I wasn't going to ride this ride. I'd been up late with family matters and wanted to be free for...well, anything that arose, but things settled down and at 6am I was awake and figured I'd better go. Dave B. and his colitis problems were a possible no-show and I did say I would be helping to lead this ride.
That said, we all took off towards Colchester and I'll tell you, we had a great ride. Every time Dave turned back to wait for me on the hills, I was there. The climbs up to Columbia Center usually set me back...maybe it was the combination of lack of sleep, little food and residual adrenalin from the night before, but I was hanging in there!
Welcome additions were Pete L., who pulled me through a B+ ride a couple of years ago in Hanover, Amy...always a pleasure, and running girl Dianna...who's RP had gone off, I don't know where.
Donna and Eric bailed early...not exactly sure why, but heard that Donna wasn't feeling well. Hope it's only temporary... Eric has a computer the size of a 1980's cordless phone and he could have told us elevation and all that good stuff ...they were missed.
We pulled into Starbucks amazed at our speed avg. High 14's...very cool! Dave figured we'd probably bonk a bit heading back, we'd been riding strong all morning. We ate, rubbed shoulders with the A riders...I believe they were heading toward the CT river, something about a ferry...and headed down Old Rt 2.
We talked about a 9 rider pace line down the highway...some figured they wouldn't be able to hang on, so we morphed into mini pacelines of 3 and proceeded to roll. I was VERY fortunate to hook up with Dianna, who loves to pull. Don, she and me avg around 22mph for the 8mile ride to Bozrah. Ahead of us were Dave, Amy and Pete; not far behind were Terry, Brian and Doug.
Our avg mph were still PR high for many of us...truly, we could not believe we were doing this type of riding! After the ride from Colchester, we were now +15avg and it never went below that for the remainder of the ride. Under The Mountain Rd, with it's beautiful cemetery and cornfields and deep, cool shadows...such an apt name for this road, is a favorite of Dianna's.
We took Briggs Road in order to stay off Rt 32N. It was getting hot and traffic was heavy. I still felt strong and stayed in the middle of the group most of the time. When we hit the shade up on top of Franklin...no idea what road but scenic vistas all around, Don wowwed us with his 'wringing out his helmet trick' that was pretty gross. We rested a bit and finished up the ride to S. Windham and home with Bergmann pulling three of us up 203. We caught up with Don and Doug and I showed off by powering past them....yeah, and Dave 'my calfs are bigger than yours' Bergmann blew by me! Well, we all met up at the school and compared avg mph. 15.6-16.2 was the range with yours truly having 15.6.
Not that it's about the numbers...but it was good to have something to focus on other than the stresses and dramas and disappointments in life, or humdrum weekend chores that all of us deal with daily. Reality creeps in when the ride is over....it's one of the reasons to ride.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
B Ride 6/19/10
Great day for a ride, eh?
12 of us started out from the school and headed towards Stoggy Hollow via James Rd..the usual. Terry led and Dave B. brought up the rear. No muss, no fuss heading N on 89....
James Rd is well a climb, but I survived and even managed to keep the main group in sight! Dave rode along with me and all that...good stuff. The first flat was Dan, a new fella. Doug's brother - in -law...it morphed into a stripped gear, I don't know how, but we left him there, with a call in for transport, amongst the hemlock and mosquitoes.
We made it to 198 no problems and heading down...a paceline was attempted, but it fell apart, or never really got started, anyway, we all flew down the highway and pulled into you know where.
The guy behind the counter almost didn't serve us because we were only going some 40-ish miles...he said a group of riders had gone through earlier and they were going 60-something miles, don't know if that was the A riders...seems like they go further than that.
Well, everyone snacked and hydrated and checked their phones and berries and palm pilots and all that techy stuff. It was the general concensus that, while yes, the muffins are good, they are just too damn big!
Second flat was down on 198 approaching the Chaplin line. Eric pleaded for us to just leave him, but no, we waited patiently while he and Don took care of it. You know, you ever want to see someone climb a hill like it was nothing...Eric's wife Donna has the nicest style... just as smooth, no upper body sway, just makes it look so easy! I am envious, as always, of riders who climb and speak in conversational tones! She is a very nice person and a good riding companion.
