Wednesday, September 01, 2004. I can’t believe it’s been so long since my last ride report! Arizona is treating me well, but I really do miss everyone back in good old MA. I think about you guys all the time and wonder what mischief—I mean, rides you are up to. From the looks of things on the Weather Channel and the ride reports, it’s been pretty soggy for you all lately. Here, it is the polar opposite. I admit, the first week I was here (already it’s been over 6 weeks since I arrived), I just about melted every time I went outside, but I’ve acclimated really well. Evidence: today I went out for a ride after work and the temp was about 105^o. Can’t really stay out long (1 and ½ to 2 hours max in the afternoon) and the Camelback is full to the brim, but it’s all good.

Today I rode at Red Mountain in Mesa…this place treats me well, and I like how the trails roll along and are not too technical. I was out nary 10 minutes when my phone rang…it was Bob saying hello. I was happy to hear from him, but he quickly realized what I was up to and let me go. I did a loop around the area, passing below Mine Trail and taking the low road. I swear I heard a rattler in the rocks and I put the pedal down and got out of there fast, thinking of Snake Boy the whole time. Other than that, there were no other really interesting close encounters with nature, except when I saw a jackrabbit (not JACKelope) bigger than Eddie, and with much longer ears.

Last week I rode at Usury Pass…and got my ass kicked by the trail. The monsoons earlier in the month brought utterly torrential rains that gnawed away at the good trail in the foothills of Usury. All that was left were huge rocks all over the trails…I bit it one time, landing on a piece of dead cactus, which stuck into my hand. Let me tell you, there is no pain like it. My hands were shaking so badly I could hardly pull the spines out, but I did and kept on riding. I was having trouble with my sucky Kenda tires (which have now been replaced with the old standby Panaracer Fire-XCs thank god)…anything off camber or slightly loose gravel would make my rear wheel want to slide right out from under me. I climbed to the ridge trail on the back of the mountain and made it over the crest with little trouble. I began the sketchy descent which I walked down the last time I was here and surprisingly, cleared the first section. Then, I caught my wheel and had to jump off the bike…chain lodging between the bottom bracket and cranks as the bike shoved off into a pile of rocks. I pulled and pulled, then pounded on it with my Alien and dislodged the chain…only to get a flat about 2 minutes later. Geez…like I said, nothing like a good ass kicking to humble a person.

These trails are truly fantastic out here…I may be racing next weekend up in Flagstaff, and then I am still contemplating my spot at NORBA Nationals. I’m about 70% sure that I am going to race at Nationals (at Mammoth in California), since I did secure an invite. Jack also qualified, and who knows…the dynamic racing duo may be back together one more time. I hope the Amish are doing well…it seems as though you continue to pound up Toby and Stairmaster at faster and faster rates. Liam…keep up the good work! As for the MTB crew…I’m sad that as fall sets in (and winter evenings at the Conway clubhouse won’t be too far away) I won’t be able to ride with you anymore. Hard to believe that it’s been almost a year since I’ve known most of you. To my roadie friends…I have neglected my road bike since I got here, but I’m sure you’ve all put in enough miles to keep me covered! By the way, who is Curt snapping pictures of now that I’m gone?!

Well, before I start to get too sentimental, I’m going to grade some lab reports (yippee)! Seriously, though, I hope everyone is well and has many safe and fun rides in the near future. Hopefully, I’ll get to see you all soon. (Submitted by Stephanie).

Saturday September 11: Franklin Hampshire Freewheelers Connecticut Valley Century

I had thought that the Dial-Self ride two weeks ago would be my first completed century ride since I took up road-riding again two summers ago, but that day didn’t turn out the way anyone hoped and I finished up with 75 miles.   Saturday was another story.

Matthew and I finished a hearty breakfast of blueberry pancakes and headed out the door to top off the pressure in our tires and head across the street at 8:15.  Well not so fast… as he released the pump from his rear tire the valve came out of the tube.  OK, how fast can dad change a tube?  Too fast.  I either didn’t get the bead seated correctly, or the tube was too small or had too many patches fit his 27mm tires, because as we pumped it up to about 85 lbs BANG it went off like a shot.  OK, on to tube number two.  We were getting better at this and pulled out of the driveway at about 8:40, a bit concerned about starting a century with two riders and only 1 more spare tube.

At the pavilion we met up with Ian who was waiting for someone to ride with, no mass starts for this ride, we would be passing groups of 1 to 3 riders for much of the day.  We left the pavilion at about 8:50 heading out of Hatfield onto the warm-up loop out through Leeds and into Haydenville where we crossed RT. 9 and started the trip north.  The route lead from Haydenville up to Whately.  Just before we crossed RT. 9 we met up with another rider, Ted, who joined up with us.  As we turned onto North St. in Whately I thought, ‘I hope this stretch of road is in better shape than it was on the last ride through here two weeks ago’, but no such luck.  Rough, broken up, pot-holed gravel patches as the construction project t here seems to be stalled again.  Matthew though he was on his Mountain Bike as he attacked the bumps with gusto, but he soon paid the price.  He pinch flatted his tube on one of the bumps and we sent Ian and Ted on ahead, agreeing to meet up later at the Sag in Old Deerfield while we had the opportunity to use the last spare 20 miles in to our century ride.   Ted left to ride on alone just as Matthew and I arrived at the Sag. 

I decided to send Matthew on with Ian on the Lower Rd loop, while I rode up to Greenfield to replenish my tube supply at Bob’s. I would meet them somewhere at or before they reached Leyden Rd.  I got to the shop, told Bob what we were up to, bought three tubes and one more CO2 cartridge, figuring that should be enough to get us through the day, and headed out to Silver St. to meet up with Matthew and Ian.  I got to the intersection of Leyden Rd and Nash’s Mill and my odometer indicated 30 miles.  I thought to myself, ‘well might as well ride out the route to meet up with them so I can finish with a full 100’.  I rode out to Woodard Rd, where I met them coming the other way with 33 on the odometer.  Ian’s registered d just about the same, so I felt comfortable that I could now finish with 100 miles as planned.  Our stellar early ride luck continued as Ian got a flat just as we reached Unitas’ Farm Stand on Colrain Rd. and as it turned out, my trip to the shop didn’t help him a bit – he runs sew-ups.  He had a spare tire, but at just 35 miles into a century he was uncomfortable continuing on with a used tire and no spare.  Bob had offered to run rescue when I was at the shop, so we rung him up and rested until he arrived with a spare for Ian. 

