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

[leftyfreak]

The Rides and Events section of the Paceline doesn't seem to get all that much attention, so I wanted to post a little plug here for a ride that Ti Designs and I will be leading Saturday, July 16th..

This will be the ninth installment of what we call The Next Tour. We're hoping to build something that's a little different than just your average group ride. In one fell swoop. we'd like to start to build community, show people the under-appreciated roads west and north of Boston, and inspire folks to go out and learn to be stronger riders. No problem, right?

You can find the details here: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=189306 and on Page 8 of this thread.

[leftyfreak]

Just a quick update.

Turns out that Ti Designs is being called upon to do a shift at the bike shop, so we need to start and end earlier than initially planned.

We're going to make 7am our start time. Check the original thread for more details.

[leftyfreak]

The weather predictions are improving, so hopefully we'll be able to make this ride happen!

Given Ti Designs' schedule limitations, we're probably going to end up at 60 miles, not 70. We'll meet at Bedford Depot at 7am and should return at 11am or shortly thereafter, with a baked goods stop thrown in.

Join us!

[eippo1]

Wish I could join you, but have too much going on that day.

[leftyfreak]

Wish I could join you, but have too much going on that day.

No worries. Maybe next time!

[leftyfreak]

In case it's not clear from the edited original post in this thread, Ti Designs and I are leading the second installment of his Next Tour on Sunday, August 28th at 7:00am.

All the details are here: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=189306

Come and join us!

[Ti Designs]

Thus far we have three confirmed going. Kristen, who joined us last time for the ride out to NH, Meghan (my girlfriend) who shifted her work schedule around to make this, and Anja, who will be getting back from Germany and getting on her bike.

Can you tell I'm trying to get people to go on this ride???

OK, let's try this: It's clearly the best value in an organized group ride you'll ever find. First there's the entry fee - nothing!!! Then there's the dollar/calorie ratio that you can find at the baked goods stop. If that's not enough, there's the strange phenomenon where bikes actually get cleaner while riding on the roads in and around Harvard MA, tires recover their original tread depth and chains return to new condition.

Only the people who go on this ride can tell me I'm wrong - what's that worth to you???

[leftyfreak]

Thus far we have three confirmed going. Kristen, who joined us last time for the ride out to NH, Meghan (my girlfriend) who shifted her work schedule around to make this, and Anja, who will be getting back from Germany and getting on her bike.

Can you tell I'm trying to get people to go on this ride???

OK, let's try this: It's clearly the best value in an organized group ride you'll ever find. First there's the entry fee - nothing!!! Then there's the dollar/calorie ratio that you can find at the baked goods stop. If that's not enough, there's the strange phenomenon where bikes actually get cleaner while riding on the roads in and around Harvard MA, tires recover their original tread depth and chains return to new condition.

Only the people who go on this ride can tell me I'm wrong - what's that worth to you???

We're hoping to have forum member OldCrank join us as well!

Let us know if you'd like to be part of the ride--the more the merrier!

[cachagua]

Ahhh, yer killin' me! I moved away from Boston decades ago but I still miss the riding there. Folks, you should go if you're able -- it's beautiful out there.

Does NEBC still do the weekly Concord-Chelmsford time trial? Dunno if that's part of your planned route, but it oughtta be. It just gets nicer and nicer the farther out in that direction you go.

Are you going to post your route here? I'll get all nostalgic.

[leftyfreak]

Ahhh, yer killin' me! I moved away from Boston decades ago but I still miss the riding there. Folks, you should go if you're able -- it's beautiful out there.

Does NEBC still do the weekly Concord-Chelmsford time trial? Dunno if that's part of your planned route, but it oughtta be. It just gets nicer and nicer the farther out in that direction you go.

Are you going to post your route here? I'll get all nostalgic.

Per Ti Designs' wishes, the route is top secret--if I'm the only one who knows the route, then the group will be forced to stay together! In general though, we're going to head through Concord past the North Bridge on our way to Strawberry Hill. From there, most people get to Harvard by riding to the Littleton depot and then going up Oak Hill, so we're going to do something different by threading our way to S. Acton and Boxborough. There's a gorgeous farm/orchard (old frog pond farm) on the Boxborough/Harvard line and from there we'll head to Bolton and then back to Harvard. On the way back to Bedford, we'll likely snake through Boxborough and Acton to some portion of Nagog Hill on the way to some lesser known roads in Carlisle before returning to Bedford.

My goal for the ride is to find as many roads wth "Hill" in their names as possible! Well, that and to show folks some of the nicest roads in the area that they've probably never ridden on. And fresh baked goods...

Once we've actually done the ride, I'll try to remember to post the route we took, since at this point it's not set in stone.

With respect to the NEBC time trial, I believe it still happens. We will touch portions of the route, though I'm aiming to stick mostly to even smaller roads. It should be fun!

[Ti Designs]

Per Ti Designs' wishes, the route is top secret--if I'm the only one who knows the route, then the group will be forced to stay together!

When I first moved to the Boston area there were rides lead by by individuals who seemed to know all of the roads. Those were great rides on great roads, I miss those days. Now everybody has GPS or is on Strava, group rides fall apart as there's no reason to stick together. There are some organized rides that attempt to stick together, but they apply rules which take all of the fun out of riding. I wanted to return to the fun rides of yesterday, so ride 'yer bike, follow the leader...

[shovelhd]

I'm thinking seriously about blowing off my Saturday club ride in western MA so that I can do this ride. Makes no sense. Get up at o'dark 30 to drive closer to traffic Armageddon. But I guess that's what intrigues me. I used to live out that way and I'm moving back sometime soon so ***. Plus I get Ed to tell me how my fit sucks and I don't pedal in proper circles :)

[leftyfreak]

I'm thinking seriously about blowing off my Saturday club ride in western MA so that I can do this ride. Makes no sense. Get up at o'dark 30 to drive closer to traffic Armageddon. But I guess that's what intrigues me. I used to live out that way and I'm moving back sometime soon so ***. Plus I get Ed to tell me how my fit sucks and I don't pedal in proper circles :)

The fact that it makes no sense is exactly why you should join us!

