YOUR BUTT BELONGS HERE

In February your heart belonged to your valentine. Well, it’s March now and regardless of how you fared romantically your butt belongs with us — on a bike that is — in July, riding to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association.

The 2010 New England Classic rolls out in just 4-1/2 months, just 19 weeks or just 132 days depending on how you choose to count. But no matter how you count it’s closer than you think. And if you haven’t registered to ride yet it’s way too close. What are you waiting for? Spring?? Spring doesn’t really exist in New England. So if you are already sick of winter do your psyche some good and pretend it’s already summer.

What does that mean? That means the NEC is just around the corner and you better get your butt in gear, get registered, start fund-raising and at least think about training!

Don’t believe me? I’ll tell you what. Go down to Parker-Hannifin Chomerics at 77 Dragon Court in Woburn at 1 p.m. Saturday and tell me you don’t see a bunch of cyclists talking about this great ride around New England they are doing to support the American Diabetes Association. There’s no surer sign of summer than a gathering of the NEC Caravan of Crazies.

See you there at the Rider Roundup.

Punxsutawney Phil

OK, you varmints, it’s time to crawl out of your hole and get with the program. That’s right, it’s Groundhog Day and I’m back – again – to harass, remind, haunt, plead, implore, beg or whatever else it takes to get you to register for the American Diabetes Association’s 2010 New England Classic.

This year’s tour is shaping up to be the best ever. We’ve already hit the 60-rider mark and are aiming for all-time highs in riders and fund-raising. But we need you to make this happen. If you’re a veteran rider, don’t make like that petulant Punxsutawney character hunkered down on Gobbler’s Knob waiting for spring. Sub-freezing temperatures are absolutely perfect for registering as a rider in the New England Classic. You don’t have to leave the house or even get out of your PJs.

Just go to http://main.diabetes.org/nectourdecure and sign up. Right now! There’s no time like the present to start raising funds for the ADA. In fact, you should take the same approach to fund-raising and training – early and often.

Day One is just 23 weeks from this Saturday and soon you’ll hear more about our annual Rider Roundup on March 6, where you can trade stories from past years, make plans for this year and meet new riders. We’ve got four weeks until the Roundup and I say we should celebrate it with a century – that’s right 100 riders registered. What did you think I was suggesting, a 100-mile training ride? Not yet. But I just may celebrate with a ride to the Roundup if we hit 100 riders.

That’s right. You know I’m talking to you. The one who waits until April or even May to register for the New England Classic.

We’ll have none of that this year. You said you wanted your seven-day NEC. Well you got it. The NEC is alive and well and it’s time for us to make a statement that the 2010 NEC will be bigger and better than ever. And to make that happen, I’m issuing a challenge to all you veterans out there.

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away and to show you are thankful for the experience that is the NEC I’m calling on all of you to sign on the dotted line before you reach for a single drumstick and stuff yourself with stuffing. Before Tom Turkey walks the Green Mile I want to see 50, that’s right five-oh, 50, riders registered for the NEC.

There are no excuses. You know you will be there in July so stand up, sign up and be counted in November. And now is the time to corral those friends who have always talked about wanting to try the NEC with you. Don’t let the Caravan of Crazies pull out of Woburn without them this year! This will be a tour that’s not to be missed.

So pull out your plastic, grab the mouse and click register. It’s easy as pumpkin pie!

And watch this space because I’ll be watching for you.

So we’re on for the 2-day 150 and the 7-day 550.  Both rides start July 10, 2010. (Event dates and links have been updated on the right of the page.)

Thank you to everyone who voiced an opinion, you were heard.

Now is when the real work begins. We are under a microscope and we have to produce. We need to increase ridership and fundraising. You all have great ideas, it now is the time to act on them. If you have ideas to share, contact the Ryan or marketing team at marketing {at} newenglandclassic.org and share them. If you’d like to be on the marketing team, contact admin {at} newenglandclassic.org. Many hands make light work.

At the same time, we will be doing advance planning for the 2011 NEC. This advance planning includes investigation of a downsized ride. If you would like to participate in this effort, your contributions will be welcome. Whether the ride will be downsized in 2011 depends entirely on our success in 2010. .

But, for veterans and new riders alike, the decision to include a 7-day ride this year is welcome news and we all owe a thank-you to Chris and the other decision makers at the ADA to risk the event for one more year. And we owe a HUGE thank-you to Ryan who was able to make our case for preserving the 7-day in such a persuasive (and successful) way.

Now it’s our turn to get to work.

Check it out below the fold.

You can get to them under the “Rider Pages” links on the right of the page, or go to

http://www.n1hts.org/pictures/nec-2009/

And now …

Lost and found!

