CRW is excited to announce the return of the Norwellian ride!

Mike Togo has recovered from his accident and will resume leading the ride Saturday, July 5. The ride starts promptly at 8:00 am from Norwell High School. See calendar post for details.

The Norwellian Ride is a beautiful ride that includes 32 miles of glorious views of Norwell, Cohasset and Scituate. The route is flat to rolling, with some short but steep sections. It includes the modest cottages on Cohasset's Jerusalem Road, a lighthouse, windmills, beaches, two harbors, and countless other photo ops.

The Norwellian is one of CRW's hidden gems. If you've never done it, give it a try! You won't be disappointed.

By Ann Healey

Not ready to take on CTTC this year? If so, volunteering is a great way to participate in this signature CRW event and support fellow CRW riders!

Please click on the following web link (or copy it into your web browser if clicking doesn't work) to access the signup sheet: https://volunteersignup.org/D4FY4. To sign up, just follow the instructions on the page.

Thank you for volunteering!

Sunday, August 3, 2025 | Lincoln-Sudbury High School

Get ready to push your limits, CRW members! Our signature "Climb to the Clouds" Century returns on August 3 with the ultimate test of endurance and climbing prowess. This members-only event challenges even seasoned cyclists with demanding terrain including the formidable Mt. Wachusett.

Two Distances, One Epic Challenge

• Century (100 miles): Start time 7:30 AM

• Metric Century (63 miles): Start time 8:30 AM

Routes are currently being vetted - links will be available soon. Both routes feature significant elevation gain. The century includes the crown jewel climb to Mt. Wachusett, offering breathtaking views as your reward.

Pace Groups for Every Rider

• Century: 20 mph group or 16-18 mph group
• Metric: Pace group details to be determined

Want to lead a pace group? Contact century@crw.org to get on the roster.

Full Support Along the Way

Three strategically placed rest stops will fuel your journey:

1. Dexler Drumlin Reservation - 192 George Hill Road, Lancaster, MA
2. Berlin Orchards - 310 Sawyer Hill Road, Berlin, MA 01503
3. Mt. Wachusett Visitor Entrance

All stops include porta johns and everything needed to refuel.

Essential Gear

Come prepared for changing conditions:

• Rain shell for potential precipitation
• Extra layers for cooler descents
• Standard cycling safety gear

Start Location: Lincoln-Sudbury High School parking lot, 390 Lincoln Road, Sudbury, MA

NOTE: Limited cell service at start location may affect GPS devices.

Special Opportunities

• Missed Your Medallion? Limited century medallions from last year are available.
• Ride Leaders: Current leaders who've led a CRW ride within the past year qualify for complimentary registration! Contact rides-vp@crw.org for your discount code.
• Want to help out? Access the volunteer sign-up sheet here: https://volunteersignup.org/D4FY4.

Scheduling Note

We know the CTTC overlaps with the Pan-Mass Challenge this year – not ideal timing! Unfortunately, local venue availability and logistics made this unavoidable. We know it's a big weekend for cycling, but we wanted to make sure we could still offer our awesome event this season. For those who can join us, we're looking forward to a great ride!

Ready to Register?

This members-only event is filling up fast. Register now or join CRW today to participate in this incredible cycling adventure.

The Climb to the Clouds Century will test your mettle and reward you with unforgettable views. Are you ready?

By John Allen

I am all in favor of aging CRW members’ riding e-bikes, as I indicated in an earlier Safety Corner article. You might see me more often on club rides once I acquire one!

Most e-bike riders operate their vehicles responsibly. However, the combination of powerful e-bikes and inexperienced operators, often teenagers, is creating safety issues. Let’s look into some background.

There are three classes of e-bikes, according to a system established by the industry lobbying organization PeopleforBikes. As of 2024, those categories have been lobbied into law in most states, as shown on a PeopleforBikes map:

The three classes are:

• Class 1: pedal assist only, top assisted speed 20 mph.
• Class 2: pedal assist and throttle, top assisted speed 20 mph.
• Class 3: pedal assist only, top assisted speed 28 mph.

