December 2005

December 2005 Ride Report Page
Here you will find the reports of our exploits for the month December 2005 more or less as they happened. Please note that the ride reports are the results experienced by the writer and not necessarily a reflection of all the rides that went out on that particular day. We have rides for all abilities but I only publish the reports that I receive. This means that if no one from the beginner rides send me a report, then you will not see that ride listed here. I will publish any ride reports or digital photos that I receive. Editors notes are in pink. Please send them to bikebob@crocker.com and you too can get yourself published on the web! Go to the Ride Schedule link; You will find information about ride schedules and how the rides are run.

Thursday 12/1: The weather has not been exactly kind to us this season! I did not schedule a ride on Tuesday because of the predictions for rain and of course, it did not rain. So with similar predictions for rain tonight, I went ahead and planned a ride to the Coke Plant. At 6:00 we had Mike McIntyre, Walters, Dusty, Curt, Mark Newton, Michelle, Steve Power, Shea, and myself getting ready for the ride. After everyone's gear was set we headed out to the trails. I rode along near the back of the pack and we rode over to the trails behind Stop&Shop. Just as we were about to enter the trails, I heard someone coming from behind me. It was Shea. Apparently he made a last minute wardrobe change and we left without him as he changed in his car. He exclaimed "That was quite a warm-up!" as he caught me after a chase of a mile or so. Oops!! Shea and I rode at the back of the pack until we got to the first little hill, where there was a little pile up on the rocks caused by the sharp turn to a slippery, steep uphill. After everyone got going we rode over to Canada Hill where we re-grouped. From Canada Hill we rode together to the RT. 2 crossover. I was the last rider across the road and when I got into the woods everyone was stopped at the edge of the Stinkhole. Mark Newton was the first in line and he said: "The bridge is floating!". So I cut through the woods to see what was up. Sure enough, the bridge that we use to cross the Stinkhole was floating in two sections a little ways downstream from where we usually cross. The water was pretty deep at the trail crossing, but I knew that there was a shallow part just upstream from there and I got on my bike and rode right across. After I got across, everyone else followed without mishap. I led the riders up the hill and instead of our usual route to the truck turnout we turned left to head for the Lillian Street Trails. (The Coca-Cola company has erected a fence along the side of their property and I was not sure if we could get around it, due to the steepness of the hill next to the fence.) As we rode over to the Cellar Hole Trail we encountered another bridge across a stream that had been moved by the recent rains. This bridge was cockeyed on the trail, but we were able to ride across it without stopping. Mark Newton led us over to the swamp and although some of the riders missed a turn we all ended up out at Five Points. From Five Points we rode up the Ridge Trail to Luke. There is a lot of leaves and some branches on the trails but all in all the trails were in great shape. After we rode up the hill on Luke we paused at the road to await Mike, who had fallen on the slippery rocks and was a ways behind. After Mike re-joined us, I cautioned the riders about the trail on the power lines. It was pretty slippery and wet when I was out here on Sunday. We rode over to the power lines and sure enough, it was wet. We had to dodge some pretty big puddles, but for the most part we had not difficulty riding down to Red Rock. When we were last here, about a month ago, we found the trail to the chute to be clogged by very nasty briars, which sliced open the unprotected arms and legs of the riders. Mark made mention of that, so I rode down to the trail entrance and cleared the briars from the path. After my trim work was finished, Mark led the group down the hill. As I was about to follow, Mike came along and told me he wanted to rest a bit. I told him to wait right there and we would be returning back to that spot soon. I then got on my bike to begin what I though was a chase to catch up with the group. Instead of a chase, what I found was everyone stopped at the turn onto the Chute. It seems that Steve had crashed and everyone else had slid to a stop at the corner. Several riders were moving some branches and leaves from the trail and as soon as they were done we were on our way. Some of the riders managed to get down the hill without crashing, but most of us had to stop once or twice to avoid a crash or to participate in one. After getting down the hill I rode over to the Hill of Doom which I was able to ride up without any trouble. After a brief stop at the top of the hill Shea and Mark led the way down the trail and over to Jack's Pond. I cut the corner on the turn to Jack's Pond too sharply and found myself at the back of the pack on Red Rock Road. As I neared the turn onto Mud Road, I noticed that everyone was stopped in the middle of the trail. The trail was more like a pond, with water completely covering the entire route, leaving no alternative for us but to ride through it. I went to the front of the group and told everyone to stay in the middle of the trail and follow me. I then proceeded to ride through the water (which was only a few inches deep) and over to the Streambed Trail. Although I did not see it, I heard a loud splash and a groan from behind me. Apparently Shea did not heed my warning and he went into the water up to his knees. Shea quickly got out of the water and caught up with me, saying that he missed the middle of the trail when he steered onto it. The rest of the group fared much better and no one else got wet. We all headed up the Streambed Trail to meet up with Mike, who was waiting at the top of the hill. We all had to dismount for a huge "limbo" tree that lay across the trail. It was chest high, so you could not ride under it or jump over it. After getting past the tree I managed to ride (slowly) all the way to the top of the hill on the Crossover Trail. We rode over to the Secret Trail which we took all the way down the hill to the bottom of Stinger. From Stinger we took the very dangerous, and un-named, trail back down to Five Points. Everyone made the trail without falling and we soon were on our way to the brook crossing behind the Coke Plant. The Coca-Cola company has erected a large chain link fence along the side of their property and this leaves little room for us to ride. Shea and I rode over to the fence and although it has a slight slope to it, the terrain is quite rideable (this will change if there is snow, ice or mud). After we got to the truck turnout, Curt rode on ahead and took some shots of us riding back through the Stinkhole. We all crossed the highway and headed back to the shop. I took it pretty slowly as it had gotten cooler out and I chilly because my clothing was wet from all the sweating out on the trails. When I got back to the shop, we chatted a few minutes about the ride before everyone headed for home. All in all, it was a great ride.

