies, while the rest of the men came in looking like they had been SCUBA diving. I do not know how they do that! Although it was a hard ride, due to the heat, everyone made it back safely. Has anyone seen Charles?
After high humidity and temperatures in
the high 90s during the day, we started off the ride just as things
started to cool down. The group split right out of the parking lot, as
Bob had some new riders along and wanted to take them on an easy ride.
The group of 10 or so I was with set a
good pace down through Old Deerifield, then up the hill to Lee road. At
this turn, the faster riders slowly pulled away from us, leaving Roger,
Jamie, myself and a new guy named Mat. We continued on to 116, then
South almost into Northampton before crossing over the highway and
turning North.
The ride back to 116 was pretty fast,
as usual. I tried to set an easier pace of 20-22 when I was on front,
but Jamie kept accelerating things up to 24-26 whenever he was in
control. A few miles short of 116, we caught sight of a few riders ahead
of us who had taken a shorter route. When I pulled out after my turn in
front, Jamie acellerated to catch them before I had a chance to get back
on Roger's wheel, so I dropped off. Mat had also dropped off a few miles
back, and we never saw him again until the end of the ride.
Finally, we regrouped with Nance and
another woman rider in our group as we crossed 116 to River road. The
ride up River road remained fast, but I could tell that the heat was
taking its toll on everyone. At the top of one of the last climbs, Roger
slipped back out of site. I could tell that Jamie really wanted to race
on, so I waved him ahead and told him that I would ride with Roger for
the rest of the route.
Once Roger pulled up, I took the front
and pulled us back into the sideroads outside of Greenfield. As we came
into town, I had to take off my sunglasses due to all the sweat that was
blurring the lenses. I was surprised to see just how dark it had become.
All the traffic had headlights on, and the color had gone out of the
sky.
Back at the shop, Bob mentioned that
because of the shorter days we were probably going to cut the ride
distances down from now on.
I left my bike at the shop for
maintenance and a new stem.
Thursday 8/8: We've all gone to Hell!! It is hotter than Hades down here in Greenfield and quite frankly all the people who showed up tonight need a special award for their commitment. (Commitment, Hmmm, interesting choice of words. Maybe there is a place for us after all.) Twenty riders were in the pack when we left the shop at 6:00 and we were all sweating buckets before we got 100 yards down the street. My plan for the faster group was to do the Cave Hill ride at a moderate pace, (What exactly is moderate anyway?), While HMJ and ME were going to do the Sunderland ride. I led the troops down the hill and across the river to Turners Falls where we climbed the Third Street hill to the mini-mart. I slowed the riders down so that GB could catch up and when he was safely in the back of the group I let Tom Silko pick the pace up a bit. If Michael had shown up tonight we might just have had a quorum of Beermonters for the trip. Anyway, we headed out to Montague Center with Tom Martyn and Tom Silko doing the lion share of the work, and after we got to the center of town I tried to get GB to take a pull but he managed to dodge the bullet once again and I was at the front. We rode down to RT 47 at a 20 mph pace and that was enough for me so I went to the back of the bunch to hang out with QN and Beck. We all made it across RT. 63 together and soon we were on North Leverett Road. I stayed at the back of the group as we started the climb and I kept reminding the riders to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated on the hill. As we got further up the hill I started to move to the middle of the pack so that I could holler to the lead riders if they missed the turn. I made the turn and started up the hill in the little ring, and soon I caught up with Malcolm and Tommy. I rode with them to the top of the hill and then we started down the descent. I asked the boys to wait at the bottom so that all the others could catch back on. When I got to the stop sign I did a loop around to wait for the riders who were following. When all the riders arrived, we headed off towards the center of town. We all stayed together as we rode past the pond and then down to RT. 63. We rode down Bull Hill to RT. 116 where we again re-grouped. We took it easy as we headed toward Sunderland and the whole group made it into Deerfield together. I had the riders head up to Sugarloaf Street so that we could take a flatter route back to the shop. I stayed in front with Tom Martyn as we headed up North Main Street to Mill Village Road. After we crossed the highway the group picked up speed and we headed towards Old Deerfield at 23 mph. I stayed at or near the back of the group as we got to Old Main Street. Just before we got to Old Main Street we caught up with HMJ and ME as they were heading back towards Greenfield. We picked up a couple of the riders from that group and we all headed off up RT. 5&10 towards Greenfield. I kept the pace at 22 mph as we got into town and then I dropped off the back to ride the rest of the way back by myself. I did manage to catch up with some riders as I came up High Street and I made it back to the shop soon after the main group arrived. It was a hot day on the bike, but all in all, we had a good ride.
