Early Birds -- North Route -- "on Fire"

Saturday's RP2IPBP ride canceled due to Danny's wash out all over LI.

Sunday -- early morning ride to Manorville, noticeably more dusky than last times around 6:30, slightly chilly with about 18C, high humidity and still not yet dried up roads, overcast. Py felt some what not yet really awake, missed some sleep due to last night coding work... Arriving at Manorville just one rider there, but few more showed up last minute until start. And good number of strong riders B, C, M, G and few more also a few newer Birds inbetween and our fast female Birds. Rolling off the parking lot about 5 minutes late... Nice decent and steady pace out and over "The Tanks", pretty fast move in the head group of 4 or have we been 5 in front? Proceeding east and over and back South and West to Cutchogue. Very brief stop, Py just had a few seconds to finish up his coffee -- some one was on fire and rushing... however mainly the head group and a few more -- now counting about 20 legs -- took off very soon again and was kind of on fire all the time and back. B,C taking good fast pulls, all others as well, but a bit more brief. Moving all the time around 24..30mph -- averaging all the way back about 40.5km/h. Loosing a few riders on Rte 51... finishing with 5.

Stats: Py's total 80mi

... and @Karl, the imperial number we were wondering about is 143 or about 10.2 in some other unit used in English speaking countries.

Last Friday Night Kreb Race

The last one of the Kreb Friday Night Race Series. What a great gift of Poseidon for this final race, even the weather looked a bit scary, the big storm just hold off until all was over and every one got home -- how nice. Dry roads and perfect temperature and a great A race. Moving average 40km/h at 18 laps or 50km. Nothing wild going on today, nice and steady, just little attempts to get a break, but did not happened, group did not let any one go.

Early Birds - good sized group and great ride North again

Sunday, return to the Birds. Usual Morning thingy and ride to Manorville. A good group gathered and went for the North Route again -- as Dune Rd seamed to be closed due to flooding caused by this Hurricane Bill reach outs just passed by... also Py blames Bill for this sticky hot weather.

About Bill...

However, North is fine and has it's dedicated fun sections... But it all started out with and flat about a mile out of the parking lot o-) Nice moving and good run over "The Tanks"...

and further out East and Deli stop in Cutchogue to refill the tanks :-)

Great fast return as well. Only one disturbance at some local event going on blocking off a crossing, group got a bit separated...

Stats: 38.2km/h average start to Cutchogue, 36.3 km/h for the return. 55mi group, 80mi total for Py.

RP2IPBP - a hot one

Back again to the RP2IBP original route, no Tacks any longer, a very quite morning out there, a good ride with a team of four riders. Nothing special today.

* * *

Py's next Cycling Adventure coming up soon:




http://www.highlandercycletour.com/highlander.htm

Looking just right:

Friday Night Racing Series again - 5 lap TT

One more attempt to get race participation credits... still unsure -- however, fun, short, hot, very humid evening workout. Ended up at with 3rd in the B'ees' with 21'56".

The GPS Log is here.

PS: Thanks to John and the race dog for taking some photos :-)

D2R2 2009 - Report

This Saturday, August 15, 2009, the 5th Annual Deerfield Dirt-Road Randonnee (D2R2) started at 6 AM just little South of (Historic Old) Deerfield, Massachusetts. The ride will benefit the Franklin Land Trust. This RUSA populaire is breathtaking in both senses of the word: 182 km (113 mi), 70% on dirt roads, with 3'917 m (12,851 ft) of climbing (according to Py's most recent GPS log of th2 D2R2 2009).



Want to read more about this Epic Ride? Click here.

Again, this ride turned out to be extraordinary in all aspects -- read also here for previous D2R2 reports by Py.

D2R2 Ride Report

Py left from the NC-AFM/Yale, arriving Friday afternoon in Deerfield, a pretty nice but hot day. As he missed riding all week being at this great Conference, and missed to find time to test ride his special Stonebite Cobalt Cross/MTB bike, he went for an hour riding, starting at the RR-Inn, where already other riders were showing up as well. On his way towards the D2R2 start location, he hooked up with a few others having similar minds. At the registration tent he was positive surprised to find out that he already could sign in and got his "D2R2" package :-)

A little further cruising North along the Greenfield River to Historic Old Deerfield and back. So far so good -- ready to go. Back at the car he meet two more cyclists... after chatting a bit and being hungry by the time, looking for some good place to eat not too far, he got recommended a place in Greenfield called "Hope&Olive".

Not much further thinking, he went there and joined the others for dinner. Good and nice place, good food. Bedtime early, getting up early around 4am on Saturday.

A foggy slightly cool but far from beeing any chilly morning. The view of the D2R2 tent... condensing moisture, wet ground and grass:

The ride included a decent breakfast with all kind of fresh pastries, a good selection of bagels, cream cheese, PB&J, Orange juice, coffee and cooked eggs! Py loved that convenience at the start, no need to stop by else where early in the morning -- just get there in time and enjoy while preparing for the ride. As the time approaches 6am, the sun just is getting ready to rise.

