FEBRUARY 2016

After I decided to keep going with the 100 mile rides for as many months as I could, I started planning for February's ride. 

It had been an abnormally warm winter without significant precipitation, a treat for long rides, but after illness for the first weekend in February and record low temperatures for the second, my window was starting to close.

I saw a day in the 50s in the weekend forecast, so I planned around that. After torrential downpours and freezing temperatures earlier in the week, I found that going north got precarious, especially on descents. Evan Huff put together a route for me that went south and west through his old training grounds and on part of the Tokeneke Road Race course. 

The weather was even better than predicted, rising up to the 60s at points (in February!), and the route was terrific. Nice and mostly quiet roads sinewed through woods and rock shedding winter's glaze and spears of ice. It was hard to decide what to photograph; in many cases, the immensity of it all couldn't effectively be captured in pictures, and certainly not in quick cell phone snaps.

I did find it's worth bringing as much food as you'll need on this route, as there aren't many great spots to stop and refill (Evan did warn me about this). I did end up going in to an odd store in Otis that had several chicken shaped signs. A cantankerous man dressed like a miner rang me up for two coconut waters. One of them looked and tasted a bit funny, but in lieu of other options, I drank it and dealt with the ensuing discomfort. 

Another bonus to this route is that miles 73 to 90 are mostly downhill, allowing a break from pedaling with an angry belly.

I'll certainly repeat this route at some point, though as it gets warmer, I'm told there are even better side roads that can be added in. Looking forward to that.  

  

Ride name origin - Evan's Route  
Bike - Pioneer Valley Hilltowns, Michelin Pro 4 Endurance 700x28
Apparel - Craft long-sleeve base layer, Castelli Gabba long sleeve jersey and Fawesome vest. Giordana Laser bibs and leg warmers. Castelli shoe covers.