Outriders 2007
Saturday was the annual Boston to Provincetown ride. It couldn’t have been a nicer day.
It started cold, so I wore my arm and knee warmers, but the short ride from home to the starting line at the BCA told me I overdressed. So I took the warmers off and packed them away before checking my bag. But that meant that I hadn’t put on any sunscreen on my arms and legs. Ouch.
But what a day! I really needed it. I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to do it, but this may have been my best, or at least most consistent, year ever. I was at 15.88 mph at the lunch stop in Sandwich, at the 62 mile mark (about half way). I was at 15.67 mph at the end. I did feel the hills, though. I need some more practice there. I was pretty consistently 18+ on the flats, though.
The reconstructed Cape Cod Rail Trail is beautiful. They did a spectacular job. Well done.
Ridership was down again. I have several theories, one of which I strongly suspect to be true. There really weren’t very many speeders, and haven’t been for the last couple of years. I think they’re all more tempted to the Harpoon B2B ride, which is the same day. It’s about the same distance, and the route is much tougher.
That said, the first riders finished at 1:40. Assuming a 6:00 start time, that means an average of about 17.5 mph. They were fast, as one of the two first finishers, Lucas Brunelle (yes, that Lucas Brunelle) didn’t start until after I did. So my guess is their average was at least 18. He was neck and neck with some girl from Toronto and they crossed the finish line together. He said he filmed part of the route, so maybe something will show up on his site or YouTube.
I finished at 4:15.
Spent the rest of the weekend doing very little. Ate a couple of good meals, didn’t really go out. Slept well. As usual, the Ptown Film Festival was going on this weekend. I saw John Waters pedaling his bike up and down Commercial Street all weekend. He looks exactly like I though he would, although a bit grayer. I think I saw Kathleen Turner, too. I know she was there, but if it was her, she doesn’t look the same in person.
Took the ferry back on Monday, and now I’m back in the grind. Didn’t take many pictures. Ptown looks the same. 
It was a nice weekend and I needed it. It showed me at least that I am probably in okay shape for the pledge ride, but I do have to work on the hills a bit.
June 19th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
“I saw John Waters pedaling his bike up and down Commercial Street all weekend.”
Awesome.
July 4th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
I heard Kathleen wore the same outfit to every event!