Some Notes on 2013

First ride, Tuesday, January 15. Did a Sholan Loop, about 15 miles (24k). I was on the road bike. Next ride? March 16. On that particular Saturday I started riding the new cyclocross bike, a Specialized Crux Elite, and went about 12 miles (19K). In my ride book I noted that I "loved the comfort of the beefier tires."

I climbed Mount Wachusett for the first time in years on Tuesday, April 30, the 16th ride of the year. Sweet! The entire road up and down was now completely repaved and re-marked, it was beautiful to ride on.

On Saturday, April 27 I did the first giant ride of the season (still riding the Crux). 43 miles (69k). Lemonstar - Shirley - West Groton - Pepperell - Ayer - Devens - back through Shirley - to Lemonstar again.

For ride #28, on June 26, I switched to the road bike. The computer on it was broken. I did the next 16 rides without it. Those 16 rides were important and grew increasingly lengthy time-wise. I rode to the top of Wachusett three times.

August 15, a Thursday, the Virginian came down and we incorporated a Drumlin Ramble with the summit of Wachsett, 42 miles (67k).

August 22, Saturday, the D2R2! The pinnacle of the season and the longest ride, 95 miles (150k). A spectacular day in the hills of southern Vermont and the hill towns of Massachusetts outside Deerfield.

September 7, Saturday, I did my longest solo ride, 71 miles (114k). That included, in the first 14 miles, the top of Wachusett (the 6th ascension to date). This ride also included about 50 miles of completely new roads. Lemonstar - Princeton & Wachusett - Sterling - Boylston - Wachusett Reservoir - Berlin - Bolton -Harvard - Ayer - Shirley - and back. My intention had been to do a century by continuing from Harvard up to Groton and from there on the rail trail all the way to New Hampshire and then back to Lemonstar that way, but I ran out of time; I'd had to stop too many times at various points to consult my map.

November 9, a Saturday, I met the Virginian at Lake Mattawa in Orange and we rode the cyclocross bikes on dirt roads and forest paths all through Wendell, New Salem, Shutesbury, Montague. It was cold, 40 degrees, weak sun, but fantastic. 47 miles (75k).

Wachusett summits? 13, an unprecedented number for me in a single year. Interestingly, they became routine. Whereas in years past, a Sholan Loop (about 15 miles) was the standard ride and a round trip to Wachusett was an ass-kicker (about 28 miles or 45k). This summer, the Wachusett summit (or a ride of equal length) became the standard ride. Instead of coming home thrashed, I came back feeling great.

Mileage Count 2013

Crux - 788 miles (1268k)
Road Bike - 1,212 miles (1,950k) (+ additional 16 rides w/out a computer)
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2,000 miles (3218k)

Fat Measure

Beginning of the year - 170 lbs
End of the Year - 147.2 lbs