Gloucester

Another hot Saturday ride to Gloucester. Last weekend we were complaining about the cold temperatures while riding to Plum Island... this weekend it's the heat. I logged in a little under 40 miles today but finished strong. The temps were nudging towards 95 when I rolled back into Salem.

Riding out to Gloucester always seems far when you're starting out at 6:30 am, barely awake. The first seven miles to Beverly Farms get your muscles warmed up and ready for the hills leading out to Gloucester. Still, with a stop in Manchester for those in the group not travelling further (there is a breakfast cafe in the center of Manchester, where Rt 127 takes a sharp left towards Gloucester -- I forget the name.) I'm always tempted to stop and join the short ride. Today, I continued on to Gloucester, even though the heat was starting to wear on me.

There is a turn off of Rt 127 that heads out to Magnolia and adds more hills (although, surprisingly, not many more miles). I skipped those hills today and slogged up 127 to meet the faster riders at the Gloucester Fisherman statue. There were 8 of us today. After breakfast, a few headed back to Salem while six of us continued on to do the Twin Lights loop. Five minutes after heading out towards Rocky Neck, I changed my mind and decided to head back to Salem. (The temperature was a good ten degrees hotter than before we had stopped for breakfast, and it was still only 9:00). Another rider, Jack, and I turned around and then decided to take 133 through Gloucester and Essex back to Salem. It was tough in the heat as we headed away from the coastline.