No other happenings to speak of...except on N. Bear Hill Rd by the Johnson Farm, Don Baxter, whose been in the club for several years now and just started riding B, hit a PR for mileage and avg, and he's one of my favorite people to ride with.
Third flat happened just as we were rolling into the school...how cool is that right? Brian, who has only been a rider for this season, and started out as B...in order to ride with Terry, had a bit of a tough ride towards the end, but hey, who hasn't...anyway, no change was necessary and all 11 of us congratulated ourselves on great riding, great weather and great days ahead. While this ride isn't full of dramatic notes or (thank God) crashes...I think it will stand out as being one of my good ones...I felt good, was in good company and did 55 miles @14.7avg...getting ready for a couple of centurys if the planets line up right this year!
As Don and I rode back to Storrs we passed Dianna and thought maybe she'd lost her C riders, but realized they had all finished up and she was out enjoying some extra miles.
Happy Fathers Day to all.
12 of us started out from the school and headed towards Stoggy Hollow via James Rd..the usual. Terry led and Dave B. brought up the rear. No muss, no fuss heading N on 89....
James Rd is well a climb, but I survived and even managed to keep the main group in sight! Dave rode along with me and all that...good stuff. The first flat was Dan, a new fella. Doug's brother - in -law...it morphed into a stripped gear, I don't know how, but we left him there, with a call in for transport, amongst the hemlock and mosquitoes.
We made it to 198 no problems and heading down...a paceline was attempted, but it fell apart, or never really got started, anyway, we all flew down the highway and pulled into you know where.
The guy behind the counter almost didn't serve us because we were only going some 40-ish miles...he said a group of riders had gone through earlier and they were going 60-something miles, don't know if that was the A riders...seems like they go further than that.
Well, everyone snacked and hydrated and checked their phones and berries and palm pilots and all that techy stuff. It was the general concensus that, while yes, the muffins are good, they are just too damn big!
Second flat was down on 198 approaching the Chaplin line. Eric pleaded for us to just leave him, but no, we waited patiently while he and Don took care of it. You know, you ever want to see someone climb a hill like it was nothing...Eric's wife Donna has the nicest style... just as smooth, no upper body sway, just makes it look so easy! I am envious, as always, of riders who climb and speak in conversational tones! She is a very nice person and a good riding companion.
No other happenings to speak of...except on N. Bear Hill Rd by the Johnson Farm, Don Baxter, whose been in the club for several years now and just started riding B, hit a PR for mileage and avg, and he's one of my favorite people to ride with.
Third flat happened just as we were rolling into the school...how cool is that right? Brian, who has only been a rider for this season, and started out as B...in order to ride with Terry, had a bit of a tough ride towards the end, but hey, who hasn't...anyway, no change was necessary and all 11 of us congratulated ourselves on great riding, great weather and great days ahead. While this ride isn't full of dramatic notes or (thank God) crashes...I think it will stand out as being one of my good ones...I felt good, was in good company and did 55 miles @14.7avg...getting ready for a couple of centurys if the planets line up right this year!
As Don and I rode back to Storrs we passed Dianna and thought maybe she'd lost her C riders, but realized they had all finished up and she was out enjoying some extra miles.
Happy Fathers Day to all.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
I really recommend trying the Quabbin rides. It's a really beautiful course. It's the 2nd time I've done Quabbin but the first time I did the double metric. You get to go to the Quabbin Reservoir, which is gorgeous, and increases the amount of time you're out (if you choose) because you want to stop and look at the reservoir, take pictures, climb the tower and see all the way to Hartford and all over the place!!! The double metric is the same as the century for the first 47 miles, so I'd done the route before. One of the things I'm happy about is that with all the hills up and down, my descending skills have gotten much better! Descents that used to spook me are now a joy. John H, remember when I used to climb hills faster than I'd go down them???
