Thursday Night Mellow Ride
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2005 Rage Thursday Night Mellow Rides
Tis the season - finally! After a long, wet winter, we can now
get out on the trails. The first official Thursday Night Mellow
Ride of this season will be Thursday, April 21st. I hope to
see all my old ride buddies out there and look forward to making
new friends and ride buddies. Keep an eye on the Rage Rides
Forum for details.
-Tim |
What is the Thursday Night Mellow Ride?
The Thursday night mellow rides are every Thursday night starting
in April at the Fells and continue through usually mid October.
If you haven't been on a bike in a while, this is a great way to
get back on the saddle. If you're new to rage, this is the best
way to meet everyone. If you are old to rage (or Old in Rage
like Tim), this is the best way to renew old friendships and make
some new ones. Just when you think you've had enough fun for one
night, the fun keeps coming! Join us apres-ride for a frosty beverage,
some great bbq, and bike-chat at Redbones.
When and Where
Keep an eye on the email list. We change meeting spots occasionally,
but normally we meet at the Flynn Rink parking lot at 6pm and ride
at 6:15. (see Fells Page under
Meeting Places for directions to Flynn Rink)
Who can go you ask?
Anybody on a bike, over 18, who brings water and is wearing a helmet
is welcome! And don't worry if you're new, all are waited for during
the ride and nobody gets left behind. It's a mellow ride.
A Unique Format
The mellow rides have become so successful the last couple of seasons,
we have adopted some interesting methods to keep everyone moving
and having fun.
The first method is our volunteer ride leaders, who break off with
small groups of riders with similar skills and speed and lead a
fun and appropriate ride through the woods. We always need ride
leaders, so if you know your way around the Fells and would like
to volunteer, let Tim know.
The next method is use of sweepers who are generally used to riding
with certain leaders and know their routes as well as basic on-trail
bike repair to coach a rider though a mechanical mishap and can
send word to the ride leader in the event of an unplanned stop.
The third method is the use of Motorola Family Band 2-way radios:
we keep them tuned to RageChannel 7/17.
The last method is a technique borrowed from the good folks at VORBA
and entails having the first rider behind the leader stop at a trail
intersection to wave the rest of the riders through until he or
she sees the sweeper and is only then able to resume riding.
We'll take you in and then get you out again!
About the Fells
Riding in the Fells is becoming more of an issue to all users and
park managers. Please be sensitive to the issues, such as soil/trail
preservation, park hours, and the tranquility and safety of fellow
users.
The DCR (folks who manage the park) have asked us to be familiar
with the rules and to particularly keep in mind the following:
#1 The Park is open dawn to dusk
#2 Groups of six or more cyclists require a permit
#3 All single track trails are closed to biking, except parts of
the mountain bike loop
More information about riding in the Fells can be found on this
site at:
http://www.ragemtb.com/maps/fells/fells.htm
...and on the DCR site at:
http://www.mass.gov/mdc/FELLS.HTM
Thanks for keeping it cool.
Rain Policy
If it is cloudy, threatening, misty, sprinkling - we ride. If
it is pouring down rain - we cancel. Redbones
is never canceled.
See you there!
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