And you clearly need some pedaling re-education, since it's not about pedaling proper circles, but actually about learning how to be a sack of potatoes (some of the time)! :D

If you think you're going to make it, send me a PM so we know to look for you. I can also give you my contact info so you can get in touch with me, if need be, on your way to Bedford from the Happy Valley. Do you need directions to the Bedford Depot, or are you good?

Hope to see you on Sunday!

[Ti Designs]

I'm thinking seriously about blowing off my Saturday club ride in western MA so that I can do this ride. Makes no sense. Get up at o'dark 30 to drive closer to traffic Armageddon. But I guess that's what intrigues me.

Perhaps we can make it worth the trip. I'll have to do one of your club rides, working for you the whole time. What's it worth to have a lead-out man who has a 56x11 and knows how to turn it?

[shovelhd]

PM sent. I'm in.

[leftyfreak]

PM sent. I'm in.

Excellent! Reply sent.

See you Sunday.

[leftyfreak]

Here's a link to the website for our starting point, the Bedford Depot: http://www.bedforddepot.org/freighthouse/index.html

We'll be meeting in the parking lot next to the yellow building, the "Freight House."

To anyone planning to ride--let us know you're coming, and feel free to ask any questions in this thread or by PM.

[Ti Designs]

As there have been questions about who should go and who shouldn't, I'll try to answer them.

This ride is my attempt to bring back the old shop rides I went on back in the day. They were lead by really good riders like Don from Ridgewood Cycles in NJ or Tom Judd in the Boston area. They knew all of the roads and they could hang with any group, their job was to be the map - that's Ian's job on Sunday, he's more than up to the task. On those rides you had two types of people, those who have no problem staying with the group, and those who would be in over their heads, so they brought a little extra horsepower in the form of a friend who can shelter them from the wind and keep them in.

This isn't a race. If it becomes a hammer fest, Ian will simply return to a reasonable pace - he's the only one with the directions. If you're too stupid to follow the guy who knows where he's going, stick with Strava. So the only real question is if all of the riders can hold a pace that the group considers fun, and if all of the riders can handle the distance of the ride. I'm a bike coach, my nature is to drop back for riders who are struggling, get them on my wheel as I sit up tall and bring them back in. I may ask other people in the group to do the same - it makes the ride a bit harder for the stronger riders and keeps the ride together.

[Web1111a]

Do you know what happened to Don?

I remember him as well

As I recall when shop was sold he did not stay

[Ti Designs]

Do you know what happened to Don?

I remember him as well

As I recall when shop was sold he did not stay

I haven't heard from him in years. He was the first great bike tour guide I knew. Without him we would always go on the same rides, I felt like I could do them in my sleep - some early rides I'm not so sure I didn't. With Don things changed. We would be heading out and Don would say "I have to show you this road I found", and the whole ride would change. He showed us a road above 17a where they blasted out some rock to make the road, the rock face reflects the sun down on the black top, so it's always 20 degrees warmer there. He also showed us this switchback near Skyline Drive that cuts directly into the fall line of the hill, so it goes from 6% to 24% and back to 6%. I can't imagine driving down something like that...

Ian is a lot like Don. There's a road off Monument Street in Concord with a sign that says "GPS error, turn around". To Ian that says "come on down" I have the same sense of adventure, but no sense of direction at all. My girlfriend and I were on the tandem, heading back from the north shore when this giant black cloud pulled in off the ocean, so we put it in the big chainring and headed for home. We passed Woodmans on 133, but there was no time to stop. About 45 minutes we passed another Woodmans that looked exactly like the first one - I didn't know there were two...

[eippo1]

Will have to take a raincheck on this one too. Am doing the VT Overland this weekend. Besides, Kristin and I would probably just talk about work anyway. :p

[OtayBW]

I can't make it myself, but I'd say that someone who is thinking about it and on the fence might like to have at least a ball-park idea of expected distance, ~avg. pace, and what kind of terrain.

[leftyfreak]

I can't make it myself, but I'd say that someone who is thinking about it and on the fence might like to have at least a ball-park idea of expected distance, ~avg. pace, and what kind of terrain.

Well, this thread has been relatively active over the last couple of days, so you may have not read from the beginning of it, but there were links to the "official" ride thread in the Events section of the forum. That thread has your suggested information. I'll post it again for convenience: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=189306.

For anyone who is curious--and who haven't already gotten in touch with me or read the other thread--the ride will be about 60 miles, and will go out to Harvard, which for the greater Boston area, qualifies as hilly. We'll probably do in the vicinity of 3000 ft of climbing, and I anticipate a ride time of about 4 hours, maybe a little less. Total time will be longer because it is important that we stop for baked goods at least one time, possibly twice.

Hope that helps. :D

[OtayBW]

Well, this thread has been relatively active over the last couple of days, so you may have not read from the beginning of it, but there were links to the "official" ride thread in the Events section of the forum. That thread has your suggested information. I'll post it again for convenience: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=189306.

For anyone who is curious--and who haven't already gotten in touch with me or read the other thread--the ride will be about 60 miles, and will go out to Harvard, which for the greater Boston area, qualifies as hilly. We'll probably do in the vicinity of 3000 ft of climbing, and I anticipate a ride time of about 4 hours, maybe a little less. Total time will be longer because it is important that we stop for baked goods at least one time, possibly twice.

Hope that helps. :D
OK - fair enough. Thanks. Oh, and 3000 ft of climbing over 60 mi is not too bad. Have fun.

