by Joseph Lellman » Sat Aug 17, 2013 4:20 pm
It was a gorgeous day for the SRM, cool to start, but warming up into a beautiful summer day. The C riders outnumbered the B group ( which is awesome), and we rolled out together, following the usual Thursday route into Leeds. We took the smooth, shady River Road to Haydenville, where someone in the back of the group had a mechanical. At this point a seven man B group motored up Haydenville Rd, with the permission of the C riders. Kevin S started things off with a spirited pull to get the party started, and a nice crisp Paceline was born. Everyone took the climb up Webber Rd at their own limit, and Mighty Ron Bush edged out Doug A and me to the top. At the re- group in Conway, Route 116, Senna, a new rider with NCC, split off to head back to Amherst. The remaining six worked well together, but split up on the wicked climb past Mr Cosby’s country cottage. We waited in front of the big brick house on the top of the hill, and had a very cordial chat with the owner, who invited us to get water at the side of his house anytime. Keep this in mind if you’re out that way and low on liquid.
We then took South Shelburne Rd, and made a quick stop at a gas station in Greenfield to refuel before doubling back a bit to take mother scenic rollers past Clark’s orchard on Munson Rd. we crossed the Stillwater Bridge and kept a nice, steady rotating Paceline down River Road and home. I suggested we take a run up Mount Sugarloaf, but no one was in the mood.
I had 53.2 miles, 2:53:11, and 2806 feet of climbing. It was awesome… Just what the doctor ordered, so to speak.
