We had 12 riders show up for the inaugural SMR C Ride of the 2021 season, including new members Paula and Julius. Saturday’s route was a variation on a Tuesday nite classic that involves heading up to Deerfield via Whately and Haydenville, and then returning through South Deerfield on Hillside and back to Northampton via at least two River Roads.
For yesterday’s ride we through in an early meander out Westhampton Rd and then cruised down Reservoir Road, where we did spot some some early beachgoers at Musante Beach. Around this point we separated into a lead group of 9 and a trail group of 3.
For the first 90 minutes or so conditions were ideal. The temperature was warm but pleasant, the wind was cooling and mainly at our back, and there was considerable roadside shade. By the time we reached Lee Rd in Deerfield none of those were the case, but we kept the pace up and mainly stayed together for the second half. Our paceline was joined by a rider on a single-speed steel bike with flat pedals, who even took a lengthy pull at the front and maintained 18mph while doing so!
I recorded about 41 and a half miles, with an average speed of just over 16 miles per hour. Not bad for our first time back! Lead group cracked a little bit from the heat and the effort around Hatfield Center, but everyone in it made it back to Northampton around noon. A good effort and probably a wise decision not to stop anywhere for socializing – however that should be the exception rather than the rule for this ride.
