Training Log Archive: danfoster

Event: D2R2
 

My first D2R2 (Deerfield Dirt Road Randonee). Humid and foggy at the start, followed by humid and overcast, humid and 5 drops of rain, and finally humid and sunny. In a word, it was humid.

We launched at 7:30 as a group of 11 on the 100k route, trying to get ahead of the heat and the chance of afternoon thunderstorms. We quickly broke into three groups of differing paces, and I rode with the middle group of 4. D2R2 front-loads most of the climbing into the first part of the course, and I suffered more than expected on the sticky climbs early in the day. For this ride, I had swapped down from a 34t to a 30t chainring driving my new 9-46 cassette, so I had a super-low granny gear for grinding up the hills. I like to think that it was this super-low gear that "allowed" me to get to the top of the hills behind everyone else, conserving energy. Either that, or I'm just slow. In any case, I was slow up the hills but managed to avoid cramping or bonking throughout the course.

At just 700 riders this year, this was still the biggest ride I've ever attended, and I wasn't sure how I'd feel about being part of a big event. With our non-standard start time, we only saw other groups of riders occasionally, and it never felt crowded. Some of the views were spectacular - church steeples peeking out from the fog, the long descent along Green River, sweeping vistas from the peach orchard, bucolic double-track leading into Hawks Road at the end. But the blood-boiling humidity really threw a wet towel (warm, sweaty blanket?) on my enjoyment of the scenery.

Back at the finish, we put on swim trunks and pedaled back up the road a bit to a swimming hole in the fast-flowing Deerfield. This was heaven. We all agreed that our training regimen needs to include more swimming holes, preferably with some cold drinks stashed nearby.

I've been piecing together a "greatest hits" gravel loop from home that incorporates all of the gravel-friendly (and some not-so-gravel-friendly) trails that we've discovered over the last year. This morning was dry and cool, so it seemed too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Biked up to Holy Hill, where I had to climb the "traction assist" hill twice after looping back to return an energetic German Shepherd to his owner for the second time. He ran about a 1/4 mile to catch up with me after the owner thought I was good and gone and unleashed him again. Fun dog - Jess would be instant friends.

Found some great new trails that didn't dump me out into a field of poison ivy, and then explored two possible ways into Devens, one of which DID dump me out in a field (technically, a swamp) full of poison ivy.

Came back along the Bare Hill Pond trails, and found an awesome rocky perch for mid-ride snacks, and a landing for a future bikerafting adventure. More snowmobile trails and hill climbs on the way home.

I'm very excited to have this route in my quiver. Lots of options to extend the suffering.

Cisco road ride to Oak Hill and Bare Hill Pond, and then MTB with Jess. Penultimate ride before D2R2?