At this point we were running about an hour later than I had hoped for the day, but we had made pretty good time while rolling, and I knew the course was pretty flat so off we went.  We headed back up Nash’s Mill to Leyden Rd and Barton Rd then out onto 5 and 10 in Bernardston.  I hate riding on that section of highway with the cracked surface and narrow shoulder.  We gave a sigh of relief as we turned onto Rt. 10 toward Northfield.  The split point for the 75 and 100-mile loops was at the junction of 142.  I had promised Melissa, that if Matthew looked at all tired we would bail, but he would have none of that.  ‘I’m going to do this Dad’ he yelled as we crossed onto 14 2.  I have to admit, I’m glad he was that determined, it was a beautiful day and we were once again making pretty good time having caught up with and overtaken several of the riders that went by while we were stopped in Greenfield.

When we rolled up to the second Sag in Vernon, Matthew had now completed his longest road-ride ever and was beginning to look a little tired.  He refueled on RedBull, a muffin, and a banana, while Ian and I refilled our water bottles and prepared for the next leg.  We left a few minutes after most of the others that had gathered at the Sag and headed for Brattleboro, where we crossed into New Hampshire and headed back South.  This section from Brattleboro along 119 to Hinsdale and then south on 63 to the next stop at Northfield Mountain has the most consistently rolling hills of any section of the ride.  Matthew was beginning to get tired and began trying to push too big a gear up some of these hills, which was really wiping him out.  I kept urging him to use a smaller gear and spin up, but it is difficult to tell a teen-ager much… He began to consistently fall off the back, so that Ian and I had to be careful not to loose him. 

From the stop in Northfield we headed down 63 to Millers Falls, where sure enough, Bob’s rescue run proved to have been a necessary event.  Ian’s old tire was soft and he would need to stop and replace it.  He assured us that he had everything he needed and sent us on home.  At this point Matthew could smell home and was again confident he could finish the ride.  We hammered down 63 to Swamp Rd and crossed over to Meadow Rd.  From there we rolled at 22mph all the way to Sunderland.  At about the 95 mile point my knee, that used to complain at anything over 35 miles, began to let me know that I had gone just about far enough.  We backed the pace down to about 18 and light pedaled the rest of the way down River Rd and back to the start.  As we pulled onto Billings Way the church bell was ringing 3:00.  Our first century with an average speed of about 18mph while rolling – just under 17 counting all the stops. 

Congratulations Matthew on completing a century one month before your 15^th birthday.

