Desperate Wheelers - November 24, 2021

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 24 November 2021, Desperate Wheelers

Ride Leaders: Jack Donohue/Wing Chow

Sweeps: Wing Chow/Jack Donohue
35 miles, 10:00 am start from Bedford, MA

Riders (2): Jack Donohue, Wing Chow.

This was almost "the Ride that Wasn't." My rider list that came out on Tuesday contained one rider besides me. Early Wednesday morning, said rider bailed. Was looking pretty lonely, until I checked the rides calendar, and two more riders had registered, plus a third who was having trouble with the signup. Wahoo! - beginning to look like a crowd. The throng dwindled as one emailed me that he wasn't coming. and two never showed by post time. This raises the philosophical question "What if you gave a ride and nobody came?" Is it still a ride? Fortunately, I didn't have to ponder this for very long as Wing showed up nearly on time.

(Note: I'm not really a zero tolerance about start time kind of guy, but my tolerance tends toward miniscule as the temperature drops. Good rule of thumb: wait x minutes beyond published start time (where x is temperature in degrees Celsius).

So Wing was appointed de facto sweep and the arrowing was flawless, which is to say non-existent. It was pretty cold and windy at the start and the first half of the ride was mainly into the wind. Wing took the lead now and again, hence the shared billing above.

We did not have a Wisteria Lane sighting as advertised. I was beginning to think I had imagined it, but thanks to Google, I found it off of Byam Road just around mile 16. OK, it's "Wisteria Road" not "Wisteria Lane," but close enough.

I wasn't able to manage the standard 13 mph pace, much less the "spirited" one, so I'm in jeopardy of being fired from WW leadership. We didn't stop anywhere and the group photo was a group selfie at the end.

Report by Jack Donohue.

Through the Woods and Over the River - Blue Hills and Neponset - November 17, 2021

 RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 17 November 2021, Through the Woods and Over the River - Blue Hills and Neponset
Ride Leaders: David Wean and Ron Beland
25 or 27 miles, 10:00 am start from Canton, MA

First, a public (dis)service announcement: For no-drop rides such as Wednesday Wheelers, we often try to accommodate folks who may find themselves a couple minutes late. This morning we waited in 30-ish degree weather for four people who had registered but did not show, at least by 10:15.When registering, the confirmation email says "If you need to cancel, contact the ride leader..." One rider canceled the night before, but none of the other four made any contact, though they had the ride leaders' phone numbers and emails from the announcement. 'Nuff said.

Riders - (9 minus 2 plus 1): David, Ron, Everett Briggs, Frank Aronson, Gerry Sheetoo, Greg Tobin, Julia Zhogina, Stuart Kaufman, Tom Allen, and Wing Chow.

Beginning with a rocky start (one rider showing up at last week's ride start, one with a non-fixable mechanical issue just as we began, and a third who decided after the wait and a half mile that they were just too cold to continue), we had a lovely romp through Canton, Quincy, Dorchester, Mattapan and Milton.

We warmed up with a climb to the overlook on Chickatawbut Road, speeding down the back side into Quincy. We cruised along Wollaston Beach, followed by a brief detour around Moswetuset Hummock (which detour exemplified the dictum that "if you get ahead of the ride leader, you're on your own"). On to Marina Bay for a water view and restroom stop, where we were joined by the rider who'd driven to the wrong ride start. Before riding along runway 14/32 of the former airfield at Squantum Point Park we caught a great view of the remaining gas tank, UMass, and the JFK Library, as well as (again) the Boston skyline. We crossed back on the Neponset Bridge, and viewed the estuary from the paths around Pope John Paul II Park. The Neponset Trail took us back along the "high speed trolley" line (the operators of the '40s era cars still ring the bell when you gesture up and down as they pass!) to Mattapan Square, from which we found our way back to the Blue Hills Reservation. Four of the eight remaining riders chose to climb the recently repaved access road to the top of Great Blue Hill, and lunch at Hillside Pub was enjoyed by the ride leaders and two riders.

 

Report by David Wean.

Blue Moon - November 10 , 2021

RIDE REPORT

Blue Moon - November 10, 2021

Ride Leaders: Linda Nelson & Betsy Harper

33 or 40 miles, 10:00 am starts from Medfield, MA

Riders - 33 mi (8): Linda, Barry Nelson, Francie Sparks, Gary Williams, John Kitchen, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, and first-timer Michael Lepie.

Riders - 40 mi (9): Betsy, Frank Aronson, Gerry Sheetoo, Joel Bauman, John Ho, Lindy King, Rochelle Holman, Ted Finch, and Wing Chow.

Eight riders opted for the 33-mile ride at the usual moderate WW pace. The warm weather was welcome, but it did become a bit windy towards the end of the ride. Many thanks to Gary and John Kitchen for taking more than half of the arrow positions during the ride, and thanks to Barry for being the sweep. The group kept discussing the yummy baked goods that awaited them at the Blue Moon bakery and, sure enough, there were plenty left when we arrived.

Report by Linda Nelson.

Nine riders opted for a 40-mile ride at a spirited pace. Betsy was nominally the group leader, but several others moved forward to lead and break the wind. We primarily rode together, which made for some nice group interactions. The day was gorgeous and the route was one of the nicest we've cycled this fall. Foliage colors have faded, but a warm 60 degrees and sunshine were welcoming.

Report by Betsy Harper.

Rides from Concord - November 3. 2021

RIDE REPORT

Wednesday, 3 November 2021, Rides from Concord

Ride Leaders:  Alan Cantor, Ted Finch & Tom Allen

46 or 31 miles, 9:30 & 10:00 am starts from Concord, MA

Riders - 46 mi (6):  Alan, Frank Aronson, Gary Williams, Rochelle Holman, Tami Kellog, and Wing Chow.

Riders - 31 mi (14):  Ted, Tom, Barry Nelson, Beth Rosenzweig, Butch Pemstein, Don Mannes, Hugh Folsom, Jim Pearl, Kaz Zelny, Linda Nelson, Marc Baskin, Peggy Gelin, Selig Saltzman, and Susan Sabin.

A wonderful route with fantastic weather and the best riding partners anyone could ask for!

Report by Alan Cantor.

A group of (13 riders) left the Concord Visitor Center on a 31-mile ride, without its scheduled ride leader!  When the ride leader failed to appear at the ride start, Ted stepped up and offered a plan.  After a few miles, we stopped and saw a natural split in average speeds.  The faster group (five riders) stayed perfectly together without the need for human arrows.  It was a 40 degree, crisp, clear fall day enjoyed by this fun group. 

Report by Ted Finch.

After waiting in the Concord Visitor Center parking lot for about fifteen minutes after the designated start time for the 31-mile shorter ride option, the ride leader was declared MIA.  We decided to follow the route on our own as a number of us had the GPS route loaded.  After some indecision on the direction of the first turn out of the parking lot, we set out towards Lincoln for a designated rendezvous.

At that point, it became evident that we had two different pace preferences, so a faster group, led by Ted, set out ahead.  I led the group of nine that chose the standard WW pace.  The route was simple to follow once those of us with the RideWithGPS App learned to ignore the (seemingly random) voice directions that occasionally told us to take a sharp turn onto the road we were already on and then turn around.  [Tip:  always check your automatically generated cues.]

Weather was brisk and bright and everyone seemed to be adequately dressed, with the possible exception of one rider in shorts (see photo of our group at Sherman's Bridge).  Our group split at lunch, with some of us stopping at Verrill Farm for a sandwich and others heading directly back to Concord center.

Thanks to Kaz for sweeping, and to Jimmy White for an enjoyable route.  Sorry you missed it.

Report by Tom Allen.