GO - Sterling.

This Week - Sterling - Portsmouth - West Groton

Dear AdventuRiders,

After a couple of chilly rides last week, Monday is looking particularly nice. It should be Sunny, 50 degrees, and a light breeze in the morning and low 60s in the afternoon.

On Monday we will be exploring the very scenic Mass Central Rail Trail starting in Sterling and riding to Holden. The morning ride is flatter and shorter, and the afternoon ride will visit the Old Stone Church on the Wachusett Reservoir and is somewhat hillier and longer. Even though the MCRT is unpaved, the crushed rock surface is generally smoother than the Nashua River Rail Trail for instance, and either a hybrid or a road bike will work well. BTW, there is a PortaPotty at the starting point, and several other points along the way.

I have scheduled the Portsmouth ride for Wednesday, but it sometimes takes a few weeks to get good enough weather to make the one hour drive each way worth the effort. Stay tuned. The route is about 30 miles and basically flat. I have multiple tricks up my sleeve if we run into a sea breeze. Lunch will probably be at Portsmouth Brewery to avoid a mutiny if Janet, Joe, and/or Eddie come along :-)

On Friday, we will meet at Cutler Field in West Groton and ride to Brookline, NH. The route will be about 26 miles long and somewhere around 700 feet elevation gain. Most of the hills are getting up to the ridge in Townsend with beautiful views of the mountains of Central Mass and Southern NH. We can have lunch afterwards at the Clover Farm Store in West Groton, or there is always Filho's.

On Monday, April 30th - Sterling - MCRT

The Morning Recreation Ride will explore the Mass Central Rail Trail to Holden and we will return the same way since it is such a nice trail.

• The Morning Recreation Ride will leave at 9:30 AM.
• We should be back by 11:30 AM.
• Starting Point Map - Sterling Center - PortaPotty equipped.
• Route Map - Sterling - MCRT.
• Distance - 16 1/2 miles.
• Elevation Gain - 300 feet (easy).
• Unpaved - 8 1/2 - but it doesn't really count.
• Equipment - Any sturdy, well maintained, bike will work.

AR Index = roughly 19 flat, paved miles.

Lunch will be at Village Pizza & More in Sterling.

The Afternoon Recreation Ride will cover the same parts of the MCRT, but will also visit the Old Stone Church in West Boylston.

• The afternoon Recreation Ride will leave at 12:30 PM.
• We should be back by 2:30 PM.
• Starting Point Map - Sterling Center - PortaPotty equipped.
• Route Map - Sterling - MCRT
• Distance - 17 1/2 miles
• Elevation Gain - 420 feet (moderate)
• Unpaved - 8 1/2 - but it doesn't really count
• Equipment - Any sturdy, well maintained, bike will work.

AR Index = roughly 21 flat, paved miles.

On Wednesday, May 2nd - Portsmouth

On Friday, May 4th - West Groton

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

GO - Westminster

Its gonna be chilly, bring something warm. This is a portapotty free route, so go easy on the coffee. 

Reminder - Westminster Tomorrow

Dear AdventuRiders,

Get ready for a gorgeous ride around Mount Wachusett. Carole, Eddie and I did this ride last June and it shot right up to the Top 10 Ride category! Its a bit outside our 30 minute starting point radius around Groton, but Route 2 is pretty quick and I adjusted the starting  time accordingly.

The weather forecast is for Mostly Sunny, 47 degrees, and windy when we leave. It should be Sunny, 50 degrees, and still windy when we return. Bring something warm and a definitely a wind layer. It will be a cross wind much of the time, but a tail wind the last 4 miles.

On Friday, April 27th -Westminster

The Fitness Ride will take us west to the Mount Wachusett region. We will start in Westminster, climb UP toward

the west shoulder of Mount Wachusett on some scenic backroads before zooming DOWN to beautiful views at Princeton. From there we ride to Gardner passing many lakes before turning back to Westminster. There are a couple of significant hills at the beginning of the ride including a Cat 5 (easiest category) as we pass the mountain. From there it is rolling hills back to Westminster.

