ABC Ride: Saturday, September 6 at 10:30 a.m. from the Habitat Re-Store in Ashland

[Joel Arbeitman]

Hi everyone.

This Saturday, September 6, at 10:30 a.m. the Ashland Bike Club has scheduled a ride starting at the Habitat Re-Store (310 Pond St) in Ashland.

GPS Address:  310 Pond St (aka Route 126), Ashland, Ma (Habitat Re-Store parking lot). Please park as far away from the stores as possible using only the extreme perimeter of the parking lot!

Route Name:  ABC – Mostly Sherborn II (be sure to get the right version)

Ride Rating:
Distance:   Easy (23.1)
Elevation:  Challenging (58)
Total Gain: 1333 feet
Steepest:    6.2%

The Weather
Saturday’s forecast is calling for a partly cloudy day with temps ranging from 78 to 83, slightly sticky air, and a fairly strong breeze.

Rain or t-storms are expected later in the day but we should be able to stay dry during the ride. Be sure to check your email in the morning in case the forecast changes!

The Ride
Saturday’s ride is called ABC – Mostly Sherborn II. The route will take us past all kinds of conservation areas, horse farms, a few mansions, and the Natick Dam (which will soon be available only in history books).  We’ll also stop at C&L Frosty on the way back for some ice cream.

Make no mistake about it, this ride is moderately short but it’s also very hilly!

Here's a link to a map of Saturday’s route:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37222846.

 

You can print our “official cue sheet” for the ride by clicking the link above, then click “More”, then click “Print Map and Cue PDF”, and finally click “Print Official”.

 

Off the Route
Our “Off the Route” feature includes cycling and non-cycling topics that we think are worth sharing.  Please let us know what you think.

 

Ashland Bike Club Radio
Carl Perkins, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Ringo, Roseanne Cash – Blue Suede Shoes

 

Carl Perkins and Friends – Full Concert

 

Car Back
We have two great sweeps in the Ashland Bike Club. It’s comforting to know that no matter what might go wrong, John Connor and Asa Dye have our backs and are ready and able to handle any problems that might arise during our rides. I can’t imagine doing our club rides without them!

 

Among their many roles, riding at the rear, as sweeps always do, makes them our first line of defense when a car or truck is approaching the club from behind. When they call out “car back!!”, however, their message is not always echoed up the line to the rest of the group the way it should be.

 

The name of the game is “telephone”.  They yell “car back”, then riders ahead of them are supposed to pass it on up the line. Too many riders, though, depend on other riders to pass along the safety message and sometimes it doesn’t come close to reaching the front of the group. For the safety of all riders, this needs to change. When you hear “car back”, please pass it along to those riding ahead of you.

 

And, one more thing …

 

“Car back” also means you need to get into single file as quickly as possible.

 

Massachusetts law allows us to ride side-by-side but it does NOT allow us to obstruct the path of passing cars. When you hear “car back”, work with the rider next to you, whether you’re on the left or the right, to get everyone into single file. In most cases, the rider to the left should pull into line ahead of the rider to their right.

 

“Car back” is a safety signal that means you need to take an action.  Please don’t remain a passive observer when you hear it called.

 

 

Massachusetts Cycling Resources

The Commonwealth currently is ranked #2 in the country for cycling resources according the League of American Bicyclists (LAB).  ABC is a long-time member of LAB.  I didn’t take the time to see who was #1, but #2 is still pretty darned good.  We’re lucky here in good old Massachusetts. 

If you’re looking for bike clubs in the area, cycling retailers, or even a cycling attorney who specializes in bicycle law, the map at the link below provides an excellent database of cycling resources.

 

Check it out:  https://bikeleague.org/map/?community=MA

 

To recap Saturday’s ride, we’ll meet at 310 Pond St (aka Route 126) in Ashland at 10:30 a.m.

As always, check your email after 9:00 a.m. (90 minutes before the meeting time) on ride days to make sure we didn’t postpone the ride due to weather or other factors and … don’t forget those helmets!

See you soon.

Joel