[Ti Designs]

OK - fair enough. Thanks. Oh, and 3000 ft of climbing over 60 mi is not too bad.

Yeh, 59 flat miles and 6 laps of Old Schoolhouse road...

[leftyfreak]

OK - fair enough. Thanks. Oh, and 3000 ft of climbing over 60 mi is not too bad. Have fun.

It's not flat right in the Boston area, but the hills are of the short and sometimes steep variety, provided you know where to look. You definitely have to travel a bit to find big climbs--Western MA or north to NH and VT.

Yeh, 59 flat miles and 6 laps of Old Schoolhouse road...

The steepness of Old Schoolhouse must have altered your memory--your math suggests that it gains 500 ft of vertical, but it can't be much more than 100 ft. See above. :D

[Ti Designs]

The steepness of Old Schoolhouse must have altered your memory

To the best of my recollection, I have no memory.

[shovelhd]

Hey, I just want to ride some roads I haven't seen in decades and meet some new people. We'll meet at the summit of the climbs and regroup, and if anyone wants to wick it up on the flats, I'm game. If not, who cares. This is a fun ride.

[shovelhd]

Will have to take a raincheck on this one too. Am doing the VT Overland this weekend. Besides, Kristin and I would probably just talk about work anyway. :p

Have fun. You have a great field.

[OldCrank]

GREAT ride, thanks Mr Lefty and Ti.

Good riding with you Shovel.

[xeladragon]

GREAT ride, thanks Mr Lefty and Ti.

Good riding with you Shovel.

+1

Here's the only pic I took at our first stop at Bolton Orchards... maybe Ti will post some others.

https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8028/28673523303_487d36e7e6_b.jpg

[Ti Designs]

.

[weisan]

Nice!

[shovelhd]

Leftyfreak and Ti,

It was great to meet you both and ride with you and your friends. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If any of you would like to do a western MA ride, let me know.

Here is a unedited 10 minute clip from my Fly6:

https://youtu.be/FkTAhzedpYg

A few of you were interested in the drought in western MA. Here are a couple of shots from the dam at the Quabbin. The normal water line is where the green begins.

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l453/shovelfl/2016%20rides/IMG_1088_zpsn8ququ5h.jpg

http://i331.photobucket.com/albums/l453/shovelfl/2016%20rides/IMG_1089_zpsr3edahhj.jpg

[leftyfreak]

Thanks to everyone who made the effort to come out for the ride today: OldCrank, xeladragon, and especially to shovelhd who drove more than 90 minutes each way to be with us. Along with the other folks who joined us from Ti Designs' regular gang of riders, we made a group of 11 people. Because of all of you, this "Next Tour" was a great success and made the day feel like something more than just another ride.

Hopefully we can do it again in the not-too-distant future!

Here's my one photo from the first rest stop, Bolton Orchards.

[sonicCows]

*

[leftyfreak]

Couldn't make it but I'd go on next one if my schedule permits it. BTW do you mind disclosing where the window house is on the page you made for the ride? Would love to check it out on a ride, unless it's a secret I can only uncover if I ride with you folks

The window house is on Cleaves Hill Rd. in Harvard--it's worth taking a look at!

Ti Designs and I will have to discuss dates, but hopefully we'll schedule another ride in late September or early October...

[Climb01742]

Once fall gets into full swing, another 'refueling' stop worth thinking about is in Stow, off of 62. I can't remember the name but it's an apple orchard that makes their own, fresh donuts. I'm terrible at remembering road names, but if you're on 62 heading from Stow toward Hudson, it's off to the left and maybe a mile or two up the hills a bit.

[leftyfreak]

Once fall gets into full swing, another 'refueling' stop worth thinking about is in Stow, off of 62. I can't remember the name but it's an apple orchard that makes their own, fresh donuts. I'm terrible at remembering road names, but if you're on 62 heading from Stow toward Hudson, it's off to the left and maybe a mile or two up the hills a bit.

There are two places that could fit that description. Carver Hill is smaller and closer to Stow, whereas Honey Pot is much bigger and closer to Hudson. Either of those ring a bell?

By the way, you should join us for one of these rides--we went right past the Old North Bridge on our way to Strawberry Hill at the beginning of the ride yesterday. ;)

[Climb01742]

There are two places that could fit that description. Carver Hill is smaller and closer to Stow, whereas Honey Pot is much bigger and closer to Hudson. Either of those ring a bell?

By the way, you should join us for one of these rides--we went right past the Old North Bridge on our way to Strawberry Hill at the beginning of the ride yesterday. ;)

Maybe Honey Pot?

Yeah, I would like to ride with ya'll, but I don't want to slow you down.;) It's been a strange summer of riding. Got in a good block of riding, with fitness coming around, then got bronchitis. But I'll keep an eye on the next edition of the ride and hope the date and my fitness coincide.:D

[weisan]

Climb pal, you will be fine, join them!
The most you get some personal coaching from Ti at the back of the group. Wouldn't that be nice?

[leftyfreak]

Maybe Honey Pot?

Yeah, I would like to ride with ya'll, but I don't want to slow you down.;) It's been a strange summer of riding. Got in a good block of riding, with fitness coming around, then got bronchitis. But I'll keep an eye on the next edition of the ride and hope the date and my fitness coincide.:D

Ha, by the end of the ride yesterday, I was slowing everyone down! I cramped in the last mile or so on 225 heading back to Bedford Center and limped back in on my own. Fortunately, that's the one part of the route that Ed can actually do reliably, so I just let him go.

Like you, I've had an interesting season of riding. I had the best base miles ever (you might remember that Ed and I rode to Wachusett in April) and by June was riding once a week, occasionally twice. My family and I were traveling at the end of July and the first couple weeks of August--no bike--and when we were in Germany I had a terrible allergic reaction which turned into a nasty infection that I'm now almost recovered from. Which is to say that I hadn't been on a bike for five weeks before we rode yesterday, with the exception of a two hour jaunt with Ed on Thursday. I was lucky that I only cramped so close the end of the ride!