• The Exploration Ride will leave at 9:45 AM.
• Starting Point Map - Westminster Bandshell
• Route Map - Westminster - Wachusett
• Distance - 23 1/2 miles
• Elevation Gain - 750 feet (more difficult)
• Unpaved - 1/2 mile - some rough spots
• Equipment - I plan to bring my ROAD bike.

AR Index = roughly 31 flat, paved miles.

Here is the schedule:

• 9:45 AM - The Exploration Ride leaves.
• 12:45 PM - We will be back to Westminster.

We can have lunch at the Old Mill Restaurant in Westminster.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

GO - Boxboro

Bring something warm. 

Reminder - Boxboro Tomorrow

Dear AdventuRiders,

The weather forecast for tomorrow is Sunny and 50 degrees when we leave, and mostly cloudy and near 60 when we return. It should be mostly a tailwind coming back. Many of the trees are in bloom, so it should be a pretty ride.

On Wednesday, April 25th - Boxboro 

This is one of my favorite rides. Its scenic, challenging, and has a two mile downhill run through Harvard. Of course that means that there are some uphills too, but the one category 5 (easiest category) hill we have is mostly just long and not that steep. 

The route is about 27 1/2 miles long and 800 feet vertical with most of the elevation gain in the first hill, although it is uphill back to the starting point too. It is all on road and I plan to bring my road bike.


Lunch is at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson.

• At 9:30 AM the Exploration Ride will leave.
• We will return by 2:30 PM.
• Starting Point Map. We will meet at the Soccer Fields on Liberty Square Road. PortaPotty equipped.
• Route Map. Boxboro - Harvard - Hudson.
• Distance = 27.5 Miles.
• Elevation Gain = 800 feet (more challenging).
• Unpaved = None.
• Equipment = I plan to bring my road bike.

AR Index = Roughly 35 flat, paved miles.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

STOP - All Rides Today Are POSTPONED

This Week - Westford - Boxboro - Westminster

Dear AdventuRiders,

I would normally be bummed about the "near 100%" chance of rain on Monday, but we REALLY need the moisture. Anyhow, the forecast calls for Heavy Rain and about 55 degrees in the morning and merely Rain and 60 degrees in the afternoon. I will be optimistic and schedule 2 rides anyway.

On Monday, April 23rd - Westford, Forge Pond Beach

• At 9:30 AM the Morning Recreation Ride will leave.
• We will return by 11:30 AM.
• Starting Point Map - Forge Pond Beach, Westford.
• Route Map - Forge Pond - Massapoag Pond.
• Distance = 14 miles
• Elevation Gain = 300 feet (medium)
• Unpaved = 2 miles - probably a bit of sand.
• Equipment - Any well maintained bike will work.

AR Index = Roughly 18 flat, paved miles.

• At 11:30 AM, we will have lunch at Pizzeria Presti. If the mosquitos aren't too bad we'll have a picnic, otherwise we will eat at the restaurant.

• At 12:30 PM the Afternoon Recreation Ride will leave.
• We will return by 2:30 PM.
• Starting Point Map - Forge Pond Beach, Westford.
• Route Map - Forge Pond - Nabnasset Pond
• Distance = 15 miles
• Elevation Gain = 250 feet (easy)
• Unpaved = 1 1/2 miles
• Equipment - Any well maintained bike will work.

AR Index = Roughly 17 flat, paved miles.

On Wednesday, April 25th - Boxboro 

We will meet at the soccer fields on Liberty Square Road.

This is one of my favorite rides. Its scenic, challenging, and has a two mile downhill run through Harvard. Of course that means that there are some uphills too, but the one category 5 (easiest category) hill we have is mostly just long and not that steep. 

The route is about 27 miles long and 700 feet vertical (moderate) with most of the elevation gain in the first hill, although it is uphill back to the starting point too. It is all on road and I plan to bring my road bike.

Lunch is at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson.