Sunday 12/6: I awoke this morning to a back yard covered in white. It had snowed out this morning and we had an inch of snow on the ground. This was great fun for Eddie who loves to slide on the snow when we play ball, but it also means that we cannot do a road ride and the snow limits the choices for a MTB ride as well. The snow continued on and off all morning and with predictions of several more inches of snow I decided not to call for a ride. As the afternoon arrived the snow stopped, and there was only a couple of inches on the ground, so I went out for a ride by myself. MaryEllen and I drove over to the Coke Plant with Eddie where I took the little fella out for a run on the trail with my bike. MaryEllen was going to try to walk with him, but he did not want me to go on the bike alone, and he started to whine. After the whining starts it is pointless to try to get him to walk so MaryEllen took Eddie back home and I went out for my ride. I rode into the trails by the fenced in Coke Plant and headed over to the Mud Road. The Mud Road has been chewed up by four wheelers and the logging that was done last year. There are several places where the water covered the entire trail so I had to get off and walk around these sections. This trail needs a little work but I think it can be rideable again. At the end of the Mud Road is Jack's Pond and I pedaled around that and took the next left to head over to the Hill of Doom. The trails were snow covered but I found that for the most part the traction was pretty good. When I got to the top of the Hill of Doom I found that riding down was pretty tricky and I slid out on the roots and rocks. I ended up walking down the hill. I rode over to the Chute which, of course, I walked up. As I walked up the trail, I cleared some sticks and brush off the trail. After the trail work I made my way up to Red Rock where I stopped to check out Killer Hill. I then rode down the hill from Red Rock, but was forced to dismount on the slippery rocks on the climb up the other side. The rest of the way up the hill was dodging ice that was too thin to ride on and the slick rocks. I did very well and did not crash once. After getting to the top of the power lines I then took the usual route over to the water tank. I rode past the water tank and then I rode down Luke to the Ridge Trial. I stopped to move a large tree that had fallen across the trail. I got most of it off the trail but the rest of the job will have to be done when there is more manpower. After that bit of effort I was ready to head home. I took the Red Diamond Trail back to the Cellar Hole Trail and then I headed out of the area via Lillian Street. I then rode home just before it got dark. It was nice ride for the conditions.

Tuesday 12/6: Tonight I scheduled a ride for the Coke Plant. I know that most of the riders do not like to do this ride, but I thought that it would be the best choice considering how much rain we have gotten lately. At 6:00 I was joined by Steve Power, Mark Newton, and Matt. This is the first time Matt has ridden at night so I lent him a light and gave him some tips on night riding. As I was getting the light ready, I noticed that he did not have the proper riding gear so I lent him a jersey and a jacket. I then got my gear ready and we left the shop at 6:10 to ride over to the trails behind Stop&Shop. Although it was cold (25 degrees) and there was a brisk wind blowing (which brought the wind chill temps down to the low teens) I was pretty warm. I had dressed perfectly for the conditions, with my red NRM long sleeve jersey and Jacket on over my Descent base layer. We rode the trails over to Canada Hill and then took the RT. 2 crossover to the Coke Plant trails. After getting across the highway we all rode through the Stinkhole and then up to the Lillian Street Trails. The trails themselves were snow covered but we had no difficulty with traction. Even in the sections of trail that had a good amount of snow we were able to ride without slipping or spinning out on the corners. Mark led us on the Lillian Street Trails and then we rode through the swamp to the ballistae. From the backstop we headed out on the trails up to Five Points. I was following Matt as we climbed the last pitch up to Five Points. As we neared the top of the climb, Matt pulled off the trail to catch his breath. Matt reached out and grabbed a trailside tree to balance on, but too his surprise, the tree broke off cleanly under his weight. It seems that Matt picked the only rotten tree on the trail for a rest spot and as soon as he put weight on it, it snapped and he fell. Matt was OK when I passed him and he quickly rejoined the group. From the Cellar Hole Trail we took a left and headed up the Ridge Trail towards Luke. I followed Matt until we got to the bottom of Luke where Matt slid on the rock at the trailhead. I rode past him and up the hill behind Steve and Mark. This is a moderately steep hill, but I did not have any trouble with traction and I was able to ride up the entire trail. Although there were some muddy spots along the way, the trail was mostly dry. At the top of the hill we paused to wait for Matt and I took some photos, which I will post in the photo folder. At the water tank we headed over to the power lines and followed them down to Red Rock. From Red Rock we headed for the Chute. Frankly, I was not too sure how rideable this trail would be, as the Chute was pretty slippery on Sunday. But as I rode down the hill to the Chute itself, there was no snow on the path and my tires had plenty of grip on the trail. When I headed down the Chute I was surprised at how well I was able to track. Both Mark and I were able to ride down the hill without dabbing. At the bottom of the Chute I headed over to the Hill of Doom which I was also able to ride up. At the top of the Hill of Doom we paused for a minute before heading over to the Streambed Trail. We had decided not to do the limbo thing (under the large tree that blocks the trail) going up the Streambed and instead we took Deer Run over to Stinger. No one was able to ride up Stinger due to the slippery leaves. I walked to the top of Stinger where Mark was working on his rear derailleur. It seems that the lower jockey pulley had frozen after riding through the water at the bottom of the hill. I freed the pulley with a squirt of warm water from my hydropak. After getting Mark's derailleur going again, we headed down to Five Points. From Five Points we took the Cellar Hole Trail back over to Lillian Street and from there we rode over to the RT. 2 crossover. Mark and Steve were the first across the highway and they were waiting for Matt and myself on Gill Road. When we caught up with Steve and Mark we all headed down Gill Road. We did not get too far however. A few feet down the road Mark came to a stop. It seems that both of the derailleur pulleys had frozen up. I had to do the water trick again to get them moving and we then rode briskly back to the shop. It was pretty cold night for a ride but none of us were uncomfortable during the ride. I would have to rate this as one of the better winter rides. I hope more people will show up for the next one.

