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When I signed up to ride in The Prouty with my friend Stacey, I'd pictured this as a training bike ride, and registered for the twenty-five mile route. But being who we are, it comes as no surprise that when we hit the ten mile mark, Stacey turned to me and said "That was fast. We're doing the 50, right?" and of course I said "Yes."
There were over three thousand cyclists on the various routes (25, 50 and 100 mile options), everyone from families with young children to senior citizens. A sprinkling of white number tags indicating that the rider was a cancer survivor offered inspiration to all of us.
The organization of the event was outstanding. As we rode through small towns in New Hampshire and Vermont, there were volunteers at each turn on the route making sure no one got lost. There were rest stops spaced every ten miles or so, offering a wide variety of snacks. People had posted signs along the route to encourage their favorite riders-- (btw, Sharon, I don't know you, but I think it's awesome that your friends posted a half-dozen signs reminding you that they had cold beer for you at the end of the trail.) And as we climbed the final steep hill to the finish line, there were more volunteers cheering riders along.
We loaded our bikes up, went home to shower and meet up with Nick, and then headed out. After a great lunch at a brewpub (beer!) we went to downtown Hanover and walked around, stopping by the bookstores and admiring the sights. Hanover is home to Dartmouth College, and it's very much a college town. Then we drove over to Norwich, Vermont and stopped by another brewpub for a drink before heading back.
I've lived in upstate New York for most of my adult life, but visiting Hanover reminded me that at heart I'm a New England girl. It's a classic New England town (and #2 on Money Magazine's Best Places to live list.) Nick and Stacey, who moved up to Grantham last year, spent time showing me the sights--the co-op, coffee houses, bookstores, and where I'd need to go for big box stores--Staples, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc. I'm not seriously considering relocating, but it's the kind of place I could see myself living some day.
The only drawback was that it was such a short visit--work meant that I had to leave at noon on Sunday and head back. But it was a great time, and I'm definitely riding in the Prouty next year.
There were over three thousand cyclists on the various routes (25, 50 and 100 mile options), everyone from families with young children to senior citizens. A sprinkling of white number tags indicating that the rider was a cancer survivor offered inspiration to all of us.
The organization of the event was outstanding. As we rode through small towns in New Hampshire and Vermont, there were volunteers at each turn on the route making sure no one got lost. There were rest stops spaced every ten miles or so, offering a wide variety of snacks. People had posted signs along the route to encourage their favorite riders-- (btw, Sharon, I don't know you, but I think it's awesome that your friends posted a half-dozen signs reminding you that they had cold beer for you at the end of the trail.) And as we climbed the final steep hill to the finish line, there were more volunteers cheering riders along.
We loaded our bikes up, went home to shower and meet up with Nick, and then headed out. After a great lunch at a brewpub (beer!) we went to downtown Hanover and walked around, stopping by the bookstores and admiring the sights. Hanover is home to Dartmouth College, and it's very much a college town. Then we drove over to Norwich, Vermont and stopped by another brewpub for a drink before heading back.
I've lived in upstate New York for most of my adult life, but visiting Hanover reminded me that at heart I'm a New England girl. It's a classic New England town (and #2 on Money Magazine's Best Places to live list.) Nick and Stacey, who moved up to Grantham last year, spent time showing me the sights--the co-op, coffee houses, bookstores, and where I'd need to go for big box stores--Staples, Home Depot, Best Buy, etc. I'm not seriously considering relocating, but it's the kind of place I could see myself living some day.
The only drawback was that it was such a short visit--work meant that I had to leave at noon on Sunday and head back. But it was a great time, and I'm definitely riding in the Prouty next year.