On Friday, April 27th - Westminster

The Fitness Ride will take us west to the Mount Wachusett region. We will start in Westminster, climb UP toward the west shoulder of Mount Wachusett on some scenic backroads before zooming DOWN to beautiful views at Princeton. From there we ride to Gardner passing many lakes before turning back to Westminster. There are a couple of significant hills at the beginning of the ride including a Cat 5 (easiest category) as we pass the mountain. From there it is rolling hills back to Westminster.

Lunch is at The Old Mill Restaurant in Westminster.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

GO - Groton Center

Hollis Country Kitchen Ride Tomorrow?

Dear AdventuRiders,

The weather is looking too nice tomorrow, 60 and Sunny in the morning and mid 70s and Sunny in the afternoon.

After a very fun ride on the Boston Marathon route on Monday, I'm planning a fun ride to Hollis Country Kitchen for lunch tomorrow. We can start in Groton Center, ride through West Groton and Pepperell on our way to Hollis. Hopefully we can eat outside at HCK, they have a very nice patio. Then we come back through Pepperell and hit the Rail Trail for the last 5 miles back to Groton Center. The route is simple enough that people can skip lunch if they want and zip back (mostly downhill) to Groton.

The ride is about 26 miles and 550 feet vertical (mostly getting up to Beaver Brook Association). Here is a map.

On Friday, April 20th - Groton Center

• The Special Vacation Week Ride will leave at 9:30 AM.
• We will return by 2:00 PM.
• Starting Point Map - Groton Center.
• Route Map - Groton - Hollis Country Kitchen.
• Distance = 26 miles.
• Elevation Gain = 550 feet (one challenging hill).
• Unpaved = 3.5 miles (generally smooth).
• Equipment - Any bike will work on this route - I plan to bring my road bike.

AR Index = Roughly equal to 30 flat, paved miles.

Hope to see you there,

Bill (and maybe Carole)

GO - Southboro - Marathon

Reminder - Boston Marathon Ride Tomorrow

Dear AdventuRiders,

The forecast for tomorrow is Partly Cloudy and low 60s when we leave Hopkinton and Partly Cloudy and upper 70s when we get to Boston. The runners will have it much worse since they leave later, and, well, the're running.

I'm planning to roll out of bed, fall into the car, and drive to Southboro. See you at 7:00 AM!

If anybody wants to carpool, let me know and I will try to arrange something.

Bill

Here are some lessons we learned last year. "They" don't seem to care if we bike the Marathon route early. "They" also don't make any effort to accommodate bikers on the Marathon route. Please be thoughtful and courteous since we are guests of the second largest single day sporting event in the world, topped only by the Super Bowl!

The Marathon Route is in the process of being shut down as we ride to Boston, we are on our own as far as safety is concerned. We need to watch out for:

• Cars - there are still some on the road - especially in Framingham.
• Other bikes - most of them going much faster than we are.
• Police cars - zooming around trying to look official on their donut runs.
• Cross traffic - DOES NOT STOP for us. We need to obey stop lights, etc.
• Marathon workers - will be setting up water stops etc.
• Wellesley Women - will hopefully cheer us on this year too.
• Trolley tracks - especially in Cleveland Circle - need special care.

ALL of our normal safety rules apply, especially staying right whenever safe and watching out for parked cars.

This week is school vacation week, so we have no regularly scheduled rides. However, we are planning the second annual AdventuRides Boston Marathon Ride. The idea is to ride the Boston Marathon route before the official event. The wheelchair racers leave first, and they are wicked fast, so we need to leave well before they leave at 9:00 AM. 

On Monday, April 16th - Boston Marathon.

OK, here's my plan. We park at the Southboro MBTA train station, its about 32 miles and 41 minutes from Groton Center. We leave there at 7:00 AM  and ride the 3 miles UP to Hopkinton Center where the Boston Marathon starts. We leave Hopkinton at 7:45 AM just as they are closing the road behind us and cruise - mostly downhill - to Boston. We should get to Boston by 10:45, how hard can 26 miles, 385 yards be? The top runners will shame us by running to Boston in just a little over 2 hours.

I think if we leave Hopkinton by 7:45 AM we should be all right, at least until we get to downtown Boston. I'll bet Boyleston Street will be a madhouse, but we can always walk the last 4 blocks. We can get lunch in Boston, watch the Marathon finishers and grab the train from Back Bay Station back to Southboro. Here is the MBTA schedule.

