The registration table for the Preview of the Battenkill, March 21. This was taken 10 minutes before scheduled launch time. 10 min after and the organizer began speaking. 10 minutes later he was still at it so the participants started talking louder and louder . . . Soon we couldn't hear any of the safety updates, reminders, advice to first timers.

He gave up and sent us on our way.
We were off into the cool morning air -- it wasn't warmer than 42 F. Folks were bundled up and I was beginning to wonder if I hadn't underdressed. My fingers began to hurt.

First turn off the 313; we braked in succession and nearly all piled up in the road. What a mess! This is a quiet, friendly ride, let's all remember.

As the speed picked up and the hills arrived, we lost more and more of the front group. Those folks had a bit of a head start since the light at the turn onto 313 cut the group in two.

Photo above shows the peloton at the beginning, heading north.

Soon we are spread out all over the place, but there are still a few around me as I tool on into Salem. There is a traffic light, and we were warned to obey all traffic signs and conventions, but we were in no mood to stop when so close to the first feed zone and rest stop. We didn't, and ran the stale orange light, and moved right on through.

I skipped the rest/feed spot and continued west moving out of Salem. It's warming up and I see folks stashing wraps into back pockets. We'd been up and down some terre battue routes and I keep thinking about the rip in the side wall just next to the "T" in Bontrager, front tire.

I took a third bottle of water and stashed in my back pocket so I wouldn't have to stop. I was making good on my little promise to myself and suffered no ill effects. In outings past, I would develop cramps around mile 60 to 70, but not this time! It is cooler, and I think I'm spinning at a higher rate.

I got the water bottle out at mile 75, ate the third of the crispy bars, swallowed some water and attacked the hills following Bunker Hill. It includes the really steep sections, the uphill, downhill, uphill . . . and the very last hill of unpave after the red covered bridge. See photo.

On that last hill, a team of four passed me for the third time on the ride. I guess they were taking advantage of the stops. A groupetto of four tooled into town from that last turn off from the dirt onto smooth pavement. Nice!