Monday 8/13: Tonight was another hot, muggy day and I was joined for the ride by Mark, Dylan Law, Brett S., Penny, Homer, Chris M. and Service. Penny and Homer rode over to the trails on the Gill Road route while I took the boys on the trails behind Stop &Shop. My group rode at a moderate pace and I found myself bringing up the rear just to make sure that all the guys made the turns. We all ended up at the RT. 2 crossing together and soon we were back on the trails heading for the truck turnout. When we got to the turnout we waited for everyone to arrive before we headed off to the swamp. We rode over to Five Points where we were joined by Chris U., Doug Linnell as well as the girls. We rode up the hill on the Ridge Trail and then re-grouped at the top. Everyone was taking it slow tonight and we all rested for a few moments before heading over to Luke. I rode at the back of the group until we got to Luke, where I passed almost everyone on my way up to the water tank. We waited at the tank for all the other riders to arrive and then we got going on the trail to the power lines. Dylan and Brett we getting a little peaked from the heat and so I stayed close to them on the descent. When we got to Red Rock I followed the boys down the Chute while the girls and Chris M., rode down the road to the Hill of Doom. I was right behind Brett and Dylan when they got stacked up on the steeper section of the hill. Brett definitely took the brunt of the fall, but Dylan got a little banged up as well. I was coming upon them pretty fast, so I yelled to them to clear the trail if they were not hurt. Both boys jumped up and pulled off the trail. I guess that the prospect of me falling on them was enough of an incentive, that even if they were hurt they would have found the energy to move. I waited at the bottom to make sure that all was OK and when the boys got down to me, I checked them over, and then we continued on. I rode over to the Hill of Doom with the boys right behind me and then I led them up the hill. We re-grouped at the top of the hill and then the group headed out for Double Dip. I stopped at the top of Double Dip and waited for the boys to arrive. At this point I knew that everyone was feeling the effect of the heat so I proposed that we ride up the streambed and down the Secret Trail. I led the charge up the hill and waited for everyone to arrive before pressing on. The boys were really starting to fade so I had them ride in front of me. I fallowed them down the Secret Trail to the log where they stopped to walk over it, while I rode over it. I rode down the hill to the top of Double Death where I again waited for the boys. We then rode down the hill to Deer Run and then we rode up Stinger. Even though it was a hot and humid evening I managed to ride up all the hills tonight, which was a good effort for me. After we paused at the top of Stinger for a few minutes, Mark then led the group down the hill to the trails through the swamp. I rode in the middle of the group and we all rode out to Lillian Street. We took the trails back over to the highway and crossed over to Gill Road. We all rode easily back to the shop, just as it was getting dark. Another nice ride!!
Tuesday 8/14: It was another warm and sunny day today and there was a small group of riders who showed up for the trip to Whatley.
This was the Tuesday night Bikes
Unlimited ride. Bob flatted out just a few miles into the ride, even
before we reached Rte 5 South. I stopped while he changed it, as did
quite a few other riders. I thought that everyone had stopped, but
learned later that only the 'fast' group had. When we got back on the
road, the race was on!
The pace to Stillman hill was fast, and
I was starting to feel the burn just from keeping up with this group on
the flat road. On the hill itself, I pushed way too hard trying to keep
up, and ended up going anerobic. After the top of the hill, the group
slowed a bit to let me catch back up, but it took me miles to do so, and
I didn't feel like I had anything left in my legs at all. I told Jamie
that next time I fell off the back, not to bother waiting for me.
A few miles before the turn at the
Whately Inn, The A group caught up to and passed the riders who had
continued on when Bob flatted. I saw this action from the back, as I had
once more (and for good) fallen off the back of the group. The push I
had made had really ruined my legs big time! As I took the turn at the
Inn, I could see two other riders ahead. I hoped to catch them over the
next few miles.
