Wednesday Wheelers : Doug's Bonsai Ride

RIDE REPORTS

Wednesday, 8 November 2017, Doug’s Bonsai Ride

Ride Leaders: Doug Hobkirk & Clyde Kessel

34 or 40 miles, 10:00 am start from Bonsai West, Littleton, MA

Riders - 34 mi (6): Doug, David Fay, David Wean, Jack Donohue, Peter Shaw, and Ron Beland.

Riders – 40 mi (16): Clyde, Barbara Martin, Bill Lane, Bill Wachur, Bob Wadsworth, David Cooper, Gene Ho, James Hsia, Judith McMichael, Julie Dodd, Lindy King, Ray Komow, Steve Carlson, Steve Delaney, Wing Chow, and first-timer Duncan Warden.

Boy, what a delightful ride! Excellent weather, although it was chilly (gloves required). The trees still had a lot more color than seemed reasonable for November. With only six riders, we rode as a group and didn't use arrows. Jack acted as a sort-of sweep, just to be certain that we didn’t lose anyone. (Thanks, Jack. I felt more comfortable knowing that you were helping.)

There were some traffic problems - we kept running into the "faster" (longer) ride group! We passed the entire group on Martin Pond Road (possibly my favorite cycling road). A short distance up the road, Jack stopped us for a photo, in front of a house with barn that houses a gifted teenage bagpiper whom I've heard practicing twice over the years.

Wednesday Wheelers are quite wonderful! All fourteen people who had ordered sandwiches were truly gracious about the ordering screw-up. Most walked around in the courtyard, and I sent those who wanted to eat elsewhere a mile down the road to Crossroads Cafe (my favorite eatery in the area). I drove down to join them after the last of the riders had left the courtyard. Oops!! (Damn?) Crossroads no longer does lunch during the week. So this turned into a WW ride without lunch! Ouch! Sorry, and I won't allow that to happen again.

Thanks to Clyde for his help before and at the start of the rides and, especially, for leading the longer ride option. Great job!!

Report by Doug Hobkirk.

First, before I start ranting, thank you to Ray Komow for being a capable and competent sweep and to all the loyal arrows who remained at their posts.

Now, the rant. Several arrows left their posts because they had waited ten minutes! It was chilly, but not cold enough to leave your post. Somehow, the arrows became convinced that the sweep had gone home or gotten lost. He hadn’t; he'd been delayed, but he came along in due course. I think the problem is that Trump is making everyone anxious and upset, and people are no longer able to relax and enjoy the roses.

Aside from that, it was a beautiful, if chilly, day on a beautiful route.

Report by Clyde Kessel.