Quote:
Originally Posted by Rana
Did you prepare for it or was it an accident that you rode that long?!
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Hi Rana,
I physically prepared for it much like you. I've been building stamina up for the last few months, but was not prepared for withering heat and humidity, a flat tire, and a mental challenge of doing something seemingly so physically impossible.
I'm also very proud of this on a personal level, as it tested me like I have not been challenged in a very very very long time.
I've attached my diary of the day below...... (this should be alright to post?)
********** attached ***************
This circuit should be called "Jo's Rail Trail Tour". Three different trails make up roughly fifty percent. It's self designed by ridewithgps.com
It all started by taking a 8:30 MBTA Commuter train to Ayer from Boston's North Station. It arrived in Ayer at 10:30 AM, about an hour behind schedule due to track maintenance. This circuit actually starts on the Nashua River Rail Trail, that extends though Ayer, Groton, Pepperall, Dunstable and into Nashua for 12 miles. You could not wish for such an beautiful ride with very few people and an incredibly smooth asphalt surface. In waning coolness of morning, the first 12 miles breezed by in 45 minutes, with an average of around 15 MPH.
Reaching Nashua, NH, at 11:30, heat and humidity was rapidly escalating. This day was turning into a classic New England swelter with cicada's loudly singing about approaching mid-day heat and humidity. You could just feel it building. Second guesses surfaced as I was starting to wither.
Peddling north on Rt 111 into central Nashua, I had my second flat tire in a week. This time I was prepared, and repaired it in 30 minutes. Not bad when you consider that I'd never done it before, and only watched a random person who stopped to help me last weekend. My sudden boost in confidence was short lived by a difficult time getting though Nashua due to many missed turns and redirections. Also, some snarky driver showed down besides me and told me to get off the road. Like many of us, one develops a thick skin, but it's still a thin veneer and one still does take it very personally.
Once through Nashua, heat and humidity had become overbearing and I seriously considered if I would be able to complete this little jaunt. I stopped at a convenient store and gobbled down a candy bar (Woo Woo - my first in 6 months!) and 30 oz. sports drink, resting for 20 minutes or so. Feeling much better, I decided to press on.
The next 10 miles were absolutely miserable. For those who know this road, it's Daniel Webster Highway (aka Route 3A) that runs through Nashua's commercial strip to enter Massachusetts in Tyngsborough and into Chelmsford. Ten miles of crappy shoulder, speeding cars and heat-crazed grumpy drivers. In hindsight, this was NOT a smart move, but at this point I was committed to this direction. Overall stress of 90+ degree heat, a blazing midday sun and hyper-paranoia of getting hit by a car really took a lot out of me. I arrived in Chelmsford, with my heart hammering, my lungs searching for my breath, and with tears bursting from my eyes.
And this was only halfway home.
I pressed on after resting and pulling myself together, finally reaching my second objective -- Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Still under construction, Phase 1 is complete. Overall, this linear park is a proposed rail trail through the communities of Lowell, Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, Sudbury, and Framingham -- following the 25-mile route of the old New Haven Railroad Framingham & Lowell line.
Phase 1 (6.8 miles in Lowell, Chelmsford, and Westford) is now open. Phase 2 in Westford, Carlisle, Acton, Concord, and Sudbury (13.1 miles) and Phase 3 in Sudbury and Framingham (4.6 miles) are proposed extensions. If this first section is any indication, this will be a huge boon to the townships that it runs through -- it should become an incredible resource! The path is straight and smooth, running though woods and wetlands. I actually had to stop for a turkey hen with her chicks -- cute, but incredible stupid -- no wonder that our early settlers didn't starve. Had Pilgrims been armed with bicycles, they could have had road kill for Thanksgiving.
The trail currently terminates at the town line of Carlisle and Westford. When mapping out this circuit, in order to do the 100 kilometers, it made sense to go into Carlisle Center then down to Concord. I was not prepared for was incredible hills leading into Carlisle Center. These killed me. I ended up walking up most of them, with other riders asking "Are you alright?" "Yes, just really tired after riding 40 miles in this heat", as they sped past me uphill!!!!
The nice thing about going up hills, is eventually you will go down. It was exhilarating to sail into Carlisle Center at 25 MPH. There I stopped for an hour, worried about dehydration and heat exhaustion. While there, I had a great conversation with a man who was probably 5-10 year older than me. He started riding 3 years ago. I asked how many miles he was doing today, and he told me that he was coming back from climbing Mt. Wachusetts -- a round trip from Boston of 125 miles. Very impressive. We discussed the finer points of clipless pedals and hills. He offered to have me draft with him into Concord -- Having never done this I thanked, but no thanked, him.
Getting back to cycling, someone suggested that I take River Road & Monument Road into Concord. In a word, WOW. What a nice ride. Mostly downhill, very pretty countryside, and not a single car passed until Old North Bridge - where a shot was heard round the world marked the beginning of our American Revolution. This was the best open road of this whole trip and something I will do again. I rode into Concord Center, where I again rested for 20 minutes, finishing the water I had been carrying with me. I was now 3/4's of the way.
The final legs of this journey was to get over to Bedford Center on Route 62, intersecting with my third objective, the Minute Man Rail Trail and back to Cambridge. These last 15 miles were a total blur. I don't remember much other than focusing on getting back to my apartment in as efficient and expeditious manner as possible. I also experienced something that I have not felt since my teenage years when I use to compete in team sports -- exercise induced euphoria. I'm not sure if any of you have experienced this, but there is a state that comes in exhaustion where the drudgery recedes and clarity emerges. It's weird - the euphoria is distinct, while details are sparse. Is this a classic endorphin rush? If so, it's pretty spectacular.
Pressing down the Minuteman, I did not stop until the trail terminus at Alewife. And I had finished. I was exhausted and was not going to proceed though Somerville and Cambridge streets. I had completed more than 100 Kilometers!
I'm going to do this trip again. Probably this Fall, when foliage is in full display. I'll also definitely figure out another less insane segment from Nashua to Chelmsford.
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