Here's the schedule:

• At 7:00 AM - Meet at the Southboro Commuter Rail Station. Its $4.00 to park all day. Here is a map.
•                        Ride the 3 miles to the starting line in Hopkinton.
• At 7:45 AM - Leave Hopkinton for Boston.
• At 8:45 AM - We should easily get to Framingham before they close the road.
• At 10:45 AM - We should be in Boston. 
• At 12:28 PM or 3:11 PM - Take the Framingham / Worcester commuter train back to Southboro. Bicycles are allowed, and it costs $6.75 (I think).
• At 1:26 PM or 4:09 PM - Arrive in Southboro.
• Nap!

GO - West Acton - Elm Street Playground

Boston Marathon Ride

Dear AdventuRiders,

The current weather forecast for Monday is looking cloudy and mild with a tail wind. Stay tuned.

Here are some lessons we learned last year. "They" don't seem to care if we bike the Marathon route early. "They" also don't make any effort to accommodate bikers on the Marathon route. Please be thoughtful and courteous since we are guests of the second largest single day sporting event, topped only by the Super Bowl!

The Marathon Route is in the process of being shut down as we ride to Boston, we are on our own as far as safety is concerned. We need to watch out for:

• Cars - there are still some on the road - especially in Framingham.
• Other bikes - most of them going much faster than we are.
• Police cars - zooming around trying to look official on their donut runs.
• Cross traffic - DOES NOT STOP for us. We need to obey stop lights, etc.
• Marathon workers - will be setting up water stops etc.
• Wellesley Women - will hopefully cheer us on this year too.
• Trolley tracks - especially in Cleveland Circle - need special care.

ALL of our normal safety rules apply, especially staying right whenever safe and watching out for parked cars.

This week is school vacation week, so we have no regularly scheduled rides. However, we are planning the second annual AdventuRides Boston Marathon Ride. The idea is to ride the Boston Marathon route before the official event. The wheelchair racers leave first, and they are wicked fast, so we need to leave well before they leave at 9:00 AM. 

On Monday, April 16th - Boston Marathon.

OK, here's my plan. We park at the Southboro MBTA train station, its about 32 miles and 41 minutes from Groton Center. We leave there at 7:00 AM  and ride the 3 miles UP to Hopkinton Center where the Boston Marathon starts. We leave Hopkinton at 7:45 AM just as they are closing the road behind us and cruise - mostly downhill - to Boston. We should get to Boston by 10:45, how hard can 26 miles, 385 yards be? The top runners will shame us by running to Boston in just a little over 2 hours.

I think if we leave Hopkinton by 7:45 AM we should be all right, at least until we get to downtown Boston. I'll bet Boyleston Street will be a madhouse, but we can always walk the last 4 blocks. We can get lunch in Boston, watch the Marathon finishers and grab the train from Back Bay Station back to Southboro. Here is the MBTA schedule.

Here's the schedule:

• At 7:00 AM - Meet at the Southboro Commuter Rail Station. Its $4.00 to park all day. Here is a map.
•                        Ride the 3 miles to the starting line in Hopkinton.
• At 7:45 AM - Leave Hopkinton for Boston.
• At 8:45 AM - We should easily get to Framingham before they close the road.
• At 10:45 AM - We should be in Boston. 
• At 12:28 PM or 3:11 PM - Take the Framingham / Worcester commuter train back to Southboro. Bicycles are allowed, and it costs $6.75 (I think).
• At 1:26 PM or 4:09 PM - Arrive in Southboro.
• Nap!

Any takers?

Bill

Reminder - West Acton - Elm Street Playground Tomorrow

Dear AdventuRiders,

The weather for Friday is looking GREAT at this point. The forecast is calling for SUNNY with light winds and near 50 degrees when we leave and SUNNY and near 60 when we return.

