Minuteman Road Club

I have been wanting to check this one out and tomorrow is it, I've heard you can get a decent workout. Has or does any one done/do this ride? Or, better yet if anyone wants to, I'll have my MRC kit on, come join me.

Are you talking about the Thursday night Hanscom ride?

Yeah, that one

I have not done it in a few years, but the last time I did it the format was that 3 different groups left a few minutes apart. Fastest first, followed by medium and slowest. Week to week the overall pace line skill level varied, and some weeks were downright iffy. But most of the time the fast group was OK. And it was not a strictly enforced pace line ride. More like a toned down Tuesday Night Worlds with the stronger riders dropping others on hills.

Thanks Alan, sounds like it's not a total hammerfest and after last night that will be fine. You also mentioned the Worlds ride, that's another one on the bucket list.

We should make a plan for the TNW in the near future; get a bunch of MRC in there.

Newton is a bit of a drive for an after work ride for those on the far reaches of metro west.

scottc wrote:Newton is a bit of a drive for an after work ride for those on the far reaches of metro west.

(in reference to the TNW) Yes, that includes me, but where there's a will . . .

The Bullet Train is no picnic @ 5:30 AM, but I plan to make it one of these days this Spring/Summer.

Kevin you should go to the TMW, aka the Bullet Train. It's just as fast as TNW.

pace21 wrote:Kevin you should go to the TMW, aka the Bullet Train. It's just as fast as TNW.

Funny, I was just saying . . .

Maybe this upcoming week.

I've done everyone of these rides multiple times. Here's my quick assessment:

1. Worlds - Cut throat race like atmosphere. Everyone is the enemy, including the cars.
2. Bullet train - Fast paceline, we're all friends until Nagog, then you can go F yourself. Then we'll have coffee and be friends again
3. Thursday CRW from Hanscom - Older people riding a little too fast for their own good. Bad combination of sketchy and still not fast enough, but better than nothing.
4. Gearworks A ride - If Luciano is there, prepare for agony including REAL hills which the other rides don't have. OUCH, this is harder than real racing...
5. CRW Saturday AM extended Worlds course - Just like Worlds, but longer, best not to burn too many matches early

I haven't done the Turkey Vulture ride Tues PM from Bedford, that's next on the list. Pretty similar to Bullet train but a little slower and longer according to Smudger.

I'll take door #2 this Tuesday and maybe #4 next Tuesday.

RE: Thurs CRW fast group - I've done it a coupla times, there's one regular participant that ALWAYS bumps the pace 3-4 mph when gets on the front. Very annoying.

I did the paceline last week and the roads are in terrible condition, scarified, filled potholes and cracks everywhere. Not condusive for fun pacelines. There were maybe 20 or so at the start I went out with the first group, with a friend who is a CRW regular. After a friendly first few miles we started to pick it up. There was another rider with a MRC jersey putting in some great pulls, I didn't recognize him and he didn't say much when I tried to chat, also he peeled off before the finish so the mystery continues. After I would say 5-8 miles three of us were trading turns on the front with the rest of the group hanging on, in the end we lost 3 of the 8 we started with 2 of the five left just holding on, my friend being one of them. He let me know that that was very fast compared to normal, of course it was there were 2 MRC riders, but he really enjoyed the challenge. I did it once, that is enough for me.