Bob was kind of vague about a few of
the turns in this area, saying that one was an unmarked right turn that
was easy to miss. By the time I got to the first options to turn, there
was nobody else in sight, so I had to take the best guess. On the first
turn, I decided to continue straight up a steep hill. When I got to the
top of the hill and saw no sign of anyone if front of me, I decided that
the turn I had skipped must have been the one I wanted, so I rode back
to it. A few miles up the turnoff, the road turned to dirt! Back I went,
and climbed the steep hill again! I went on for several miles, passing
several turns that MIGHT have been the one, but nothing I wanted to bet
on.
Finally, I hit 20 miles. I decided that
a 40 mile out-andback was better than getting lost, so I turned back to
retrace my route to the shop alone.
As I came back up to Deerfield, I
caught up with Rick, Roger and Andy, who were on the last part of the
ride. We finishe up at the shop just as the last of the light faded.
Wednesday 8/15: Our ride for tonight was a MTB trip to Hawley. A large group of riders assembled in the parking lot to caravan up to the fire house and at 6:00 the fleet left the parking lot. I had to load most of the bikes into my van and so I was the last to leave, with Hughes Pack following me with a load of kids in his car. We arrived at the fire house and found several other riders waiting for us there. We unloaded the bikes and quickly got under way. It was a beautiful evening with nearly perfect weather, the temperature was 70 degrees and there was no humidity. We had a total of 23 riders and it was quite a sight to see that many people heading into the woods. We had an early bike breakdown and Doug Hillman was kind enough to stay behind and help Tim get going again. I rode up to the turn to make sure that everyone got onto the right trail. I radioed back to Ken Burdick to make sure that everyone was OK, and when I had a drop person at the corner, I headed out onto the single track. I followed the trail as it wound through the forest and I really enjoyed the quiet and beauty of this wonderful spot. I made it to the end of the trail and caught up with several riders before I got to the road, where Mark Newton was waiting with 16 of the riders. After a brief discussion, we decided to have the faster riders continue on and do and extra loop with Mark, while I waited for the rest of the people. When everyone arrived, we discussed our route and we decided to take a shorter loop than the rest of the bunch. Doug Hillman had patched up Tim's bike so that he could ride it, but it would be a too much for the repair to hold up on the rougher trails, so we planned to take the dirt road instead of the trail. I led the group onto the single track and I soon had a distance on the group. Homer followed me along the path and when we got to the half way point, we stopped at the turn off to wait for the rest of the group. Tim came along and right after we stopped and just before he caught up to us his derailleur fell apart again. At this point I was worried that we might not be able to make it out of the woods before dark, so I sent Tim on ahead, walking his bike. Doug was the next to arrive and he took a minute to search for Tim's part, and surprisingly enough he found it and he set off to find Tim. I rode on ahead to the road and waited there for everyone to arrive. Once again Tim came riding out of the trails on his own power. It seems that Doug had managed to get his bike going again. ( I should offer him a job!) At this point it was getting dark and those of us with lights, fired up the units and we headed off towards the fire house. I rode at the back of the group with Ken and Doug and we were chatting as we followed Tim up the road. We only got a short way when Tim's bike broke down again and we decided at this point, to have him walk, and we would come pick him up with a car.. Since I forgot to tell Penny and Homer about the turn off onto the Kiln Road, we all headed straight back out to the hard top road and there we turned left and headed back to the parking area. Ken got into his car to go back and pick up Tim, while I took up the chore of loading all the bikes into the van. Everyone commented on how nice the trails were and how much fun they had. It was a truly great time and I hope that we can return again sometime soon. After Ken got back we all got into our cars and headed back home. Many thanks to Doug and Ken for their help. It is folks like these that make these rides possible!
Boston-Montreal-Boston August 16-19 2001, A
ride report by Ted Lapinski.I arrived at the Holiday Inn in Newton Massachusetts on wed the 15 for rider check in and bike inspection. I was somewhat nervous, 1200K or 750 miles is a long ride. This BMB is the American version of a French Randonnee and is known world wide for it's difficulty. I was greeted by familiar faces, people I've known from the qualifier rides, one in particular was Melinda Lyon. Melinda holds the fastest female time on this course as well as being the first female finisher in the Paris-Brest-Paris 1200k. I've ridden with Melinda on several qualifiers, we pace well together and were both happy to see each other. Motivation I knew I would get from this 17,000 mile a year cyclist. After a pre ride pasta supper I went to my motel room I was starting at 6:00 AM many riders start at 4:00 AM, but I wanted more sleep. The constant moan of route 128 was a little louder than the traffic on Old Stage RD, but it didn't take long before I was asleep.