The Friday Fitness Ride will first take us past the Acton Arboretum to enjoy all the trees in full bloom. Then we will cross Route 2 (at the lights) and ride along Fort Pond Brook and the old mill buildings before reaching Maynard. From there we cross the Assabet River, ride the unpaved portions of the Assabet River Rail Trail, explore the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge and have a potty stop. Then is UP and over the hill on our way back past Minuteman Airfield and Flagg Hill. The route isn't particularly hilly, but there is almost 5 miles of unpaved, civilized off-road.

We can have lunch at Idylwilde Farm.

On Friday, April 13th @ 9:30 AM - West Acton

• Meeting Point Map : West Acton - Elm Street Playground PortaPotty equipped!
• Route Map : West Acton - Assabet River NWR
• Ride Distance : 27 miles
• Elevation Gain : 450 feet (moderate)
• Unpaved: 4.5 miles
• Equipment : Any bike will work on this route. I will be riding my ROAD bike since its already in the car.

AR Index : roughly equal to 30 flat, paved miles.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

GO - Hudson, Horseshoe Pub

We could get sprinkled on, or it could be sunny. Plan accordingly. 

Reminder - Hudson - Horseshoe Pub Tomorrow

Dear AdventuRiders,

Well, the Wednesday forecast is looking better. Currently, they are saying Mostly SUNNY, upper 40s in the morning and mid 50s when we return, and light winds.

We will ride through Hudson and Marlboro to get to Westboro Center after visiting the Wachusett Aquaduct crossing of the Assebet River. I was hoping to ride through the old Wesboro State Mental Hospital, but I got unceremoniously tossed out today :-( We will stop at Chauncey Lake for an extended break at mile 13. I cut out the ride around the lake since it is quite rough.

From there it is off to a corner of Southboro before climbing up to Marlboro. I cut out the Cat 5 hill up to Jerico Hill Ski Area, and the "exciting" trip through downtown Marlboro. Instead we will be ride some urban streets in Marlboro (WATCH OUT for CAR DOORS!). Then we hit the Assebet River Rail Trail for an almost 4 mile, mostly downhill ride back to the Hudson.

Lunch will be at The Horseshoe Pub in Hudson with 80 beers on tap.

On Wednesday, April 11th - Hudson - Horseshoe Pub

• The Exploration Ride will leave at 9:30 AM.
• We will return 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM
• Starting Point Map - Hudson - Horseshoe Pub.
• Route Map - Hudson - First 4 Boros
• Distance = 24 miles.
• Elevation Gain = 575 feet (more challenging) Getting up to Marlboro is a bitch, but its downhill back to Hudson.
• Unpaved = 1/2 mile. Mostly smooth.
• Equipment - I plan to bring my road bike.

AR Index = Roughly equal to 29 flat, paved miles.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

Four Boro Bike Tour on Wednesday April 11th

Dear AdventuRiders,

Well, I was done in by the weatherman again! This afternoon turned out to be quite nice after all.

The Wednesday forecast looks eerily similar to today's, so we'll just ignore it and go for a great ride.

The Bike New York, Five Boro Bike Tour is coming up in May, but I don't know anyone who is doing it this year. SO, I am planning the Massachusetts Four Boro Bike Tour for Wednesday. We will meet at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson and ride to NorthBORO, WestBORO, SouthBORO, and MarlBORO. Along the way we will avoid Solomon Pond Mall, tour the now closed (and spooky) Westboro State Mental Hospital, ride around Chauncy Lake (gravel road), ride UP to the former Jerico Ski Hill, walk our bikes through Downtown Marlboro to avoid getting run over and then take the Assebet River Rail Trail back to Hudson (whew!). I haven't finished planning it yet, but here is the route we did a few years ago.

Lunch is at the Horseshoe Pub in Hudson (80 beers on tap!).

If we want to show those New Yorkers a thing or two, we could ride to BoxBORO after lunch to make it a Five Boro Bike Tour.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

GO / STOP The Afternoon Ride Is POSTPONED

GO this morning - We will meet in East Pepperell Center. STOP this afternoon - The wind is supposed to increase along with showers. 

This Week - East Pepperell - TBD - West Acton + SPECIAL Boston Marathon

Dear AdventuRiders,

The weather this week is not looking particularly good, but we will do our best!