Thursday 12/8: Tonight I scheduled a ride for the Montague Plains at 6:00. It was a brutally cold night and we had a small group that included Curt, Parrott, Chris Williams, Michelle, Marshall, Mark Newton and me. I brought over Chris's new bike as well as mine and I also brought a light for Marshall and Parrott. I quickly got everyone's light ready and then I set out to get my own gear ready. Since it was so cold, everyone was anxious to get going, so after I put my light and hydropak on and I set out behind the group. I only got a few feet before I realized that I had not fastened the straps on my shoes. I stopped to attach the bottom strap leaving my top strap loose. By the time I got going the group was nearly out sight, so I had to really put the hammer down to try to catch up. I never did catch them until the group stopped at the fire pit. As soon as I arrived the group got going again and I told Parrott that I was touched by his obvious concern for me as we rode over to Northfield Road. From Northfield Road we took The Second First Left over to The Banked Trails. Since it was so cold we rode at a steady pace all the way over to the Water Tank, only stopping to cross the brook. I led the group up the hill and when we got to the tank we hung out on the fence until everyone had arrived. After the pause at the tank we headed over to Willis Hill. I followed Parrott and Chris on the trails over to the swamp. As we neared the large pond I told Parrott to ride across the ice instead of trying to take the alternate route through the woods. Parrott was frightened about that so I rode across the ice and the rest of the group followed. We then took the Swamp Road over to the Kiabuckus. Parrot and Marshall missed the turn onto the trail so Curt and I led the way. The trail has gotten pretty torn up by four wheelers and some of the riders had to dismount on the way up. At the top of the climb we turned right and rode past the I-H wreck and the down the hill through the pine forest. We rode down the Ice Flow Trail and we all had to walk across the frozen water way. At the bottom of the hill we rode over to the sand pit and from there we rode across the plains to the Snowshoe Trail. We rode at a brisk pace from the snowshoe trail over to the Banked trail. At this point some of the riders were getting cold so we headed back to the Telephone Pole Trail. We rode down the Telephone Pole Trail to the Turners Falls Road and we rode back to the parking spot on the hardtop. When we got back to the center of town we quickly got out bikes stowed and the cars warming up. Everyone headed for home right away, but I got the sense that all the riders enjoyed the ride.

