Ride Page
Here You will find the reports of our exploits for the month February 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)

Sunday 2/4: I set up a ride for today in Hawley. I was met at the shop by Penny, Homer, Linda Fijol, Richard Rogers and Rob Lapointe and as soon as all the bikes were loaded in the van we all headed off for the firehouse in Hawley. When we got to the firehouse we were met there by Joe Mardeusz and Ed. After we got our gear on we all followed Joe out to the road which we followed for a mile or so to the trailhead. I was the sweeper for the group and when we all got to the trailhead we rested for a minute before taking off down the hill. I rode with Ed at the rear of the group and we followed the rest of the riders down the hill. The conditions were just about perfect as they can get for winter riding. The snowmobiles had packed the trails and the latest snow had left just enough granular to make the traction great. Everyone did very well on the banked trails for most of the way down but Penny took a spill at the first bridge. She was OK although she was covered in snow from the spill and she soon was back on the bike. We rode at a cautious pace all the way to Middle Road where the rest of the group was waiting for us. I sent Joe on ahead to the next turn and I followed him with Homer. Homer and I had a great time riding in the snow and we really enjoyed the beautiful day as we trailed behind the last few riders. We stopped at several points to take some pictures and I will post them here as soon as I can. When everyone finally got up to the turn we took a few minutes to chat with some of the snowmobile riders who happened along. After the snowmobiles had passed us, we all headed off behind Joe to the next turn. This was a long, pretty steep hill that was difficult for most of the riders. Homer didn't seem too phased by it however and she and I motored to the top, where we waited for Penny and Ed. At this point both Penny and Ed were getting a little tired so I offered to help Penny up some of the more difficult hills. She agreed and we headed off to catch up with the rest of the group. I followed Penny and when she got to a steep section of the hill I got behind her and gave her a little push. This continued all the way to the last turn where we once again rested for a few minutes. We all were starting to get a little cold so we soon were on our way up to the kiln. This last section of trail has a short uphill section and then it is all downhill back to the parking lot. I gave Penny a hand on the hill and then I took off to take advantage of the descent. It was a great run and when we all got to the kiln I took some more pictures of the group and Then we all then headed back to our cars.

Due to the 31" of snow we got on Monday, we did not ride at all this  week 2/5!

Sunday 2/11: Today I scheduled a repeat of last week's ride because the plains were not packed down enough yet. I met Brian Pierce and Wayne Holden at the shop at 1:00 and we headed off for the firehouse in Hawley. When we got to the firehouse we found the conditions to be pretty brutal. The air temperature was only 15 degrees and the wind was blowing at 20 mph, which gave us a wind chill of 35 below zero, pretty cold by any standard. After we got to the firehouse we were surprised to find the empty parking lot was a sheet of ice, from last week's rain. We unloaded our bikes and soon we were joined by Richard Rogers, Linda Fijol and Danielle. As we were getting ready to leave the parking lot, Richard and Linda decided to take Danielle on a shorter loop, so that she could get used to the new bike that I brought her and also because she wasn't sure if she had enough warm clothes to make the long trip. So Wayne, Brian and I headed out on the road to repeat last weeks route. I rode down to the trailhead and waited for Brian and Wayne to catch up, before heading down the hill. Unlike last week I did not stop until I had to pull over for a group of snowmobiles who were comming up the hill. I was surprised when I stepped off the trail and I sunk up to my hips in snow, I didn't expect that much depth after the rain. I waited for Wayne and Brian to ride down to me and then I followed them down to Middle Road. We all noticed how much warmer it was in the woods compared to the open road and we all were getting pretty sweaty, even before we began the climb. I headed up the hill first and rode at a pretty good clip to the next turn where I paused briefly to take my jacket off and put my water pack under it so that the hose wouldn't freeze. Once I got under way I rode pretty fast to the last turn at the top of the hill. I stopped to say Hi to a friend of mine who was skiing with his dog. I made the turn to the last uphill and soon I was flying down to the Kiln. I stopped at the kiln to show it to my companions before I headed for the parking lot. This is the same ride we did last week in 2 1/2 hours and we did it today in an hour and twenty minutes. Pretty good for a cold February day.