Motors of all three are limited to 750 watts – one horsepower.

The Massachusetts Legislature took a conservative approach with its 2023 amendments to the traffic law, and did not recognize Class 3 as bicycles -- but they are still sold and used here.

A traditional gasoline-powered motorized bicycle is restricted by law and mechanically to a top speed of 30 miles per hour. A Class 3 e-bike has essentially the same performance. Beyond that, kits to hack an e-bike to exceed its rating are available over the Internet, as are bikes which exceed the performance limits. These machines are effectively electric motorcycles, but they look like e-bikes and are sold and ridden without licensing, registration or required safety equipment.

All of these, whether legal or not, are quiet, unlike gasoline-powered motorcycles. This stealth factor creates safety concerns when they are operated by inexperienced riders on sidewalks and paths. The risk extends beyond just the riders themselves.

This issue came to a head for me on Thursday, June 12. I was riding my bicycle legally, as I do, in downtown Waltham. A rider on what appeared to be an electric motorcycle was riding haphazardly, going around blocks on sidewalks, at 20 mph easily.. He zoomed past storefronts where people could easily have stepped out into his path. He rode past me three times on different streets. One time, I called out "hold it," but I couldn't block him and he kept going. I was concerned enough for the public’s safety to phone in a report to the police.

Communities and police are beginning to take action on this issue, especially in California. Action here in Massachusetts has reached as far as the establishing of a 15 mph speed limit on parts of the Minuteman path. And e-bikes are prohibited on sidewalks and most other off-road environments except for paved paths. But we need to go further with both education and enforcement to prevent serious accidents that could harm both riders and others.

Most bicycling advocacy in the USA still promotes infrastructure which is unsafe at the speeds these machines achieve.

For comparison, let's see what the European Union does. It has three categories of e-bike, but they are not the same.

• Pedelec: pedal assist only. Top assisted speed 25 km/h (15.5 mph and power 250 watts – 1/3 horsepower, no more than a fit bicyclist can produce. These are intended to fit in with typical utility bicyclists on urban roads and bikeways.
• L1e-A: “Powered cycle”: top assisted speed 15.5 mph, but the motor may have up to 1000 watts. This is for cargo bikes and delivery vehicles whose extra weight requires a more powerful motor.
• L1-e B: “Two-wheel mopeds” which include the Speed Pedelec: Pedal assist only, top assisted speed 45 km/h, which is 27.9 mph. Power is limited to 4 times that of a human rider, for practical purposes, 1000 watts. These are substantially the same as the US Class 3 but a helmet, licensing and registration are required. These are treated as mopeds, not bicycles, and are expected to be ridden on the street.

A speed pedelec and European registration plate.

The European Union got ahead of the e-bike issue, at least in its laws and performance limits. European bicycle culture is very different too, with larger ridership and much of it for daily transportation.

To address the youngest sector of e-bike users, the American Bicycling Education Association has created the Teen EBike Training program (https://teenebiketraining.com) and there is an excellent book for parents of e-bike riders, The Caring Parent’s E-Bike Survival Guide, https://bellemontproject.com/parents.

But with no well-supported nationwide enforcement and education effort, we have a long way to go here to establish consistent order and sanity around e-bikes.

Be careful out there, riding on the path, when you walk out of the storefront, anywhere. Take a good look around and be ready to avoid a collision!

And if and when you can put in a good word for appropriate advocacy efforts, please do!

Sunday, July 27, 2025 | 6:30 AM Start | Winchester to Worcester and back

Get ready for one of CRW's most inspiring rides of the year! The Major Taylor Century combines challenging miles with powerful cycling history, featuring a midpoint stop for the legendary George Street Bike Challenge, the same steep hill where world champion Major Taylor once trained.

REGISTER FOR THE CENTURY

A Champion's Story

Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor was a trailblazer who shattered barriers on and off the cycling track. Born in Indianapolis in 1878, Taylor moved to Worcester as a teenager, drawn to the city's thriving bicycle industry. Training on George Street's punishing grades helped forge him into the 1899 world sprint cycling champion—the first African American to achieve world champion status in any sport. Despite facing severe racial discrimination, Taylor's grace and determination earned him the nickname "The Worcester Whirlwind."