At 5:00 AM the alarm sounded. I started to prepare for my journey making sure I had all I needed packed away in my camel back blowfish. It was very heavy but I wanted to have the security of knowing I have what is needed now, not 60 miles up the road at the next check point. After all my destination is Canada, and I knew it probably wasn't going to stay 85 degrees and sunny the entire trip. After a brief speech by a BMB official we rolled out on to the streets of Boston. I was pensive to say the least trying to block out the "big picture" of 750 miles wasn't working. I was in a group of about 6 riders Melinda included as we rolled up route 62 to Barre, then 122 to New Salem. Bullard Farm B&B was the first check point. I got my card stamped, reloaded water supplies and we were off to Brattleboro, wasting no time to get back to the road. The weather was great and we were making good time. Brattleboro was the next check point half the distance of the last leg. With full meals available I loaded right up because this next section is where the climbing begins according to the elevation profile set up for riders to ponder. Elevation Profiles don't lie it was up and down for 60 miles, not easy rollers mind you grades with names like Terrible Mountain, and Andover pass, Route 100 didn't disappoint. We rolled into the Ludlow VT check point mid afternoon. I was feeling good and when I saw macaroni +cheese on the table I felt even better. Melinda and I both wanted to get to Middlebury before dark. We still had three other riders with us, a fellow from Florida, one from Washington state, and a guy from Denmark a very diverse field, but if we worked together we could make it. The map shows Route 100 as mostly north however that is not the way it actually is. Up and down would be more like it. As we rolled past Stockbridge clouds were on the increase it looked like the forecasted rain wasn't going to be avoided. On a 1200k weather is not optional you ride on regardless. The left turn onto route 125 finely arrived this is the start of MIDDLEBURY GAP the grand daddy of BMB. Seven miles up, seven miles down, starts out at 5%, then 10%, then 12% and I would have to say the last quarter mile is 15% all of this on the first day with 240 miles on your legs. Mentally I was ready to go, I was tired of THE GAP stories from the night before. I relaxed and climbed gently as I could slowly pulling away from my partners, it was raining at this point which took the "sting" out of the steeper sections. I was proud to have reached the top. I had won round 1 of Middlebury Gap but victory could not be celebrated because I was now faced with a 7 mile 12% descent in a rain storm 8:30 in the evening, natural light was nearly non existent. All most immediately down I went, gravity was pulling unlike anything I have encountered before. The water did keep the brakes cool which was good because I had no choice but to hold it back running in and out of the turns on a dark wet road. A smile came to my face when I reached Route 7 which took me up the road to the Middlebury check point. I walked into the check point happy to be alive and to see the officials, the rest of the group were a few minutes back I was hoping they were ok. A 5 gallon water bucket full of hot lasagna was placed before my tired body," God Bless you all " I said scarfing down more than could actually fit in my mouth, they were laughing, I have no idea why. 10:00 pm still the first day we left Middlebury and headed out for Rouses Point, NY minus our Florida companion, He decided to sleep at the check point. Route 116 was our course the terrain was less hilly than the previous sections, how ever this one was much longer over 80 miles. A few hours into it I was getting very sleepy actually nodding off a few times until it started raining in Burlington where we picked up Route 2 onto the Grand Isle. I could not see the water only complete darkness to the right an left. It was very eerie crossing lake Champlain this time of night. The steady rain brought out hundreds of small frogs which we could not possibly avoid. They all seemed to be going east to west, I don't know why they didn't use the draw bridge. About 3:00 AM Friday morning we arrived at the Rouses Point control, it was raining heavy. Chicken noodle soup was waiting for us "I'll have four bowls thank you" Is all I said, serious as a judge. Melinda recommended 15 minutes of sleep which would get us closer to dawn, and maybe the rain might let up somewhat. I removed my helmet walked to the first dark room I found, laid down on my stomach, and instantly fell asleep. A checkpoint official gave me my 15 min wake up call. I got up and immediately began preparing for the next leg into Canada. Many people may not believe 15 min of sleep would do any thing after 325 miles of intense riding ,but it did. I felt much better and could actually understand what I was saying. Four of us rode out of Rouses Point towards the Canadian border. The fellow from Denmark was not a US citizen so he had to present his passport which took some time, but not a tremendous set back. Soon we were riding the remote Canadian country side, the rain had stopped, and it was now light. The terrain was rolling hills through very scenic farm country. The Montreal check point turned out to be in a town called Huntingdon well away from the city and heavy traffic, which is why it was moved to this region. The people here were from a time I never lived in. Friendly, not in a hurry, wanted to here in detail of your journey, and equipment you use to get yourself there. Around 10:00 AM we left the check point and headed for home. This was the Half way point, and I was now ready to start riding. 