Tuesday 2/13: Well it seems that we were going to get a ride in this week after all. I left the shop at 6:00 with MPM in the van with me and Ron Rodriguez following in his car. We arrived at the Book Mill where we were joined by Richard Rogers, Mark C., and Wayne. We waited for a couple of minutes to see if Linda would make it, but she did not and we headed out for Old Northfield Road. I led the group and I set a modest pace so that we would not freeze to death getting to the trails. I took the trail near Bernardo Drive that leads to the Telephone Pole Trail because the usual route was not packed down very well. When we got to the Power Lines I noticed that there was a lot of water and a little ice on the trail, which made me wonder if this was such a good idea. We decided to give it a try anyway and so off we went! After we crossed the first section of water I was pleased to discover that the trails were in pretty good shape. To be sure there was some sections of water and a little ice, but for the most part the trails were in good condition and we made great time to the first turn. After everyone got to the turn and we made some equipment/clothing adjustments, we headed off towards the Banked Trails. We rode at a steady pace and although the trails were a little soft when we encountered the snowdrifts, we all enjoyed the challenge (Except for MPM, who did several endo's along the route!). When we got to the next power lines we decided to make a try at Willis Hill. I rode near the back of the group, just ahead of Richard as we sped over the well traveled route, and soon we were at the bottom of Willis Hill Road. Ron mentioned that his lights were starting to fade and so I told him to stay close to either MPM or myself and if he lost his light, one of us would give him our helmet light. The group took off behind Mark, Ron and MPM and soon we were on the hill itself and the pace started to slow a bit. MPM and I soon found ourselves creeping up the hill behind Ron and Mark, but we were able to pass them when they dismounted, and we rode together all the way to the last section of the hill. MPM and I made an attempt to ride up the steep section, but we were forced to dismount due to the soft snow. When we got to the bottom of the hill again we decided to take the Swamp Trail back over to Red Rock. Mark took the lead and instead of going on the Swamp Trail he took a right and began the woods climb to the top of Willis Hill. I stopped at the bottom to watch him and MPM make a stab at the hill and I quite honestly did expect them to get very far, but to my surprise, MPM made it to the top. Well, I couldn't let that happen without some sort of effort. So I took off up the hill and soon I was grinding my way to the top with a "clean" ride. I was pumped! We waited at the top and when all the riders were with us we took off behind MPM and Mark to do a loop across the field and then back up to the I-H wreck. All went well until we got to the turn to the field and we discovered that the trail did not exist anymore and we had to ride down to the road. We followed the road around to the Power Lines and then rode up the really steep trail to the Mixing Bowl. MPM and I were the only ones to make it up the hill on our bikes. Since this was the last climb, I was stoked that I made it up all the hills tonight, It has been a while since that happened. It was too bad that we did not have any of the women with us tonight, I think that they would have had a good time! After everyone got to the top, we set out on the power lines for our return trip to Old Northfield Road. I led the group through the woods and then out to East Hatchery Road. We rode across the ice covered pond and then back to the power lines that lead to the Banked Trails. We then retraced our path back to Old Northfield Road and began our return to the Book Mill. As we rode along the road, Ron got a flat and wince we were close enough to the end of the ride, I told Ron to walk it out and I would come pick him up in the van. At this point Mark turned to ride to his house and Wayne stayed with Ron, while Richard, MPM and myself headed for the van. As we got near the parking lot we encountered Charles "Shabbat Breath" Colburn riding along the road on his road bike, without lights. I told him to follow us and that we would give him a ride back to Greenfield in the "sacred motor vehicle". After loading the bike in the van we went out and picked up Ron and returned him to his car. Then the three of us headed out in the "sacred motor vehicle" for Greenfield. MPM and I enjoyed some of the refreshments that he provided, while we listened to "Shabbat Breath" tell us tales of his ride on our return to the shop. It was a great ride!

Bob's most excellent bike and snowmobile ride!

Sunday 2/18: Today I scheduled a ride up in Hawley because of the icy conditions on the plains. I was met at the shop by Brian and Mark and we traveled up to the firehouse where we met Richard and Ed. After we got ready I showed a map of the route and we decided to try a different direction and maybe if the trails were good we would add a new section to the route. We left the parking lot and headed past the kiln and I noticed that there were fresh tracks in the snow. I saw some cars that I knew belonged to Joe and some of the other local riders and with the tracks I reasoned that they were just ahead of us. We rode the trails down the hill to Hunt Road at a pretty good clip and everyone seemed to be doing just fine. The trails were in perfect condition, there was no ice and just an inch or so of snow over the hard packed base. After everyone got to Hunt Road, I sent Brian and Mark on ahead to the next turn and I dropped back to ride with Ed and Richard. We rode along a good pace, although not nearly as fast as the other two were going, and soon we were all at the turn to Middle Road. I asked the group if they wanted to try a new trail and they all agreed to give it a shot. I told them that I wasn't sure about where the turn was and I said that if we didn't find it right away then we could just turn around and come back. Well, off we went with myself in the lead, Mark and Brian were just behind me. We rode down some sweet trails and I was really moving on the downhill's. As we approached a fairly steep hill I shouted back to Mark that I would ride ahead to see if I could find the turn. When I got to the bottom of the hill I heard some snowmobiles comming towards us so I pulled over to the right and let them pass. After five sleds passed me I waited for a couple of seconds before starting up the hill. I got cranking up the incline and just as I got near the top, I was startled to see yet another snowmobile comming very fast around the corner and bearing down on me. My first instinct was to pull to the right, but I quickly realized that the sled was sliding to the right and I tried to pull left to avoid it. No such luck. The ski hooked my shoe and knocked my foot off the pedal and sent me flying right for the windshield of the machine. There wasn't anything either the driver or I could do at that point. I slammed into the hood of the snowmobile and fell to the ground. I heard the sled go crashing down the hill and then I just kind of blanked out for a moment. I had the wind knocked out of me and I was just laying there in the middle of the trail wondering if there was another one comming. Then I heard some voices asking me if I was OK and although I was, I had to just lay there and get my breathing back. When I realized that I did not have any broken bones or cuts, I just sort of relaxed and sat up. The woman who was driving was standing next to me, asking if I was sure I was OK. I assured her that all I needed was to get a moment to recuperate and I would be fine. By this time we had quite a crowd of people arrive. All five of the machines returned as well as the rest of the riders and a customer of the shop's who happened to be skiing in the area. After a few tense moments we all calmed down and I told the lady not to worry about me and I gave her a hug. This seemed to make her better and after again assuring her I would be fine, we said good-bye and headed off down the trail. As I rode along I noticed that my bike was OK except for the rubbing of the rear derailleur on the largest cog. No problem, I just didn't use it! I rode to the turn where I waited for Brian and Mark to arrive. I was staring to stiffen up a little bit so I sent them along and I waited for Ed and Richard to get up to me before I headed down the last hill. This was by far the most challenging and fun sections of the day. Except for the snowmobile bit, I was glad we came this way. When we got to Middle Road, Brian and Mark were waiting and after a minute of rest we then headed out for the climb back up to East Hawley Road. I sent Richard, Mark and Brian on ahead and I stayed with Ed for the climb. Ed did very well and soon we were back on the top of the hill heading for the firehouse. As we arrived, Mark and Brian were just leaving so we said good-bye to them and headed for our vehicles. As I was getting ready to go, Joe and his crew came back and so I chatted with him before heading for home. I can guarantee you that I will be a hurting unit tomorrow. 

