Doug's Annual Bonsai Rides - September 22, 2021

 RIDE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 22 September 2021, Doug's Annual Bonsai Rides

Ride Leaders:  Doug Hobkirk & Clyde Kessel

34 & 40 mi, 10:00 am start from Littleton, MA

Riders - 34 mi (12):  Doug, Barry Nelson, Butch Pemstein, Cindy Chin, Doug Chin, James Hsia, Linda Nelson, Merle Adelman, Romaine Randall, Ron Marland, Susan Broome, and Susan Sabin.

Riders - 40 mi (17):  Clyde, Adam Walpert, Alan Cantor, Bob Apsler, Curt Dudley-Marling, Dave Balaban, Frank Aronson, Gary Williams, Gerry Sheetoo, Joel Bauman, John Ho, Rochelle Holman, Ted Finch, Tom Allen, and first-timers Bruce Eisenhut, Jeanne McDermott, and Sammy Mercier.

Present at lunch:  Helen Greitzer.

Twelve riders, including two on a tandem, did the shorter ride option.  They and two others were much stronger than I, but we all rode smoothly and harmoniously.  I stopped everyone a couple of times at points of interest - like finding a kid playing bagpipes (3 times).  The trees are beginning to turn, and they were the best I've seen so far this year.

Average ascent per mile for the first ten miles was 51 feet, the second ten was 65 feet (it always feels like it must be at least 100 feet!), 49feet for next ten, and 41 feet for the final four miles.  Three riders bypassed the gravel road, so they arrived at the end of the gravel road before the rest of us. This created a TRIPLE ARROW (a first for me)!

Thanks to Butch for being the perfect, professional sweep.  Thanks also to all the riders that participated in the rides.

 

The sandwiches from Nashoba Brook Bakery seemed very good, and everyone loved Helen's brownies, including Michael Levin, the owner of Bonsai West.

Report by Doug Hobkirk.

First, a big thanks to Alan for sweeping, to all of the arrows, and to Helen for delivering the sandwiches and her wonderful brownies.  And, we mustn’t forget to thank Doug for creating such nice routes and arranging for us to have lunch al fresco at a bonsai museum.

Without consulting the co-leader, Doug advertised the long route at 14+ mph.  The co-leader made a valiant effort to maintain that and in the end we managed 14.7.  It seems that everyone was able to maintain pretty close to that pace, since there was never more than a couple of minutes separating the leader from the sweep.  On this ride, usually the shorter group arrives first and gets first crack at the lunch sandwiches.  However, this time the longer group arrived first, even before Helen with the sandwiches.

As we were getting ready at the start, there was some concern that it might rain, but once we got going the sky brightened and it became obvious that it wouldn’t rain - until it did.  Fortunately the rain didn’t last long and was so light that it really didn’t matter one bit.

Everything went off without a hitch - no flats, no one got lost, and everyone had a good time.

Report by Clyde Kessel.

Wachusett from the East - September 15, 2021

 RIDE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 15 September 2021, Wachusett from the East

Ride Leader:  Richard Vignoni

41 mi, 10:00 am start from Bolton, MA

Riders (19):  Richard, Adam Walpert, Alan Cantor, Betsy Harper, Bob Apsler, Dave Balaban, Elizabeth Wicks, Gene Ho, Gary Williams, Harriet Fell, John Ho, Rochelle Holman, Romaine Randall, Sandy Gotlib, Tami Kellogg, Ted Finch, Wes DeNering, and Wing Chow, and first-timer Richard Teague.

With some of the scenery being subdued by hazy skies, nineteen riders headed out from the ride start at Forbush Mill Road athletic field.  At the ride start, the leader described the ride as "all uphill on the way out and all downhill on the way back."  This was not far from the truth, with 2300 of the 2900 feet of climbing being in the first twenty-one miles.  There were numerous climbs along the way, including the more notable Fitchburg Road to Grand View and Pine Hill.  Some of the riders did the additional climb to the Wachusett summit. 

 

At mile 34 most of the riders stopped at Meadowbrook Orchards for lunch.  The ride lived up to its billing as being very beautiful and very hilly. 

 

Thanks to Wes for sweeping and to all those who arrowed and participated.

Report by Richard Vignoni.

Cape Ann Artists and Lighthouses - September 8, 2021

 RIDE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 8 September 2021, Cape Ann Artists and Lighthouses

Ride Leader:  Selig Saltzman

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

Riders (14):  Selig, Bernie Mango, Bill Widnall, Catherine Widgery, David Fay, Gary Williams, Gerry Sheetoo, Jim White, Rochelle Holman, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Tami Kellogg, and first-timers Mary Anargirou and Rebecca Lynch.

Many sites of artistic or scenic interest were visited, including the City Hall, the sea serpent sculpture at the art museum, the Fitz Henry Lane statue and house, and a house which was the subject of Edward Hopper’s “The Mansard Roof.”  Viewed from various distances were Brace Rock (the subject of a Lane painting), four lighthouses, the NH coast, and a very obscured Boston skyline.  Additionally, Tami showed us and told us about the schooner “Adventure.”  (Tami also managed to sneak in a swim at Good Harbour beach.)

 
Because the many stops slowed the group down, after Rockport center several riders who were hungry went ahead to lunch at the Lobster Pool.  The riders who stayed with the leader were treated to a tour by the owner of an extensive private sculpture garden before also going to lunch at the Lobster Pool.

Thanks to Gary for doing much of the arrowing and to Rochelle for sweeping the entire ride.

Report by Selig Saltzman.