Saturday 12/10: Tonight we went out on our first snowshoe hike of this winter season. We got 14 inches of snow yesterday and it was pretty much a blizzard outside for most of the day. Today was a nice day with temperatures in the thirties and bright sunshine. I scheduled the hike for 6:00 in the evening. Joining me for the trip was Parrott, Nice Kate, (and their dogs Cooper and Gus) Diana, Tom, my sister Patty, MaryEllen, Curt and Betsey, Michelle, Jack and Tom Graney. After getting our snowshoe gear ready we headed off to the trail. After walking down the street we got to the trailhead where we donned our snowshoes and began the hike up the hill. Patty had an old pair of snowshoes (the wooden frame and rawhide kind) and she had some difficulty on the steep slope going up the first hill. We all waited for her and when we got near the top of the climb, I stopped to take some photos. The moon was out and although it was only a half moon, it was pretty bright. With the light reflecting off the snow we were able to see without our headlights for most of the way up the hill. After we got to the chimney (all that is left of Parrott's homestead) we headed out onto the roadway for a short distance. I led the group over to the park entrance and we got onto the Blue Dot Trail. I hiked behind Parrott so that I could keep an eye on him. He has a habit of falling down and at one point he tumbled onto the snow and pulled me down with him. It was a good thing I was there because I in addition to me preventing him from falling off the mountain, I was also there to assist him in getting back on his feet. After I got Parrott going again, we hiked at a brisk pace to catch the group. We followed the trail all the way up to Poet's Seat Tower where we stopped for photos. After the picture taking we headed down the road to the Red Dot Trail. We hiked down the hill for a short way before I realized that MaryEllen and Jack were heading in the wrong direction. I got the group back on course and we hiked down the trail to the riverside overlook. This is an opening in the woods that offers a clear view of the river and the Cabot power station in Turners Falls. We stopped for a moment so that I could explain to Parrott the reasoning behind the large wooden support structure near the trail. (it is a support for the power lines across the river). After schooling Parrott, we headed off down the trail. Patty had a hard time on the steeper slopes due to the lack of crampon's on her snowshoes. MaryEllen waited for Patty and they hiked along at a good pace. When Parrott and I got to the end of the trail, Patty and MaryEllen were right behind us so we waited a couple of seconds and finished the trail with them. At the junction of the blue trail Parrott went off with the rest of the group and I hiked with Patty and MaryEllen back to the road. From the road we hiked down to High Street where we removed our snowshoes and walked back to the shop. Everyone had a good time and most of the hikers went over to New Fortune to get some dinner.

Tuesday 12/13; I got an email from Chris Williams in which he said that the snow was un-rideable. It was only about 4 degrees outside and the snow was too powdery to ride on. In order for us to ride we need the melt/freeze cycle to harden the trails to support Chris's massive girth. So I scheduled a snowshoe hike instead. We planned to do the hike from Parrotts house and I left the shop at 6:00 to drive over to Lake Pleasant. Joining me was MaryEllen and Jen with Tom Graney, and Harold following us in Harold's car. Shea (Billy) and Chris Williams met us at Parrott's house. After parking the vehicles, we got our gear out of the van and we soon were on the trail. Along with Jon, Kate and all the above people we had Gus, Cooper and Lucy the dogs. The trail we used for tonight's trip is across the street from Parrott's house and it takes us around the south side of the lake to the railroad tracks. When we got to the tracks we hiked over to the other side and then followed a snowmobile trail for a short distance. The moon was so bright that we did not need to use our lights to hike along the trail. We had to stop a couple of times to adjust equipment and wait for people to catch up and when we did I took a whole bunch of photos which are on the web page. We hiked to the next trailhead which was a short distance north of where we started and we had to cross the tracks again. After we got to the trailhead we had to hike down a steep hill to the edge of the brook that feeds Lake Pleasant. The trail leads us to a brook crossing, which consisted of four large rocks spanning the stream. We all made it across the brook without incident. Lucy the dog got carried across the stream by Chris, apparently she is not fond of cold water. After getting over the waterway we hiked over to the Cyclocross course and followed that to Lake Pleasant Road. I hiked with Shea and we chatted about using GPS to map trails and I gave him the names of the various trails that we were on. After crossing the road we waited on the driveway to the Ramblers clubhouse for Tom and Parrott to arrive. As we waited we were treated to a celestial display of Leonoid meteor shower. There were several fireballs and many shooting stars while waited. After taking some more photos we hiked out on the Rambler Road (which is a snowmobile/4 wheeler trail) to the Snowshoe Trail. I made a small error in navigation which caused us to bushwhack for a few feet to get to the trail. To hear Parrott tell the tale, you would have thought that we were miles off course, but actually I only missed the turn by about 29 feet. We hiked down the Snowshoe Trail to the Banked Trail where we had a brief discussion about which direction to go. I suggested that we stay in the woods to keep warm since it was so cold. After getting on the Banked Trail for a few yards, we made a left turn and hiked down to a fork in the trail. I needed to take a potty break so I went left while the rest of the group went right. I addressed the pressing issues soon after leaving the group and then hiked through the woods to the Second First Left. I followed this trail over to the power lines and then hiked over to where the rest of the group exited the trails. I got in line behind Tom and we then hiked over to Old Northfield Road where we removed our snowshoes and walked back to Parrott's house. It was a beautiful night and I was glad to be able to enjoy the meteor shower display. When we got back to Parrott's house we all went inside to trash the place and eat all of Kate's snack food. We also drank all of Parrotts beverages as well. After Kate and Jon ran out of food, we all left for home.

Thursday 12/15: Jen, Michelle and I went out for a snowshoe hike tonight at the Coke Plant. I was surprised that more people did not come out on such a nice night. Jen and I rode over to the parking spot in the van, with Michelle following in her car. We put on our snow shoes and got onto the trails a little after 6:00. We hiked up the power lines, which were pretty chewed up by snowmobiles, and headed for Jack's Pond. I led the two girls over to the Mud Road and we hiked over to Five Points. The trail was in pretty good shape where the snowmobiles hadn't driven, but the main road was pretty packed and chewed up. After getting to Five Points we hiked up the Ridge Trail to Luke. There had not been any foot or motor traffic on these trails and the conditions were perfect for 'shoeing. When we got to the top of Luke, I suggested that we take the Crossover Trail since Red Rock Road would most likely be pretty torn up. We followed the Crossover Trail to the Streambed Trail, which has a large tree blocking the way so that motor vehicles can't use it, and we hiked down to Deer Run. We had to bushwhack a little on Deer Run due to a couple of trees blocking the trail. (Liam, we will need the chain saw at some point.) We hiked over to the Chute which we ran/slid down to the bottom. After we got to the bottom of the Chute we hiked over to the Hill of Doom and from there we hiked back to the start. We hiked at a brisk pace and spent about an hour on the trails.