Tuesday 2/20: It was a pretty warm day and I wasn't too sure about the ride tonight, but "what the hell", I wanted to ride anyway. I left the shop with MP at 6:00 and headed for the Book Mill parking lot. When we arrived we were met by Penny, Mark, Matt Chickering and Vinnie. We all got ready and we took off for Northfield Road. It was fairly warm and we made pretty good time getting to the Road and when we arrived at Bernardo Drive, the boys took the trail, while Penny and I continued on the road to the Power Lines. Penny and I waited for quite a while and when none of the other riders came along, we decided that we must have missed them and we headed off for the trails. We only got a short distance before I saw some lights comming up from behind and I knew that the boys must have suffered on the Telephone Pole Trail. When the boys got up to us we all headed out to the turn onto the trails. The snow on the open trail was soft, but we able to ride on it. There was a lot of water on the ice and this made for some slow going, but it did not cause any difficulties for the riders. We made the turn all together and the trails in the woods were a little better than out on the power lines. Soon the boys had put some distance on Penny and I and they would wait for us at the turns. We rode to Hatchery Road and then we decided to try to ride out to the banked trails. The trails were in the same condition as the power lines and we continued on to the trails end. The next trails were a lot firmer and we made good time out to the main trail. At this point the group decided to head back as it was getting a little late. We rode down the road to the ice pond which most of us rode across, and then we continued on back to the Power Lines. Penny and I followed the boys back down the Power Lines to Old Northfield Road. From there we all rode slowly back to the parking lot and then headed for home. I enjoyed the ride although the conditions were not the best.

Thursday 2/22: Tonight's ride was a last minute affair as I was uncertain of the trail conditions. On Tuesday the temperature dropped about 30 degrees from the day before and all the water and slush froze solid. I did not have a chance to test the trails, so I did not want to get too many folks going out for a ride that might not amount to much. Anyway, I was joined tonight by Matt Chickering, Penny and Mark for a trip to the Coke Plant. It was 20 degrees out when we left the shop and headed down Gill road to the highway crossover. We had to hike a bike over the soft snow and then ride across the road to where the snowmobiles had ridden. We found the trails to be in pretty good shape although there wasn't as many sleds going through the trails here as there was in Montague. We rode up the hill to the trails behind Lillian Street and then we headed for the Coke Plant. We followed the snowmobile trail as it led around the plant to the Mud Road, and from the Mud Road we rode up to Five Points. We stopped for a couple of minutes so that Matt could change his jacket and then we headed off for Luke. The trails were firm and we all found that the traction was great. I rode at the back of the group as we made our way up Luke to the water tower and then out to the power lines. We rode to Red Rock and then we stopped for another rest. At this point I directed Matt and Mark to ride down the hill to Jack's Pond and that I would follow Penny to make sure that she did OK. Penny and I started down the hill behind the other two and to my surprise, both of them missed the turn and I watched as Mark did a spectacular endo on his way to the bottom of the Streambed Trail. Penny and I continued down Red Rock Trail to Jack's Pond where the other two joined us and we headed out of the trails. We crossed the road and from there we rode the power lines to the highway crossover. It was a good ride even though it was cold and we didn't have access to all the trails.