If any of the following items are yours, contact admin [at] newenglandclassic.org to arrange for pickup or return. Items in the Lost and Found bucket include:

• Grey “American Tourister” bag
• Two rear view mirrors
• Blue & Orange “Britches USA” jacket
• Black “Head” long sleeve thermal shirt (large)
• Blue sleeveless “RBS” technical jersey (large)
• Grey helmet with 61575 sticker on the side
• White “Trek” helmet
• Black ‘Topeak” tent, chair, or tire pump nylon container bag
• Clear rain jacket
• Black “Sonora” jacket (small)
• Black poofy cap
• Novarra arm warmers
• Sunglasses
• Half dozen pairs of stinky gloves

Today is all downhill and is a very fast day, especially considering it’s almost 75 miles. A couple of tough climbs first thing in the morning, it turns into a nearly 1000 foot drop right before the first rest stop in Townsend.

The riders can smell the barn and nothing will slow them down. It’s a twisty turny route and it’s easy to miss a turn.

The first riders should start arriving back in Woburn around noon.

We’d love to have you come out and urge us on.

Below are links to maps and schedules for Day 7, Thursday July 17, 2009.

The “Overview” is a large scale map showing the full route for the day.

The “Travel Package” is a set of detailed maps showing about five miles per page with estimated times and directions. Times are estimated at 14 MPH, and the ride generally starts at about 8 AM.

The “Profile” shows the profile elevation along the route.

Note: The itineraries for all days is available by clicking “2009 Itinerary” at the upper right of the page.

All files are PDFs.

• Day 7 Overview : 1.8 MB
• Day 7 Travel Package : 25.9 MB
• Day 7 Profile : 47 KB

Weather

Start: Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH

Rest Stop 1 : Townsend VFW Hall, Townsend, MA

Rest Stop 2 : St. Catherine of Alexandria church lot, Westford, MA

Rest Stop 3 : Thomas Talbot Masonic Lodge, Billerica, MA

Finish: Chomerics, 77 Dragon Ct, Woburn, MA

After two days in the Green Mountain State, it’s back to the Granite State. Easy morning starting with a screaming downhill down Mt. Killington, then a tough slog in the afternoon. The long day and ends at Franklin Pierce College where, weather permitting, there’s an awesome view of Mt. Monadnock. And a swimmin hole.

Tonight is the last night together. Exchange addresses and numbers. And remember, you can contact each other through this site for the rest of the year. Remember to check back or subscribe to the RSS feed for the wrap-up info and opportunities to help next year. Remember to send us links to your photos and blogs so we can keep everyone up-to-date!

We’d love to have you come out and urge us on. We’re coming back into civilization where actual people live!

Below are links to maps and schedules for Day 6, Thursday July 16, 2009.

The “Overview” is a large scale map showing the full route for the day.

The “Travel Package” is a set of detailed maps showing about five miles per page with estimated times and directions. Times are estimated at 14 MPH, and the ride generally starts at about 8 AM.

The “Profile” shows the profile elevation along the route.

Note: The itineraries for all days is available by clicking “2009 Itinerary” at the upper right of the page.

All files are PDFs.

• Day 6 Overview : 2.3 MB
• Day 6 Travel Package : 19.6 MB
• Day 6 Profile : 49 KB

Weather

Start: North Star Lodge, Killington, VT

Rest Stop 1: Sweet Surrender Bakery, Ludlow VT

Rest Stop 2: Vermont Country Store, Rockingham, VT

Rest Stop 3: Norm’s Ski and Bike, Keene, NH

Finish: Franklin Pierce College, Rindge, NH

A bit of a breather today. Plus, a new route. A bit longer than previous years since the overnight was Montpelier, not Northfiield, moving those 12 miles from day 4 to 5.  A mostly flat day, or as flat as it gets in Vermont, ending with a 1000-foot climb of Mt. Killington over the last five miles, which is decidedly NOT flat. Then it’s time to clean bikes and hit the pool.

We’d love to have you come out and urge us on.

Below are links to maps and schedules for Day 5, Wednesday, July 15, 2009.

The “Overview” is a large scale map showing the full route for the day.

The “Travel Package” is a set of detailed maps showing about five miles per page with estimated times and directions. Times are estimated at 14 MPH, and the ride generally starts at about 8 AM (although Day 5 will likely later as there aren’t so many miles).

The “Profile” shows the profile elevation along the route.

Note: The itineraries for all days is available by clicking “2009 Itinerary” at the upper right of the page.

All files are PDFs.

Day 5 Overview : 2.3 MB

Day 5 Travel Package : 9.8 MB

Day 5 Profile : 45 KB

Weather

Start: Montpelier, VT

Rest Stop 1: Waitsfield General Store, Waitsfield, VT

Rest Stop 2: Pittsfield General Store, Pittsfield, VT

Finish: North Star Lodge, Killington, VT