Tuesday 12/20: With the crappy weather we have had there has not been much riding outdoors in the last week or so. We had the rain on last Friday on top of the 14 inches of snow we got the Friday before. Then it got cold and the whole mess froze solid. The streets and sidewalks have been impassable and the trails un-rideable. So after a week of frustration I decided to do a ride out on the Plains. I heard from Sarah Weis that the snowmobiles had packed down the trails out on the Plains and that the trails were "pretty good". It was a bitter cold night with a brisk wind so we opted to meet at Parrott's house. Besides Parrott, we had Walters, Dusty, Matt B., Hammerhead, Liam, Curt, Chris W., Mark Newton and me. I drove over to Parrott's with Curt in the van and we parked in the upper parking lot. The parking lot was glare ice and we all had a tough time just walking around to get our gear ready. Curt and I had studded tires on so once we got on the bikes we were all set. Most of the riders did not have studded tires so I knew that we would have to use caution on the roads and trails. After assembling at Parrott's house we left and rode across the Bridge of Names to Turner Street. I rode near the front of the pack and cautioned the riders about the icy sections. Most of the group made it without slipping on the ice but Dusty fell on the road when he hit a rough piece of ice. After Dusty got going, we headed up to the Second First Left Trail, which was a mess. Four wheelers had driven through there and destroyed the path. We had several riders fall (Dusty took a nasty tumble and hurt his knee) but most of us stayed upright. We only had to go a short distance on this trail before we made the right turn onto a connector trail. This trail was in great shape and we had no trouble riding down it at speed. There were a couple of icy spots and a few places where the riders broke through the crust and that made some of us dismount. Curt and I found that riding on the hard ice was great but when the crust broke, we found it nearly impossible to ride due to our studded tires digging deeper into the snow. Once we got out to the Banked Trails we found the trail had been ruined by the four wheelers so we opted to take the Snowshoe Trail. I had been riding sweep for most of the ride just to help out with lighting the trail. I was following Matt and Mark Newton down the Snowshoe Trail when I came upon Dusty, Curt and Parrott standing in the middle of the path. It seems that Dusty had gotten a flat tire and they were beginning to fix it. I jumped right in to lend a hand with the repair. After I started to remove the tire I knew that this was not going to go well. The tire was an older model with a wire bead and it was a bear to remove. After I got the tire off the rim, I got out a tube and my co2 kit. I inflated the tube slightly and then put it into the tire and remounted the tire on the rim. All this took about 10 minutes and with the cold air it was a chore. After getting the tire on the rim I started to inflate it and that's when the real trouble started. As I inflated the tube I noticed that the gas started to come out of the co2 inflator. It seems that there was a little moisture in the tube and when I sent the cold air through the valve, the moisture froze solid. This caused the seal on the inflator to break and that was the end of that tube. I pulled the inflator off the valve and I could feel that there was a lump of ice on the inside of the tube, We were done! So I took the tire back off the rim, put in a new tube and inflated the tire with a hand pump. When all was said and done, we spent about 20 minutes in 11 degree temperatures fixing the flat. A new record for me!! After the fix we rode out to the Plains Road where the rest of the crew was waiting. I then led the group down the road to the Banked Trails and then out to the power lines. The Banked Trail was in great shape and we rode at a good speed down it and out to the power lines. When we got to the power lines we encountered quite a bit of ice. For the most part, everyone did pretty well on the ice (although a couple of riders took a spill) and we soon were out on the east end of Plains Road. This is a heavily traveled route for the knuckleheads who ride their trucks through the woods for fun. Needless to say the trail was pretty rough and we had to use extreme caution on the way over to Willis Hill. At the bottom of Willis Hill Road, I took a bunch of photos before the group headed out. I instructed the group to take the BPT Trail but when Liam and Chris got to the trailhead they decided that they wanted to try to ride up Wills Hill. I was at the back of the pack when the first few riders started riding up the hill and I pretty much figured that they would soon be walking, Sure enough, Liam got to the first steep pitch and he was off the bike, Most of us that followed him found that the icy crust was broken by the first few riders on the trail and we walked more than rode. At the top of the I noticed that Liam and a few others had headed off on the trail to Craggy Hill. I suggested that this was a big mistake and that I would be continuing on Willis Hill Road to the Swamp Trail. At that point I rode down the hill and over to the large pond at the bottom of the descent. I slowed up to warn the riders behind me that the ice ahead would be particularly slippery and that everyone should use caution. Liam went by me first and he was followed by Harold and Chris, I stood at the side of the trail and watched as they got onto the pond. Liam was the first to fall down and he was not the only one to do a pirouette on the pond. After all the riders went by I followed Dust and Parrott (who at this point was without lights) over to Swamp Road. The trail was not in bad shape but the snowmobiles had detoured onto Middle Road and that is where the leaders went. I followed Parrott and Dusty down the very icy hill. Poor Parrott had a hard time walking and in fact spent most of the trip down the hill on his butt. I passed them just before a large puddle of ice and headed down the steeper section of trail. As I neared the rocky descent I saw Curt standing on the side of the trail. He told me to walk down the hill as nearly everyone who had tried to ride down it had fallen. I complied and after passing the hazard I then rode the rest of way down to the Brook Trail. We re-grouped at the Brook Trail where everyone took stock of their bruises. No one was hurt or injured, to my relief. At this point Mark mentioned that it was getting late, so we sped off to head back to Parrotts. We took the direct route out of the trails and I ended up riding with the lightless Parrott and Dusty. When we got out to Lake Pleasant Road we then took the hardtop road back to the Bridge of Names and then back to Parrott's house. All in all we had a good time on this winter adventure. It certainly was a challenge for most of the riders, but everyone said that they enjoyed the trip, once we were back inside the warmth of Parrotts house. When we got back, Harold gave us a Christmas gift and Kate had provided us with beer and food (home made quesadillas). After a snack and warming up we all headed for home. It was a good ride and given the conditions, I thought that everyone did a great job.

