Emily & the Man Fleche 2008
Jake Kassen
of the recent New England Fleche:
http://www.jkassen.org/loadpage2.php?pageid=73
I've even got photos and cue sheets. My amazing team was Glen Reed,
Emily O'Brien, David Wilcox, Elton Pope-Lance, and myself. Long story
short, it was a very fun, very wet ride. Much like PBP except more fun
and cheaper.
If you hate the world wide web (and who doesn't), I've copied the text
below.
Jake
--------------
Fleche Ride Report – 2008
Planning the Fleche:
For my Fleche this year I wanted to see how far away geographically we
could start and still finish within 24 hours. This is not as easy as it
sounds as we need to find a location that would be easily accessible,
ridable, and enjoyable. North, too cold. West, too boring. NYC? Too much
traffic. But New Jersey would be ideal. I’ve always wanted to ride from
home so I looked for a good start near my parents house in central New
Jersey. I finally picked the Delaware Water Gap as it’s scenic and would
let us add a mile of PA to our journey. Plus, how many New England rides
go through the Keystone State?
Now all I needed was a team. I was able to pry Emily away from Pamela’s
all female fixed fleche team, the Fixie Chicks. (sorry Pamela). Elton
Pope-Lance of Harris Cyclery was the first person I asked that wasn’t
already on another team and was up for a long ride. This would end up
being Elton’s first ride over 200k and the first time he rode overnight.
Next came David Wilcox (of Broadway Bike) who heard about our fleche
from Chip Coldwell. Glen Reed, a veteran Randonneur whom we had ridden
with on numerous Brevets and PBP rounded out the team. On our pre-ride
dinner we settled on the absurd name “Emily & the Man Fleche”. (“Emily
and the Babyeaters” was already taken.)
I’d like to take credit for the route but I mostly just adapted the
Adventure Cycling Atlantic Coast route. I did modify the route a fair
amount by the end to order to make sure we would meet the “most direct
path between controls” requirement of a Fleche and to added enough miles
to get us past the 360km minimum. While Pamela designed a wonderful
route for our Fleche last year, I wanted to reduce the number of
controls so we wouldn’t be tempted waste time after getting our cards
signed. Plus, not drinking coffee, see no reason to specifically stop in
towns with good java. (Take that caffeine addicts!)
Getting to the start: (250 Miles)
The reason why most Fleche teams start from home is that it solves the
problem of how to get everyone and their bike to the start. We solved
the problem by me taking a bus home to NJ, barrowing my folk’s car, and
driving back to Boston. We then all met up at Harris and Elton loaned us
two more bike gutters. With David’s bike on the trunk and four bikes on
the roof we were all set. With the bikes and the rain it took more then
5 hours to make it to NJ. In total I think we spent about $90 on gas
getting to and from NJ.
On Friday we loafed around and got the bikes ready. I got some extra
batteries and Emily got her pickles. Elton continued to be worried about
the ride and David and Glen probably wondered why I was still doing
fairly major prep work to my bike.
Finally we loaded the bike and drove another hour and a half to “Dough
Boys of the Poconos”, a small pizza shop in the small town of Delaware
Water Gap, PA.
(The Delaware Water Gap is a long Nation Park the boarders on the NJ/PA
border in Northern NJ. The gap itself is where the river cuts though
several mountains.) The owner of Dough Boys was insistent that Emily
tell her friends about the restaurant. I wonder if he delivers to
Medford. We had an hour to kill before our 6pm start so we got a pizza
and finished prepping the bikes. Here’s what we rode:
Emily – She road her freshly repainted Raleigh Professional (by none
other then Mr. Weigle himself) which was sporting a very cleaver
handlebar bag mount which manages to hold the bag and her lights without
needing to be bolted directly to the bike anywhere. We both used the
Princeton LED light we used on PBP, and she supplemented it with a large
cateye. As always, she was in a 42x16 fixed gear.
Elton – Elton was riding his beautiful J.P. Weigle bike. This was by far
the classiest bike of our team. Although he worried about bringing too
much stuff he had only a small handlebar bag. His lighting system was
the new E3 LED system. He also had the new E3 3-LED taillight that is
bright enough to burn a hole through thin steel.