Harold

Hello to you! Greetings from Richmond, Virginia.
Jeremy and I have decided to send e-mails to many people at once, so please do not feel slighted by the general address--you are all important to us!
    We have officially embarked on our bicycle journey. Originally, we had planned to begin just outside of Provincetown, out on the very easternmost dune of Cape Cod. After thinking long and hard we realized that like all great things, our journey must also begin in New Jersey. So, on August 17 we were given a ride by Jeremy's mother and brother to our departure point of Cheesequake State Park, N.J. Yes, it is actually called 'Cheesequake'! This park is just south of NYC, and is lovely with salt marshes and wooded sites. It was here that we first set up our tent and discovered that it could comfortably house either one average person or two kindergarteners, but  certainly not the two of us. From this point on, we have slept under a large mosquito net covered by a tarp--this has been marvelous. Here in Richmond, we mailed the sausage casing back to NY, and had my slightly larger tent sent here. My parents were kind enough to mail it down. However wonderful it is to sleep under the spacious mosquito canopy, we needed something to keep out the southern snakes.
    Our first day on the road was a very challenging 42 miles. Our lack of training was evident, and we felt every pencil in our bags. Northeastern Jersey proved to be congested, and we spent a great deal of time on small windy back roads consulting our maps before we decided to shift a bit inland, where the roads were less traveled and the shoulders were more generous. This choice took us to Allaire State Park where we ate a good meal and looked out at a rain shower from under our blue tarp. We entered into the north eastern part of the New Jersey Pine Barrens, and we were to remain in these woods for a few wonderful days. The second day of riding was one of the best yet. Our route traveled from Allaire over and through amazing Pine Barrens. The road was a series of gentle grades, and laid straight from Allaire to Bass River State Park 56 miles away. This road traveled mostly through protected forest, and we rode for most of the day without the company of buildings. These forests were absolutely beautiful and seemed to stretch on forever. Bass River was a lovely little park with a lake for swimming. Jeremy went swimming there and says that he wrestled turkey vultures. I took an extremely long shower with copious amounts of soap. On this day, we both became very excited about our trip. The reality of cycling daily and living outdoors became tangible and wonderful, instead of distant and dreamlike. From Bass River we rode to a small county campground on the shore of Lake Lenope in the town of May's Landing. We were introduced to this place by a very kind and vivacious woman named Aline Dix. She is the republican candidate for mayor in May's Landing and happened to be out registering voters and giving away pens in the town park where we took a break. She grew up on Lake Lenope and was tremendously excited to introduce two guests to her childhood home. Just after we checked into the campground, Ms. Dix arrived in her campaign van with a cooler of fresh vegetables from her garden packed in ice for us to eat. Her generosity was amazing, and we were so thankful and happily full after a few delicious meals prepared from these vegetables. We both wish her luck in her campaign and are using the pens frequently. Unfortunately, this was also the day when Jeremy's knee began to hurt. We remained in May's Landing for an extra day in hopes of his knee healing quickly, and fortunately it did. From May's Landing, we rode to the Delaware National Seashore--a beautiful day of 59 smooth miles and an exciting ferry ride from Cape May N.J. to Lewes, DE. We feasted on fresh farm stand peaches and the sweetest plums. It was the first day that we saw the ocean. It felt good to buy a one way ferry ticket and to have our loaded bicycles seem so small in the lines of hulking cars on the ferry deck. Lewes to Rehoboth Beach was crowded and nerve wracking-- busy roads with no shoulder. The National Seashore was calm and just a narrow arm of sand in the ocean. One road, seemingly made for bikes, stretched from Delaware into Maryland. Dunes and then the Atlantic formed our east, salt marshes all filled with bay constituted our west. This night was clear with more mosquitoes than stars. The sun seems to take its time when it sets over a bay. Cycling out of the Delaware National Seashore, we entered Maryland and ate a conspicuous roadside breakfast of beans and coffee in the affluent area of Bethany Beach. We rode through the sprawl of Ocean City to the heavenly island of Assateague. Assateague National Park is marvelous. It is a 36 mile barrier island, all of which is protected land. The majority of the island is a national park. The other part is a state park. The Verrezano Bridge reaches from the mainland over to Assateague in two arcs--the southern bridge is only for pedestrians and bicyclists. Living on both the island of Assateague and the nearby island of Chincoteague, are two herds of wild ponies separated by a fence that also divides Maryland and Virginia. These ponies are only slightly smaller than horses, and seem to be indifferent to the presence of people. They were ubiquitous--out grazing in the expansive marshes of the bayside, eating from the roadside, wandering the dunes and the parking lots. Just as we arrived, we watched a foal nurse from her mother a few feet from the bath house. The ponies kept us company for our six days of camping on Assateague. We obtained a backcountry camping permit from the rangers station, locked up our bikes and began our 4 mile hike down the beach to our camp on the dunes. The rangers kindly allowed us to store some of our bags underneath their desks while we stayed. There is no water in any of the backcountry sites, and hiking on the beach is much more difficult than one might imagine; consequently, the camping was very private. Each day there were another couple of campers who came and went, but there were rarely more than one or two tents at once. We erected our tarp for shade and settled in for our week on the beach. It is difficult to even begin to describe how wonderful this time was. Sunrises over the ocean and long quiet days in the dunes. We went swimming when we were hot, ate when we were hungry and slept with ocean sounds and winds when it was dark. It was necessary to hike out twice for water during our stay. We were salty, sandy, slightly sunburned and very happy. One afternoon, just after we finished swimming, a dolphin did back flips near the shore. Two ponies roamed in and out of our camp, and a beautiful small Sika elk sat quietly for many hours in the next dune over from ours. Jeremy played the guitar and I looked at seashells. Go to Assateague Island and walk until you reach an oceanside campsite. Bring some shade, bring some water, and stay there for a while. We left our site, hiked out, repacked, and rode 39 miles into Virginia. The shoulder disappeared just as the Virginia state line appeared, but all of the motorists gave us a wide berth. We took small roads until route 13, which is the only largish road through the Va. peninsula to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The next day was the most exhausting day of cycling to date--68 hard won miles. There were winds from the south gusting to 25 mph. We were heading directly into it all day. At times, we were pedaling as hard as possible on flat land and only going 7-8 mph. It was with great joy that we reached Kiptopeke State Park at the southeastern tip of that peninsula. This park is lovely--there is a bird banding station and a hawk observation tower. The staff is friendly and the beach is calm. It is no wonder that great flocks of migrating birds stop here to rest. Jeremy's knee began to hurt again and hurricane Gaston was headed in our direction, so we decided to stay an extra day. Richmond Va. was hit the hardest by this storm, but it was dramatic in our campsite on the water. We spent time tying everything down, but as soon as it started raining, water began to pour into our shelter. We spent our first night indoors--in the laundry room of the campground. Bicycles are not allowed on the 17 mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge. If you are on a bike and want o cross the bridge, simply call the Bridge authority and you will be driven across for the same price as a car toll. We were taken across in a pickup truck driven by the most visible woman in the world. This kind Chesapeake Bay Bridge lady wore a fluorescent green safety jumpsuit with fluorescent orange triangles. Her ensemble was further adorned by silver reflective tape. Truly, she put our own attempts to be visible to shame. To be on a bridge without seeing land is an amazing experience, and we crossed into Norfolk on this great bridge. Our intended plan was to take a Greyhound bus from Norfolk to Richmond to stay with our good friends Briggs and Shane. Jeremy's knee was bothering him so much that riding was not possible. Unfortunately, after much scrambling, the authorities of the buses would not allow our bicycles to ride. Fortunately, our dear friend Briggs drove to Norfolk and brought us all the way back to Richmond where we are now so comfortably staying. Shane is an excellent musician, and Briggs has a great voice. Her children Axis and Pippin are the best of friends and together we have learned how to make cheese grits and how to play a game called "The Age of Mythology". Jeremy's knee has been doctor approved and with that knowledge, he feels much better and is making beautiful music with Shane and Briggs. They have completely opened their home to us and have made us feel so utterly comfortable. We are entirely grateful to them. Tomorrow we are back on the road before we forget how to ride. Our trajectory will take us to the outer banks of North Carolina and to Okracoke Island. This is our first time e-mailing photographs--we created a collage of 9 images for you. The collage format reduces the overall size of the file. We have many good digital photos, thanks to our friends who gave us this great camera! Hopefully, we will set up a website where we will be able to show more of the photos. We hope that you all are well and enjoying yourselves. Please take care of yourselves and each other. We miss you and will write again soon!
Truly,
Catherine and Jeremy

Amish Ride Sept 14

For various reasons the Amish 3 failed to ride on Monday, but, to make up for that inexcusable failing Mac and I did our penance this morning on the Deerfield Ridge. We took heed of the no-trespassing signs at the usual Keets Rd. parking place and pulled to the roadside just beyond and headed up the road at 5:00AM sharp. I had suggested an elongated version of our customary Deerfield Ride, and we were going to have to make very good time to get back to the cars by 6:45. It was a cool clear morning, fifty degrees, lots of stars - you could see your breath as we headed toward the Crystal Cave Trail. Mac commented that pretty soon we would need to dig out the tights as it was pretty cold riding up the road!

