It feels different this year. I'm better trained, more skilled, in better shape, and have a better bike. The weather is also perfect, and I actually know what to expect this year. That's probably why I have doubts, where last year I had naive confidence. I'm also worried about LoriJoy and David, our new riders. One of my college buddies met me the night before in the lobby of the hotel in Pittsfield and we got to chat.
Day 1 begins with opening ceremonies. Mistress Moon is there to see us off: Shawn, George, David and myself. I start off in the 15+ mph group, figuring I can fall back as need be. But the pace feels right, though I know there is a HUGE 1300 ft ascent over 3 miles up ahead. I find a rider, Ed, who I chat with while we're on the scenic bike trail, which is beautiful and nearly flat. We're about the same age and have similar geeky interests. Then came the hill -- yowza! I rested a bunch of times, and walked for a bit of it, and the oil/gravel surface for part of it was interesting (120 psi tire, 220 pound rider, loose pebbles shooting out at random angles), but I made it over the top under my own power.
Then came the downhills -- screaming down the mountain at up to 42 mph. Fun? Yes, but I'm absolutely focused on the road. If I hit a pothole or a rock, I'm street pizza at this speed. For those who have never done this, it takes equal parts concentration, practice, skill, not panicking, and concentration. Taking your eyes off the road for a second can be really bad. Did I mention concentration?
As I come up to Plainfield, I remember the SEF Welcome the riders got last year. This year, there were two people who cheered us on, including Santha, and I was grateful to a familiar face. I'm starting to understand why the greeters are so important. After lunch I hook up with a young rider named Joe. He's 21 and looks like he's in amazing shape. We get this playful banter thing going, because he's surprised that I'm keeping up with him. What I don't tell him is that the reason I keep passing him on the downhills is that my weight makes me faster, and my experience makes me more confident to let go of the brakes and let the incline work for me. He's young, he'll figure it out eventually. Another rider named Colleen bikes with us for much of the way.
The welcome into Northampton was great. My mom drove all the way from Rochester, NY to meet me, and thanks to cell phones she knew about when I'd be there. All in all I feel good, and it was great to hang out with my new friends, and with the WoF-ers as we waited to the others. My lower back and shoulders ache but I'm doing okay. I'm worried about David, who's swept in with mild dehydration. Kim and I talk to him about it on the way to the hotel.
Day 2 begins much the same way. The Lady Moon is there to see us off: Shawn, Kim, David, and myself. LoriJoy will be starting off somewhere up the road. I know what to expect, because this is familiar from last year. I remember spending 30 miles in a SAG van, and I don't want to do that again. The first 13 miles go well. I find a group of riders who are going at a good pace, but something isn't right. My energy is off, so I'm trying to slow my pace to less than 15 mph. I'm starting to feel pain in the back of the knee, a new and different pain, and slow down to about 12-13 mph. Only when I reach the second rest stop, when I know there are two tough hills ahead, do I realize that I've been doing a slow ascent for about 5 miles. I get checked out by an EMT, and I have tendonitis of the hamstring tendon -- yeesh. I get my knee wrapped and dose with ibuprofen and caffeine and make the decision not to do the next two ascents, and catch a ride at the SAG van, leaving Kim and Shawn at the rest stop. We double back to check on the last few riders, including David, who's walking up the hill. The driver tells me that David's been walking the some of the hills, but when on level ground he moves fast. I'm less worried. After we turn around, we pass Kim, who is climbing well (Man, she's strong!), and then Shawn, who looks like a pro. The SAG van drops me off at in Petersham and I take off after a quick break, just in time to see Shawn come in.
I'm taking it easy on the climbs, I get off probably 3 or 4 times to walk the very steepest hills to keep from aggravating the tendonitis. No sense in laying myself out for months. I flag down support vehicles frequently, and they all know by this time that I'm injured. What a great team. They are relieved that I'm only filling up on water. I have decided that the only correct answer to the question "How many times did you fill your water bottle today?" is "I lost count". I pass the 50 start and the riders have already started. I think, "only 50 more miles? I can do this!" I get to the Princeton lunch break and meet up with LoriJoy and David (who wisely caught a ride to the stop) and I hang out with them for a while, and cheer Shawn in as he comes in.
Going out of Princeton there are some amazing downhills, On the second one, I get passed by a couple of cars who do not give me a wide berth. It's a narrow curvy road and I glance at my ride computer, 35 mph in a 35 mph zone. I wonder what the hell their hurry is, that they have to pass a cyclist doing the speed limit. I start passing 50-mile riders, and a couple of century riders; then again, I had skipped the worst of the hills this morning. I know the Bolton stop is next and I feel energized. As I approach I hear the cheers as I see pirates in the distance, I look down and I'm doing 24 mph. When the SEF pirates see it's me, the cheers get louder. It is by far the best welcome I've had so far, and I am gratified. I get many hugs, and say those fateful words "Is anyone doing Reiki?" Thanks Lyn, it helped a lot. Shawn and Kim roll in as I'm taking off.
The last 25 miles are fairly uneventful. None of the hills were steep enough to walk, except maybe those annoying little hills near the end. I probably should have walked a couple of them but I just bulled through them because they were short, to get it over with. I probably only averaged 12 mph over the last 5 miles, but when I made that last turn and could see the arch of balloons, it was impossible not to hit 22 by the time I was through the arch.
At the end there were many friends. My mom and my god-sister Wendy; Jerry and Kristy, Hermes and Ursus, all four still in pirate garb (BTW, Hermes and Ursus - Mom thinks you two are the cutest couple), I met Ed's partner, Joe's mom, Kim daughter. I thought I heard David's partner, Christian, making noises about joining WoF. All in all it was a great time. LoriJoy, that you made it up that first hill from your start is amazing on your first time out, especially since you were sick. I am so proud of all the WoFers. Over all I think the theme of my experience this year is friendship
Next year's goal? $3000 in fundraising and no SAG Van rides. I SAGged for 30 of 102 miles last year, 19 of 183 miles this year. I think it's doable.
D. Cameron Calkins
Click here for photos of the 2006 Pirates of New England pit stop
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I was more than motivated to ride in this year's event for a number of reasons...one most important reason was that I would have the privilege of riding behind Shawn . . . all -- day -- long! Trying desperately to catch up with him . . . Aye, maties.. he's a hard ship to folla!