375 miles down, 375 to go, my mind set changed from "I don't know if I can do this." to " I'm half way, I feel good, I'm going to make it." Melinda must have had the same feeling because buy the time we were back at Rouses Point we had dropped the last two from our group. Melinda and I had our work cut out for us. The course retraces it's steps back to Boston, however, when we left Rouses Point mid afternoon the wind was relentless. 14 MPH was the best we could get crossing the Grand Isle taking turns on the front. I would like to point out the nice scenery crossing Lake Champlain, it was sunny, warm and I soaked it right up, including the waves braking on the shore line. " yes It was that windy". We arrived at Middlebury around 7:00 pm " wind beaten human rags". After 40 minutes of cleaning and eating we agreed to a sleep break at the next check point in Ludlow, and quickly rolled on. Middlebury Gap was only 4 miles out of the check point, it was 8:00 PM it would be dark once we reached the top. We took the climb easy staying together all the way to the summit. The GAP round 2 went real well. This is a very difficult climb with 520 miles on your legs, but with proper mind set I climbed as if it were Taylor Hill. "a short climb in Montague MA" Starting over the other side of the gap it is an instant 15% grade. To give your self an idea of this, my camel back slid forward ,and was tucked into the back of my neck most of the way down. With Middlebury gap behind us we rolled down route 100 like a freight train. This second night of travel was beautiful, no cars, wind, scorching sun, or rain. We still had plenty of climbing but the road was ours, we reached Ludlow around mid night. Melinda instantly went off to the sleeping quarters, I on the other hand went for the food. I didn't feel like eating but I knew muscle regeneration was critical, and this would be no time to cheat my self. Once I was finished with my pasta salad I went off for a sleep break. The checkpoint official revived me 45 minutes later. I was very tired my partner looked the same, but we found our bikes and headed out for Brattleboro. It was about 2:30 AM Saturday morning, as was the case in the past I felt much better once we started riding again. ( go figure ) This section of the route was the hilliest by far, Terrible MT and Andover Ridge were waiting for us I'm sure. It was still dark and I'll say it again, with no cars or sun even three miles of 10% just disappears. We reached Brattleboro around 6:00 am. Brattleboro was kept short. We wanted to beat the traffic on route 9, our plan worked well. It wasn't long before we were on Route 63 and the climb past Pisgah state park. When we reached Route 78 heading into Warwick it felt good to be on roads I have traveled many times, almost like being home. We reached Bullard Farm mid morning. The hospitality at this check point was great, home made peach shakes were blended on the spot. The presiding shake chef told me all about the formula for process, and nutrient content, as well as caloric content. After our shakes, like programmed soldier's, we got up reloaded water supplies and gave our fair well. This was the final leg 80 miles to Boston. It was sunny and hot as we rolled up route 122 to Barre where we picked up route 62. Many people would think at this point of the ride it would be all smiles because your all most done. I will tell you this was not the way it was. The sun was burning my previously twice burned skin. Route 62 past Barre was so rough it ripped apart my already tender skin. I believe my feet were on their 4th layer of skin. Agony was the order of the day. Melinda who never complains made the statement at a stop light, "I'm sick of riding a bicycle." I knew I wasn't alone. Saturday 2:43 PM Melinda and I rolled up to the finish line. We had rode 750 miles in less than three days. People were cheering as we received our Randonneurs Mondiaux 1200k medal, a prodigious achievement for those in the know. Melinda had beaten the women's record once again by almost two hours. Our picture was taken standing together at the finish line. Unknown to me at the time, I would become somewhat of a celebrity. After many hand shakes, I made my way to the front desk to take a room for the night. I walked into my room and looked into a full view mirror. Never before have I seen my self this way. Sun burn, wind burn, dirt, salt residue, my white jersey that I had worn for three days was filthy. My shorts were surgically attached and had to be floated away from the skin in the shower. Lying down that evening was an experience I'll never for get. My mind was at ease, I was safe, my mission was over, I had given every thing I had, reduced to a nub of my former self. Checking out the next morning I was eager to get back to the finish line and greet the riders that had come in during the night. I was wandering why several people were pointing at me as I approached the finish line check in table, "Ted your the man" somebody said "you came in fifth place" pushing me over to the results postings. The BMB director congratulated me "It's rare that a first time 1200k rider can post in the 50 hour range, you should be very pleased." The rest of the afternoon was spent talking to other riders, as well as greeting the new