I had improved the shifting situation on my bike since Friday and it was working pretty well so long as I stayed out of the biggest two cogs. We alternated leading, or more properly spider web clearing, up crystal cave, by the witches and out onto the second right trail and up the long gradual climb to the road. By this time, we were both wishing we hadn't put on long sleeve jerseys, after 30 minutes of work it sure didn't seem so cold anymore. We light-pedaled a bit as we took the road to the gate and onto the cross country ski trail. (Note to self, next time you go on this route bring the folding saw). Once onto the trail we moved at a pretty good clip knowing we had a long way to go if we were to get back and complete the ride. Neither of us made the climb up the single track this morning, but no big, we had plenty of opportunity to climb later in the ride. It was still dark when we reached the lookout, so we didn't stop but continued on the ridge trail to the power-lines. From here we dropped down Stairmaster - How do the guys on MTBR.com get that to be a 3 mile downhill? EVERYONE knows its 3 miles up but substantially less than 1 mile down... From the bottom we rode out to Clapps Pond and up that trail back to the ridge. We then hammered up the ridge so we could go down the West Power lines It was now light enough out of the woods so we switched off our lights for the descent. I got stuck in one of the ATV ruts on the downhill and made a less than graceful dismount, Mac commented I looked like some sort of giant rabbit trying to hop out of a trap, no damage to rider or bike, so I climbed back on and continued on down to the road.

It got cold again as we sped along the road at the base of the Mtn and back up to Eaglebrook, I just might make Mac a roadie yet - we must have ridden a whole of 1.5 miles on pavement before we reached Mud-Mile. From there it was an easy quick descent down the surprisingly dry but very twiggy Mud-Mile back to the cars - one of the twigs almost got Bob some business as it tried to remove my rear derailleur, but to no avail, I might have learned to not pedal when something sounds weird - time will tell.
NOTICE: Due to the recent logging operations and unusually dry conditions Mud Mile should be referred to as Stick Mile until future notice.
Just as I had hoped, it was just exactly 6:45 as I loaded my bike onto the rack and headed to the office.

Great Ride, lets do it again soon.

Harold

Tuesday 9/14: Tonight I scheduled a ride to Tyler Hill. This is a 35 mile ride and we needed to keep a 20 mph pace to make it back before dark. I was feeling a little tired from a long week but it was a beautiful night to ride so I decided to buck up and ride. We had a good group for the ride with all the usual crowd including Socks, MB. Curt, Jamie, and some of the new faces like Todd Roberts, Kevin Nix and several others. I had told everyone that we needed to get going right at 5:30 in order to all the riders back in daylight. Just at 5:30 Kevin Dix showed up and was nearly ready to go as I was leading the group out of the parking lot. Kevin said that he would catch up and Todd stayed behind to help pace him up to us. We rode at a very easy pace out to Bernardston Road where the pace picked up somewhat on the hill. I was half expecting to see Todd by the time we got to Bernardston but he never showed. So after the turn onto RT. 10 we picked he pace up to 22 mph. The group motored on at 22 to 25 mph all the way to the turn onto RT. 142, where lo and behold there was Todd and Kevin just up the road. After a nearly disastrous turn onto RT. 142 we all settled in to catch up with the duo ahead. We caught them just before the railroad tracks and the pace began to quicken. Poor Curt was having some troubles with the shifting on his bike. We had just worked on it and through an oversight the rear derailleur cable was not seated porperly and Curt could not use the largest 4 cogs on his rear cluster. Fortunately the course has only one hill and Curt has a triple crankset, so he would OK on the climb. We all rolled down the hill to Vermont and the sprint was won by Parrott. We headed on to Green Pond Road were the pace picked up again. After another bad road crossing at the end of Green Pond Road we headed off to Governor Drummond Road which deposits us at the bottom of Tyler Hill. I told the riders to continue on and that I would ride sweep. I paced myself up the climb and I paused at the top briefly to let Kevin, Curt and Jamie get back on. The four of us hammered down the hill where we took a left onto RT. 5. Our quartet pedaled pretty hard all the way back to Greenfield where we finally caught up with MB, Socks and Gary Fenton. We finished the ride with a 21.5 mph average and everyone had a good ride.

Ride Reports September 15

Amish Morning Ride

After missing the special edition Amish ride on Tuesday, Liam was eager to get onto the trails this morning. Mac had suggested doing the same ride as Tuesday, only the other way around.  As Liam and I gathered at the appointed parking spot we discussed the wisdom of this choice, but even though Mac no-showed (an e-mail confessed alarm failure) we eventually took off toward the West Side Power Lines down the road. After hiking up about 2/3 of this climb we concluded we probably will not try that again, maybe someone out there can make that climb, but it certainly wasn’t us! Once we reached the top we headed south along the ridge to the Clapp’s Pond Trail and down that single track. We crossed over the bottom tom of the hill, remarking on how long that trail seemed in the dark, and headed up stair-master. My drive train has continued to act up (Turned out to be a bent little ring) and the combination of available gears that wouldn’t skip and available energy after hiking the other side left me hiking more of this than I ever had before. Liam was waiting patiently at the top as I slogged a big gear up the last rise. Once on the ridge we made great time over to the lookout and down the cross-country trail. When we reached the road we decided in the interest of time to skip the Crystal Cave loop and instead screamed down the hill and headed back to civilization at 6:45AM.