The Challenge Awaits

Our 105-mile out-and-back journey departs from Winchester and features a special midpoint stop in Worcester at the annual George Street Bike Challenge. This 500-foot, 18% average grade monster has humbled cyclists since Taylor's era. The current record stands at just 22.19 seconds.

Key Details:

• Start: 6:30 AM sharp from Shannon Beach, Winchester
• Pace: Steady 15-17 mph (GPS required, no cue sheets)
• George Street arrival: 9:30 AM for photos at the Major Taylor statue
• Hill climb window: 9:45-10:30 AM (separate $20 entry)
• Finish: ~2:15 PM back in Winchester

REGISTER FOR GEORGE STREET CHALLENGE

Ready to Roll?

This fast-paced century demands preparation and commitment. Pack your repair kit, have the route on your GPS, and be ready to maintain our ambitious schedule. Whether you watch from the sidelines or test your legs against George Street's intimidating grade, you'll be part of an event honoring Major Taylor's memory.

Contact ride leader Randolph Williams with questions, and if you're entering the George Street Challenge, let him know so we can cheer you on!

By John O'Dowd, VP of Rides

The hot summer weather has finally arrived! CRW is lining up some cool non-recurring rides to make your summer cycling experience memorable!

On July 4, we kick off the month with our annual Lexington Revolutions ride (not to be confused with Social Revolutions). Three routes (51, 33 and 19) take you through Lexington, Concord, Carlisle, Bedford, Westford, and Chelmsford, with a break at Great Brook State Park.

Two days later, July 6, Linda and Barry Nelson lead their classic Blue Moon ride out of Medfield. The route covers quiet roads in Medfield, Norwood, Sharon, Mansfield, Foxboro, and Walpole. The long ride adds Norton and Attleboro.

On July 19, Jerry Skurla offers the 5^th Annual Bikepacking 101 Adventure ride. This is a two-day, one night introduction to "bikepacking," which means riding to beautiful locations on mostly unpaved roads, with all gear carried on your trusty bike, NOT your back.  

If you’d rather just do a single day ride on July 19, John O’Dowd offers his annual Miles for Myles ride out of Marshfield. Tour the south shore towns of Marshfield, Pembroke, Duxbury, and Kingston, with a stop at the Myles Standish tower.

We kick off August with Gail Ferreira’s and Mike McIlrath’s Lost From the Tiki Bar on August 2. Tour great backroads of northern Massachusetts (and into NH for the 3 longer routes), each including the infamous Lost Lake Drive in Groton. After the ride there’s a celebration (and a swim to cool down) at the Sunset Tiki Bar in Westford.

The very next day, August 3, do not miss CRW’s summer century, the famous Climb to the Clouds! This challenging event offers both a 100 mile ride and metric century option.

On August 9, enjoy CRW’s annual Erikson’s Ice Cream ride (24, 38, and 58 miles). Tour around Stow, Bolton, Berlin, Clinton, Boylston, and Sterling. CRW will reward you with ice cream at Erikson's Dairy in Maynard.

These are just some of the many non-recurring rides coming up with more to be added. These complement our core recurring rides such as the Sunday South Shore Loop, Newton-Dover Donut Ride, the challenging Mighty Squirrel and Tempo Thursday rides, and of course Wednesday Wheelers, Bike Thursday, and TGIF Unwinder to round out your week!

Enjoy the sunshine, good company, and great routes all summer with CRW!

By Nina Siegel and Harold Hatch

This ride series is meant to highlight some of the “best of the best” routes that have been created by CRW Route Developers/Ride Leaders over the club’s nearly 60-year history. Familiar to long-time club members, some routes have been running annually since 2010 while others haven’t been offered recently. This season we are focusing on rides that feature 3 or more routes. With beautiful roads, multiple speed and distance options, including a welcoming 10-12 mph pace, these routes offer something for everyone in CRW, new and long-time members alike.