arrivals. I was still tired but looking around me, once again I was not alone, this was the land of blank stares. Mid afternoon the truck with our drop bags pulled in. Shortly after the finish line dinner started. When I sat down to eat my meal one of the check point officials said to me. " Your probably the first person to ride a 1200k start to finish with Melinda Lyon, you should be proud." Riders were still trickling in when I left Boston for home. I could not help but think of all the kind recognition bestowed upon me. It was Recognition of the thousands of miles rode long before this event. At no time did I ride this course to place fifth or place a special time. No, I rode the same way I do for all rides, to combine the highs and lows with the focus on riding long distance. Don't get me wrong, 56 Hours + 42 Minutes on a 1200k is something few cyclists can claim, but if I rode for recognition I probably wouldn't ride at all. My reasons for doing this style of ride was E-mailed to me the other day by a fellow BMB finisher. These words are from Kurt Hahn founder of Outward Bound, if you read it a few times it makes sense. Without self-discovery, a person may still have self-confidence, but it is self-confidence built on ignorance and it melts in the face of heavy burdens. Self discovery is the end product of a great challenge mastered, when the mind commands the body to do the seemingly impossible, when strength and courage are summoned to extraordinary limits for the sake of something outside the self- a principle, an onerous task, another human life.Ted Lapinski
Thursday 8/16: Tonight I have planned a ride up to Wendell. This is one of our longer rides, due to the hill, so I think tonight's ride will be the Swan song for this year. I had a large group of riders show up and Curt some other riders decided to leave a little early so that they would be able to get back before dark. As I was getting ready to close the shop, Doug Dale called and said that he was going to be a little late and that he would catch up as soon as he could. Pat Bell then offered to wait and ride with Doug. I then went out to the parking lot and just as I was about to give the riders a route summary, Steve Shattuck came over to tell me that the bridge on Locks Village Road was gone. He said that the road had been washed out and there was a long detour on a dirt road. I decided to keep to the plan since the other group had already gone out and we would see what we needed to do when we got there. I led the main contingent out of the parking lot and over to Turners Falls to the Third Street Hill at a modest pace. We all climbed the hill together and headed out for Millers Falls. I kept the group pretty much together and we all pedaled along in a double pace line to the top of the hill leading down into Millers. We rode down the hill and made the sharp right onto So. Prospect Street and started the climb. I had been riding in the middle of the group but soon found myself in front with John Bentley, Michael Beh and Baby Bell. We set a pretty good pace up the steeper sections and soon we dropped most of the group. We pushed on up the hill and stayed pretty much together all the way to the ranger station, but Michael started to fade and I dropped back to ride with him. Baby Bell and John rode on just ahead of us and we started to catch some of the riders who left the shop early. Michael and I traded pulls up the last few pitches and when we got to the stop sign at the top of the hill, we caught up with Bell and John. When we made the turn we could see the detour signs, but I said that we might just as well try to ride the route, since the alternative dirt road was not as appealing a choice. Our group was now up to 6 riders and we rode at a 25 mph pace all the way down the washout. When we arrived we found a large chain link fence across the road and a partially built bridge ahead of that. I decided to walk around the end of the fence with my bike and then cross the bridge on foot. Most of the rest of the riders opted to hand their bikes over the fence before walking around. At this point we were joined by Pat Bell, Doug Dale and a large group of the following riders. I helped people pass their bikes over the fence and then we all headed across the bridge and around the fence on the other side. After we re-mounted our bikes we had a fairly large group of riders and we all headed off towards Lake Wyola. The group stayed together as the speed got up to nearly 28 mph on the flatter sections of the route, but when we headed down the hill after the lake, the speed went up to 35 mph and we started to lose people pretty quickly. I hung onto the back of the group all the way to the town line sprint where Doug and Pat took off and dropped me and a few others. I hammered down the hill as fast as I could, but we never were able to catch Pat and Doug until we got to the stop sign at RT 63. After we crossed the highway we again pick up the pace to 30 mph and we roared through Montague Center and back towards Turners Falls. The group was down to four of us and I was starting to fade pretty fast. We rode through the traffic light in the center of town and then across the river to Greenfield Road where Doug and Patrick raced up the hill and back to the shop. I rode with Baby Bell at 15 mph up the hill and was very glad to see the shop when I arrived there. I was tired from the effort and pleased that I was able to maintain a 20 mph average for a ride that included a long stop over.