Thursday 12/22: Tonight I scheduled a ride to Walters house in Conway. Walter had called and said that there was no ice on the trails and that they were in great shape. MaryEllen and I rode up in the van and most of the riders and hikers were waiting for us. The riders tonight were Jamie, Curt, Michelle, Walters, Mark Newton, Mike Stamm, Jack, Dusty and me. The hikers were Katherine, ME and Betsey. After Michael (who arrived late because he missed Walters driveway and went all the way to Ashfield) got his gear ready we all headed out on the trail behind Walters house. I found the trails to be in quite good shape. I had put 20 lbs of air in my Fire XC Pro tires and that was enough to float my huge carcass on top of the snow. Those who choose a higher psi had a much more difficult time on the snowmobile trail leading up the hill from Walters. I had started the ride at the back of the pack but as those who poorly chose tire pressure ground up the snow and stopped, I soon found myself at the front of the pack. Once I was free from the broken up trail, I was able to ride along behind Dusty and Walters. When the three of us got to the main snowmobile trail I was able to get some nice photos of the riders as they descended the hill. I got one of Curt going over his handlebars just as it happened. After the photos were taken we headed off on the main trail system. Although it was cold it was not as bitter as the Tuesday night ride. I was able to ride with Dusty and Walters as we headed out on the well traveled snowmobile trails that led us towards a neighbor's house. When we got to a turn onto a less traveled trail I went on ahead to get some photos. This trail was not as firm as the previous trail and it looked like only one snowmobile had been on it. The snow was firm but not smooth and I ended up running down the trail to the neighbors driveway. When I got to the driveway I took some shots of the riders as they came down the hill. I got one of Walters doing an end'o into the snowbank, pretty good shot if I do say so myself. After everyone arrived we headed down the icy driveway and it was here that a few of the riders took a spill on the roadway. I managed to ride the entire way by staying to the side of the driveway on the dirt. Even when I had to venture out onto the glare ice, my Panaracer tires gave me a sure grip. After all the riders had negotiated the icy driveway out to Roaring Brook Road the group headed off to ride over to Fisher Hill. The road up Fisher Hill was steep and somewhat slippery. The road was plowed up to Bill and Ciel's house but after that it was a snowmobile/tractor path. I was able to ride up a lot of trail but there were several places where I had to dismount and walk. Although the trail was really steep and rutted it was fatigue and not the trail conditions that got me off the bike. When we got to the top of the hill we headed down a snowmobile trail that was pretty soft and I ended up walking a fair amount of it with Jamie. Jamie was not having a very good ride and he ended up crashing a few times. After we got to the end of the trail we opted to go back to Walters house via RT.116. This was a pretty chilly choice but more expeditious for those who had a difficult time with the conditions. Although the trail conditions were not the best that I have ridden on, they were far from the worst. I would rate this as a good ride overall. After everyone had arrived back at the house (everyone except for Michael and Dusty, who went on an extended loop) we feasted on chicken tetrazini that Walter made. It is not true that I ate most of the food!

Bob moved right to the front, with Curt and Mark close behind. Jack, Michelle, Mike, and Jamie were right in there, too. The others came along fast, but I had anticipated these moves, and brought out another big dish of chicken tetrazini. Generous Jen’s cookies and cake and Jack’s famous brownies had staved-off starvation while everyone waited for supper to come out of the oven. Bob’s email touting the ride said, “ I just got a call from Walters and he tells me that the trails are "certified ice free" and in primo condition. There will be no need for studded tires.” It saved my ass that the food was good, because the riding was not. I messed-up in failing to check the road sections for ice. The trails (which were very good Wednesday) had softened. The air temperature did not get above freezing all day, but I guess it was not cold enough to offset the warming effect of the ground. There are some morals to this story:
1) Always check conditions on the day of the ride.
2) Consider a nice walk or snowshoe. Maryellen, Betsy, & Katherine had a good time.
3) Always use studs in the winter.
4) Always get ahead of Bob in the food line.
5) Always get ahead of Bob on the trail so that he can not get pictures of your fall.
I hope that the food made up for a lousy call on my part.