Myself – I was riding Molly Stark, my newly built and equipped bike.
Like all my bikes it’s always a work in progress. I used a second stem
mounted on the front of the first one to hold my handlebar bag. I had
built my rear wheel the previous week so I was taking a chance it would
hold up. (I had to cut down the axle and put on the cassette minutes
before meeting up with the rest of team on Thursday so this was a do or
die wheel.) I used the Princeton LED light plus my own homemade LED
light that I took on PBP. This is a frankenlight and while it looks like
a 3rd grade science project it still seems to work. On its brightest
power setting it is even brighter then the E3. I should add that this is
only my second ride longer then 200k with gears.
David – David rode his ANT touring bike, which, like all ANTs, is built
like a tank. Still, it’s a great looking bike with custom front and rear
racks. Among David’s equipment was a book on the New Jersey pine barons
which be brought to read while waiting for us at the top of hills.
Glen – Gled was the only one among us to have STIs and has the same E3
light as Elton. Glen has done many long rides and it shows. Those who
get too caught up in Bicycle Quarterly should look at Glen’s bike. He
uses modified plastic fenders, racks, and STIs on a “go-fast” Lemond
Zurich yet it doesn’t slow him down.
Leg 1: DWG, PA to Middletown, NY (55 miles)
Emily got our cards signed and we were off. (The owner of the pizza
place was adiment that we tell our friends were we started. I don’t
think he realized our friends are nearly 300 miles away.) The weather
was overcast and it was getting darker – we’d be in for rain this
evening. The first 35 miles goes though the back roads of the national
park and was perhaps the most scenic part of the fleche. We would pass
lush green meadows, thick forests, farms, and swamps. For a while we
rode along a brook that Elton remembered fly-fishing many years ago.
I love biking in these parts and didn’t even notice the fairly steep
climbs that mark this area. The road conditions were not great but
seemed better on the bike then they did when I drove most of the route a
month prior.
Highlights from this section were seeing a medium sized black bear run
across the road, lots of deer, Turkey Vultures, a trailer park, and
other wildlife. When it was nearly dark we came upon a house covered
with colored lights and the word “ART” spelled out across the roof in
bright blue bulbs. I love rural New Jersey.
After a while it became misty with occasional light rain. The road was
wet so I think we kept missing a bulk of the rain. Some of the climbs
were steep but short and always with a very fast fun decent on the flip
side. I’m really enjoying this whole coasting thing and I think I’m
starting to get better at shifting. If the New Jersey Brevet series goes
through these parts then I really need to make it down for some of their
rides.
We got into Middletown, NY around 11:30pm which isn’t bad considering
that we stopped several times to make quick bike adjustments.
Middletown, NY is a bar town and folks were out but it wasn’t too bad. I
considered stopping at “Middletown Liquors and Kennedy Fried Chicken”
(something for everyone…) but decided to go the extra mile to a 7-11.
Like most places we stop, people become friendly when we tell them where
we are coming from and where we’re going. Only on long rides will I even
consider eating a 7-11 hot dog but I’ve got to say it and a RedBull made
for a tasty dinner. The friendly clerk gave those who wanted it free
coffee and we left about 40 minutes after we arrived.
Leg 2: Middletown, NY to Poughkeepsie, NY (45 miles)
I enjoyed this leg. We were on small back roads late at night so the
traffic was thin. It felt like for every mile of climbing we had three
of descending and we moved at a fairly fast pace. It was too dark to see
the rock faces off in the northwest or the river to our right but the
collective headlights lit up the road fine.
When we got to New Paltz we found a few hundred college students
awaiting our arrival. New Paltz is a college town and with the end of
the semester it seemed nearly every student was in front of a bar at
2:30am on Saturday morning. Each bar had dozens of drunken kids waiting
to get in and we got a roaring cheer from seemingly each one. For all
the talk of the crowds on PBP, the French got nothing on drunk SUNY
kids. As we were leaving town one guy screamed to his friend, “Their on
Fucking Bikes, with Fucking Lights, and it’s 2:30 in the Fucking
Morning!” Thanks, drunk college dude.