Evening Shop Ride

Tonight’s ride was to the Coke Plant. There we 10 of us out tonight on a beautiful evening for a bike ride.  We left the shop a bit past 6 and headed up High St. Just after we left the shop, Sop and Water came riding down to meet us.  Water didn’t have a helmet, so Bob returned to the shop to grab one. Once all together we headed onto the Blue Trail behind Stop and Shop, Down Canada Hill, across Rt 2 and into the trial system.  I’m not sure of all the trail names but we climbed Luke Skywalker…got to the Water Tank…it was a Bob Ride so there must have been an Over Red Rock somewhere…Down the Power Lines…Up the Hill of Doom …&nb sp; Somewhere in here Bob, who had been riding sweep, failed to show at the top of a hill, we waited briefly and yelled, we heard a yell back something like ‘Blah blah…chain...blah blah’. After a few minutes two riders went back down to see if Bob needed a hand, turned out he had caught a stick that wedged with the chain between the little ring and frame. The chain was badly mangled and wouldn’t come out, until he removed the crank, so he was stuck hiking out. After another half hour or so, my light started to dim – I now know that I can’t run it for more than 5 hours with only 8hrs of charge between rides (I couldn't charge it any today between rides because it was strapped to the bike at the shop getting a little ring)  I had a reserve L.E.D. in my pack, so could continue on safely if I stayed at the back, out of the shadows cast by the brighter lights in the group.  From here we climbed up Stinger and began to work our way back out of the woods. We returned to the shop at just about 8:00 where Bob gave his mangled chain to Matthew.  Matthew had picked up his new Lithium just before the ride, and wanted the chain to tease his Mom about damaging it on the first ride.  Great Ride, trails in good shape and a good group of riders.  Too bad about Bob's mechanical, the rest of us had a blast.

Wednesday 9/15: It was another beautiful day today and I had a MTB ride planned for the Coke Plant. We had 10 riders including me show up for the ride. I led the group that included Sop and Water, Harold and Matthew Green, Mark Newton, Gary Hale, Gary Fenton, Michelle, and Chris Williams. I led the group from the parking lot and we headed over to the trails behind Stop&Shop. We rode up the trails and ended up at the top of Canada Hill where we re-grouped before heading over to the Coke Plant. After we crossed the highway, I led the way up the hill where I made a left turn onto the power lines. Matthew Green was riding his new Lithium Freeride bike and he was having a ball on the sandy descent. We rode the Lillian Street Trail over to the Swamp where we headed over to the Cellar Hole Trail. We rode from there over to the Ridge Trail were we all paused for a moment. The plan was to take Luke up to the water tank and re-group. I rode at a steady tempo and was the third rider to the top. We paused briefly before heading out to the power line trail. This is the highest part of the trip but is not the end of the climbing by any means. I followed Mark and Chris over to the power lines and then we ripped it down the hill to Red Rock where we waited for the rest of the group to arrive. We decided to ride down the Chute and then over to the Hill of Doom. I followed Mark down to the turn and then posted myself at the corner. By this time most of us had our lights on and I was ready to head up the Hill of Doom after the last ride had past me. I followed Harold over to the bottom of the hill and I noticed that some of the lights seemed to be moving slowly and I could see some riders walking up the hill. At this point I waited until the hill cleared so that I could ride all the way up. As I began the climbed the bottom of the incline I got a look at a stick just before it deposited my chain into the frame. The chain got so badly twisted that I knew that I was done for the night. The Hill of Doom indeed!! I told the riders to continue the ride and I began the trek out of the woods. I managed to coast my bike for most of the way to the highway crossing but I was unable to use the pedals as they were jammed in one position. I did fine until I coasted down the hill after crossing RT. 2. I went to coast into the woods but I hit a stick and without my feet on the pedals I was quickly was deposited into a tree. I was pretty banged up but I walked/coasted the bike back to the shop. It was a rough ride for me as I do not like mechanicals of any sort.

Thursday 9/16: It was a perfect night for a ride. Light winds, 68 degree temperatures with sunshine and low humidity. Tonight was the last Thursday night ride as daylight diminishes rapidly this time of year. We left the shop at 5:30 with a group of 19 riders and headed down to Deerfield. I am still feeling the effects of my cold from two weeks ago so I stayed near the front but only briefly at the front as we headed down to River Road. As I got near the Deerfield town line I thought that there would be a rush of riders sprinting past me so I kept the pace at 21 mph and waited for the group to blow by me. But I rolled over the line at the front of the pace line without even Socks coming around. I thought that was strange because rarely does a town line pass without someone taking a flyer. Well I just continued across the bridge and made the left turn onto River Road. My plan was to make the turn and fade into the field on the climb, but after the turn I was well ahead of the group (which I thought strange, since the faster riders usually surge ahead on the first hill) so I pedaled onto the climb. That's when I realized what was up. It seems that Jamie and Michelle had gone out earlier and chalked the road with names a la Alpe 'de Huez and there I was leading the charge up the fabled climb ahead of Lance, Ivan, Igor and the rest the peloton. It was a very nice tribute and I was very pleased to have such a nice group of people to ride with all year. After passing the next section of chalked roadway the group settled in to begin the ride at the usual speed (fast). We rode down to the river level and headed to the first of the two hills ahead. The group got a little strung out on the lower part of the hill but we all managed to keep it together until we caught up with Roger and his bunch. The groups got mixed together on the downhill and only when we sat up at the bottom did the groups get back together. At this point we picked up two riders from Roger s group. Timster and Lauren jumped onto the back of the group and began the trip down to Hatfield. The pace was fast (23 mph) but not the wicked fast of three weeks ago (when we had a 25 mph average). We rode steadily down River Road and there were several spirited sprints along the way but we all managed to catch the sprinters when they sat up. We made the turn onto Chestnut Street where I made sure to say Hi to the ladies on the bench. They always cheer when we go by. Who cares that they can't see us, its the enthusiasm that counts. The group rode up the hill to RT. 5&10 where we turned to make the trip back to Greenfield. Since I wasn t getting my legs ripped off this week I was able to go to the front and do some longer pulls. Jeff, MB and several others were also instrumental in keeping the pace going. I was at the front of the group when we passed the Ballet and gave my rendition of "The Stripper" for those nearest to me as well as the gathering crowd in the parking lot. We sped off before the patrons could gather their wits and pickups and chase me. The group worked hard on the trip back to Greenfield and except for a little juggling at the intersection of RT. 116 and 5&10 and a plank laying in the road, we made the trip smoothly. There was a sprint for the town line into Greenfield and I did not see who got it but it was a three way joust. We rode back to the shop and just made it before dark. It was a great ride and Timster and Lauren hung in there the whole way.