Sunday 8/19: It was another beautiful day today and I was sure that we were going to have a big group tonight, even though I did not send out an e-mail. When the shop closed and no one was in the parking lot I just figured that everyone was going to meet me at the common. Nope! When I arrived at the meeting spot, only Chris M., and Homer were waiting for me. We did a fairly fast paced loop up to Willis Hill and back. We rode continuously for most of the way, stopping only one at the top of Willis Hill. We got back to the center of town in just under 90 minutes. It was a nice ride on a perfect summer day.
Monday 8/20: We have not had a drop of rain here for over two months. Every day is sunny and warm and I beginning to wonder if we have suddenly been moved to paradise without me noticing it. Anyway we had 9 riders along for our trip to the Coke Plant. Along for the trip was Ken and Patrick Heider, Penny, Homer, Robbie, Brett, Chris M., Mark C., and myself. Ken Led a group of four riders over to the trails via Gill Road while I took the rest of the crew out on the trails behind Stop&Shop. I rode at an easy pace for most of the way and I did not make it up the rocky new trail this time, due to lack of energy. After walking the last few feet up the hill I took the lead and we all rode over to Gill Road. We crossed the highway and rode up to the truck turnout and then we took the swamp trail over to Five Points. At this point we decided to take Luke to the water tank and I then dropped in behind the boys and rode to the top of the trail. When we got to the top of Luke the girls were just comming out of the Crossover Trail and we all then headed to the tank. We paused briefly before heading out to the power lines and down to Red Rock. I was the second to arrive at the rock and I waited for everyone to arrive. Ken, Patrick and the girls took the road to The Hill of Doom, while the rest of us rode down the Chute. I got a little off line going down the hill so I had to dap a couple of times, but I made it to the top of the Hill of Doom, so I was pleased about that. The group then rode over to the Orchard Trails and up to Double Dip. We all getting a little tired so we decided take the Streambed Trail to Deer Run and then ride up Stinger to the Ridge Trail. From this point on we had to run our lights to make out the trail features in the diminishing twilight. We rode out through the swamp to the Lillian Street Trails and then we crossed the highway to Gill Road. We re-grouped at Gill Road and then headed back to the shop.
