D2R2 2014 - The 10th anniversity of the Deerfield Dirt Road Randonnee

It is time again for a little road trip up to Deerfield, MA. The 10th overall and the 8th in a row D2R2 for Py this year.
Boarding the ferry Friday around 11am with Johney.



Light rain on Friday afternoon -- perfect! Little ride with John to sign in and check on the dirt in a little loop back to the Red Roof.
 


Again great dinner in Shellbourne Falls at "Blue Rock" -- now our favorite for a few times in a row.




Rising early Saturday morning and getting ready. It's seemingly getting easier :) About 6:05 rolling out.





7:42 at the 1st water station for a quick top off and grab a snack at

Water station "Steady Lane" (mile 20) at 7:42  [*7:39]

 

8:33am wait up after fast fun decent for little group -- virtually no tracks in front of of, may be a 2 or 3 riders ahead??

 Checkpoint "Heath" (mile 36) at 9:00 [*8:50]

9:00am -- one more food/water station. Heading on, some what slowly loosing the group even easing up a notch. So what, only one rider -- Paula was joining me. So now just left ahead in nearly no mans land, but beautiful and quite riding. Still partially overcast, slight moist roads, comfortable almost "cool", in particular for the season. Only two other rider in some back/white Rapha kit were dangling around up front for a while, eventually we lost sigh of them, not sure. No seen again later.

 

9:34am -- wait up for her at a beautiful old stone bridge after one more fast fun decent.
 

Then making the way to the lunch stop at Green River Covered Bridge -- well, a little past as the bridge was under construction. Just a grassy field, no as scenic but good for a quick lunch before heading on.

 Checkpoint "Green River Covered Bridge" (mile 64) at 11:17 [*11:50]

12:28am -- Nice view, quick photo stop and banana snack.


moving on, no photo at the optional water station "around the corner off route" before cruising along the a nice river -- 12:47 a few shots while riding along the nice river...

 

On top of Patten Hill taking a few snap shots at 14:10 and at.

 Checkpoint "Patten Hill / Little Big House Gallery" (mile 97) at 14:14

 

Finish in Deerfield mile 112 at 15:08

 

Enjoying the fresh cold pint, getting some dinner :) Then a nice refreshing and comfortable and dirt cleanup bath in the river across the road.

 

Next morning, breakfast before heading back home.

 
And finally:

BIG THANK YOU TO THE D2R2 TEAM

of the Franklin Land Trust and all the volunteers.

And

most important thx to

all the great cyclists,

making this event and day so great and enjoyable once again!

Almost sure again, see you all for the D2R2 2015 for 10+1 years?

Low Flying Early Birds -- South

Just a Sunday morning, slightly overcast, a little moist early morning »chill« in the air and still low sitting sun while riding out South-East to the Birds start.

A long not seen great big group gathered, let's let the fun begin! Py did not got a head count but at least 15..20 in the A group. Ryan putting in a monster startup pull with his aero helmet... So far just enjoying a fun ride and chattn a little watching things from behind with the Rapha rider. At Dune road a few put the hammer down a bit and the pace heated up to moving at good 50km/h most the time. This soon shattered the group and a few moved up front maintaining it, Py included -- all the way to the bridge. Here at the reassembly.

Then moving on with a few more good moves to the 7-11. And back -- with a little drizzle and moist roads. What a ride -- the South route at just a notch under 40km/h average.

Tokeneke(ke) 2014 Road Race

Last minute decision to head to the Tokeneke road race up in CT on Sunday, not that this would compensate in any means for the missed out ToC, but best Py could do for a race to follow up on some missed fun.

Pre race day ride, it got a notch longer, such a nice day...



Early morning drive around the LI Sound and up and beyond Hardfort, CT to the Barkhamstead Reservoir. Getting ready. What a nice morning! Good Coffee at the parking field :)

 

Staging and easy rolling out heading and staying up front almost sitting on that pace moto... Good to be up front on that initial partially cracked up road and following fast decent to the dam. Together other rider setting a pace for a good time. Rolling up moderately near/at front on the first uphill following the dam crossing section. Then good but comfortable pace slightly climbing and a fast decent again taking up very front to the "finish line" climb hitting it the 1st time out of 2 laps. So far pretty good ride nothing happened really with the main field. However, the approximately. 2km/200m climb stretched out the field quite a bit and Py got a little further back than liked, then chasing back on toward the dam and there up front again with the same other rider who was around while getting back on from behind. This time the following climb got hit a little harder stretching the field out again and this time a max sustained chasing effort was needed to get just back on the field, a few others rider helped but Py did the big part and just enough to get it done. However not really great situation to hit the finish climb from behind with just a good work done. About a mile still to go on the last decent to recover. About with 3km to go a few guys on far right of Py next to the shoulder seamed not watch out and touch wheels and a few went down at good speed. Py barely noticed and surely heard the crunch... Taking a little more room and precautions just in case. No ideal as this got him a little more back, but as of the 1st lap's finding not expecting a top ten finish either way. At the bottom about the increase power to a max effort and starting to pass one by one, even a bigger group make good grounds but no chance to catch up with the already far up and stretched out head group. Maxing out just over the crest with 200m to go at some 187bpm. No one even near Py any more, just a few more up not in reach. Placing 21st out of 50 with a little over a minute behind the winner.


Post race: Saying hi to Jenn in the women's field. Takin a few shots and later at the Reservoir on the drive back home via the ferry. <