Be on the lookout for upcoming WheelPeople articles featuring the Route Developer and/or Ride Leader and what it is about their ride that makes it special to the club. You’ll find notifications in Chain Link and club social media channels when the rides are posted on the Events Calendar. Please join us as we celebrate what our Club has to offer in its long history of riding.

AND NOW – OUR THIRD CLASSIC FEATURE!

Barry and Linda Nelson in Croatia, 2014.

Meet Linda and Barry Nelson

Linda and Barry are leading “Blue Moon” Sunday, July 6, 2025, out of Medfield, MA – their favorite lunch spot!

Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Linda and Barry met in Boston during college when friends invited Linda to a weekend gathering. Barry had been cycling through Europe unsupported for 8 weeks before they met, and Linda cycled a bit locally in college. When their son was born, he rode right along on the back of Barry’s bike starting with a child’s seat advancing to a Burley trailer. Their son now rides and has a trailer for transporting his own children on his rides! Barry and Linda were originally riding singles, moved to a tandem as Barry was faster and now are back to singles as Linda prefers the white line and Barry the middle of the road. They used to live in Newton and are now in Weston, which they love. Linda devotes a lot of her time to moving the Fitchburg Rail with Trail (a trail alongside the tracks of the Fitchburg line from Weston to Lincoln, Concord and potentially including Acton to Ayer and Nashua, NH) forward and a shared use path along Route 30 in Weston. Barry volunteers to assist non-profits with their computer systems. They have ridden the Pan Mass Challenge for 30 years.

How long have you been riding with CRW?

They joined CRW in 1990 and have covered a huge array of volunteer positions in the past 35 years both as present ride leaders, and past board members, membership coordinators, and century committee volunteers. In addition, Barry has been a former CRW President, VP, VP rides, Secretary, Saturday rides coordinator, email list moderator, century ride leader, and apparel coordinator. His current position is membership coordinator, a job that Linda held for 15 years. Whew! And what a huge thank you is extended to you both!

What kind of rides do you enjoy the most?

They like to ride in good weather and enjoy a full day of riding when they can. Barry likes the hills, and Linda Likes the flats and the downhills. They like riding with the Wednesday Wheelers. No e-bikes for them yet. When they can’t ride, they run 5k on either the Weston HS track or the Regis College track, and if neither option is available, they become very grumpy.

History of "Blue Moon" route:

It was a birthday present for Linda, or it was a birthday present for Barry – they cannot seem to remember but Linda’s birthday is in the fall, so some years the temperature can be a bit cold. This year they are leading it in July to help keep the buzz going for the Classic! Barry did the initial development of it, and Linda refined it a few times until they deemed it a perfect metric century. They created the 41- and the 33-mile routes for colder weather. The key is always the start location. And the Blue Moon is a favorite restaurant opened by a dear friend with great desserts which is the key to entice Barry on any ride. Barry has a nickname, “The Muffin Man”. There must be a terrific muffin or fabulous dessert stop along the ride or at the end of the ride. One example is that in the fall Dunkin Donuts have the pumpkin spice muffin.

What makes it special so that you want to continue to lead the Blue Moon ride?

The route has some very lightly traveled roads in many towns, not often on CRW routes: Medfield, Norwood, Sharon, Mansfield, Foxboro, Walpole, Norton and Attleboro. There are nice long stretches with a few good long slow climbs. A few busy roads of course but some good dessert stops (Sharon and Foxboro), then end back at the Blue Moon for a well-made lunch and of course dessert after your metric ride!

************************************

Ride a Classic route or two this season and find out exactly why they are such enduring Club rides. Explore new territory, scenic views, and the best snack stops all while riding with great people the way you like to ride.

Some of the exciting routes that we’ve planned so far include:

• Northern Lighthouses – Renee LeVerrier/Andy Meyer (Route Developer) Nina Siegel (Ride Leader) – 9/7
• Bagels and a Witch – Melinda Lyon – 10/26
• Earlier this season: Hills Are Your Friends - Lindy King; Brake for Beavers- Harold Hatch

Check out the CRW Ride Calendar and choose your next ride – which will become your Classic?