So anyway, the ride started and everyone left togther at around 7 am or maybe a little after, I didn't check. Dave Waldburger, Steve and Judy Borrman and I were all supposed to ride together, but the Borrmans decided to get their freak on and hang with the A pack in the beginning. Dave and I conservatively hung in the back, he because he didn't want to get splattered with damp road-stuff and I because I wanted to dole out my effort, not even knowing if I could complete the ride! The first 10 miles or so are literally downhill, it's really fun, and we stayed together for that time period! There was a rest stop at 22 miles, and then we managed to MISS the 2nd rest stop...so our next one was at like 75 miles!! I was feeling bonky at mile 72, not realizing that the rest stop was only a mile down the road. When I got there, I decided it was time for my secret weapon, Coke (shout out to Dianna H). The rest stop was at a store, so I went in...and realized it was the Leverett Food Co-op...a health food store!! No Coke!! They DID have Boylston natural soda, so Dave and I split a natural cola with real sugar. I fueled up, and then we carried on to the last rest stop in I-forget-what-town; by that point the double metric has rejoined the century. Then you leave the rest stop, go screaming down a really cool hill, and then climb a really steep grade, with no chance to warm up, ugh!!! One thing I'll say about that ride, there are some harsh climbs in the last 25 miles, and the last 2 miles is a nasty upgrade!!! **sigh** So, Dave and I have some photos of us and the Borrmans and reservoir and waterfall, which I'll have to share at some point.
Thanks to the A group for warning each rest stop and the staff at the school to look for me, that they'd know me by my bright pink bike. So at every rest stop, the staffers said HI FRAN!!! And when I finished, at the end the staffers said HURRAY IT'S FRAN!!! And thanks to John and Beth for cheering us on as we approached the school at the very end! And thanks to Dave for staying with me the whole way...looking forward to P2P!!! your Queen B, Fran
So anyway, the ride started and everyone left togther at around 7 am or maybe a little after, I didn't check. Dave Waldburger, Steve and Judy Borrman and I were all supposed to ride together, but the Borrmans decided to get their freak on and hang with the A pack in the beginning. Dave and I conservatively hung in the back, he because he didn't want to get splattered with damp road-stuff and I because I wanted to dole out my effort, not even knowing if I could complete the ride! The first 10 miles or so are literally downhill, it's really fun, and we stayed together for that time period! There was a rest stop at 22 miles, and then we managed to MISS the 2nd rest stop...so our next one was at like 75 miles!! I was feeling bonky at mile 72, not realizing that the rest stop was only a mile down the road. When I got there, I decided it was time for my secret weapon, Coke (shout out to Dianna H). The rest stop was at a store, so I went in...and realized it was the Leverett Food Co-op...a health food store!! No Coke!! They DID have Boylston natural soda, so Dave and I split a natural cola with real sugar. I fueled up, and then we carried on to the last rest stop in I-forget-what-town; by that point the double metric has rejoined the century. Then you leave the rest stop, go screaming down a really cool hill, and then climb a really steep grade, with no chance to warm up, ugh!!! One thing I'll say about that ride, there are some harsh climbs in the last 25 miles, and the last 2 miles is a nasty upgrade!!! **sigh** So, Dave and I have some photos of us and the Borrmans and reservoir and waterfall, which I'll have to share at some point.
Thanks to the A group for warning each rest stop and the staff at the school to look for me, that they'd know me by my bright pink bike. So at every rest stop, the staffers said HI FRAN!!! And when I finished, at the end the staffers said HURRAY IT'S FRAN!!! And thanks to John and Beth for cheering us on as we approached the school at the very end! And thanks to Dave for staying with me the whole way...looking forward to P2P!!! your Queen B, Fran
Quabbin Century & Double Metric
Quabbin Ride Report - 6/13/2010
Quabbin Observation Tower and View from the Top of Windsor Dam (route passes along road at base)
The Major Taylor Ride (AKA The Quabbin Century) has been a staple in the central Massachusetts cycling calendar since the inaugural version of the event 22 years ago. The ride is put on by the Seven Hills Wheelman, and features three distances - 100K (62 miles), 100 Miles, and 200K (125 miles).
