Farm to Farm - December 1, 2016

RIDE REPORT

Thursday, 1 December 2016, Farm to Farm (Verrill to Great Brook)
Ride Leader:  Doug Hobkirk
31 miles from Verrill Farm, Concord, MA

Riders (24):  Doug, Allan Fierce, Barry Nelson, Bill Lane, Curt Dudley-Marling, Dmitry Gorenburg, Don Mannes, Francie Sparks, Fred Newton, Gene Ho, Jack  Donohue, Jim Whinfield, Julie Dodd, Larry Kernan, Mary Kernan, Maurice King, Ray Komow, Richard Vignoni, Roy Westerberg, Selig Saltzman, Steve Carlson, Susan Sabin, Tim Wilson (?), and Tom Allen.

How can 50° be hot, even with a bright sun?  Dimitry wore a short-sleeved jersey and it was apropos  - another gorgeous day for riding.  Almost immediately after leaving Verrill Farm, we took a left onto "Old Road to Nine Acre Corner," aka ORNAC, to avoid Sudbury Road.  We proceeded through Concord center and up Monument Street, where we were joined by four riders (Curt, Jack, Larry, Mary).  We regrouped and waved to Rich Taylor as he passed by - will he reach 10,000 miles by year's end?  Good luck, Rich.

Superb rural atmosphere for almost all of the next thirteen miles (Maple Street to the end of Pope Road), which include a swamp, several farms, Great Brook Farm state park (where we took a break and Julie joined us), and cranberry bogs.  The final ten miles had very little  traffic, but the atmosphere was more suburban.  Zero hills in the final 4.5 miles.

Rider's complaint:  riders were staying in groups too large to allow cars to pass easily.  So I gave a safety talk, mentioning that whenever a cyclist avoids irritating a car driver, it helps all cyclists.

Leader's complaint:  Fred blasts up the steeps, seated, looking easy.  Message to Fred:  AARGH!!

Thanks to Barry for sweeping.

Lunch at Rossini's was great - excellent bruschetta, pizza, sandwiches.

Report by Doug Hobkirk.

Managed to get everyone's face except Jim