Shortly after New Paltz we came to the toll bridge that crosses the
Hudson into Poughkeepsie. We rode on the sidewalk right around the toll
booth (the attendant never looked up) and intended to ride on the
sidewalk only to find it close so we rode on the road. The made it over
the first expansion gap and told myself to stop for the second one. The
second gap was much larger – it had 2” gaps that were at least 6” long
and staggered. I don’t know why I didn’t. I ignored my better judgment
and just rode over it and amazingly I made it without getting a wheel
caught. The rest of the team had the foresight to stop. Looking back I
don’t know why I was so ride over it and how I was so lucky to not have
gotten caught.
Once over the bridge we rode to the Amtrak train station were we found
an MTA cop to sign our cards. He was pretty dismissive of our route and
warned us that bikes were not allowed on Rt. 9, or at least it would be
a very bad place to ride. He also warned us that the bars was just
getting out and there would be a lot of drunks on the road. He was wrong
about the road (it even had bike “Bike Route” signs) but wasn’t kidding
about the drunks.
After leaving the train station we were on a side street headed toward
the highway when a fat drunk hothead walked out into the road and
demanded to know where we were going. We rode around him but Emily had
to duck to avoid the arm he was flailing out in front of her. I was a
bit worried he was about to get in a car and follow us but thankfully
that was the last we saw of him. Once on Rt. 9 we hardly saw any cars.
Leg 3: To Rhinebeck, NY (16 Miles)
This leg was all of 16 miles. I had thought it would be nice to ride
along the Hudson but it was never in sight, blocked by mansions and
trees. But this leg was not without merit. At nearly 3:30 in the morning
we were tired and hungry and needed a rest. Then, like a mirage, we came
across the bright neon lights of a 24 hour diner.
This diner was one of those retro places complete with an energetic
waiter. I was so tired I just ordered a burger as I knew I’d be able to
keep it down and I wouldn’t have to spend any additional energy reading
the menu. To my surprise the food was pretty good and really hit the spot.
By the time we got to Rhinebeck, NY (a fairly upscale little town) we
were still ahead of schedule. One thing I didn’t like about last year’s
Fleche was how little distance we covered overnight. (Mostly because we
had a number of controls that we hung around for longer then we
should’ve.) This year we did much better and by the time 6am rolled
around we were more then half way through the ride.
In Rhinebeck, Emily used an ATM as a control. Everyone but Elton took
and hour to nap on the sidewalk and benches. Elton claimed he was tired
but couldn’t sleep on wet pavement. As I’m sure he will learn, on a
Brevet you’ll learn to sleep on any surface when you have the chance and
are really tired.
Leg 4: Rhinebeck, NY to Windsor Locks, CT. (80 Miles)
I knew this leg was going to be long (80 miles) and hilly but I still
underestimated how taxing it would be. The first 25 miles went slow and
took us nearly 2 hours. It was basically all medium grade climbing as we
made our way easy toward Connecticut. This area is known for hills and
it delivers. I had posted detailed course profiles of this leg on the
webpage but everyone still wanted to know what counted as a big hill
according to the cue sheet. Truth be told, I was not expecting climbs as
long or as steep as what we found.
On of the highlights came early on when we were climbing a large hill in
far east NY. We took a short break and watched as further up on the hill
a fox had run out into the road to take a look at the strange people
coming his way. The mist and fog was thick and there was a very fantasy
like feel to place. The top of the hill was cold and wet with a strong
westward wind but after the long climb it didn’t feel too bad. We had a
long fast decent on the other side and it took us to the small town of
Millerton, NY. Millerton has two cafés to choose from to the delight of
Emily. We spent some time snacking, using the bathroom, and filling out
bottles. The rain was not yet hard but we were still pretty wet from the
heavy mist.
After Millerton we entered Connecticut and just kept climbing and
descending for the next few hours. This stretch is similar to the Boston
300k with perhaps a few more hills. (Is there any flat sections of CT?)
