Informal Wednesday evening intro/C pace ride

[Chris Stratton]

Several of us were talking after Monday's intro ride about trying to
do something else this week informally. At the moment Wednesday and
Friday look most plausible rain wise.

Without ruling out also doing something on Friday who'd be interested
in riding Wednesday evening or late afternoon?

No drop, 25-30 miles, probably a hair slower than the official C
rides, but really what works for the group that shows up. Those
interested might try a practice paceline on the flatter and more open
stretches, though not at a speed which anyone preferring to ride with
more space would struggle to match.

Ideas:

- Trail to Leeds, Haydenville, gentle climb to the reservoir, back
through Whately and paceline-potential Hatfield 27 / 900
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39908915

- Flatter Hatfield / Hadley river loop 27 miles with a lot of paceline
practice potential https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37094642

- Park in Hadley and go scenically through Amherst and Leverett to the
Bookmill coming back via paceline friendly rt 47 for 34 /1100
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39908834

- Start earlier at 4:30 and ride the traditional Bookmill loop from
Northampton more slowly than traditional 40 / 1100 (or possibly skip
Taylor Hill climb) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36154182

- Or we can always do a scenic Glendale Rd aka Chipmunk loop with more
trail https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39720275 or more roads
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39726088

- Or something else?

I'd probably ride to the Hadley idea from Northampton anyway; for
Northampton starts we can do either Pulaski park or the free trail
parking lot at 344 Damon Road by the river bridge.

Naturally anything this week is weather contingent, but if interested
please let me know which route sounds most appealing, if you could
start earlier than 5:30 on Wednesday or prefer to stick with the
evening, and also if something Thursday or Friday (especially
afternoon) would be interesting...

Chris

(PS since some I've talked to in person weren't connecting that to
name and email, I'm the guy typically in hi-vis yellow with too many
water bottles and too much gear on a gravel bike)

[jek...@yahoo.com]

Hey Chris -- Would love to join if the weather cooperates. I'm available, mid-afternoon through evening, Wednesday (or Friday) of this week.   Definitely would be interested in paceline practice on one of the several shorter rides (25-30) in your selection.

Jeanne

[Ronald Albertson]

It is a good chance of rain on Wed.  I think. 

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Blessings and peace,
Ron Albertson

[William M. Levine]

I can’t this week but would be interested other times. It's a great group. 

(I was going to try tonight’s C ride, but found my rear tire flat as I was about to leave, and I am way too slow changing tubes to make it in time!)

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[Chris Stratton]

Hi Jeanne, would be great to ride with you again!

Sounds like that's a vote for either the Haydenvile-Whately-Hatfield
that has some variety on the front half and a lot group practice
opportunity on the return, or just keeping things simple on the open
roads through the farmlands of Hatfield and Hadley which can be all
about the group skills practice that I need as much as anyone.

Latest forecast makes it look like things might clear up later
Wednesday after a wet morning, so I'm hopeful we'll get something in
then - and maybe yet again on Friday too.

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[j ryan]

Hi Chris & Jeanne .  I could join you any time after 2:30 Wednesday if the weather cooperates.    Jen

[Chris Stratton]

My temptation at this point unless weather predictions change would be
to say let's do Hatfield-116-Hadley at 5:30 in the hope that the
evening time still lets one or two more folks jump in.

But I'm happy to ride from late afternoon if that's more convenient
for either of you, or if it looks like the weather may deteriorate
again.

What's the best parking for those who'll need to drive to the ride -
344 Damon or Sheldon Field that are free? Pulaski? Somewhere else?

[Chris Stratton]

Predictions are midafternoon rain will then clear up, so the ride is on:

Unofficial Intro-pace Group Skills and Paceline Practice Ride 5:30
tonight (Wednesday 6/22)

Classic 25-mile "Around the River" road loop clockwise through the
farm fields of Hatfield and Hadley

344 Damon Rd - the free trail lot at the Northampton end of the CT
river bridge near the rotary / I91 exit

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39919774

Helmet and spare tube required. Blinky light recommended. I'll have
tools but am not sure my pump can reach your pressure. This is not
technically an NCC ride.

Looks like we have three riders right now, more are welcome (we'll
leave as soon as we have everyone expected, so email is appreciated
even if it's last minute)

The route is chosen for simplicity and sight lines so that we can work
on comfort and communication in a tentative paceline, but the pace
will be relaxed enough to still work for anyone who'd like to come
along for the ride but maintain more spacing. We might even get a
slight tailwind northbound then fading out by the time we cross to
Hadley and turn south (at some point in which we'll presumably get
passed by the returning A and B rides) Should the weather start to
look more iffy on the way north we'll probably double back on other
roads within Hatfield rather than crossing to Hadley.

PS - there may well yet be something Thursday and/or afternoon on
Friday too, let me know if interested

[Chris Stratton]

Talked three other NCC newbies (J, J, and C) into having our own
little 25 mile paceline practice through Hatfield and Hadley. Rain had
stopped when we met up, though we started out a little tentative and
unsure to what degree we really wanted to ride in each other's tire
spray and how long a pull should be.

Seven miles up at the bend in Hatfield and just after being passed by
what we think was the AB ride, C's rear wheel suddenly became "bumpy"
and we realized she had a flat. One of the J's donated a suitably
narrow tube and we half-competently managed a replacement, initial
issue being that we didn't have anything plier-like to pull the
responsible wire curlicue out of the tire (definitely adding that to
the toolkit!) but finally poked it out with a sewing needle. Sadly
somewhere in this I may have ham-handedly added some bend to her
derailleur hanger.

The day dried substantially while we were stopped, so having bonded as
a group over the repair challenge we then had a great remainder of the
ride that very much realized our goals. For once free of the infamous
river plain headwind we settled into a pace that varied from 15-17 mph
depending on conditions and started to take much more regularly timed
pulls - in particular, having a smaller group really intent on running
a system made it a lot easier for the rider coming off the front to
make it to the back before a car appeared on the scene. Different
riders felt the effect of the draft to various small degrees, but it
was fun to have a chance to really develop a system to a degree and
over a distance that I hadn't had a chance to before. We pulled in at
the outflow of Lake Warner for a breather coincidentally just as my
phone battery died, and rejected revival with my small powerbank until
I pulled out the big one; it was there that the returning AB ride
passed us.

After the break we resumed our system for the last miles to the trail
bridge, then crossed back to where we'd parked at its west end, and
talked about tentative plans for when we'll do this again - want to
join us?