The 2010 edition of the event was held on June 13 and a total of twelve Thread City Cyclists met the challenge. Beth Hankins, Alan Pelletier, and Ray Torres rode the 100-miler as a group and we had three groups riding the 200K: 1) Fran Storch and Dave Waldburger, 2) Judy & Steve Borrman, and 3) Agatha Pohorylo, Eric Anderson, Chris Stoltze, Joe Drivere, and Yours Truly. The following report is for the latter group, but others will likely chime in with their experiences also.
Of the five in our group that did the double metric, only Eric and Joe had originally intended to. Agatha and I were cajoled into it during the Saturday TCC ride, and Chris was ordered to comply. As Chris informed me by e-mail the night before, I'll be there for the 200K at 7:00, but not if it's raining.
At 7:00 on Sunday morning in Rutland, Mass., it was in fact raining; however, it apparently was not raining when Chris left Tolland, and now he was at the start, so he was pretty well committed. We rolled out of the parking lot at the start as the rain let up. Roads were still wet, and we cruised through the first five downhill miles imbibing worm-laden tire spray. At about the 30 mile mark the route turned into the Quabbin Reservoir Reservation and we turned onto a short loop that first descended down a long hill to the base of the Windsor Dam and then snaked several hundred feet back up to the top of the dam. Chris elected to skip the descent and climb and headed across the flat top of the dam to meet us as we climbed the hill. He was universally derided for his cowardly conduct and officially disqualified from the team. To our dismay, he ignored this edict and rode the rest of the ride with us, a dishonored man.
From the dam, the route climbed up a formidable hill to the 50-foot high Quabbin Lookout tower. While Eric climbed up the observation tower, the rest of us relaxed at the base making light banter and eating the beef jerky that Agatha has become famous for providing. Eric was disappointed to find that the windows at the top of the tower were sealed, which scuttled his plans to spit, pee, or hurl objects at his comrades below.
After the 50 mile point at the intersections of Routes 9 and 202 in Belchertown, the double metric course split off from the Century. The Century route heads up the big rollers along the western side of the Quabbin on Route 202, while the Double Metric heads further west on flatter terrain toward Amherst before hooking north and re-joining the Century at the north end of the reservoir. We picked up a couple of extra riders along the way and headed north on mostly back roads to a nice rest stop at a country store. Chris noticed that his rear tire had 30 pounds of air in it and was sporting a big bulge (the tire, not Chris). He was able to convince one of the event organizers to lend him a replacement tire for the balance of the ride.
At about the 90 mile mark we were coming down a steep hill and around a blind corner which was followed in quick succession by a stop sign. Our two guest hangers-on managed to ride into each other at this point, resulting in a high-speed trip to the pavement for one of them. We helped to scrape him off the road - he was generally OK but had taken a bit of a whack to the head (cracked helmet) and was too shaken up to continue. Fortunately, the owner of the property that served as a landing zone for our hapless friend was willing to give him a lift to a spot where his wife could retrieve him.
Shortly before we hit the 100-mile mark in Petersham, Joe said in a quiet and somewhat pathetic voice, "Hey guys, do you think maybe we could dial it back a little for the next section?" For those of you that know Joe, he is not normally one to file the request to "dial it back". After much guffawing and derision, we agreed to dial it back for a little while with the understanding that Joe's request would be publically outed in this venerable forum.
The last 30 miles of the Quabbin Century and Double Metric feature three serious climbs - the first one climbing out of the Quabbin valley on Route 122, the second with about 15 miles to go on an endless wooded road, and the third - a climb of about 3 miles back up to the start/finish in Rutland. These serve as the final test and give you something to remember the ride by.
The 125-mile distance was the furthest that Joe and Chris had ever ridden and tied Agatha's long career ride. Most of the day turned out to be relatively dry, and we were happy campers at the end. We will definitely return.
The Seven Hills Wheelman put this event on with a club that has only about one-third of the members of the Thread City Cyclers. There's no reason we couldn't do a similar event in our neck of the woods. Stay tuned - the Board is starting to look into this possibility for 2011.
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