The moral of the story? My training suggested that I was in no shape to lead this ride, but I decided to do it anyway. I'd been *really* wanting to do this, and it's all for fun after all right? Not doing the ride would have been much worse than the cramping! So, if you're interested in joining us next time, go for it! The group of people that are coming to these rides get it--we've all been the "slow one" at some point, and if we're lucky, we'll all be the "fast one" sometimes too.

Ultimately, I'm thrilled with this idea of the Next Tour and I think there's the potential for something really powerful at the core of it, but it won't grow or strengthen without a community of like-minded riders. Thanks again to everyone who rode yesterday!

[leftyfreak]

Well, the weather is not going to be as summery as our previous ride, but a ride on October 30th will have its own charms!

So here's the scoop: we'll gather at the Bedford Depot (120 South Rd. with parking off Loomis St.) for a 7:00am departure on Sunday, October 30th. Ti Designs has requested that we head out towards Dunstable for this edition of the Next Tour. There's a pretty good chance that there will be a state line as part of the route, for those interested in a prize more exciting than town line bragging rights. Well, actually, there had better be two state line crossings--if not, that means I will have gotten everyone very lost.:eek: Along the way, we may find Lost Lake, many cows, a phone booth in a farm field (no joke--but I can't vouch for its functionality), a pond or two, fresh baked goods, although we might be too early to find Bliss (a bakery in Groton that has the terrible habit of not opening till 9:30am), and some general New England autumn glory.

The numbers, for those interested, will be something like 60 miles +/-, 16-17 mph average, and probably about 3K feet of climbing. There will be plenty of shelter within the group for those who don't want to pull at that speed all morning, and no one will be left behind. Fair warning: if Bliss is closed (and I expect that to be the case), our rest stop will not be till after 40+ miles on the road (unless someone gets desperate and we stop at a Dunkin' or a gas station convenience store), so I'd recommend bringing at least some fuel along with you.

Please let me and/or Ti Designs know if you'd like to join us--we'd love to ride with some more members of the Paceline community!

[leftyfreak]

The weather predictions are looking pretty good at this point, though I know it's too early to put any real trust in them. But, I'd be satisfied with a start in the mid-forties, warming up into the fifties with some sunshine.

It should be a great morning!

[shovelhd]

If the weather holds out, I'm going to try and make it again. My fitness is shot to hell so you guys should have some fun.

[sitzmark]

Would have joined in if not for a commitment in Maine this w/e. Sounds like a perfect route - hope the weather turns out to be as fantastic as last Sunday! (minus the wind) Enjoy. Post pics.

[leftyfreak]

If the weather holds out, I'm going to try and make it again. My fitness is shot to hell so you guys should have some fun.

Hey, it's almost November, so who cares about fitness?! Worst case scenario, you hide in the group and launch a wicked sprint when you see the NH state line. I'll cheer you on as you going flying past me.

Send me a message on Saturday at some point to confirm your plans. Looking forward to riding with you again!

[leftyfreak]

Would have joined in if not for a commitment in Maine this w/e. Sounds like a perfect route - hope the weather turns out to be as fantastic as last Sunday! (minus the wind) Enjoy. Post pics.

Nothing wrong with going to Maine for the weekend! Hopefully one of the future rides will work in your schedule. I'll make sure that Ti Designs gets some photos.

[leftyfreak]

Ti Designs and I rode much of the route today, though we'll have to wait to find Lost Lake till Sunday! The cows were sociable, the horses nuzzling, and there were turkeys, a couple different groups of deer...and there was the guy we saw emerging from the woods wearing full camo and carrying quite a number of arrows. You've been warned--does anybody know where to find fluoro orange cycling clothes?

It was chilly today but it's supposed to be much warmer for the Next Tour. Let us know if you think you'll join us.

[leftyfreak]

The weather is looking good--52 at 7am, 59 at noon, partly cloudy skies--so the Next Tour is a go! Send me a quick message if you're coming. That way we'll know to look for you.

[Ti Designs]

Just a few images of the fall Next Tour.

[leftyfreak]

Here's a photo from the baked goods and coffee stop. In addition to myself and Ti Designs, the forum was represented by shovelhd and benb, who had vastly different travel times to the ride. shovelhd drove nearly two hours from the Happy Valley in central MA, and benb could pretty much see the ride start from his house, and I'm not exaggerating on either count! Thanks to them and the others for joining us on the Next Tour, since it wouldn't be a group ride without all of you!

[shovelhd]

Thanks for another great ride, Ian. Definitely worth the trip.

[leftyfreak]

Thanks for another great ride, Ian. Definitely worth the trip.

Glad you enjoy our rides. We're certainly happy to have you join us, and the fact you're wiling to drive almost two hours each way is a strong testimonial for what we're trying to offer! Thanks for making the effort.

Now we have to start thinking of a ride for the cold weather...

[leftyfreak]

It's time for a Thanksgiving edition of the Next Tour! Ti Designs and I will be leading a group ride on Saturday, November 26th, leaving at 8:00am from the Bedford Depot (120 South Rd., parking off Loomis St.) I'll estimate our return time as 1:00pm.

This time we will be heading towards the Wayside Inn in Sudbury before making our way around Lake Boon and then meandering throughout the area. For the numbers folks, the route will be somewhat more than 60 miles, but since I don't have a GPS unit beeping at me telling me where to turn, we can shorten or lengthen the route at will, depending on the desires of the assembled group. Our previous rides have averaged about 17 mph, so I'd guess it would be similar this time, unless we're still feeling the effects of Thanksgiving dinner!

