Place Distance Climbing Clock Travel Rest
Now Total Now Total Arrive Leave Time Time
Newton,MA 0.0 0 4:00a
Bullard Farm 78.2 78.2 4270 4270 9:43a 10:05a 5:43 0:22
Brattleboro,VT 38.2 116.4 2600 6870 12:40p 1:02p 2:35 0:22
Ludlow,VT 56.1 172.5 4960 11830 5:24p 5:58p 4:22 0:34
Middlebury,VT 67.0 239.5 4040 15870 10:26p 4:14a 4:28 5:48
Rouses Pt.,NY 87.8 327.3 4980 20950 9:58a 10:39a 5:44 0:41
Montreal, Can 52.1 379.4 910 21860 1:53p 2:40p 3:14 0:47
Rouses Pt, NY 52.2 431.6 1160 23020 6:24p 7:20p 3:44 0:56
Middlebury,Vt 87.8 519.4 4980 28000 3:59a 8:50a 8:39 4:51
Ludlow, VT 67.0 586.4 4990 32990 1:54p 2:30p 5:04 0:36
Brattleboro,VT 56.2 642.6 4580 37570 7:00p 7:30p 4:30 0:30
Bullard Farm 38.2 680.8 2600 40170 11:27p 5:54a 3:57 6:27
Newton,MA 80.0 760.8 6300 46470 11:46a 5:51
Total Miles: 760.8
Total Elev.: 46,470ft - should be approx 35,000ft. My computer was inaccurate.
Travel Time: 57hrs 52min
Rest Time : 21hrs 54min
Total Time : 79hrs 46min (Plan was 75hrs)
Average riding speed: 13.12 mph
Total average speed: 9.54 (start to finish)
Number of riders : 102
Number of finishers: 72
My finish position : 35
Aug 13 3:00pm -- The event starts with a safety inspection. This is where they make sure you have your lights and reflectors. This is probably the only time when you meet almost everyone who is doing the ride. Here, you pick up your jacket and other goodies - like deodorant.
Bullard Farm to Brattleboro -- Aug 14 4:00am -- First oversight on my part was to forget to do the morning registration before the start at 4:00am so I actually started a couple of minutes later. The weather was foggy and misty but the temperature was mild in the upper sixties. Then about 17 miles into the ride, disaster struck. I was ahead of a group of riders reading the map (Big Mistake) when I veered off the road and hit the end of a horizontal telephone pole. I bent the downtube and forks. I am thinking, "Here I go again, having to quit". I was not going to let that happen again. The tech van could not help. However, a garbage truck pulled up and pulled out a 2ft long pipe wrench. I used this to bend the forks such that I could ride. The rest of this leg was uneventful. It did have a secret control at 45 miles. A lot of short climbs. I was feeling better and getting into the rhythm although I was constantly watching the bent forks. The weather was warm and humid. The scenery is beautiful with reasonably well surfaced roads with lush growth along the road. Traffic was light.
Brattleboro to Ludlow, VT -- The first major climbing was on this stretch with many short steep climbs and no downhill reward along with two major 10% climbs which were straight up. Where are the flat spots? Near the end of this 56 mile stretch I was losing energy and ran out of water. It was definitely warm. Glad to arrive at Ludlow.
Ludlow to Middlebury -- Was Re-Energized and ready for the "dreaded Middlebury Gap". The terrain was beautiful with small towns and rivers. By the time I arrived at the Middlebury Gap stretch it was dark. However, there was a full moon. At night the climb did not seem as terrible as advertised. There were a couple of steep parts, but at least there were level spots. I was afraid I might hit a moose because of the road sign I saw. The night was very cool. By the time I arrived at Middlebury my batteries were dead. Right now I am on schedule. The night was rather cold and I wished I had sent a sleeping bag or blanket to this control point. As a result, I was cold sleeping on the wrestling mats on the cement floor. I ended up with only 3 hrs of sleep.
Middlebury to Rouses Pt., NY -- Aug 15 -- I started with a gal from the Davis Bike Club(DBC). A couple miles out we took a wrong turn. Luckily, we only added 3 miles RT to our mileage. After 10 miles I was by myself again. This section was especially hilly. Where are the flats?????. At Burlington six cyclists from DBC caught up with me and we rode the remaining 50 miles to Rouses Pt. It helps to ride at least part of this ride with other riders. I felt real good and strong.
Rouses Pt. to Montreal -- A couple miles after Rouses Pt. we entered Canada. The road surface was lousy. My butt is quite sore. I should have kept my bib shorts on. We went through what seemed like 50 stop signs outside of Montreal. The scenery was not exciting. So, only 375 miles to go. Halfway there.
Montreal to Rouses Pt. -- All those damn stop signs again!! We had fierce headwinds on the way back. The weather was changing for the worse. We still made fairly good time working together in a paceline. I think it is going to rain.
Rouses Pt. to Middlebury -- Left Rouses Pt. at 7:20pm. Just a couple miles from Rouses Pt. it started to spinkle. Now I know why I was carrying my rain gear. The sprinkles turned to pouring rain with headwinds. After 50 miles past Burlington the rains died down. Where did all these hills come from?? Goes to show how short my memory is at this time. We finally arrived in Middlebury 9 hrs later at 4:00am. This is the first time I rode 24hrs.
Middlebury to Ludlow -- Aug 16 -- Several DBC riders went from their motel to the control point to pick me up at 8:30am. With a hot shower, warm night, 3hrs of sleep, and no disturbances, I was refreshed and ready to go. After 4 miles I felt so strong I left the DBC'ers behind and was riding alone again. From this direction the Middlebury Gap seemed longer and steeper. Finally a tailwind. This was my quickest leg of the ride.
Ludlow to Brattleboro -- There was an immediate 2 mile 10-15% straight up climb up "Mt Terrible". There were two other steep climbs. These roads need switchbacks. At 4:30pm I cancelled my room in Brattleboro along the road. I felt that I could make it to the last control point at Bullards Farm by 9:30pm. I arrived at Brattleboro at 7:00pm. The person at the control point mentioned something about thundershowers. But I said "I am not worried about that" and left Brattleboro at 7:30pm.
Brattleboro to Bullard Farm - About an hour later it started to pour with a spectacular Thunder and Lightning show. Why did I leave my rain gear in Middlebury?? After 15 min huddling under a tree I was soaked, so back on my Bike. There were rivers of water on the road. I had really slowed down. Why don't oncoming cars turn off their "brights"????!! A while later I found shelter at a bank ATM and waited for the rain to pass. The nighttime temperature was so warm that the road was steaming. With a full moon, and no traffic I had a great ride to Bullard Farm, arriving at 11:30pm. Since I did not have a room reserved at the end I decided to sleep at Bullard Farm. Also there were mattresses and pillows and only two other riders. After hamburger, hot dog, beans, and pudding I slept like a baby.
Bullard Farm to Newton -- Aug 17 -- The next morning, after scrambled eggs, I started on the last stretch. I forgot how many ups and downs there were on the way back. At the end, no one expected anyone to arrive at 11:45am, since most were caught by the rain at earlier control points. Wow, I am finished!! I received my precious pin for finishing. Bring on PBP.