Tuesday 8/21: I was very busy at the shop today and I barely noticed that it was 5:30 until riders started to show up for the 6:00 trip. Our route for tonight was the Sunderland figure eight, 33-miler. We had 28 riders show up for the trip and we were able to get going soon after 6:00. I led the group out of the parking lot and up High Street to the fork at Turners Falls Road at a fairly slow pace, so that everyone could get into the line before we ripped down the hill. I led the riders down the hill and across the canal where we turned right. We then headed out to Ave. A where we took another right and started down towards Montague City. I was a little concerned about making the left turn onto Sherman Street with such a large group so I tried to stay near the front of the pack. Unfortunately I did not get close enough to let Roger and Curt know what was going on before we got to the turn and so they along with several others missed the turn and had to go to the next left. After my group made the turn we headed for Greenfield Road where we met up with Roger and his bunch and we all headed off down the road towards Montague. The group did stay somewhat together on the climb up Greenfield Road, but Bruce and Anne Talon started to fade, so I dropped back to ride with them. We made the corner onto Turners Falls Road and started to catch up with the main pack, but Bruce was starting to fall back and he said that he would continue on by himself at his own pace. Anne and I said good-bye to Bruce and headed off to see if we could catch some of the other riders. We rode along for a while at a pretty good clip and we caught up with IP who was just off the back of the group. The three of us stayed together all the way down Ferry Road to Meadow Road where Anne started to slow up a bit. We cruised along for a while and soon we caught up with Rob Macks who then joined up with us. We rolled down to RT. 47 to the center of town where rob and Anne took a right onto RT. 116 and headed back to Greenfield. IP and I continued on down RT. 47 at a fairly brisk pace and we were just about to make the turn onto Plumtree Road when we caught up with Curt Bousquet. We all made the turn together and then I spied MB up ahead. Now do you think that brat would slow down and let us catch up with him. No way!! We had to hammer the whole way up Plumtree Road before Curt finally caught up with him neat the stop sign. When we got to the stop sign we had a large truck partially blocking our view and I started to pull out when a mini-van came out of the blind side and we had to turn sharply to avoid him. After that close one, we all got across the road and into the breakdown lane and headed back towards the center of Sunderland. MB and I took up the front and we pulled all the way back to town. We crossed the bridge and rode up to Sugarloaf Street and turned right. We rode through town to Mill Village Road which we followed all the way to Old Deerfield. At this point there wasn't much daylight left so we picked up the pace and headed out to RT. 5&10. We rode back to Greenfield at a pretty good clip and made it back to the shop, just as it was getting dark. We ended up doing 33 miles at a 20 mph average and I was pleased that everyone got to do a long ride, as the season is definitely ending for the weekday rides.
Wednesday 8/22: Tonight we took a trip up to Northfield for another jaunt up the hill behind the NMH campus. Tonight we had quite a large group show up for the ride. Joining me tonight was Chris's Magoon and Koh, Steve, Marks Newton and Courtemanche, Hughes, Robbie Armstrong, Brett, Dylan Law, Steve ?, Homer, Patrick Heider, Kyle Lapointe, Tim Tierney and Jack Rice.
Thursday 8/23: Tonight I scheduled a ride for my good buddy GB and the rest of the crew from Beermont. Unfortunately I found out that GB is not feeling well and he hasn't been able to ride much lately. I decided to press on anyway and so we held the Conway-Whately ride in GB's honor. Curt, Roger and several others headed out at 5:30 to get a head start on the hills, while I waited for the 6:00 crew to arrive. As soon as everyone was ready, I led the riders out of the parking lot and down the road to Main Street at a leisurely 17 mph pace. I kept the group going along at a steady pace after we made the turn onto Hope Street. We headed down to Deerfield along RT. 5&10 and after we got across the Cheapside Bridge I dropped back to ride with some of the others in the pack. It was a nice group of folks and I wanted to keep everyone going in the group at least until we got to the first hill. At the front of the pack was Tom Martyn and Michael who kept the pace and conversation lively. I stayed near the back and kept an eye on the pack as we rode along the flat section near the river, but when we made the turn onto Stillwater Road, I started to move up to the front of the group. I asked all of the faster riders to slow up after they got to the top of the hill and let the slower riders catch back on, which they did. We regrouped at the top of the hill and then we all headed out to RT. 116 to begin the climb to Conway. I took up the position at the front of the group to try to keep the pace reasonable for the first half of the hill, but even with that we started to lose some people. I had the boy's from Beermont take the lead while I went back to see how everyone was doing. Larry was having a hard time keeping the pace so he dropped back a ways and there we a couple of other people back with him. I took off to catch up with the front of the group and I had them slow way down so we could get everyone back onto the bunch.
Friday 8/24: Tonight we held a "Fun Ride" for the American Lung Association.
Monday 8/27: I was pleased to see that IP, Homer and Penny had come out for the ride to the Coke Plant tonight as they have not been on too many of the trips lately.
Tuesday 8/28: The route for tonight included a 5:30 as well as a 6:00 start and I had planned a route that went down the valley and back for a distance of about 35 miles. This will be the last 30+ mile ride we will be able to do this year.
Wednesday 8/29: Our ride for tonight was the Pocumtuck Ridge ride down to the Stairmaster. I had recommended that everyone who has lights should bring them as you never know.
Thursday 8/30: I did not get to do the ride tonight due to pressing business at the shop. if someone who did go sends me a report, I will publish it.