We'll pass many farms, a good variety of livestock, Babe Ruth's old house, and much more! Lots of quiet, winding roads for us to explore.

There will be opportunity to purchase fresh cider donuts and possibly a second stop for other baked goods, but bring food with you as well, since the first stop won't be before the two hour mark.

Here's the other thread: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=2078106#post2078106

Send me and/or Ti Designs a pm to let us know if you can come. We're looking forward to riding with some more Paceliners!

[benb]

I hadn't seen the updates. I had a great time last time, the concept of this ride is great although I didn't realize that was what kept us from blowing up the ride, I figured everyone was just being a gentleman. I'm almost always too lazy to load ride routes into my Garmin even though I always have it in case I get lost. I loaded other people's files into my Garmin only 2X this year, both of those rides were > 100 miles into areas I wasn't familiar with and in both cases the Garmin didn't really function 100% with respect to navigation.

Can't make this one.. on top of being right after Turkey Day it's my son's birthday and we're having a family party. I'm trying to force myself to end my season and start camping out in the weight room as well. Way overdue as November 2015 -> November 2016 is probably the highest mileage consecutive 12 months I've ever had.

[marciero]

This sounds like a lot of fun. Am close enough that I should be able to come to one of these rides, though probably not this weekend.
Btw, I suspected a while ago, but now confirmed with the links to his website, that Tidesigns is the same guy who helped girlfriend and me try tandems at Belmont Wheelworks two summers ago. He spent a considerable amount of time and with us and even brought in his personal Comotion Robusta so that we could try that alongside the steel tandems in stock.
Thanks Ed!

[leftyfreak]

I hadn't seen the updates. I had a great time last time, the concept of this ride is great although I didn't realize that was what kept us from blowing up the ride, I figured everyone was just being a gentleman. I'm almost always too lazy to load ride routes into my Garmin even though I always have it in case I get lost. I loaded other people's files into my Garmin only 2X this year, both of those rides were > 100 miles into areas I wasn't familiar with and in both cases the Garmin didn't really function 100% with respect to navigation.

Can't make this one.. on top of being right after Turkey Day it's my son's birthday and we're having a family party. I'm trying to force myself to end my season and start camping out in the weight room as well. Way overdue as November 2015 -> November 2016 is probably the highest mileage consecutive 12 months I've ever had.

Well, we were all being gentlemen, there just happened to be a unifying purpose underlying it all!

Happy birthday to your son, get a rest, and we'll hope to see you on a future ride!

[leftyfreak]

This sounds like a lot of fun. Am close enough that I should be able to come to one of these rides, though probably not this weekend.
Btw, I suspected a while ago, but now confirmed with the links to his website, that Tidesigns is the same guy who helped girlfriend and me try tandems at Belmont Wheelworks two summers ago. He spent a considerable amount of time and with us and even brought in his personal Comotion Robusta so that we could try that alongside the steel tandems in stock.
Thanks Ed!

Yep, that's pretty much what most people experience when they meet Ed/Ti Designs' in person. He's only a jerk on the internet...

We'll look forward to seeing you on a future ride!

And one more thing: in light of Ti Designs' recent thread on bonking, it should be mentioned that we are not anticipating anything of the sort on the ride this coming Saturday. The pace will be civil, and everyone will still like each other by the end. :)

[mattwla]

This looks fantastic, and I live right on the minuteman bike path. My roadie is in pieces now but I'll see if I can fix it up for this Saturday!

[leftyfreak]

This looks fantastic, and I live right on the minuteman bike path. My roadie is in pieces now but I'll see if I can fix it up for this Saturday!

It would be great if you could join us!

The weather predictions are a little bit questionable at the moment, but the date is far enough away that I'm not too concerned yet. If there is a chance of precipitation, Ti Designs and I will confer early Saturday morning and then make the decision on whether to have the ride. It might be helpful if you could pm me with the best way to contact you in case we need to cancel.

Hope to see you Saturday!

[leftyfreak]

Alright, now that you've had some time to digest your turkey, stuffing, pie and wine, you'd better start thinking about how to burn some of that off!

The weather predictions have improved dramatically over the last 24 hours, and now we're looking at temps in the 40s and partly sunny. That's pretty darn good for the last weekend in November.

Send me or Ti Designs a pm if you're planning to come--that way we'll know to look for you Saturday morning. We'll pull out of the Bedford Depot a few minutes after 8am. 60+ miles and we should be back at the Depot at about 1pm.

Hope to see you Saturday!

[leftyfreak]

Since we've had the warmest February day EVER today, it's time to prepare for the first Next Tour of 2017!

We're going to schedule it for Saturday, March 4th at 1pm. Like usual, we'll depart from the Bedford Depot at the end of the Minuteman Bikeway(the parking lot is at 80 Loomis St.) We'll probably ride about 50 miles, since I've only arranged babysitting till 5pm! I think Ti Designs wants me to lead the ride towards Harvard, MA, so I'll come up with some good roads for us to follow.

Bear in mind that this will be the first weekend in March, so there's no intention of this being a hammerfest. Come join us and get some good base miles in, while enjoying good company!

Please pm me and/or Ti Designs if you'd like to join us.

Here's a link to the thread in the Rides forum: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=2078106#post2078106

[leftyfreak]

Weather is looking a bit more "seasonal" for Saturday, meaning right around freezing for a high. The 1pm start should make things a little more comfortable than our more usual early morning departures.

There are photos of some of our previous rides earlier in this thread, and you can find others here: https://edsasslercoaching.com/rides/the-next-tour/

Hope to see some of you on Saturday!

[leftyfreak]

Unfortunately, the "seasonal" weather predictions morphed into a predicted high of 20 degrees with 20-25 mph winds gusting to beyond 40 mph. And since this was supposed to be a ride that people would enjoy in a non-maschistic manner, Ti Designs and I have decided that we're going to postpone the ride.

