Voice Post: 2010 PMC Thu West Stockbridge

The following is a transcription of a phone post that originally appeared in my main journal, here.

Hi! Welcome to the coverage of the 2010 Pan-Mass Challenge, my tenth ride. This year we will be starting in West Stockbridge, my buddies Paul and Jay and I, as we do the preliminary day of our 3-day 300-mile trek.

Today drove out via the route that we will ride tomorrow, which features two major climbs: one being Jacob's Ladder on Route 20, which is a very long and high but doable route, climbing up to 1800 feet; and then it's followed by a second, smaller hill -- 1200-foot hill -- on Route 66 leading into Northampton, which actually is much steeper and isn't quite as stair-stepped, so it'll be a much tougher climb. Those both come the first half of the ride.

We drove out through some rain today but that was a front coming through which hopefully will clear out the humidity from yesterday's and today's weather, leaving us with a great forecast for the weekend.

Look forward to more messages from the road tomorrow on Friday, as we go from West Stockbridge to Sturbridge for the actual beginning of the official Pan-Mass Challenge Friday and Saturday morning. Okay? I'll talk to you soon. And look forward to more updates.