Sunday 9/19: Today was my annual race in the Berkshires with Al Ross, Larry Saczawa, and Rich Larson. Unlike last year the weather was pretty nice with sunny skies and no rain. It was rather chilly when MaryEllen and I arrived at the start at 8:15 with the temperatures in the forties and a brisk wind making it seem like a lot colder. After we parked I got my gear out and soon I was rolling out of the parking lot to warm up on RT. 7. With the cold temperatures I had my tights and jacket on over my race jersey to help get me warmed up. I rode for about 15 minutes and then headed back to the van where Michelle was talking with MaryEllen. I made my last minute gear check and then took off the tights and jacket before heading to the start line. This year the organizers had separated the licensed riders from the rest of the pack and lined us up across the street from the huge pack of riders. I spent a few minutes getting to know who was in my age group and several of us started together. After chatting for a while we hung around for a few more minutes and then they herded us out onto the street to the start line. At this point I thought that we would start and the rest of the pack would follow shortly afterwards. But no, they let the main pack out right behind us and then started the race. We went from zero to 30 mph in less than 100 yards. It was wild. I was in the middle of the bunch and riders were swarming up from the sides. There was a lot of squeezing and surging of the group but everyone remained upright. After crossing the bridge onto Main Street we rode at a steady 27 mph over to the first hill.  I managed to stay in the pack on the ride up the hill, passing lots of riders who went too hard at the start. I kept an eye on all of the guys who were in my category so that none of them would get away. I must admit that at this point I thought that I would explode if I had to go any harder but luckily for me the top of the hill was in sight. At the top of the hill the road flattens out for a short distance and then it starts down a short descent. I was riding in a large group when I saw the middle of the group explode. Several riders went flying off their bikes and there were some badly injured riders lying in the road not moving. One of the riders who fell was a fellow that I met at the start, from team 190, and he looked pretty banged up. I almost stopped at that point to see if I could help but I noticed that there were lots of people running over to the victims so I continued.  I felt really bad for my competitor. After the crash we continued on and I had to struggle to keep up on the rolling hills that followed. At some point I just could not keep the pace and I had to drop out of the group on one of the climbs. I ended up riding alone for several miles with the pack just ahead and no one behind me. I kept a steady pace into a pretty stiff wind and eventually a group of riders caught up to me. I was glad for that as they allowed me to catch my breath. I rode at or near the front of the group for the next several miles. As I was riding along I was thinking to myself that I am in trouble if I am one of the strongest riders in the pack. It all worked out for me as the group kept a good pace and I was able to keep at the front for most of the way to the finish. I did manage to drop a lot of the riders in my group on the last climb (including one member of my age group) and I raced to the finish. As I neared the finish, I came upon a huge crash with several riders on the road and more riders in the ditch nearby. There were several ambulances there and more coming from behind. The policeman slowed us to a crawl as we passed the carnage. After the crash I picked up some speed and headed for the finish line. As I was going along I saw my canoeist running up the road. It took me a minute to process what was going on before I stopped and turned around to hand off the wristband to Al Ross. It seems that the announcer had given my number as one of the riders who had fallen near the finish and dear old Al wanted to make sure that he pried the wrist band off my arm before they carted me off to the hospital. Once a competitor always a competitor!! Anyway my plan for the day seemed to have paid off as all of the competition was behind me and Al, Larry and Rich did a tremendous job in their events to ensure us a win in our category. Even though we did not have a large number of entries in our age group, we got our prized mugs, and a win is a win!

Monday 9/20: Jorge called me today to ask if I had planned on riding tonight. I Told him that I did indeed plan on doing a ride but that I needed to go out at 5:30. He said that would be fine and that he would join me for an easy spin. I got ready to go and at 5:30 there was not Jorge to be found, so at 5:45 I headed out down to Deerfield. I had thought that the idiot might ride up to the shop and being that he is so old and decrepit I reasoned that it might take him a couple of hours to ride the 6 miles to the shop. As I rode over the Cheapside Bridge I decided not to go looking for Jorge and just do a ride by myself. I rode down to South Deerfield on RT. 5&10 and took a right onto RT. 116. I kept a steady 18 mph pace into the wind and I thought that the pace was just about right for a recovery ride. It was a nice night for a ride although a little cool and windy. I rode up RT. 116 and took a right onto Stillwater Road and after riding down the hill I took a left to cross the bridge. As I was coming down Stillwater hill I heard a loud pop and I thought that a rock had flown up and hit my frame. I did not think much about it at the time and I figured that I would inspect the bike when I got back to the shop. After crossing the bridge, I struggled up the steep hill on the other side and then headed back to Greenfield. I rode up Main Street to Federal Street where I was having a really hard time keeping my speed up. I was struggling to keep 15 mph and it felt like I was dragging a tree stump. When I got back to the shop I looked my bike over and discovered that the loud pop that I heard was a spoke on my Ksyrium rear wheel breaking. No wonder I had a hard time!!

Tuesday 9/21: Tonight is the last weekday road ride for the year. It is always sad when the season ends as we had such a nice time this season. Joining me for the trip tonight was Todd, Brian P., Curt, Jamie, Ron R., Parrott, Bentley, Gary F., Hammerhead Harold, Michelle, Socks, Jorge, Snakeboy, Jeff and Chris Williams. Due to the early onset of darkness I planned on a shorter trip tonight. The route was Bull Hill and a longer loop for the faster riders. We left the shop and headed down High Street and took a left onto Sanderson Street. We rode over Poet s Seat and down to the General Pierce Bridge where we took a left. The group was pretty much together and I was content to let Parrott pull for most of the way up the hill on Greenfield Road. We all rode through Montague Center and out to RT. 63 where the group spit up. Todd, Jeff, Brian, Parrott and Ron headed up to Cave Hill while the rest of us headed for Bull Hill. I set the pace up the hill on RT. 63 and it was here that we picked up Lauren, Timster, and Rob Lapointe who had started ahead of us with Roger. The group picked up speed as the sprinters went for the first town line. We regrouped briefly before the next town line, which is less than a mile from the first one. The sprinters waited for the group to catch up and then we all headed for Bull Hill. I took the lead on the way down the Toby Dell hill and then sped up the other side where I finished the hill at 27 mph and a large gap on the group. The pedaled down to Bull Hill behind me and after I made the turn I knew that there would be a sprint to the town line and I also knew that I wasn t going to make the effort. After the group got to RT. 116 we hammered down to Sunderland center where there was another sprint by Snakeboy who went unchallenged to the line. We headed over to Sugarloaf Street and then up to North Main Street where we all made a safe crossing to Mill Village Road. The rest of the ride was pretty fast as it was starting to get dark. We made it back to Greenfield just as the daylight faded. It was a really nice ride and everyone seemed to have had a good time. I thanked everyone for a fun year and reminded them of the weekend rides before the riders headed for home.

