UPDATE Boston area folks: The Next Tour on July 16th

[leftyfreak]

The ride is tomorrow!

The light rain we're having today is supposed to end overnight and temps are going to hover in the upper 40s. Sounds like a fair day for an early spring ride in New England.

Remember, it's an 8am start at the Bedford Depot (parking lot at 80 Loomis St.) and we'll be riding for about 50 miles.

Please pm me if you're planning to join us but haven't let us know yet.

Looking forward to seeing some Paceliners tomorrow!

[benb]

I'm not going to make it..

I was sick long enough I don't think I'm going to be up for it.

[leftyfreak]

The April edition of the Next Tour had a great turnout despite drizzly rain in the mid-40s. We even saw a boar...it was roadkill, but still, how often do you see that on a ride in the Boston area?!

It's time for another one, so we'll be gathering again on Sunday, May 28th, leaving the Bedford Depot at 7am. (The parking lot is at 80 Loomis St.)

We'll be visiting Groton again, but the roads will be almost entirely different--we'll approach the town center from the east. There'll be lots of ponds, streams, farms, livestock, telescopes (MIT Haystack Observatory), and we'll most likely visit Bliss Bakery once more.

If you've only ever ridden out to Groton by the B2VT route along Rt. 225, don't let that dissuade you! I've been accused of creating routes with "too many unnecessary turns" but that's kind of the point. Let's get off the beaten track, explore some beautiful roads, and wonder where all the traffic went.

For the numbers people, the ride will end up between 60-65 miles with a little less than 3000 ft of climbing. I'll guess 16 mph as an average speed. We should be back to the Bedford Depot around noon.

One final note in the interest of full disclosure. There will be a couple sections of dirt (NOT gravel) which are completely ridable on a standard road bike. Ti Designs had no issues on his Tarmac with carbon wheels and 23c tires, and I was on my IF with 28c tires.

Please let us know by PM if you are planning to join us. Looking forward to riding with some more Paceliners!

[leftyfreak]

I should have mentioned this for the animal lovers...

When we did this basic route a few days ago, we saw piglets, goslings, a great blue heron, and a huge pileated woodpecker (well, huge by woodpecker standards, not heron standards.)

There will be plenty of baked goods for the food lovers, as well.

[Ti Designs]

And then there's the bakery stop...

[leftyfreak]

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

And then there's the bakery stop...

Mmmm...Bliss, the bakery! And hopefully, the weather should be nice enough that no one needs to wear rain gear or beanies.

We've got a really great route planned--I hope some Paceliners will be able to join us!

[leftyfreak]

Ti Designs has some new photos up on his website, including a cool shot of the Haystack Observatory: https://edsasslercoaching.com/rides/the-next-tour/

[xeladragon]

These rides are great! I've already done 3, hoping to do #4 this weekend weather-permitting.

[leftyfreak]

Originally Posted by xeladragon

These rides are great! I've already done 3, hoping to do #4 this weekend weather-permitting.

Weather is looking good so far...fingers crossed.

Is the new Firefly going to make an appearance, or will you stick with the Zanc? Tough choices!

[xeladragon]

Originally Posted by leftyfreak

Weather is looking good so far...fingers crossed.

Is the new Firefly going to make an appearance, or will you stick with the Zanc? Tough choices!

Prob the Zanc... gearing's a little better for longer road rides.

[Ti Designs]

Originally Posted by leftyfreak

Ti Designs has some new photos up on his website, including a cool shot of the Haystack Observatory: https://edsasslercoaching.com/rides/the-next-tour/

Last Monday I left my house at 1:30am on my cross bike with 2 camera bodies, 5 lenses and a tripod, heading out to the Haystack Observatory. There's not much traffic at that time of night, but the wildlife is amazing. I had one solid wide light and two angry flashing lights (that's what we call them) on the front of the bike, which froze deer, turkeys, geese and a turtle in their tracks. I rode up the hill to the gate at the observatory, knowing it would be easy to get around the gate, but then this little red light came on, followed by the security officer. So on a perfectly clear night, after riding 30+ miles, I failed to create the images I wanted. It wasn't a total loss, it's a really nice area and I found other things to photograph.

[leftyfreak]

Originally Posted by Ti Designs

Last Monday I left my house at 1:30am on my cross bike with 2 camera bodies, 5 lenses and a tripod, heading out to the Haystack Observatory. There's not much traffic at that time of night, but the wildlife is amazing. I had one solid wide light and two angry flashing lights (that's what we call them) on the front of the bike, which froze deer, turkeys, geese and a turtle in their tracks. I rode up the hill to the gate at the observatory, knowing it would be easy to get around the gate, but then this little red light came on, followed by the security officer. So on a perfectly clear night, after riding 30+ miles, I failed to create the images I wanted. It wasn't a total loss, it's a really nice area and I found other things to photograph.

You should have used the two angry blinking lights to freeze the security officer at the Observatory.

We'll have to see if we can get past the gate on our Next Tour. Can you get in touch with your new contact there to find out? I don't really feel like leading a group ride that results in a dozen cyclists getting escorted off private property!! (Don't worry everyone, I won't go past the main gate if it's not clear if we have permission.)

So, the rain that has been drenching us the last couple days will be gone by Sunday, to be replaced by partially sunny conditions and a high in the mid-60s. Sounds like a good day!

As of now, xeladragon (and a co-worker or two) and OldCrank from the forum are confirmed, and shovelhd is hoping to make the schlepp from the Happy Valley. I know a few other, non-Paceliners will be on the ride as well. Ti Designs, do you have a current non-Paceliner head count?

Should be a great ride--join us!

[shovelhd]

Shovelhd is confirmed. I might stick around after and get a few more miles in.

[shovelhd]

Great ride yesterday, Ian. I'm not normally a fan of coffee shop stops but that pot of tea and wild blueberry scone really made the day.

I don't know how to embed videos on the forum, so here is a link to a 10 minute clip of the ride. I think I got everyone.

https://youtu.be/xjxB5Hzh0vg

[leftyfreak]

Originally Posted by shovelhd

Great ride yesterday, Ian. I'm not normally a fan of coffee shop stops but that pot of tea and wild blueberry scone really made the day.

I don't know how to embed videos on the forum, so here is a link to a 10 minute clip of the ride. I think I got everyone.

https://youtu.be/xjxB5Hzh0vg

Yeah, the bakery stop worked out pretty well for being "plan B." Personally, I'm often ambivalent about taking stops, because when you have a limited amount of time to ride, why use up 30 minutes (or more) of that time to sit around? But I do like the way it allows folks to socialize differently than on the bike.

All in all, I thought it was a pretty wonderful morning, and it was great that you were willing, yet again, to drive out from the Happy Valley! It was fun to see the river otter, the snapping turtle and the deer, and the tandem riders and I saw a fox as well. Oh, and I can't forget the piglets! And you and Ti Designs were more brazen than I would be about asking the MIT security if we could ride all the way up to the observatory, but that worked out really well! Did anyone get a good photo of the group they'd like to share?

In the end, we had 10 bikes with 11 riders, got in a tick over 62 miles, and arrived back the the depot five minutes before the anticipated time. I think we averaged just about 17 mph, rather than my estimate of 16 mph, but no one in the group seemed to mind.

Thanks again to shovelhd, xeladragon, OldCrank, and sitzmark for riding with us and helping to make it a glorious day--looking forward to the next Next Tour!