Submitted by Walters

Saturday 12/24: With the year winding down I wanted to get at least one more road ride in. The last three weeks have been pretty nasty as far as the weather is concerned and I was thinking that this would be the only month that we did not have a group road ride. I sent out the email on Friday night for the ride that was to leave at 1:00 today. Originally Parrott was supposed to join us but he bailed when he heard that I was going (seems that he cannot take getting whooped by the old man). I got my 'cross bike ready at 1:00 and I was joined by Tom Terrific, Curt, Steve Power, Rebecca and Baby Bell. We left the shop and headed south to do a ride to Northampton. Tom had to be in NOHO for a Christmas party and so we decided to head that way with him. It was a cloudy, unseasonably warm day today (48 degrees when we got downtown) and there was not much wind to deal with. The group rode down to Deerfield Street where we crossed the somewhat busy road without trouble. There was some water on the roads but fortunately we did not have any ice. We rode down to Old Deerfield at a moderate pace with Baby Bell in the lead and myself at the back of the group with Rebecca. We headed through Old Deerfield and out onto Mill Village Road where Rebecca started to slow down a bit. She managed to get back on but as soon as we got to Tom Graney's house she was struggling. I sent the rest of the group on ahead and I stayed with Rebecca. I stayed in front of Rebecca on the flatter sections of the roadway and she set her own pace when we encountered a hill. Rebecca and I rode over to RT. 5&10 where we took a right and headed fro RT. 116. After getting by the Yankee Candle Company we turned left onto RT. 116. At this point Rebecca's right foot was getting cold and numb (she was wearing running sneakers and light socks). We rode along on RT. 116 for a mile or so and then took a left onto Sugarloaf Street. Rebecca was quite a trooper on the ride through So. Deerfield; she rode along at a steady 17 mph pace. As we rode along, Doug Dale came by in his car and we chatted briefly. It was nice to see him. Rebecca and I rode down North Main Street to RT. 5&10 where we took a right. We rode back towards Greenfield where Curt and Steve caught up with us and the four of us finished the ride together. Rebecca and I did a 22 mile ride at 17 mph while Curt and Steve did a 30 mile loop at 19.5 mph. When we got back to the shop Rebecca came inside to get her feet warmed up. It was a nice ride all in all.

December 24th; Twas the ride before Christmas...

Bob sent out an email about two rides this weekend. I wasn't going to be able to make the Sunday (Christmas) one, so made a special effort to make it down for the Saturday ride which would probably end up being my last road ride of 2005.

It was pretty warm when Betsy and I got to the shop. I didn't see a thermometer, but I'd guess it was in the high 30s and maybe even 40 degrees. Also on the ride were Steve, Tom Martyn, Baby Bell, Bob and Rebecca, a rider I've never ridden with before. Tom was going to join us for just 1/2 the ride then continue on to Northampton on his own.

Bob was planning on a short easy ride down the valley which was good for me since I had to get home before my guests started showing up for Christmas eve dinner. We set out on roads that were mostly dry, but there were enough wet spots from snow melt that we all ended up muddy by the end of the ride. Bob set a nice slow pace South to town then passed it over to Baby Bell who continued on at an easy pace into Old Deerfield. Of course, I got handed the last pull before the short climb up to Lee road so I pulled off the front as we hit the bottom of the hill so I wouldn't slow the riders behind me. It wasn't until I dropped to the back that I noticed that Bob and Rebecca were no longer with us! BB said that Bob was riding with Rebecca at a slower pace and had told us to continue on without them.

The three remaining riders slowed a bit to give me a chance to catch back on after the hill. We all came back together as we crossed the highway on Lee Rd then took it easy up to the four-way stop. We turned left then rolled down 116 a bit before turning South toward Whately. We rolled along at a brisk pace but I was having a good day and was feeling comfortable with the pace the group was setting. Before I knew it, we were almost at the Whately Inn and had to start thinking about how far South we were going to ride before heading home.

I was only planning on an hour to hour and a half ride and Betsy was going to be waiting for me at the shop, so I voted for turning down Christian lane then heading North on 5. Bell wanted a longer ride, so decided to continue on to keep Tom company for a bit longer as he headed South toward Northampton. Steve decided to come with me so we waved goodbye to BB and Tom as we turned Left onto Christian Lane.