If you would like to have one of your routes featured as a CRW Classic, please reach out to either Nina (ninasiegel7@gmail.com) or Harold (haroldhatch@yahoo.com).

Let’s Ride!

By Barbara Jacobs

Looking to join a group ride? Follow these simple steps to secure your spot.

On-line through the Ride Calendar:

1. Log in to the CRW Website
2. Go to the Calendar
3. Look for the ride you want to join and click on it.
4. Click on Register – complete all the requested information (if you logged in, most of your information will be preset).
5. Review and approve the CRW Release and Waiver
6. If you do not want your name listed remove the check mark under the “Public list of event registrants”
7. Click “Confirm”
8. The next screen will say “Event registration: Confirmation (Receipt)”
9. You will get an email saying your “Event Registration Confirmed for…"

Using the CRW Wild Apricot Member App:

This is the easiest way to register for a ride.

Download the appropriate WildApricot Member App:

Each of these Apps work a little differently.

1. Begin in your “Member Profile”
2. Click on events for Apple devices the Events Icon is at the bottom of the page, for Android devices click on the three vertical lines and then click on the Events Icon.
3. Find the event you want to register for – click on it.
4. Click on the Registration type.
5. Complete the details Ride Distance and Ride Speed – if they are asked for.
6. Review and approve the CRW Release and Waiver.
7. If you do not want your name listed remove the check mark under the “Public list of event registrants” Click on complete.
8. Make sure your details are correct and click on complete.
9. The next screen will say “Registration Successful.”
10. You will get an email saying your “Event Registration Confirmed for …….

If you need to cancel your ride registration, see this article.

By Barbara Jacobs

You have registered for a CRW ride using the steps in this article. If the unexpected happens, and you cannot make that CRW ride you are registered for, please go ahead and cancel your registration so we are not needlessly waiting for you at the ride start. Also, if you know that you cannot attend a ride a day or two before the ride, please cancel. This is especially helpful if there is a waitlist for the ride.

There are three ways to cancel your registration.

Option 1: Cancel from your CRW Website User Profile

1. Log into the CRW Website.
2. Click on your name in the top right corner to go to your profile.
3. Select "My Event Registrations" and find the event you wish to cancel.
4. Click on "Already Registered" in the left panel.
5. This opens the registration form with a "Cancel Registration" button, which you can click to cancel.
6. You will receive an Event Registration Canceled email.

Option 2: Cancel from the CRW Website Event Page

1. Log into the CRW Website.
2. Open the Calendar and select the event you want to cancel.
3. On the event page, click "Already registered" in the left panel.
4. This opens the registration form with a "Cancel Registration" button, which you can click to cancel.
5. You will receive an Event Registration Canceled email.

Option 3: Cancel from the CRW Member Mobile App

Using the Wild Apricot Member App

This is the easiest way to Cancel your registration.

If you have not already, download the appropriate WildApricot CRW App:

• iOS (Apple) Download Link for Apple devices
• Android Download Link for Android devices

Each of these Apps work a little differently. Begin in your “Member Profile”

1. Click on “My tickets” for Apple devices at the bottom of the page, for Android devices click on the three vertical lines and then click on the “My Tickets.”
2. Select the event you want to cancel.
3. Click "Cancel" to cancel your registration.
4. Click on “Yes Cancel my Registration".
5. You will receive an Event Registration Canceled email.

By David Wean

Recently Cynthia and I took two two-week (guided) cycling tours in India, riding about 700 miles over the month. The first tour was primarily in Rajasthan (in the north-central part of the country), the second mostly in Karnataka and Kerala (the south-west, including the coast almost to the southern tip). Here are some impressions of the cycling aspect of the tours.  Each tour had about 10 participants, plus two guides and a driver. 

