Andover Epic, 11/10 @ 9AM

[xcslowpoke]

Rain Cancels.

Date: 11/10
Start: 9am
Location: Wyndham Hotel
123 Old River Rd
Andover, Ma 01810

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=123+Old+River+Rd,+Andover,+MA+01810&sll=42.648928,-71.165482&sspn=0.172976,0.316544&ie=UTF8&z=16&om=1

Parking: Go past the hotel and park in lot on the north side of the hotel. You will see a sign for the Merrimack River Trail at the far north end of the parking lot.

Description: This ride will follow the BCT starting at Wyndam Hotel and riding through Ward Reservation (highest point in the county, 500 or 600 ft) then on and thru Harold Parker State Forest. Just past HP we will turn around and ride back to the start. Lots of singletrack (probably 70%) the remainder is fireroad and a small amount of blacktop. The majority of the blacktop will be within the first ten miles, probably 2 miles of blacktop.

Approximate mileage: 40

Bail outs: The ride crosses various rds and there are plenty of options to either ride the trail back to the start or get on the road. Depending on time and motivation, options can be made to get back without riding the trail.

Pace: Endurance. Everyone will be waited on. If you are a sport rider, then this ride is very doable. Beginners will struggle as the trails has technical sections (majority are within HP).

Don't let my user name fool you. I have been called Sandbagger because of my moniker. Count on 40 miles taking around 5 - 6 hours.

Water & Food: No real areas on the trail, pack what you can. I live at mile 12 which would be around mile 28 on the way back. If you run out of food or water, we could stop at the house.

Potentially have a few drinks and food at a local pub/restaurant afterwards.

Dave Mc

[NSrider]

"Sandbagger Extrordinaire" sounds like fun Dave. Too bad I'm stuck driving to Brockton for some family affair.

Scott

[xcslowpoke]

Right now there are 3 or 4 of us ready to ride. Although its not looking so good:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/boatandbeach/wxdetail/01810?from=36hr_topnav_boat&dayNum=1

If its raining in the morning then don't bother.

[xcslowpoke]

4 hearty souls showed up for the ride (Hank, Rusty, and Vladimir). It was a rather cold morning but bright and shinny. I woke not all that motivated for this ride but since it wasn't raining or snowing, it was on. I pick up Hank on my way over to the start and see Rusty and Vladimir in the parking lot. We gear up and head out on the trail. The initial miles were very cold along the river. As we get further away from the river it heats up or we are sheltered by the trees. We climb Ward Hill and rest at the top. Talk with a few hikers, another biker, and eat some grub. This is where the motivation slowly leaks out. As we get back on our bikes and head towards HP, everyone is cold again. Into HP and we hit the Jenkins lot, mileage 17.5. Hank bails on us and rides the road back. We decide that we have gone far enough and starting heading back on the trail.

Turn around, we make our way back out of HP and hit Salem Rd. This is where Rusty decides he has had enough. I also had enough before we even started but I soldier on with Vladimir. We climb back up Ward and make our way across 125. I am cold and lacking motivation, I invite Vladimir for a short ride over to the house. We stop in and have a coke, get warm, talk to my wife and kids and then head back out. We make our way back across town and back to the start. Total mileage: 35.7

The ride was a little shorter than I planned just because it was so cold. Although it was a good day. I'll try and upload a few pictures.

The legs were a bit tired yesterday riding around Willowdale but what a fun place. I need to get over there a bit more.