Location: Start and end Sudbury, MA
Ride Type: Mixed terrain ride for your gravel, adventure, or mountain bike (any bike with 38mm or wider tires)
Date & Time: Friday, November 29, 2024
Distance: 41 miles
Price: No charge for NEER members, if this is your first ride with us, you’re not required to be a member, but you must sign the waiver (below). If this is your second ride or more ever, membership is required (for insurance purposes).
Details
We are hosting a really fun mixed terrain ride starting in Sudbury, MA. This route has many great trails, back roads, and paths. There’s a mid-ride stop at a nice coffee shop as well. It’s a great ride full of discovery, enjoying an area near where many people live but are unlikely to know a lot of the places and trails where this route goes!
Everyone who RSVPs for this ride will receive an email by 7pm Thursday, the night before the ride with route information and parking instructions.
Please don’t RSVP unless you know you can make it. We understand that emergencies come up last minute, and we need to know if you’re not able to come if you have already RSVP’d. This makes the experience better for everyone who shows up and it allows us to run a safer ride as well.
Pace
Expect the pace of the Super Domestique-led group to be “endurance”/moderate. It would equate to 16-17mph if it were a paved road ride, except there’s a lot of dirt so the average pace will be much lower than this (8-9mph is more likely).
We will split into a faster and not-as-fast groups depending on who registers and what everyone wants to do. If you want to ride faster or slower than the Super Domestique-led group, please state this in your RSVP!
Start Time
Ride starts at 9am. Be ready to ride by 8:55am.
Parking
Parking is in a large public lot near ballfields that is free of charge.
Toilets
There may be a porta-john at the ballfield, but don’t rely on it at the start.
Route & Route Notes
The route will be emailed to all who register no later than 7pm Thursday evening prior to the ride (yes, on Thanksgiving).
After the Ride
We’ll serve hot chocolate to all who want one! We have plenty of hot water for anyone who would prefer another hot drink.
What happens if it’s rainy?
Spitting rain wouldn’t be an issue, but cold, pouring rain would cause us to change plans. We’ll email all who RSVP should a weather Plan B need to be implemented.
At this time of year, it’s always a good idea to bring lots of layers since the temps change during the day, and it’s easy to overheat as well as get cold.
Last-Minute Information
We will email all participants with any critical late-breaking news.
Contact Information
Email us with questions at connect@newenglandexpeditionriders.com.
CALL US if you need us to know anything just before the ride start or during the ride at 413-461-7433.
Don’t txt if you need an immediate response, all txt msgs go to our email that we aren’t checking if we’re in front of people at the ride or on our bikes. Ring our phone please with urgent anything!!!
Riding Rules
All riders are required to read and are expected to abide by these Rules. Registering for this ride indicates you have read and accept all of the rules. These make the ride safer and more fun for all.
Waiver
A NEER waiver would have been something you filled out when you signed up for NEER. If you’re not sure if you did it already, then do it again! Waiver - it’s required to be be signed prior to participating.
Proper bike & Equipment
A gravel bike or hardtail mountain bike are ideal. There will be fat bikes on this ride. Any well-maintained bike with 38mm tires or wider is fine if you know you’ll be able to keep the pace you’re signing up for with that bike. Riders with tires on the narrower side will want to walk a few more spots (around rocks, roots). Either flat pedals or mountain-style pedals should be used, no road pedals/shoes.
Required: A GPS computer with the route loaded ahead of time
Required: A bike that’s in safe working order that has been recently tuned and is free of creaking and squeaking. The chain should be lubed just prior to the ride.
Required: All of the tools for typical mechanicals such as:
Flat fix tools and at least TWO spare tubes (yes, even if you’re running tubeless tires), air via CO2 canisters or hand pump, multi-tool
Nice to have: Extra chain link, chain breaker, chain pliers
Nice to have: Rain jacket, it’s that time of year to have this on you regardless of the forecast
Spare derailleur hanger if your bike needs a spare
Extra clothes and storage capacity so adding/taking off layers is easy
Required: Cell phone and a plan to get back to your car in case your bike or body stops working - we cannot offer rides to anyone (per insurance requirements)
Required: Two full water bottles at the start of the ride
Nice to have: Front and rear lights. It’s getting dark earlier now and this is for safety just to have these on your bike from now on this time of year. Visibility is always a good thing for safety regardless.
Nice to have: Extra calories in your pockets
Change of clothes to wear after the ride so you’re comfy!