The Monday forecast is for a "Few Showers" and temperatures in the 50s. We will stay local and hope for more sun and less rain. 

The Morning Recreation Ride will use the Nashua River Rail Trail to the Nashua River rapids in Hollis. Usually the rapids are quite "rapid-y" this time of year, but its just a dribble this year. Then we will ride to Dunstable and explore the farms and scenic back roads.

We will have lunch at the Tea Cafe which is a Chinese and Thai Restaurant right next to the Rail Trail parking, and they have excellent bathrooms :-)

The Afternoon Recreation Ride is "Rail Trail Free" and will ride to Brookline, NH and follow the Nissitissit River back to East Pepperell. There is a bit of dirt / gravel, but it is generally quite smooth.

On Monday, April 9th - East Pepperell Center

• The Morning Recreation Ride will leave at 9:30 AM.
• Starting Point Map - We will meet at the gravel rail trail parking lot at the end of Main Street at Groton Road.
• Route Map - East Pepperell - Nashua River - Dunstable.
• Distance - 15 1/2 miles.
• Elevation Gain - 225 feet (easy).
• Unpaved - none,
• Equipment - Any sturdy, well maintained bike will work. I plan to bring my HYBRID bike.

AR Index = roughly 17 flat, paved miles.

On Monday, April 9th - East Pepperell Center

• The Afternoon Recreation Ride will leave at 12:30 AM.
• Starting Point Map - We will meet at the gravel rail trail parking lot at the end of Main Street at Groton Road.
• Route Map - East Pepperell - Brookline - Nissitissit River.
• Distance - 14 1/2 miles.
• Elevation Gain - 250 feet (moderate).
• Unpaved - 1/2 mile - reasonably smooth.
• Equipment - Any sturdy, well maintained bike will work. I plan to bring my HYBRID bike.

AR Index = roughly 17 flat, paved miles.

On Wednesday, April 11th - TBD

Stay tuned. It all depends on the weather. 

On Friday, April 13th - West Acton

I haven't figured out the exact route yet, but we will start at the Elm Street Playground, near Idylwilde Farm, and ride to the Assebet River National Wildlife Refuge. Stay tuned!

SPECIAL - On Monday, April 16th we will ride the route of the Boston Marathon before the race begins. Here is what we did last year. I haven't checked all the details, but it should be close.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

GO - Heart Pond, South Chelmsford

Reminder - Heart Pond, South Chelmsford Tomorrow

Dear AdventuRiders,

Get ready for the first Fitness Ride of the Spring 2012 season. The Fitness Rides are longer and more challenging than the Recreation Rides. They are not races, but we do ride purposefully and with fewer breaks. If you're not tired at the end of the ride, then I haven't done my job!

The weather forecast for tomorrow calls for SUNNY, breezy and about 40 degrees when we start and still SUNNY, breezy and about 50 when we return. I guess I'll have to save my shorts for another ride.

We can go to British Beer Company for lunch afterwards.

On Friday, April 6th - Heart Pond, South Chelmsford

We will ride a few miles of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail on our way to the Olde North Bridge in Concord. Along the way we will visit Great Brook Farm State Park, the cranberry bogs, the backroads of Carlisle, and beautiful views from Monument Street.

• The Fitness Ride will leave at 9:30 AM.
• We will return by 12:30 PM.
• Starting Point Map - Heart Pond, South Chelmsford
• Route Map - South Chelmsford - Olde North Bridge
• Distance = 24 miles
• Elevation Gain = 400 feet (moderate)
• Unpaved = a little around the Olde North Bridge
• Equipment - Any sturdy, well maintained bike will work.

AR Index = Roughly 26 flat, paved miles.

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

GO - Minuteman Bikeway

Reminder - Minuteman Bikeway Tomorrow

Dear AdventuRiders,

The good news is that I'm back from skiing at Loon Mountain today and I didn't break anything. The bad news is that I didn't get a chance to see if the bathrooms on the Minuteman Bikeway are open yet. Plan accordingly...

