Ride Report: Mass Bike Pike Tour - Day 3

08 Aug 2009.

This was the day everyone was dreading: the Mountain Stage. A quiet undercurrent of dread had been percolating within the peloton; everyone knew this day was going to test their legs.

I left with the "early" group, a group of 10 or so riders including Steve, Lee, and Howie. We started very easy; everyone trying to save as much of their legs as possible. In short order our group was whittled to 5: Steve, Lee, Howie, Sean (a club-mate of Lee), and myself.

Five miles in, Howie called out a warning - he didn't think we were on the right road (which would explain why, despite our soft pedaling, we hadn't seen any other riders). A consultation with a map, and conversation with a local repair shop confirmed his suspicion. We had added a few more miles to the route, ten to be exact.

In short order, we were back on the route, albeit far behind everyone else. Over the course of our "easy" riding to the base of Mount Wachusett, we reeled in a rider after rider.

And then, before we knew it, we were at the start of the climb and our little group splintered. I "launched" off the front very early. In a nutshell, it wasn't that bad a climb. Each section had a short flat recovery portion, so you could catch your breath between efforts and before I knew it, I was at the rest stop.

At the rest stop, when the group had reassembled, Four of us decided to climb to the summit and finish this mountain off.

Lee climbing Wachusett

Sean summitting

Steve summiting

The reward

After the conquering the mountain, we picked up a few other riders: Sara, David, Tia, and Maria. Together we cruised to the Lunch stop: Calico & Creme in Hubbardston.

A great lunch stop, Calico & Creme is perhaps best known for it's home made Ice Cream and Yogurt (made on the premises) and great lunch fair. Shortly after our arrival, the owner welcomed us, had us sign the guest book, took pictures, and even interviewed a few riders for the local paper.

If you are ever in the area, be it traveling to Quabbin from the East or to Mount Wachusett, this is the place to stop for lunch.

After lunch, our little peloton wasn't a very serious place. We were just cruising, enjoying the scenery - puntuated by the occasional riders sprinting up a hill or racing down descents. In general, we were just touring the Eastern side of Quabbin.

At some point, our collective decided to push home and we organized into a paceline. Not a word was spoken, the group just coalesced into a rotating paceline.

Tia, a very strong rider who obliterated every hill tossed her way, had just finished a long pull on the front. I was sitting second wheel to Howie, who was pacing us down Route 122 on our way to Orange. Out of no where a rider passed us like we were standing still. A rider dressed in work clothes.

Tia wasn't going to let this affront stand and she jumped to catch him, which she did in short order, and on the next hill, passed him. An insult, he was not going to let stand. For the next few hills, they battled, until she sat up, letting him go.

Another great day on the bike.

Distance:  76 miles
Climbing:   5769 ft
Ave Speed: 14.0 mph
Max Speed: 43.3 mph
Time: 5 hours 24 minutes 18 seconds