Harold Parker Reversed - June 18. 2025

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 18 June 2025, Harold Parker Reversed

Ride Leader:  Tom Allen

31 miles, 10:30 am start from Ipswich River Park, North Reading, MA

 

Riders (3):  Tom, Frank Aronson, and first-timer Armen Kasparian.

The day started gray with some drizzle.  This reduced the attendance of an already thinly subscribed ride to a mere two riders plus the leader.  To mitigate the rain factor we started a half hour late, and that strategy worked.  Roads were clear and we remained dry - in fact, it was an ideal biking day.

With only three of us we agreed to simply stay together and did not designate a sweep.  Sounds simple and (almost) foolproof.  Anyway, we pedaled along some delightful roads with portions almost devoid of traffic.  A stop at Ingaldsby Farm in Boxford afforded us access to some tasty muffins and a restroom opportunity.

On the return leg of the trip the leader inserted a tiny wrinkle in the route that seemed to flummox one of the riders.  We saw him head off in the wrong direction, but we figured he would sort himself out and rejoin us.  That didn't happen and, after seeing him take the same wrong turn a second time, we set out to chase him down and bring him back into the fold.

We elected to skip lunch at Ryers Store, as time was getting a bit tight with the delayed start and the leisurely stop at the muffin shop.

Report by Tom Allen.

Sherborn to Norfolk - June 11, 2025

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 11 June 2025, Sherborn to Norfolk
Ride Leader:  Alan Cantor

38 miles, 10:00 am start from Sherborn, MA

Riders (11):  Alan, Betsy Harper, Ellen Gugel, Frank Calabrese, Joel Bauman, Keren Hamel, Renee Rees, Todd Palmer, Veronica Vedensky, Wing Chow, and first timer Richard Levine.

We had a glorious early summer day to enjoy each other’s company and the beautiful route. Thanks to all who arrowed and, especially, to Todd for sweeping and giving the safety talk at the ride start.

 

Report by Alan Cantor.

Concord to Littleton - June 4, 2025

RIDE REPORT

 Wednesday, 4 June 2025, Concord to Littleton

Ride Leader:  Gene Ho

33.3 miles, 10:00 am start from Concord, MA

Riders (11):  Gene, Barry Nelson, Bruce Gore, Dmitry Gorenburg, Frank Calabrese, Joel Bauman, Keren Hamel, Marc Baskin, Renee Rees, Scott Mandell, and Wing Chow.

 

Wednesday was a workday.  Therefore, the weather was perfect for biking.  Eleven of the fifteen registered riders showed up, at the right parking lot even.

 

Although all present found the streets on the route to be familiar, there were challenges.  Not the hills though.  All but the leader were in shape and found that they added texture to an otherwise bland undertaking.  We did encounter a section of dirt road which I thought would arouse the usual paranoia amongst road riders, but all biked over it without dismounting.  If the crappy winter had any benefit, it was inuring us to potholes and bad pavement.  The dirt road seemed smooth in comparison.  

 

You can actually get lost on the Bruce Freeman trail.  It gets a bit convoluted around Nara Pond where it comingles with other trails, all of which look the same.  There's signage, but its utility presumes that one can read and bike at the same time.  That's harder in practice than in theory, as some found out.

Report by Gene Ho.

Some scenes en-route:

Re-grouping on the BFR in West Concord:  

An unsuccessful attempt to extract a poem from the poetry booth.

Lunch at the Littleton Sub shop.  They have a liquor license and a Guinness woulda gone down nicely but navigating around Nara pond would have been even harder (or maybe not).

Ward's Berry Farm ride - May 28, 2025

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 28 May 2025, Ward's Berry Farm ride
Ride Leader:  Ellen Dirgins

26 miles, 10:00 am start from Sharon, MA

Riders (20):  Ellen, Ann Whaley-Tobin, Annemarie Altman, Barry Kaditz, Barry Nelson, David Goldberg, David Wean, Frank Aronson, Gene Ho, Gerry Sheetoo, Keren Hamel, Linda Moraski, Lisa O’Connor, Renee Rees, Ron Cater, Todd Palmer, Wing Chow, and first-timers Cheryl Schmidt, Cory Ward, and Joanne Candlen.

We had a fabulous ride on Wednesday.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  The turnout was awesome - all twenty registered riders were present, and one rider came all the way from Stow.  Two guest riders and a new member joined us and a warm welcome was bestowed upon them.

 

We used the human arrow system - a big thanks to all who arrowed, and a big thank you to Gene for sweeping.

 

With about a mile to go we stopped and enjoyed lunch at Ward’s Berry Farm.  All seemed to enjoy the food, as well as the bike ride!

 

Report by Ellen Dirgins.

Cape Ann - May 21 , 2025

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 21 May, 2025, Cape Ann - remote start

Ride Leader:  Clyde Kessel

67 miles, 9:30 am start from Wenham, MA

Riders (2):  Clyde and Lisa O’Connor.

