RIDE REPORTS
Wednesday, May 4, 2016, West of Bedford
Ride Leaders: Larry Kernan & Jack Donohue
27 or 42 miles, 10:00 am start from Bikeway Source parking lot, Bedford, MA
Ride Leaders: Larry Kernan & Jack Donohue
27 or 42 miles, 10:00 am start from Bikeway Source parking lot, Bedford, MA
Riders - 27 mi (17): Larry, Butch Pemstein, Clyde Kessel, Don Buchholtz, Fred Newton, Gardner Gray, James Hsia, John Roberts, Karen Hall, Kathy Horvath, Kathy Jonas, Pat Brennan, Richard Fortier, Robyn Maislin, Selig Saltzman, Tom Allen, and Veronica Vedensky.
Riders - 42 mi (16): Jack, Andy Brand, Barbara Martin, Barry Nelson, Bob Wolf, Curt Dudley-Marling, Dom Jorge, Elizabeth Wicks, Francie Sparks, Gene Ho, Julie Dodd, Ken Hablow, Lindy King, Rich Taylor, Steve Carlson, and Tod Cochran.
Present at lunch: Helen Greitzer.
The Short Ride group accepted Jack's suggestion to avoid Springs Road, through the VA Hospital, due to the huge potholes. We headed up Pine Hill Road and out to Route 4. Initially, the two groups rode fairly close together, but we avoided overlapping. We passed the long ride group when they took a potty break at Great Brook Farm and we never saw them again, 'til lunch.
We had a beautiful ride despite the gray skies and a few raindrops. The group rode beautifully, stayed together, and singled up immediately when "Car Back" was called. I was surprised to see that we averaged almost 14 miles per hour.
Holi Restaurant served a delicious buffet lunch that was enjoyed by seven riders from the Short Ride, seven riders from the Long Ride, and Helen Greitzer (who was on crutches, but well looked-after by the Holi waitstaff).
We had a beautiful ride despite the gray skies and a few raindrops. The group rode beautifully, stayed together, and singled up immediately when "Car Back" was called. I was surprised to see that we averaged almost 14 miles per hour.
Holi Restaurant served a delicious buffet lunch that was enjoyed by seven riders from the Short Ride, seven riders from the Long Ride, and Helen Greitzer (who was on crutches, but well looked-after by the Holi waitstaff).
Report by Larry Kernan.
It was a testament to technology that I was able to lead this ride without ever actually having ridden it in advance. I downloaded the route and my Lady of the Phone guided my way.I did make one early route change, since the official route went north on Springs Road, past the pothole field in front of the VA. So I opted for Route 4 instead. I was happy to see new pavement on South Road in Carlisle which had previously been another problem road.
There was a constant threat of rain, but we managed to avoid all but a few short sprinkles in Acton. We had a few breakaways, but mostly people understood and observed the leader-arrow-sweep model. It was a pretty homogeneous group and the sweep was in sight for much of the ride. We only needed a couple of regroupings and, of course, the de rigeur pee stops. Great Brook was the obvious choice for the first one (where the short group, who did not heed the call of their bladders, blasted by us). I was proud of myself that my eagle eye spotted two inviting portajohns in a field later in the ride.
Thanks to Barry Nelson for sweeping (and wearing a highly visible jacket).
There was a constant threat of rain, but we managed to avoid all but a few short sprinkles in Acton. We had a few breakaways, but mostly people understood and observed the leader-arrow-sweep model. It was a pretty homogeneous group and the sweep was in sight for much of the ride. We only needed a couple of regroupings and, of course, the de rigeur pee stops. Great Brook was the obvious choice for the first one (where the short group, who did not heed the call of their bladders, blasted by us). I was proud of myself that my eagle eye spotted two inviting portajohns in a field later in the ride.
Thanks to Barry Nelson for sweeping (and wearing a highly visible jacket).
Report by Jack Donohue.
Long Riders at Rest Stop #1 - Great Brook Farm
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