Vermont is spelled with a capital “V”, surely no coincidence. With the loads of mountains and climbs available, it had to start with a “V”. I mean, if it was mountainous enough to draw a runaway “loose” nun who left the church for a sailor, it must be good, right? (Great nordic skiing there””Trapp Family Lodge, if you are there in the winter months as well).
Anyways, being a seventh generation “V”ermonter myself, who was raised on a family farm on Rogers’ Hill in West Newbury, VT (which was hand cleared and settled in 1763 by my G-G-G-G-G-Grandfather and still owned by my father) I have a deep love and feel for VT, liberal politics notwithstanding. So when I heard about the 200 on 100 “Dumptruck of Awesome” that was available, I just knew that I had to do it. And not only that, I knew that I had to share this beautiful “Ode to the V in Vermont” with all of my best cyber-cycling-soul mates. Okay, soul mates might be going a bit far there, but you get my meaning.
So, enough with the intro.
Break out the rollers, get on the trainers, find your winter gear; lay off the seconds, nurse that one glass of booze, hold the toasting to one drink, dodge Cupid’s chocolates and shoot the Easter Bunny because training for this bastard started yesterday and you’ll be paying for it on the 28th of June, 2012 in spades!
See you in the pre-dawn hours on the Canadian border with our eyes firmly fixed on the prize of the Massachusetts border. Let’s drive this dump truck like Mel Gibson leaving the compound in a post-apocalyptic world, baby!
Route and location details on the Cogal Event Page.
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View Comments
@roger
I was thinking the same thing: Newport VT is where route 100 officially starts and I'm willing to bet has more accommodation options. Need to investigate. (Wait, WTF and I saying? I told myself I wouldn't be riding this again next year... oh well.)
@Steampunk
I'm thinking about doing this the second week of September next year. The weather should be a little cooler. Plus I'll be turning 40. Seems an appropriate way to celebrate to me.
@MJ Moquin
That could work. My problem is that I probably need to avoid the teaching semesters, which means I'm free from mid-April until the end of August. I also think that the more daylight hours available the better...
@Steampunk Excellent point. I hadn't considered daylight hours and I'll need as much as I can get! Looks like June it is.
@MJ Moquin you know I owe you big time for the amazing job you did so if there are no conflicts count me in as your SAG. I would enjoy the pay back and since I am near it is an easy trip for me.
Looks like there will be another local contingent to do the 200 next year. Tammy is amped to do the ride and I'm sure her enthusiasm will draw a fun group from south county together to go up to n. Troy and hammer south.
I like to suggest Newport VT as the starting point for next year: more hotel rooms to accommodate that fun group from south county and a few miles west of town is the official start of route 100.
@Rob
Rob, I am thinking the same thing. I do NOT see myself riding it next year but I should be living at West Point, NY and I cannot imagine missing it. I am currently planning on renting a van on my own dime (a la Roger) and driving SAG as well next year so I can shout out shit the whole way to the newbies on the ride, "Oh you thought that climb was hard??? Just wait until you've been in the saddle over ten hours and you STILL have a fuck load of climbing to do, Sonny!!!". You know, motivating shit like that.
@Buck Rogers
That'll be music to my ears because it'll mean I'm actually in the saddle and not watching from the sidelines again!
@CanuckChuck
Definitely Newport next year for all the reasons that have been mentioned so far.