Steve took the front as soon as we hit Rte 5 North and stayed there until we got to Yankee Candle before passing it on to me. I tucked down onto the drops and settled in to a 21.5mph pace at an energy level I felt I could put out all day. At the bottom of the hill I began to notice the wet bike tracks of two bikes on the dry pavement in front of us. There weren't too many people it could have been, so we started keeping our eyes open for Bob and Rebecca ahead of us. Sure enough, we started to see them way ahead as we came into long straight stretches. Every time we caught sight of them, they were closer and closer. Steve closed most of the gap before handing it over to me for the final pull just before we caught them 1/2 mile South of the Cheapside bridge. Once we had caught 'the rabbit' we slowed up and road the rest of the way back to the shop with Bob and Rebecca, who was just about toasted.

I think both Steve and I finished the ride thinking we could easily do it again, but we both had places to be and had to be glad that we got even this short 25 miles in on such a nice day. So... assuming this is my last road ride of the year I'm looking at a yearly total of 3,175 road miles.

--
Curt Bousquet

Christmas day 2005:After spending the morning with MaryEllen opening our gifts, I went out for my annual Christmas Day road ride. I did not bother to send out an email as I was pretty sure that most of the riders would be busy with their families as well. I left the shop on my Felt F1C and rode over to Turners Falls. It was 38 degrees out when I left and I was a little chilly on the ride down the hill into Turners Falls. After getting through the traffic lights in the center of town I headed up the Third Street Hill and then took a right onto Montague Road. I rode along at a 18 mph pace into a slight headwind. When I got to Hatchery Road I had up the speed to 21 mph and I held that pace all the way over to Montague Center. I usually take Ferry Road down to Meadow Road but when I got to Ferry Road I noticed that there was a fair amount of ice so I decided to ride through town instead. After getting through town I took RT. 47 into Sunderland. I noticed that it was somewhat warmer when I got to Sunderland and I unzipped my jacket on the hills into town. I left Sunderland via RT. 116 and I stayed on this road until I got to RT. 5&10 in Deerfield. After making the right turn to head north I encountered a slight headwind which slowed my pace a bit. I rode north at a 19 mph pace and when I got to Greenfield I took the long way home. After riding up Bank Row I took Federal Street to Lincoln Street and then High Street back to the shop. Although the weather was good and traffic was light, I only saw one other rider the entire 25 mile trip. I ended the trip with an 18 mph pace for the 25 miles. Not too bad for the old goat!!

Saturday 12/31: With the lousy weather we have had this week we did not get to do a ride on either the mountain bikes or road bikes. As the year draws to a close I wanted to get one last road ride in so I called for a ride this afternoon at 1:00 from the shop. It was a very cold day with the temperature hovering around 28 degrees and a slight wind from the northwest. Joining me for the ride was Steve Power, Curt, Michelle, Don McCool, Hammerhead, and Jamie. We left the shop and headed over to Turners Falls. I was leading the group and it was pretty chilly to start. I had on my base layer, NRM jersey, NRM long sleeve jersey and the Jacket. I was wearing my MTB winter boots and the Spokes Polar gloves. As I rode down the hill into Turners Falls I was really cold and wondered whether I had chosen the right clothing. When we got to the traffic lights on Avenue A we did a short track stand before the light turned green and we were on the way. I led the group up the hill to Scotty's and when we got to the fork in the road, I heard a call from the back of the group. It was Curt and he was having a problem with his rear derailleur. I took a look at the derailleur and it was fine but his cable was frozen. I manually moved his derailleur down a few cogs and we were back on the road. After we got going again we headed down Turners Falls Road to Ferry Road. I led the group for a little way but I found that if I took short pulls at the front I would be able to get warm by riding in Jamie's draft. We rode down Ferry Road to Meadow Road where we encountered a patch of ice across the entire road for a distance of about 10 yards. I took a path off the right side of the road while Steve and several others rode across the ice. One of the riders (I did not find out who) fell on the ice. Whoever it was got back up and was in the group just in time to ride across another patch of ice. Everyone was able to ride across this one and we then headed on towards Sunderland. When we crossed into Sunderland we again came across a large ice patch. This time I was not going to tempt fate, so I slowed down and walked across the slushy mess. After getting going again we rode down to RT. 47 and took a right. Once onto the state maintained road, we found the pavement smooth and ice free. We rode into the center of town and took a right onto Rt. 116 where Steve and I sprinted for the town line. It wasn't much of a contest and Steve easily pulled away from me. After crossing the bridge into Deerfield we took Sugarloaf Street over to North Main Street. I did a couple of short pulls on the way over to Mill Village Road and for the most part I was reasonably warm. When we got out onto the open sections of Mill Village Road, next to the farm fields, we were hit with a brisk headwind. At this point we rotated through the pace line pretty quickly to keep ourselves warm. We headed though Old Deerfield and out to RT. 5&10 where I found myself at the front of the group again. I rode up to Woolman Hill at the front and then I pulled off. I rode at the back of the group until we got to the Cheapside Bridge where I tried to jump everyone for the town line. Needless to say I was not successful. Both Curt and Steve passed me about half way across the bridge with Steve taking the sprint for the line. After the sprint we rode straight into town on RT. 5&10 because there was too much ice under the Russell Street bridge. We rode up Federal Street to Lincoln Street and then took a left at the end of Lincoln Street to head back to the shop. It was a nice ride and we finished the 27 miles with an 18mph average.