MNBR

[miekec]

We had a really good Midnight Bike Ride this year. As usual, spent all day Saturday working on our bikes and paraphernalia. New seat here, new handlebars there, pump up all tires, attach blinky-lights front and back, re-assemble big yellow trailer (and bleach the hell out of it to get the mold spots out, with success), so Karin could sleep once she was too tired to peddle. Move trailer hitch from red bike to John's bike, put fresh batteries in many blinkies, make sure we had spare tubes for all wheel sizes, a complete toolkit for all of us, spare tires for the ones that were starting to look shabby. Wow. I think we were more prepared than ever this time.
Throw together food and lots of drinks, a few layers of clothes for all, since it was going to be a bit chilly (12 C) during the night. I actually rode with just my bike-shirt most of the ride, but did put on fleece jacket around 3 or 4 am, when I got chilled when standing still. When riding, I kept myself warm enough.
Pack maps, charge phones and camera, dig up bike shoes (but missing insoles, so no use after all), re-Scotchguard all waterproofish things.
The ride was awesome. A few stats, because they're there, thanks to my bike computer.
We started out at 23:30 from home
rode for 4 hrs, 21 minutes
while we were out for 8:30 hrs
until we were home at around 8 am.
The total distance was 57.65 km (35.8 miles),
with my max of 34.0 km/hr (21.1 mph)
and my average 13.90 km/hr (8.6 mph).
IIRC, we went through Boston, Cambridge, Charlestown, Somerville, East Boston, Back bay, Cambridgeport, and probably many more neighborhoods that I've forgotten.
More description and pics later, gotta run

Comments

[nekowoman.livejournal.com]

And some other stats:

IIRC, 165 riders.
No rain (beautiful clear night with stars in the skies).
Not hot (though J got too cold and didn't have technical clothing with him so his clothing stayed damp from sweat).
No flat tires.
No accidents.
1 locked chain (me).
1 handlebar fix (me).
3 seat fixes (all the adults).
2 bathroom breaks.
Lots of snack food and drink.
Countless good views of historic and beautiful sites.
1 missing flag (retreived at breakneck speed from house by J).
1 blinkie that couldn't be seen (moved and then kluged).
1 blinkie that wouldn't stay on (fixed).
1 bum knee (started from breakneed speep retrieval) - J.
1 bum butt - D.
1 sore back - M.
1 sore neck - D.
1 tired kid (did great) - K.
3 v tired, stiff, feeling-older-than-their-years adults.
A half a bottle of ibuprophen... (and still counting).

1 beautiful sunrise over the Boston skyline and the Atlantic ocean.
2 sunrise martinis.
1 morning slept away (and 1 afternoon - M).
1 day lounging around recovering.
2 evening martinis (to assist with recovery).
Early to bed.

[miekec]

Oh yes. Absolutely. And, as usual, many confused cars wondering where in the world all these crazy bikes came from. Plus a handful of drunk nightclubbers not getting it. And, 2 wonderful people applauding all the riders as they rode by their house.

[nekowoman.livejournal.com]

And 1 annoyed old man who we woke when the bullhorn was being used at 4 in the morning to tell the history of the 1942 Cocoanut Grove fire (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocoanut_Grove_fire)... (Sorry!)