Our pace on this leg was around 12mph, down from nearly 15 on the
previous stretches. The worst part of the ride was when the rain picked
up and when we were climbing one of the steeper grades. David, Emily,
and me met at the bottom of the long decent after the climb and looked
for shelter under a gas station. The owner of the station wasn’t too
pleased to have our bikes taking up space but warmed up to us when we
told her where we had come from and were going. (BTW, Sugar wafers make
great cycling snacks during this stop.) Elton and Glen stopped at the
top of the hill to fix the only flat of the ride. (It was in Elton’s
Grand Bois tires. Surprise, Surprise.)
The last 20 miles of this leg were marked by a steep, long climb. We
past an interesting Dam built in 1941. There was fairly heavy traffic
around Windsor Locks -- not surprising at 2pm on Saturday. I drove the
route in late March the traffic was thin but this was because it was
nearly midnight on Sunday. I should have known the traffic was not going
to be as thin on Saturday afternoon.
Anyone attempting to do this route in the future might want to start in
the early morning. You’d be able to see the Water Gap in the morning,
pass through scenic NY in the afternoon, cut through the cities before
the bars close, and climb the hills of CT when they are traffic is
light. If you aren’t looking to make 225 miles then you can leave Rt. 44
much sooner and head north on Rt. 202 which goes to Westfield. This cuts
out ~20 miles and makes for a more scenic ride.
The last few miles into Windsor Locks where on a highway surrounded by
the airport and strip malls. Nothing too scenic but rideble. We stopped
along the Connecticut River at a Subway/Doughnut shop. Windsor locks was
our 2 hour control so we needed to get there between 2-4pm. 3pm was
perfect timing. We spent an hour snacking and relaxing and then rode off
for the easy 20 mile final leg.
Leg 5: Windsor Locks, CT to Westfield, MA (20 miles)
When planning the route I was excited to find a canal toe path that
follows the river north for five miles from Windsor Locks. I thought
this would be a great, relaxing way to end the ride. Well, turns out
that toe path is paved with lousy chip seal and the scenery is nothing
special. I felt pretty bad for taking my team on this crappy path after
200 miles of hard riding but they didn’t hold it against me. (Thanks,
guys!)
The last 15 miles were back in MA complete with poorly maintained roads
and suburban houses. I thought we might not make our 6pm finish after
all so I tried pushing everyone as hard as I could. Elton shot right up
and kept going strong. David was not as lucky and his knee started to
really hurt him for the first time in the ride and at one point he rode
with just one leg. Thankfully his pain waited until the end rather then
the start of the ride.
We pulled into New Horizons sports at 5:51pm, having completed 226 miles
9 minutes early. It was a very fun Fleche and I would go as far to say
that this is most fun I’ve had on a ride since I started riding the
Brevets. My team was excellent. Everyone was fun to ride with. The route
was scenic and not too challenging or too flat. I never was never too
tired, too hungry, too cold, or too warm. I would be happy to ride this
route again, though I’d like to try it in the Sun.
Cary Way
Some of my best memories have happened on my bike-
Cary Way
Murfreesboro, TN
> Date: Fri, 9 May 2008 18:58:15 -0400
> From: li...@jkassen.org
> To: ran...@googlegroups.com; ne-rand...@googlegroups.com
> Subject: [Randon] Emily & the Man Fleche 2008
Charles Coldwell
On May 9, 2008, at 6:58 PM, Jake Kassen wrote:
>
> Hey Everyone. Here is a link to my [long winded and boring] ride
> report
> of the recent New England Fleche:
>
> http://www.jkassen.org/loadpage2.php?pageid=73
Wonderful report, Jake. Quoting:
"Highlights from this section were seeing a medium sized black bear
run across the road, lots of deer, Turkey Vultures, a trailer park,
and other wildlife."
I wonder if the residents of the trailer park appreciate being lumped
in with "other wildlife" ;-)
Chip
--
Charles M. Coldwell, W1CMC
"Turn on, log in, tune out"
Somerville, Massachusetts, New England (FN42kj)
GPG ID: 852E052F
GPG FPR: 77E5 2B51 4907 F08A 7E92 DE80 AFA9 9A8F 852E 052F
Lynne Fitz
>
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