The forecast is calling for SUNNY and about 50 degrees when we leave and SUNNY and about 60 degrees when we get back. It should be a great day to have some delicious sandwiches from Dave's Fresh Pasta at the tables outside.

The narrow gauge railroad bike path from Fawn Pond to Bedford is crushed rock and is usually quite smooth, but I haven't checked it this year. I'm planning to bring my hybrid bike since it is still in the car, although any bike - WITH PROPERLY INFLATED TIRES - should work fine.

Its about 27 miles round trip from Fawn Pond and about 23 miles round trip from Bedford to Somerville. Its basically flat, but the "hill" back to Lexington is sometimes noticeable after a big lunch and especially if we have a headwind.

Hope to see you there,

Bill - but probably not Carole :-(

*** On Wednesday, April 4th - Bedford - Minuteman

We will meet in Bedford at either Fawn Pond Parking or the Minuteman Rail Trail Parking.

• At 9:45 AM - The Exploration Ride will leave from Fawn Pond and ride on the Narrow Gauge Rail Bed. Here is a map.
• At 10:00 AM - The Exploration Ride will leave from the Minuteman Bikeway Parking for Somerville. Here is a map.
• At 11:30 AM - LUNCH at Dave's Fresh Pasta in Somerville.
• At 12:30 PM - We will head back to Bedford.
• At 2:00 PM - We should be back to the Minuteman Bikeway Parking.
• At 2:30 PM - We should be back to Fawn Pond.

GO - Groton Center

Dress warmly!

More Instructions from Fearless Leader

Dear AdventuRiders,

Even though it is still cold and I haven't put my skis away yet, AdventuRides Spring 2012 starts TOMORROW!

We are planning interesting new rides as well as old favorites this season. We still have two different Recreation Rides on Mondays. Our expanded Friday Fitness Rides will allow us to do longer rides to new areas. Our unofficial and usually on Wednesday Exploration Rides will feature rides along the coast to Portsmouth, NH, UP the hills to Greenville, NH, and the beautiful scenery of Cape Ann. BTW, we keep the Exploration Rides unofficial so that we have flexibility in scheduling around the weather and longer travel times.

We still offer two pass options, the descriptions have changed a bit though.

The One Day A Week Pass entitles you to ride one day a week during the season. If you miss a week, come twice the next week. We don't keep track, its on the honor system. You may ride a different day each week if you choose. Here are your choices:

• Monday - morning and/or afternoon Recreation Rides. 
• Wednesday (usually) - Exploration Ride. 
• Friday - Fitness Ride.

The Season Pass entitles you to all the all the rides you want during the season.

Now is the time to:

1. Find your bike.
2. Pump up your tires!
3. Find your helmet.
4. Take your bike (and helmet) out for a test ride to make sure everything is working properly.
5. Review our Release and Waiver and bring a signed copy to your first ride, or we will have copies available for you to sign.
6. You can give us a try for free, and when you decide that this is a great physical and social outlet, you can:
7. Go to our Register page and signup! 

Bill and Carole

This Week - Groton - Minuteman - South Chelmsford

Dear AdventuRiders,

Now that our non-Winter is over, its time for our 17th season of AdventuRides!

Please arrive a few minutes early to get the paper work squared away.

The weather forecast for tomorrow doesn't look real Springlike, but at least the rain / snow showers are supposed to end early. It should be Mostly Cloudy and low 40s in the morning with a chilly breeze. Things will improve somewhat in the afternoon, with temperatures rising into the upper 40s. Dress warmly!

The Morning Recreation Ride will travel on the Nashua River Rail Trail to Dunstable and then return on some scenic backroads. 

Lunch will be at Main Street Cafe in Groton Center.

The Afternoon Recreation Ride will have less Rail Trail on our way to Dunstable and we will be returning by way of Larter Field and Baddacook Pond.

*** On Monday, April 2nd - Groton Center

• The Morning Recreation Ride will leave at 9:30 AM.
• We will return by 11:30 AM.
• Starting Point Map - Groton Center.
• Route Map - Groton - NRRT - River Street.
• Distance = 14.6 miles.
• Elevation Gain = 180 feet (easy).
• Unpaved = none.
• Equipment - Any bike will work on this route - I plan to bring my hybrid bike.