Thursday, September 24, 2004. USA Cycling’s National Mountain Bike Championship…Mammoth Mountain, CA. Yes, I finally decided to go to nationals, since I reasoned it could be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing…so, I set out at midnight on Thursday for the 10 hour drive across western Arizona, then north through the Sierra Nevada mountains of eastern California. It was my first time going to Cali, so I was pretty excited, and I did one of those cheesy screams when I crossed the border, leaving AZ behind. Aside from a few uneventful stops at some local gas stations (and somehow bumping into a couple who used to live/work in Marlborough, MA), there was nothing to do but drive and marvel at the scenery—that is, once it was light out after 6 hours into the trip! Anyways, I brought the Razorback with me instead of my old stand-by…Gary (Fisher, that is). I had broken the seat off the bike last Sunday, and couldn’t rustle up a replacement seat post or bolt fast enough for my trip. The K2 and I are still "getting acquainted", but I felt like I would do okay with it.

Going to nationals was such a fun and exciting experience…just to be in an atmosphere where people were there to ride and (most of them) to have fun. Mammoth is an absolutely breath-taking place, and I couldn’t stop gawking all around me at the pines and redwoods, the snow on the mountain, and the bright blue, cloudless sky. It was quite different from the Arizona desert, but a welcomed change of pace (though I was feeling chilly with temps in the low 40s in the mornings). I arrived on Thursday, when there was not much going on in the way of races…just lots of practicing. So, after driving 650 miles, I registered, slapped my plate on the bike, and went for a practice ride on the XC course. The start was up the bottom ¼ or so of the infamous Kamikaze downhill course. Within seconds, I felt the altitude difference (the race started and ended around 9000 feet, with over 2000 feet of climbing for the beginner class). I took it slow, and then rolled onto a super fun downhill-ish course called Beach Cruiser. I stopped to call Don from the bike shop I go to now (sorry, but Bob is still the best!) to let him know how much I was reveling in my new Specialized Roll X tires…yes, I traded in my Panaracer's when I ripped a hole in the side wall last weekend. I never thought there could be anything better than the old Fire XC Pros…but…

The course looped down by the lodge, and there were some fun obstacles (like a ramp/bridge and quick drop off) to make it interesting. From there, the course went through about 4 switchbacks to get us back up to the higher trails. At a trail junction (where the pros, experts, sports, and begs all switched to different trails) I met up with a group of folks who were trying to figure out the blurry, upside-down map we were given in the program of events. Luckily, beginners went straight on mostly level ground instead of straight up the ski slope! From here, I tagged along with two older fellows and we made our way along Paper Route, a flatter trail with lots of twists and corners. Many of these corners were made more challenging by the soft pumice-like gravel that would suck your wheels in at any moment. There was a bit more climbing and then, the course was over. A total of twelve miles, and it was over quickly. The trails were so scenic and well made, that it made the experience even better.

After the pre-ride, I decided to find the lodge I was staying at and get some lunch in town. Not long after, I was at the Tamarack Lodge, which is situated on a beautiful lake about 5 minutes from the bottom of the mountain. I relaxed, and ended up falling asleep by 6 pm! It was a great end to a hectic, but exciting day (Submitted by Stephanie).

Friday, September 25, 2004. One day until the big race! I woke up Friday morning with intentions of getting a lazy start to the day…grabbing coffee at Starbucks, and then making my way up to the mountain for some fun riding. However, a flat tire prevented that slow start I had anticipated. Luckily, I have AAA, and they sent someone over to fix it in no time. I must have picked up a nail or something in town the day before and ended up with a very slow leak. The nice tow-truck-driver guy put a plug in it, and I was in business. So, I altered my plans a bit, and grabbed breakfast at a bagel shop in the Village at the base of the mountain.

I was out of the car and dressed by around 10:30, and headed up toward the Main Lodge and Festival Village where all the vendors and sponsors were set up. Strangely, or so it seemed to me, there were more companies at Mt. Snow than here at nationals, but I guess with it being the last race of the season, there were fewer folks coming out? Anyways, I decided that I wanted to ride the gondola to the top of the mountain (at 11,053 feet!) and ride down the back of the mountain on the few trails that were open. So, I bought my ticket and in no time, I was in the gondola with my bike, swinging precariously above the rocks. I wasn’t scared, but neither did I feel 100% safe. We passed over the downhill and super D courses, and there were lots of folks out getting their practice runs in. One of the employees at the halfway point remarked ‘how good it was to see a girl going to the top of the mountain’. I didn’t really know how to take that, but I assumed it was a good thing. I got to the top and it was very chilly, around 45 degrees with a strong wind. Off the Top, the trail that was open, made it’s way off the back of the mountain by a series of mostly level, non-technical switchbacks. It was scenic, but not very exciting. From there, it was Mountain View trail to the lodge area. I went up on the gondola again, to the halfway point and did some trails to the other side instead. The pros had already begun to race, and I could see them passing on the trails below.