I will update this thread once we determine what the new date for the Next Tour will be.

Thanks to everyone who has expressed interest in riding with us. Hopefully, we'll get to do it soon!

[leftyfreak]

Alright everyone, the weather should be more reliably pleasant now, so it's time for another edition of the "Next Tour!"

It's going to be on Saturday, April 22nd, leaving the Bedford Depot (the end of the Minuteman Bikeway, parking lot at 80 Loomis St.) at 8am. We're going to be modest with our expectations, since it's still early in the year: 50-55 miles, and I'll guess something in the vicinity of a 16mph pace.

Did you know that there's a (defunct) Shaker Village in the area? We'll show it to you along with the funniest/most dangerous town line sprint around! We'll even reach Bliss in the town of Groton...the bakery. I can't guarantee that you'll reach it as a state of mind, but we'll try!

Depending on how many times Ti Designs wants to stop for baked goods (there's another good place in Westford), we should be back in Bedford between noon and 12:30pm.

I'm hoping that we're providing enough advance warning that a number of Paceliners will be able to arrange to join us. Come celebrate Spring with us!

Please pm me and/or Ti Designs if you think you might be able to attend the ride

Here's a link to the thread in the events section of the forum: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=189306&page=3

[benb]

Checkin in with the boss.. the ride parameters sound about perfect for my semi-late start to the season. Hooray for late season snow.

[leftyfreak]

Checkin in with the boss.. the ride parameters sound about perfect for my semi-late start to the season. Hooray for late season snow.

I hope the boss grants you permission! And yeah, the weather was a little bit wacky around here this winter/early spring.

[benb]

Looks like I'm in...

[leftyfreak]

Looks like I'm in...

Brilliant! Glad you'll be able to ride with us again.

And hey, do you know anything about the new cafe that's opening on Loomis St.?

[leftyfreak]

Just a week till the upcoming edition of the Next Tour!

Ti Designs and I rode much of the route on Thursday--Spring is in the air! We saw a great blue heron, some hawks, and even some new green on some of the hillsides. We're looking forward to riding with some fellow Paceliners!

[benb]

The new Cafe is called Short Stop Cafe and is maybe 200 yards from the end of the bike path. I haven't been in yet, but it will be a good option in the future for folks looking for coffee, etc.. on rides. However they are not open on Saturdays till May, I think they are still in the process of opening up, so they've got limited hours right now. I haven't been in but from what I've read their food is going to be focused on waffles.

I think I'm actually tentative at this point, I'm really sick, and I've been riding through it, the dry weather has really messed up my sinuses. If I get better in the next few days to I can get back on my bike I'll be there next weekend but I have a feeling I'm going to land in the doctor's office with a sinus infection this week. It has been incredibly dry here.

[leftyfreak]

The new Cafe is called Short Stop Cafe and is maybe 200 yards from the end of the bike path. I haven't been in yet, but it will be a good option in the future for folks looking for coffee, etc.. on rides. However they are not open on Saturdays till May, I think they are still in the process of opening up, so they've got limited hours right now. I haven't been in but from what I've read their food is going to be focused on waffles.

I think I'm actually tentative at this point, I'm really sick, and I've been riding through it, the dry weather has really messed up my sinuses. If I get better in the next few days to I can get back on my bike I'll be there next weekend but I have a feeling I'm going to land in the doctor's office with a sinus infection this week. It has been incredibly dry here.

Yeah, I got similar information on the cafe from a friend of mine, and I guess it's being run by a couple who live in town and they are still in the process of hiring staff.

Good luck recuperating! But it's funny how different our perceptions are...I know we haven't had any rain for most of the last week, but I haven't been thinking of it as "dry" around here at all. I think that's mostly because our sump pump has been cycling on every few minutes for the last two weeks, and our side yard is kind of a swamp right now.

Hope you're well enough to join us on Saturday!

[benb]

I pay a lot of attention to humidity.. we've had a run of 20% humidity days, pretty dry. There have been fire warnings every day for about a week.

We have a humidifier in our furnace but the temp is pretty much just right so that we don't really get the heat or the A/C running, and we got some water in our basement so the humidity is high in the basement.. so the house ends up dry cause the humidifier isn't running. Makes for a lot of bloody noses for me this week since I got sick.

It would be nice if the new Cafe ended up having some quality coffee, not really something I need since I live down the street but Bedford doesn't really have anything particularly good for coffee.

... High fire danger again today...

Although temperatures will not be as hot as they were yesterday,
warm and dry conditions are once again expected today.

Low humidity combined with gusty northwest winds and very dry
surface fuels will result in high fire danger across
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and northern Connecticut.

[leftyfreak]

I pay a lot of attention to humidity.. we've had a run of 20% humidity days, pretty dry. There have been fire warnings every day for about a week.

We have a humidifier in our furnace but the temp is pretty much just right so that we don't really get the heat or the A/C running, and we got some water in our basement so the humidity is high in the basement.. so the house ends up dry cause the humidifier isn't running. Makes for a lot of bloody noses for me this week since I got sick.

It would be nice if the new Cafe ended up having some quality coffee, not really something I need since I live down the street but Bedford doesn't really have anything particularly good for coffee.

Sounds frustrating! I hope things are improving for you and that you'll be well enough to ride with us on Saturday.

Speaking of which, consider this a reminder that the Next Tour will be leaving the Bedford Depot at 8am on the morning of Saturday, April 22nd! Further details are available earlier in this thread.

So far, it looks like we're going to have a pretty nice turnout. We've got at least 4-5 Paceliners who are expecting to come, three of my local, Bedford, friends will be there, and I imagine there will be several more from Ti Designs' other groups as well.

Put another way, we could have bikes by all these local builders: IF, Zanconato, Firefly, Parlee, Seven, and Merlin! Plus at least one Serotta, a Marinoni, and who knows what else.