This year no sign/time cards were distributed, but a number on a wristband for bike and rider. (In case bike and rider get separated o-) Py got #255 (=0xFF) -- quite funny. This year at 6am there was already good natural light, as the ride was a bit earlier in the season.

A good sized field of riders rolled off at 6am, Py comfortably sitting in the very front group. They were moving pretty good, but nothing excessive crazy -- all aware of the long ride -- very nice and a good team feeling came along... 1st rider down at mile 11 -- Cue Sheet says "Pavement: CAUTION, extremely steep, tight curves ahead", well, Py saw him to his left, drifting off the edge of the road left in a right turn with in a field of riders... he seamed OK but left behind.

Water station "Steady Lane" (mile 20) at 7:39

Signing in at Water/Snack Station "Steady Lane" at 7:39, filling up water, grabbing a banana and some fig bars. A little jam at the sign in board, as there were only two pens and pretty soon a good crowd of riders... A few were pretty impatient and just signed and took off real quick. Well, not all, not sure how many were taking off early, Py did not spend too much time either and proceeded, it seamed the field reassembly mostly and a good group formed and caught up more or less?!?!

At least Py was about around the same riders in front as before shortly, just got used to a few "jerseys". Moving really nice, the dirt roads were well packed and in good slight moist conditions -- but the matter of fact of fresh grooming not so far ago also had it's downsides and quit some stretches with loose gravel were pacing the field for safety's sake on the down hills... Some roads become really "gnarly" as promoted on the Cue -- however, all the long down hill runs were absolutely awesome and rewarding for the work up hill -- flying on dirt at up to 45mph... a bit scary in a bigger field so -- and being aware of the fact that roads were not closed to cars. But little to no traffic.

Checkpoint "Heath" (mile 36) at 8:50

Signing in at Check Point "Heath" at 8:50, filling up water, grabbing a banana and some fig bars again. More fun awaiting, the climbs are just about to start... taking and mastering the 27% dirt climb at Archambo Rd, proceeding with the field front group as far as Py can tell, the climb still proceeds, but less steep on very loose and coarse gravel. Some thing seamed not right with his rear end feeling soft... Argrr, flat rear tire. Well, almost up, he pushed the bike up the last meters out of the forest to get a bit more light and fixed the trouble.

That's it about staying with the group in front... Took a few minutes to get that properly fixed and cleaned up with all that sand -- nothing obvious, must have been a pinch flat -- the medium pressure of about 4 bars in the 700x30C Cross Mud Pro was working fine, comfortably and with good grip -- but it has it's down sides :-( Pumping up a bit more, max 5 bars, put in 4.7 bars.

No riders in sight, the first field and group just passed by a minute ago... a bit huddling up, trying to catch up to some one. Not the field, but one other riders came in sight -- tightening some bolts of his seat. He hooked up with him and occasionally a few others later. Entering Vermont at some point of the route towards the nice

Checkpoint "Green River Covered Bridge" (mile 64) at 11:50

Signing in at Check Point "Green River Covered Bridge" at 8:50. One of the riders he remembered of the leading group must have had a fall... looked a bit dirty and banged up, but seamed fine and kept going -- Py wishes him all the best and quick recovery. Filling up water, grabbing a banana.... and proceeded with the same rider on a nice Fisher Hardtail pretty soon. A long section to the last Checkpoint Patten is to be mastered, but two options for water are in between. Starting out the long moderate climb up hill strait out of the nice covered bridge. Not much happening, the fixed tire holds OK, just keeping moving and coming back to Mass.

Optional Check/Waterstop (mile 80) at 12:40

Sign In and water refills... proceeding along the nice scenic river side on South Green River Rd for a while. Just passing by the (optional) Colrain Super Gas store... and making the way over one more Covered bridge (this time the correct route) towards the most demanding climb of the ride up to Patten Hill.

Checkpoint "Patten Hill / Little Big House Gallery" (mile 97) at 14:30

Getting last refreshments and water, a few more riders showing up. Ready to finish up -- just 15 miles to go.

Finish in Deerfield mile 112 at 15:20

... showers, a great D2R2 dinner in Historic Old Deerfield with huge delicious Burritors, Salad and Beer -- very nice :-)

And the Green River just accross the parking -- very good for one more cool down later :-)

Click for Py's Ride Stats by GPS

Preliminary Results -- Py's id is #255

The D2R2 2009 shirt drawing...

PS: This year's 2009 D2R2 was the best ever so far -- all in all perfect, from pre-registering, start, ride to finish and dinner. Py's big big compliment and Thank You to all the D2R2 volunteers and organizers!!!