Two is a manageable group size and the tree lined parking area wasn’t windy, so we started off in good spirits and at a very fast pace, hoping to catch up with the other group of riders on the out-and-back stretch of road to Eastern Point Lighthouse.  As we proceeded and the route got more complex, the wonderful ocean views got more numerous, and the ride leader started to get tired, we slowed down to a more reasonable speed and didn’t catch up with the short group.

 

The view from Eastern Point was lovely, so we continued in good spirits up the coastline towards Rockport and the lovely restroom and water stop at the tiny, well-protected harbor.  Remember the time the police officer wouldn’t let a cyclist arrow that turnoff?  Bizarre!  Anyway, he wasn’t there today.  So as we continued in good spirits around the northern tip of Cape Ann, we started to get a few sprinkles, but not enough to dampen our trousers (did I mention this was an obligatory long-pants day - cold, breezy, and, as you will soon learn, a little damp?), let alone our good spirits.

We rolled into the lunch stop just as the short group was leaving, so we chatted a bit, but not too much because the sprinkles were getting a bit more insistent.  Lisa and Clyde split a coffee and a muffin.  Lisa got the coffee and Clyde got the muffin.  And then we were off again, in good spirits because it was the last leg of the ride and the radar picture indicated no rain.  We were away from the coast and the complex route, so we picked up our pace and so did the sprinkles.  Eventually the sprinkles changed from intermittent to continuous, to the point that Lisa declared it was drizzle, although that is really debatable.  In any case, we pulled into the finish comfortable and in good spirits.

I have a suspicion that Lisa would have enjoyed the ride more if Clyde had been willing to linger longer at the ocean views.  Thanks to everyone involved, and especially to Lisa for sweeping.

 

Report by Clyde Kessel.

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RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 21 May, 2025, Cape Ann - core ride

Ride Leader:  Tom Allen

31 miles, 10:00 am start from Gloucester, MA

Riders (5): Tom, Dale Ferguson, Frank Aronson, Rena Sokolow, and Scott Mandell.

The weather was seasonable for March, but this is May!  The temperature was 50 degrees, with a very persistent northeast wind.  This, I'm sure, kept our numbers down.  At 10:00 am, with only five riders present, we set off in search of biking adventure.  We kept together with little demand on our designated sweep, Dale.

We proceeded through the Gloucester waterfront and headed toward the southern part of the peninsula, taking a brief detour through the Rocky Neck neighborhood, a former artists' colony.  Heading further south, the winds were mostly at our backs.  From Eastern Point we were able to see the Boston skyline, stark against the grey skies.

Heading back north along the eastern side of Cape Ann we faced the full brunt of the wind, making the level parts feel uphill and the uphills steeper.  We did pause for a photo; a failed selfie attempt.

Three of us went to lunch at Destino's sub shop while the other two headed for their cars. As we were leaving the lunch stop Clyde and Lisa (the entirety of the long ride) rolled up.

Thanks to Dale for sweeping.

Report by Tom Allen.

Island Cruise - May 14, 2025

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 14 May 2025, Island Cruise

Ride Leader:  Alan Cantor

36 miles, 10:00 am start from Sherborn, MA

Riders (6):  Alan, Barry Nelson, Gene Ho, Kim Wach, Linda Nelson, and Mark Friedman.

A cool, cloudy day warmed and cleared up for a beautiful ride through the countryside.  All rode at a comfortable pace with frequent regrouping.  Gene did a wonderful job sweeping, although we did not use the human arrowing system.

A big thank you to the people who had registered and then could not make it, as they all let the leader know prior to the ride.

Report by Alan Cantor.

Prospect Hill - Waltham - May 7, 2025

RIDE REPORT

 Wednesday, 7 May 2025, Prospect Hill - Waltham

Ride Leader:  Tom Allen

34 miles, 10:00 am start from Bedford, MA

Riders (9): Tom, Alan Cantor, Bill Perry, Frank Aronson, Gerry Sheetoo, John Trotter, Keren Hamel, Tod Cochran, and Wing Chow.

We met up at the rear of Bikeway Source in Bedford.  Most arrived by car and a couple of folks by cycling.  The weather was slightly overcast and the temperature ideal for cycling.  With a small group and familiar roads we made spare use of arrows.

Before getting to the main event (the Prospect Hill climb), we meandered to Lexington and thrilled on the somewhat twisty downhill on Lincoln Street in Waltham.  The climb up Prospect Hill was indeed challenging (except for those of us with battery-assist bikes).  We took our time; it was not a race.

 

After checking out the view (and the somewhat primitive bathrooms at the top), we descended via the southern roadway to the newly completed Waltham portion of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT).  At that point two riders, who did not have cars in Bedford, set off on their own ways home.

 

The rest of us made our way back via the Cambridge Reservoir and Lincoln and Concord centers. Having little fear of anyone getting lost, I encouraged folks to set their own pace (typically faster than mine) on the return.

 

Four of us had a pleasant lunch at Ken's Deli.

 

Thanks to Bill Perry for sweeping.

 

Report by Tom Allen.