Looking forward to Saturday's ride! Once again, please send me and/or Ti Designs a pm if you'll be meeting us so that we know to look for you.

[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 :eek: (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. :banana:

[Ti Designs]

And then there's the bakery stop...

[leftyfreak]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.:D

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!

[xeladragon]

Another great ride... thanks Ian & Ed! I'll try to get a group pic from Yadong.

[weisan]

Bummed that I left the area a day earlier and had to miss the ride...on the other hand, I doubt I can keep up esp. since I am technically still in recovery mode with the vasec. procedure.

The roads looked familiar to the ones that Bruce drove on to get to Lexington from Concord.

Glad y'all were able to get together for a group ride.

[leftyfreak]

Bummed that I left the area a day earlier and had to miss the ride...on the other hand, I doubt I can keep up esp. since I am technically still in recovery mode with the vasec. procedure.

The roads looked familiar to the ones that Bruce drove on to get to Lexington from Concord.

Glad y'all were able to get together for a group ride.

The ride was unofficially called the "Weisan Memorial Next Tour" in your honor! (At least that's what I suggested to xeladragon.)

That stretch of road in the video was Martin's Pond Road in Groton. You can't really tell how nice it is in the footage--farms, ponds and wetlands, dips and twist in the road, and a little bit of dirt at the end. But yes, in a certain sense, it gives the impression of classic New England, just like the Concord/Lexington route. Did you guys follow the Minuteman National Park and the Battle Road? If you went the other way, through Bedford, you would have pretty much passed my house!

Good luck with the rest of your recovery.

[sitzmark]

... 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? ...

I have some video of the group - including observatory - that I'll try to get chopped up into a bite-sized clip shortly. Again, thanks for leading the group!

[xeladragon]

Missing one (the photographer)...

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4222/34831560702_2e71467e4e_b.jpg

[sitzmark]

The photographer....

[weisan]

The ride was unofficially called the "Weisan Memorial Next Tour" in your honor! (At least that's what I suggested to xeladragon.)

That stretch of road in the video was Martin's Pond Road in Groton. You can't really tell how nice it is in the footage--farms, ponds and wetlands, dips and twist in the road, and a little bit of dirt at the end. But yes, in a certain sense, it gives the impression of classic New England, just like the Concord/Lexington route. Did you guys follow the Minuteman National Park and the Battle Road? If you went the other way, through Bedford, you would have pretty much passed my house!

Good luck with the rest of your recovery.

Wow, I am honored. I guess that means I should try and visit again.
Yes, I believe that's the route we took.
Thank you... sitting here waiting to see my urologist :eek:

[leftyfreak]

It's time for another Next Tour!

We'll be departing from the Bedford Depot (parking lot at 80 Loomis St.) at 7:00am on Saturday, July 22nd. The route should be between 60-65 miles with about 3K feet of climbing, and I imagine we'll average about 17 mph. We'll be back to the depot by noon.

This time, Ti Designs has requested that we head south, with the intention of getting out to Dover and Sherborn. I sometimes jokingly call this general route the "under-appreciated colleges" ride, because we'll pass by the campuses of Regis, Babson, and Wellesley along the way. We'll ride along the Charles River where it is a mere meandering trickle in comparison to its grand flow through Cambridge and Boston. There will be a short dirt section because it'll take us to one of the most idyllic, serene settings in all of the Boston area. And then there's "ponyhenge." I won't bother describing it--you'll just have to see it!

Let me know by pm if you're planning to join us. It should be a great day!

[EPIC! Stratton]

Sadly this is they day of my daughter's 1st birthday party. Have fun folks. I'll be busy wrangling my toddler and drinking beer. :beer:

[OldCrank]

I was just thinking "It's been too long since the last Next Tour".

I'll roust my 2-speed Beverly-built steed (back up to more-than-2) and see if I can grab some other north shore yokels.

Thanks Lefty & Ti!

[AngryScientist]

lefty - has Ed broken the news that you're going to have to ride stoker on his tandem since he finds himself otherwise bikeless :D

[leftyfreak]

Sadly this is they day of my daughter's 1st birthday party. Have fun folks. I'll be busy wrangling my toddler and drinking beer. :beer:

No need to say "sadly"! These are special (if exhausting) times for your family. Enjoy the party, happy b-day to the little one, and hope to see you on a future ride!

I was just thinking "It's been too long since the last Next Tour".

I'll roust my 2-speed Beverly-built steed (back up to more-than-2) and see if I can grab some other north shore yokels.

Thanks Lefty & Ti!

Happy to be of service! It would be great it you can bring some others--a ride is always better with more yokels.

lefty - has Ed broken the news that you're going to have to ride stoker on his tandem since he finds himself otherwise bikeless :D

I think my reach is a little long for us to sit, um...comfortably...in that arrangement.;) I'm confident that he'll have something more appropriate, or at least a more appropriate stoker, by next week!

[leftyfreak]

Just a reminder that the Next Tour is happening on Saturday! The weather forecast looks good, with a pleasantly cool beginning to the day, and no chance of rain.

We'll be departing from the Bedford Depot (80 Loomis St) at 7am, and we'll be back by noon. 60-65 miles at about a 17mph pace.

Ti Designs' road bike back in working order, so join us to celebrate. ;)

Please pm if you think you're coming--that way, we'll know to look for you!

[leftyfreak]

The Next Tour is tomorrow morning! Beautiful weather, a great route, and cool people--what could be better?

Hope to see some Paceliners!

[leftyfreak]

Reviving an ancient thread, because Ti Designs and I are attempting to revive a good thing...the Next Tour! I can't believe it's been 4 1/2 years since we hosted the last one. :eek:

The premise of the Next Tour is simple: great people riding on great roads together. The emphasis is on keeping the group intact, so there's no GPS file--you've got to follow me! If you're feeling strong, you can ride at the front, or you can shelter in the group if you want to take it easy, but absolutely no one will be left behind.