My day of play was winding down, so I spent some time talking to a team called No Brakes out of Phoenix. As you could guess, they are downhillers, and I was talking to them about the possibility of getting in on some downhill riding. Then, since every girl has to shop, I picked up a few t-shirts to commemorate the experience. I ended the evening on the early side and went to the award ceremony for the pro XC and U23 racers. It sounds corny, but I got to see Alison Dunlap and Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski up close. I returned to the lodge knowing that the big day was fast approaching. (Submitted by Stephanie).

Saturday, September 26, 2004. Race Day is finally here! I woke up this morning after a good night’s sleep, checked out of the lodge, and got breakfast at a place called Blondie’s in town. Then, it was up to the mountain to await the start of the race, which was scheduled for 12 pm. Going into it, I had a few goals: not to finish last, to complete the race in under 1:30, and to be free of all mechanical disasters known to God and rider alike. I did not expect to be the winner, because I was really hurting from the oxygen debt/altitude, but I was okay with that, because I was there for the experience more than anything else. Also, my training since moving to Arizona hadn’t been the best or most consistent, so I knew that I was not in physically top form.

I parked down the hill from the Main Lodge, knowing that I would have to do some pedaling to keep me warmed up for the race. I rode around for a bit, and then, before I knew it, it was time to line up. The race guy put a "50" on my calf in permanent marker, and it felt really official. There were 6 female riders in my category, but many overall in the beginner category. I was one of 3 riders to actually get called by name to the line…that was sweet! The other girls all looked like strong riders, so I decided not to be nervous, but to give it my best. The gun sounded and I took off quickly…knowing that I wouldn’t be able to maintain a sprint for long, I slowed down a bit, and then we turned off the pavement onto the bottom of Kamikaze. What a horrible hill…I was getting very anaerobic and worn out, and I admit that I had to stop twice so I didn’t hyperventilate. It was the toughest thing I think I’ve ever had to do physically. I could taste blood in the back of my throat. But, I made it to the top after having been passed by women from different age groups. Going into the single track, though, I quickly came upon two riders, and passed them up as they were being overly cautious on the downhill. Not long after that, the dirt bike that was pacing the under 10 boys passed me and I had to breathe the dust for the rest of that trail. For a long while, I was the only woman in sight, and I got passed up by a lot of pre-pubescent boys. I entered Paper Route and ripped along that trail until I got to the double track, and caught two other women…one of whom was in my age group. I hung on the last big climb and actually felt strong toward the top, accelerating as Bob taught me on the road bike. I pushed the last leg of the race, but was feeling very fatigued and thirsty (the Cytomax in my bottle was too sweet—I had tried to get Gu2O but none of the local shops had it…shame on them!)

At the end, I pushed it hard across the line and finished 5^th out of 6 with a time of 1:24. So, I met all three of my goals, and was happy with a podium finish. Soon after the race, the hacking cough commenced and I sounded like I had laryngitis from all the dust. The cough still lingers every once in a while, but is slowly getting better. I ended up relaxing, glad the race was over, but feeling satisfied at the trip I had taken. I talked with a few of my fellow racers, and lazed the afternoon away, eating caramel apples and enjoying the sunshine. Sadly, I knew that my mini-vacation in Mammoth was soon to end. I stayed for the awards that night, and got to climb onto the podium in front of a huge crowd of people. Granted, none of them knew me or where I was from, but just knowing I was representing everyone from Bikes Unlimited made me feel proud and made it all worth it. I hopped in the car, and drove 9 hours back to Arizona, leaving the mountain behind, but taking all the memories with me. Overall, it was one of those rare experiences where you learn a lot about yourself in a very short amount of time, and where you have a blast doing it. Next major event: 24 Hours of Adrenaline at the site of the old Cactus Cup…Halloween weekend. And yes, I am the ‘token’ female on a 5 person co-ed team. Should be fun! See you all in a couple of weeks. (Submitted by Stephanie).

9/26 On the far western edge of what can still rightly be called the Pioneer valley sits one of the finest riding areas in the state-yep., I'm talking about Hawley (Kenneth Dubuque SF to those who haven't been there). Sunday the 26th may have been the finest day of 2004-mid 70's, bone-dry fall air and cloudless cerulean skies. I always get a little giddy just driving up east Hawley road to the firehouse peering at the stunning vistas into the gorge-and today with the preliminary hint of autumnal colors gracing the trees, the views were perfect...I knew that this was going to be a great ride. I pulled into the parking area by the old firehouse, noticed a few other bike-rack decked cars and found the Good Mr. Flye gearing up and getting ready to ride. To my surprise, just before we left, the minivan of Amish great Big Mac came hauling in the parking lot. Mark had decided to not pass up a Hawley jaunt (good decision making skills are endemic to the sober-minded Amish). So, in good order the three of us headed into the forest. What followed was three hours of delightfully loamy, hilly, twisty singletrack. Those of you who ride Hawley know how special this place is-very different from the other major trail network (Bachelor St.) on the other far side of the valley. Though Hawley lacks the rocky rigor of the batch it possesses a level of enjoyment that is hard to quantify-It's plenty challenging with obstacles, climbs and plenty of twisty, unpredictable, singletrack. Yet every time I ride here it makes me want a high end hard tail to really ramp up the speed and climbs. Somehow, due to the great soils of the forest floor, no matter how steep, tortuous or tricky the trail, my tires always seem to bite deep and allow for uninterrupted riding regardless of terrain challenges. Also, you can really gobble up the miles here, with our average speed probably doubling that of a typical bachelor ST.. ride. The forest has a great primordial appearance-a more old growth and wilderness riding experience than the other rides in Franklin county-ah, it's just damn great. The three of us ripped along without technical difficulty and few pauses with nothing but beautiful singletrack complimented by a beautiful day to greet us at every turn. I was sad when it was time to leave (when the riding is this good, I could go for 12 hours non-stop). Oh well, there always the next time. See ya on the trails-don't fall.
Liam

In this world there are two types of men; those with loaded guns and those who dig. So dig.

We got rained out the last three scheduled rides this month, but all in all we had a great month for riding. I did not get all the ride reports done but that will change with the coming of the cooler weather. Next month will be another great month for us.