AR Index = Roughly equal to 15 flat, paved miles.

Lunch will be at 11:30 AM at Main Street Cafe in Groton Center.

• The Afternoon Recreation Ride will leave at 12:30 PM.
• We will return by 2:30 PM.
• Starting point Map - Groton Center.
• Route Map - Groton - Dunstable - Martins Pond.
• Distance = 14.2 miles.
• Elevation Gain = 250 feet (easy).
• Unpaved = 1/2 mile.
• Equipment - Any bike will work on this route - I plan to bring my hybrid bike.

AR Index = Roughly equal to 16 flat, paved miles.

*** On Wednesday, April 4th - Bedford - Minuteman

We will meet in Bedford at either Fawn Pond Parking or the Minuteman Rail Trail Parking.

• At 9:45 AM - The Exploration Ride will leave from Fawn Pond and ride on the Narrow Gauge Rail Bed. Here is a map.
• At 10:00 AM - The Exploration Ride will leave from the Minuteman Rail Trail Parking for Somerville. Here is a map.
• At 11:30 AM - LUNCH at Dave's Fresh Pasta in Somerville.
• At 12:30 PM - We will head back to Bedford.
• At 2:30 PM - We should be back to the Minuteman rail Trail Parking.
• At 3:00 PM - We should be back to Fawn Pond.

*** On Friday, April 6th - South Chelmsford

We will meet at the Heart Pond Parking lot in South Chelmsford.

• At 9:30 AM - The Fitness Ride will leave for the Olde North Bridge in Concord. Here is a map.
• At 12:30 PM - We will be back.
• LUNCH - TBD

Hope to see you there,

Bill and Carole

Some Gentle Safety Reminders

Dear AdventuRiders,

With the AdventuRides Spring 2012 season starting Tomorrow, Monday (04/02/2012), I thought I would send out some gentle safety reminders.

Bill

Helmets.

• A CPSC approved helmet in good condition is required on all of our rides.
• All bicycle helmets sold in this country since 1999 are CPSC approved.
• Helmets should be replaced at least every 10 years since the materials deteriorate over time.

Lane Usage. OK, I admit it. I am probably the worst offender here, but here are the guidelines we will follow.

• NEVER ride on the wrong side of the road. The are enough blind corners and silent Priuses to cause a serious accident. Even if there is no yellow line, we should always leave enough room for oncoming traffic to easily pass us.
• On busy roads we should ride single file as close to the right side as safe.
• On quiet roads we should generally ride only two abreast. Traffic coming around blind corners behind us don't expect the whole lane to be filled with bikes.
• The exception to all this is when we are turning left or on a very narrow road when we want to "control the lane" to prevent cars from trying to squeeze past us.
• In general we want to share the road and not surprise other users.
• Remember, "Dress to be visible, ride like you're invisible".

Parked Cars. 

• DO NOT ride near a parked car. 
• When passing a parked car, move left at least 6 feet. This is an example of controlling the lane.
• Hitting a car door that swings out in front of you is bad.
• Instinctively swerving left into traffic is worse.

Hand Signals.

• When turning right, I use my right arm to point to where I am going rather than the traditional left arm signal. That 17 year old driver will know exactly what you mean.
• When stopping, I raise one or the other arm like I'm going to ask the teacher a question. This is "Bike New York" style and it is more visible than the tradition arm down signal.

Courtesy. We find that drivers are generally very courteous to us and we need to return the favor.

• When we stop along the road, we should stay in line rather than bunching up and blocking the lane.
• When a driver is courteous to us, its always nice to acknowledge it with a friendly wave.

Speed. Again, I am one of the worst offenders. I'm not going to play cop, but keep this in mind:

• Yes, it is fun to see how fast you can charge down a hill.
• The laws of physics tell us that falling off a bike at 30 MPH will hurt 4 times as much as falling off at 15 MPH.
• I just crashed on skis at about 25 MPH, and believe me it didn't feel good! I skied away shaken, but unhurt.