We will be riding on Saturday, April 16th, departing at 7:30am from the Bedford Depot parking lot (80 Loomis St.) at the end of the Minuteman Bikeway. Given that it's still early in the season for most of us New Englanders, we're going to do a relaxed paced 45-50 miles. I don't imagine we'll average any more than about 16 mph for this one. I suspect that we'll return the Bedford Depot at about 11am.

More details as we get closer to the date, but I wanted to start to get the word out. Feel free to ask any questions here, or send me a PM. Hope to see some Paceliners in a couple of weeks!

[benb]

I may come by and say hi but unfortunately I’m still working through an injury and don’t think I should go on the ride.

It takes me less than a minute to ride over so I’d probably walk.

[leftyfreak]

I may come by and say hi but unfortunately I’m still working through an injury and don’t think I should go on the ride.

It takes me less than a minute to ride over so I’d probably walk.

Injuries stink! Definitely come by and say hi before we start the ride. You might even be able to chat with Ed briefly to get his suggestions regarding the injury. I'm no longer surprised, but always impressed, at how well he's able to help riders work through problems--he fixed me a number of years ago!

Good luck dealing with the injury and we'll look for you on the 16th.

[leftyfreak]

We've got a couple of paceliners who've said they'll join us on the 16th (awesome!), in addition to some local, non-paceliner friends. I was also asked a good question in a PM, which was: road, gravel, or both? This is going to be a road ride--Ti Designs and I will both be on our road bikes with 25c tires. Any limited dirt we've ridden on these rides have been totally manageable with this set-up, though I'm not anticipating any unpaved stretches on this edition of the Next Tour. (Unless some folks are curious to see what the Reformatory Branch Trail being discussed in another thread looks like!)

Anyone who is interested in coming on this ride is welcome. Just send me a quick PM so we can know to look for you. Hope to see folks on the 16th!

[Ti Designs]

I'm looking forward to the return of group rides, they've been missing for a few years. Of all the local group rides I do, the Next Tour is my favorite because it's Ian's way of showing cyclists roads they've never seen before. Not having everybody riding by GPS is a return to how rides were back when I started riding in the area...

[leftyfreak]

The long range forecast for Saturday is looking good at this point, so be an optimist and come join us for a ride!

Here's a recap of the plan:

45-50 miles at a pace of no more than 16 mph. This is a no drop ride, so even if we spread out on the hills, we'll all remain together. We'll depart from the Bedford Depot (80 Loomis St.) at 7:30am, and should return around 11am, including a coffee/snack stop. The route will head towards the Wayside in Sudbury. Baseball fans will get to see an under-appreciated local landmark, and we'll ride along Lake Boon and possibly take a peek at the controversial tank museum!

Including the two ride leaders, our numbers currently total ten riders. Let's add to that number! Post here or send me a PM if you're interested in joining us on Saturday.

[leftyfreak]

Our first Next Tour of 2022 was wonderfully successful. Nearly 20 riders showed up, including Old Crank and Mark McM from the Paceline! Below is a photo of the group in front of the Grist Mill at the Wayside Inn.

Now it's time to plan for the next Next Tour!

We're going to be rolling out from the Bedford Depot (80 Loomis St.) at 7:00am on Saturday, May 21st. Ti Designs is going to be on his tandem for this ride, so we've made some accommodations for this in our route. The main portion of the ride will be about 40 miles and will take us through the wildlife refuge along Pelham Island Rd, and past some beautiful and peculiar sights/sites in Wayland and Lincoln. There will be a short stretch of dirt road.

We'll return to the Bedford Depot around 10:15am, I would guess. Ed will head back towards Arlington, but anyone who wants to continue riding can join me on an additional 12 mile loop in Bedford and Billerica, to take in some lovely horse farms and a road reputed to be one of the most haunted in Massachusetts That's what the internet says, so it must be true!

As is tradition for the Next Tour, there will be no GPX file--you've got to follow the leader--and we will keep the group intact. If you're feeling strong, you can ride at the front, or you can shelter in the group if you want to take it easy, but absolutely no one will be left behind. That was something we demonstrated last month when we dealt with a derailleur hanger that detonated 10 miles from the end of the route!

Please send me a PM if you'd like to join us. That way, we'll know to look for you!

[leftyfreak]

Just a quick reminder that we'll be heading out on the Next Tour this Saturday morning at 7am from the Bedford Depot (80 Loomis St.) Details above. it's supposed to be wicked hot, but we should be back before it gets really intense--make sure you're hydrated!

Reply to this thread or send me a PM if you're thinking of joining us or have any questions. Hope to see some folks on Saturday!

[leftyfreak]

The Next Tour took a month off because Ti Designs and I went on vacation to the Dolomites instead! But it's time for the latest edition of the Next Tour...

Saturday, July 16th, 6:30am, Bedford Depot (80 Loomis St.) This is a social ride with a good group of riders. We’ve got 60 miles planned for the morning, so you can expect a little under four hours of riding--Ed needs to get to the shop by noon! While the exact route is still a mystery, hopefully we’ll show you some roads you’re not familiar with. We’ll either head north towards Dunstable or come up with a creative way of approaching Groton. Regardless, it’ll be fun! You can expect a small segment of dirt, completely manageable on a go-fast road bike.

As is tradition for the Next Tour, there will be no GPX file--you've got to follow the leader--and we will keep the group intact. If you're feeling strong, you can ride at the front, or you can shelter in the group if you want to take it easy, but absolutely no one will be left behind.

Reply to this thread or send me a PM if you have any questions or would like to join us for the ride. Hope to see some Paceliners on the 16th!