Crossroads 2018 - LA to Boston

Distance:  17.4 miles Elevation Gain:  578 ft. or 31.8 ft./mile Net elevation change:  -144 ft. Click Here for the Final Ride Along There will be no complaints about the weather because it was bright and sunny. There will be no more complaints about bad drivers because today I don't remember any.  If you understand the weather and volume of traffic in this part of the country we got road conditions that were expected.  In short, they ranged from very good to very bad. Today was a compendium  that perfectly summarized just about all the road surfaces we have encountered on this trip. Well, maybe not quite, no rumble strips that I recall, but that's ok. The first 13 miles of the ride got us to a city pool in Malden where we paused to re-group and then went the final 4 miles riding two by two with a van in front and a van in back running interference.  Once in Revere we actually got an assist from the local police who blocked...

Distance:  92.9 miles Elevation Gain:  4698 ft. or 31.75 ft./mile Net elevation change:  -167 ft. Somehow it is only fitting that today is 93 miles AND almost 5000 feet of climbing and we will accomplish a first for the tour by crossing two state lines. I've had visions of the route designer just gleefully mapping this one out laughing to themselves saying "...you think you are done....ha....suck it up buttercup..." So here we go. I wrote that paragraph at least two weeks ago. I forgot to add rain to the mix and didn't quite have a full appreciation of the quality of the roads, namely narrow, uneven (to be kind), and in my opinion, full of very impatient and at best, mildly aggressive drivers. I am not going to belabor the point. After 28 miles I chose the van. For me it was too dangerous. Chapeau to all those riders that gutted it out. For the group, today was mostly southeast as we left the hotel and crossed the Connecticut River and about 2...

Distance:  75.4 miles Elevation Gain:  5360 ft. or 71.1 ft./mile Net elevation change:  -26 ft. Click Here To Ride Along !! In looking to summarize the day one word kept popping into my head. GREEN! Once we left New York the roads seemed to narrow and the trees seemed to be taller. Combine this with the all day overcast sky and and green seemed to be everywhere. A combination of magnificent and suffocating at times.  Today was the second biggest climbing day on the tour with nearly 5400 feet of climbing. Nearly 2800 feet of that came in three climbs. The first climb started a bit past the 5 mile mark, went for 3 miles and gained 630 feet. The second was by far the toughest and started at mile 34, went for 8 miles and gained 1526 feet. Definitely the longest climb I have ever done. The third climb was up Hogback Mountain (a great name for a  mountain!) and started at about mile 55. It gained about 630 feet and was the most picturesque of t...