Right is Wrong

The first challenge was riding on the “wrong” side of the road.  In a group or when there’s traffic, it’s not too hard to remember, though on my own I sometimes had to catch myself. I use a Take-a-Look eyeglass mirror, and thought I’d switch it to the right side as a reminder, but I found it hard for my eyes (brain?) to adjust, and went back to my normal position which was more comfortable, though less effective.  

Another aspect of left-side driving is turns: at home, turning left has more potential conflicts than turning right, and thus requires a lot more attention; here, it was the opposite. When turning right, I had to think carefully about where to look, and didn’t always get it quite right. 

Traffic 

There is a wide variety of road users, even on the “highways”. In reverse order of priority: people walking (there usually weren’t decent sidewalks), people on bicycles (mostly older men on one-speed bikes and very few “road” cyclists), motor scooters and cycles, tuk-tuks (three-wheeled small taxis), cars, small trucks and buses, and the occasional large bus or truck.  

Oh, and cows.  

Everyone honks before passing. It’s just a brief warning, but with the variation in speed, there’s a lot of passing, and thus a lot of honking. The honking is not hostile or punitive as we hear at home, but it takes some getting used to. Even then, it’s a constant loud background in many places.

When being passed I moved left, to the extent it was safe, or if riding side by side, we singled up and the drivers passed using whatever room was left (This included the oncoming lanes which often were not empty. I’m surprised that I didn’t see any head-on collisions, nor, actually, any collisions at all, though I did see some smashed vehicles here and there.)  

As a recent League Cycling Instructor, I’ve been very conscious of the five “must say” principles, which include “follow the law” and “be predictable”.   

From what I’ve read, there actually are rules of the road similar to what we have at home, but compliance, particularly by folks on two wheels, is not great. An example: on divided roadways, we often encountered motor bikes (and an occasional car) riding the wrong way along the right-hand edge of the road. We were instructed by our guide to pull a little to our right to let them get by. (At home, I’ll typically stay at the edge of the road, and let the offending cyclist worry about oncoming motor traffic.).  We commented on this: “Can you believe it - they’re going the wrong way”. Shortly after this, we approached our hotel, which happened to be on the right side of the road. Ironically, rather than ride a quarter mile to the next break in the divider and then turn back (as we would at home) our guide had us shift to the right (wrong) side of the road at an earlier break and ride against traffic for several hundred meters.

However, after a while, the unpredictable became predictable. For example, crossing the street on foot in the cities took a few days to figure out. At first, we’d walk to one of the infrequent traffic signals, but even there, there weren’t dedicated phases for walkers. Plan B was to find a local who looked like they were crossing in the same direction as we were, and when they went, we went.  We finally understood that they looked for a gap in traffic large enough to be visible, and then walked steadily in a straight line. Traffic made room for us, either crossing in front of us or behind. It never became second nature, but eventually it was more comfortable, and we no longer considered taking a 50 cent tuk-tuk ride to get across the street (no, we never actually did that).

We realized that the principle is that everyone watches everyone else, keeps doing what they’re doing, and we all work around each other. The sense I got was that drivers were way more attentive there than they are at home - even people riding motorbikes with one hand and talking on the phone with the other were looking where they were going. Someone explained that the principle is “don’t hit anyone” rather than “drive defensively”. 

The Road(s) Taken

We encountered a wide variety of riding surfaces on the tours:  we spent a day or so on a newly paved and striped highway, smooth with enough room on the shoulder to feel comfortable. We went over long bridges with narrow lanes and heavy but slow traffic.  Some roads were in bad shape (including many on the day we descended 6500 feet - what a waste of a good downhill) and plenty were dirt or gravel.  The bikes that were provided were suitable though - 29-er hardtail mountain bikes on one of the tours, and aluminum hybrids with 40 mm tires and front shocks on the other.  

Overall, we were happy with the trip, learned to manage our way (with a little help from our friendly guides) and saw a lot of cool and interesting things. The experience provided a window on another way of getting around by bike:  order within apparent chaos.  

We’d recommend this trip for the touristing value, as well as a different way to think about cycling. For yet another view, maybe next time we’ll revisit Amsterdam or Copenhagen…