For the last
night in August, what better way to pass the time than to ride the twisty flatness
of Mr. Rossi’s private playground? The
last few ‘beginner’ rides that Steffi has put together had consisted of much
more difficult terrain, the relentless climbing of Sugarloaf North, and the
varied conditions at the Coke Plant.
Tonight 21 of us gathered for a romp through this beautiful park on the
banks of the Westfield River.
Gathered for the night were our hosts Steve, Julianne, Michael and Jennifer Rossi, Todd, Dave, Dave, Behn, Mitch, JD, Megan, Rich, Steffi, Howard, Me, and a handful of others including some Robinson locals which unfortunately must remain un-named until and unless Steff adds in the way of a comment that is... We left the parking lot following Jennifer at a respectable pace while the group shook itself out, separating the beginners from the plethora of not so beginners in attendance. After this shakedown trail, Steve had Michael lead the not so beginners at a more brisk pace while he took on leading the slightly slower group. We spent the evening riding such trails as Fisher Cat, Deer Poop, JC and many others that could be named things like cyclone, twister, winding road – you get the gist…
At about 7:15 we divided again into those that wanted to ride more and those without lights, or nearly done for the evening. 9 of us stayed out with Steve for some more goodness as darkness fell over the park. The 9 included Todd, Dave, Dave, Behn, Mitch, Me, Steve, Rich and one of the locals. We reversed a few of the earlier trails, and discovered the benefits of helmet lights vs. bar lights at this park.
A great ride!
I just have to say that we are all lucky to have Steff to coordinate this series of rides. Although many that turned out week after week could hardly be classified as beginners, the vibe on each ride welcomed those that were. We stopped frequently, discussed how to address problem areas, talked about equipment with an eye toward the features and benefits of the various options available and generally brought the knowledge level of all the riders more to an even level. Sure there are still skills and fitness differences in the group, but everyone now knows what they individually should be working on to improve their riding experiences. As the summer season transitions to fall night riding with lights, new opportunities will present themselves to keep these rides fresh and rewarding. I can’t wait.
Harold
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02-09-2009 09:56
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More names
There was my German student Konstantin, the Karolyn (who came to the GReenfield Ridge Ride in July) and her friend Jamie, Zak, Howard, and another Todd. Still missing some names but there are a few more.
Thank you Harold! I couldn't have done this without you, Bob and everyone else who's been helping out with the rides. I'm thrilled to see turnouts like this one! |
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02-09-2009 16:22
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3 cheers to Stef
Harold, I'm glad you called out Stef for her heroic role in pulling together this beginner's group this summer. Some of my favorite rides of the season happened on these Monday night gatherings. The group that showed up week after week really gelled into a cooperative and supportive team. Thank you, Stef, for your very patient, careful and thoughtful group management. It has been a truly great season. I look forward to seeing these same riders join us for the fall season.
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08-09-2009 14:37
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You'e very welcome!
And thank you, I'm glad to do it, this has been fun! And, again, I couldn't have done it without you guys, especially Harold deserves at least half the thanks!
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