Let's See Bucks County

DateMay 17, 2008
HostsPat and Bill Rock
Where Bulls Island Park
Who (else) Judy Allison and Malcolm Boyd, Deb and Al Cudworth, Barbara Flint and Neil McPhee, Jinyeong Hwang and Goon Koch (non-DOGS), Brenda and Larry Isherwood, Debbie Mihok and David Ziccardi (non-DOGS on singles), Renee and Fred Neibauer, Linda and George Wells
Today (Saturday 17 May 2008) Team Rock hosted their first DOGS ride, and it was great. They "borrowed" a cue sheet from the Buck County Peddlers (BCP) and provided the stokers with an interesting cue sheet that started in the middle of the second column and went back to the first column and then back to the second column at the top -- all to let us start from Bulls Island Park on the Jersey side of the ride.

Participating were Teams: Rock (Bill & Pat), Isherwood (Larry & Brenda), Mihok/Ziccardi (Debbie & David of the BCP on their single bikes), Cook/Prudhomme (Mark & Cheryl), Wells (George & Linda), Allison/Boyd (Judy and Malcolm), Flint/McPhee (Barbara & Neil), Hwang/Koch (Jinyeong & Goon – non- DOGS on a tandem), Cudworth (Al & Deb), and Neibauer (Fred & Renee). The "ride" started with a walk across the Delaware footbridge to the PA side where we took the pre-ride photo before starting the actual "riding" portion of the route. After only a few tenths on River Road, we turned left up a side road that led us along a river with small waterfalls and hardly any motorized traffic and that led into the town of Carversville where there was some kind of community celebration forming up. As we got to the first turn, our hosts told Team Wells to hook up with Team Neibauer who led us up a gentler climb than the one the rest of the Pelethon took heading for Street Road. We shared a good pace with Fred and Renee and traded leads. By the time we passed the point where the Pelethon had turned onto Street Road it was clear that we were far behind them, and we took an easy pace through the well-maintained roads of Bucks County.

None of the climbs from there on, at least on the PA side, were difficult although there were some that tested our legs and cadence. We passed a lot of beautiful homes with manicured lawns while encountering little traffic, and what traffic we did encounter was respectful of our tandems. Eventually, we wended our way into New Hope where there was a parade forming. Fred & Renee led the way through the crowds and got us to the bridge across the Delaware back into NJ. While walking across the bridge, George commented to a single cyclist sporting a Pink (Maglia Rosa) jersey with a CSC logo, that "you made a wrong turn at Palermo" to which he grinned and laughed -- Team Wells is following the Giro on Cycling.TVt43.

Since we were far behind the Pelethon, we opted to bypass the climbs on the NJ side that lead to the screaming downhill on Federal Twist Road (we've done that before) and opted to take Route 29 straight back to Bulls Island. As we stopped to make the left onto Route 29, Team Hwang/Koch arrived while we waited for the traffic to clear. The three teams started up 29 and then Linda started to pedal harder as we approached Stockton. Since she is the "Rear Admiral," we took the pace a bit higher and Teams Neibauer and Hwang/Koch stayed together as Team Wells pulled away. (Apologies, but when the stoker is feeling good....)

We finished the ride just five miles short of the planned 40 mile trip with Team Wells feeling quite good. The forecast rain and wind held off during the ride and that was good. Unfortunately, Team Wells had to head home to give Muggles his food and medication (that he won't take from the Cat Sitter) so we could not participate in the post ride festivities. It was a great day, and a great ride. Many thanks to Team Rock for hosting and to everyone for their participation.

As we came close to home, our neighbors David Garland and Maribel Mercado who recently purchased a new Cannodale tandem from Tandems East were having a yard sale, so we stopped and congratulated them on their new tandem. They handed us their membership form and $10, so they are our newest DOGS, and we hope to get them out on a DOGS ride soon.

If you missed today's ride, you did miss a great day with the DOGS. The next scheduled DOGS event is the Summer Solstice Ride (Saturday 21 June 2008) being hosted by Mel and Barbara Kornbluh that will be our first late afternoon ride, with a 25 mile loop for the slower bunch and a 50 for the faster folks -- the deadline for signing up is coming fast -- 7 June, so make your plans now and let Team Kornbluh know you are coming. In addition, there are loads of open weekend dates available to schedule DOGS events.

Linda & George Wells
Leaders -- Doubles Of the Garden State


DOGS Home Page

Generated automagically on Mon May 19 20:11:29 US/Eastern 2008 from 080517.pho dated Mon May 19 20:11:28 US/Eastern 2008 by /home/dmk/perl/pho.pl, %W%.
Copyright © 2008, George Wells (text)