Friday August 7th

The Farm Ride Century isn’t until Saturday, but most people will head up to Amherst on Friday after work.  (Or even better, blow off work on Friday and head up early! We're almost always in favor of blowing off work...) Get there early and you can get in an extra day of riding -- we’ll have some short routes ready for you.


IF YOU ARE GETTING TO THE RIDE ON YOUR OWN

We are staying on the campus of the University of Massachusetts - Amherst. If you are getting to Amherst on your own, you can check in to your room on campus any time after 3:00 p.m.


If you want to arrive earlier your room may be available. If it’s not ready yet you are welcome to drop your bag off at our office in the Deluxe Dorms -- North Dorm C any time starting at noon, use our bathrooms and showers, hang out, enjoy a free cold drink, go for a ride, relax... we’ll take extra-good care of you!  


IF YOU ARE TAKING OUR OPTIONAL TRANSPORTATION TO THE RIDE

If you prefer, we offer OPTIONAL transportation to the ride for your bike and you from Manhattan. Please note that if you want this optional transportation, you must sign up for it in advance.


WHERE TO MEET: W. 33rd Street between 11th Ave and 12th Ave  in Manhattan. Look for our vans and trucks. (Why there? Because there’s enough room for our buses and trucks.  


WHEN: There are two separate departures to Amherst -- your choice:


Trip #1

Starts Loading: 7:00 a.m.

Leaves NYC: 8:00 a.m. sharp


We'll stop along the way for bad roadfood, but encourage you to bring your own with you if you prefer.



Trip #2

Starts Loading: 5:30 p.m.

Leaves NYC: 6:30 p.m. sharp


Your bike travels in our private trucks. You travel in our 15-passenger vans (except that we never put more than 11 people in a 15-passenger van to keep it comfy for you).  Of course we’ll stop for snacks and bathroom breaks whenever you want. Don't be shy about asking for a stop!  (... said the guy who has to stop for bathroom breaks all the time!)

We'll stop along the way for bad roadfood, but encourage you to bring your own with you if you prefer


CONTINUED BELOW

NOTE: Like most hotels, it is possible that your room will not be ready when you arrive if you take this early trip to UMass. If that’s the case you are welcome to drop your bag off at our office, use our bathrooms and showers, hang out, go for a ride, relax... we’ll take extra-good care of you!


If you take the 8:00 a.m. trip, we’ll unload your bike when we arrive in Amherst in case you want to cruise around town.


If you take the 6:30 p.m. trip you can check in as soon as you arrive. We will NOT unload your bike when we arrive -- we will hold on to your bike until morning (to avoid bike sorting in the dark!) Your bike will be waiting at the start line for you.


AFTER YOU ARRIVE IN AMHERST


3:00 p.m.

We will have an optional free escorted ride of about 20 miles on Friday at 3:00 p.m.  Meet outside of North Dorm C (the Deluxe Dorms) and we’ll head out for an easy-going spin. If you’d rather explore on your own that’s fine -- stop by the office for free route sheets.


Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. we’ll have an optional very short ride to dinner at the UMass dining commons (voted #1 college dining by The Princeton Review three years in a row.


Meet in front to The Deluxe Dorms with your bike, tires pumped, dressed, ready to ride.

Pay for your own ice cream; otherwise this ride is free. LIGHTS -- FRONT AND REAR -- ARE MANDATORY.  Simple blinkies should be fine, but we will be on some off-street paved bike paths that are DARK.