New England Randonneurs

Start, Finish, and Meeting Location: 117 Governors Ave, Medford MA
Parking: Free on-street parking on Governors Ave, both sides. Please do not block driveways.
Ride Start Time: 7:30am
Ride Leader: Jake Kassen
Lights: Optional
Distance: 105km / 67.5 miles (No Dirt)
Time Limit: 7h
Map & GPS File: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/48704610
Cue Sheet: See above RWGPS Link
Sanctioning: RUSA Only
Registration: Register Online (Scroll down to see registered riders)

Populaire @ 7:30am

Last NER Ride of 2024! (Probably) Come enjoy the fall weather on a fully paved rolling route not used by NER since 2018. The route is 68 miles (105km RUSA credit) and uses popular roads in the Boston western suburbs. The route heads northwest to Groton, MA then south to Littleton, MA before heading southeast back to Medford. Most roads are particularity small and quiet although expect riding with traffic in the first and last 2 miles in Medford and Arlington. The route uses the Minuteman Bikeway which can get crowded if the weather is favorable but is otherwise a nice way of getting out of the suburbs on a scenic rail trail. Please pass otherwise with care and keep the pace moderate when there are other path users.

At 2700′ of climbing this won’t be a knee buster and all roads are paved. But the route is constantly rolling so you’ll earn the chili at the end of the ride. The controls are unsupported and passage verification is via GPS track or photo so please plan accordingly. There is a large Dunkin Donuts at ~36 miles and this makes for the best on-route snack stop as the route passes few stores.

NER will have snacks at Emily & Jake’s house when people return. The NER Member’s meeting is at 3pm, 7 hours after the ride start so riders do not need to rush.

2024 Members Meeting @ 3pm

The yearly members meeting is in NER’s Bylaws. It is an opportunity for members to discuss any issues related to the organization which might be on their mind. These meetings have been festive occasions with snacks, recalling enjoyable rides of the past year, and looking ahead. All current NER members may speak at the meeting, if desired.

The Fall Team Event weekend Arrow & Dart rides are happening the weekend of Sep 24, 2022.  These are fun events where teams of 3-5 plan their own route to Brattleboro, VT and have 8-24 hours to ride their route of 120km – 360km+.  Find out more on the link and go to the NER Google group to find your teammates.

Riders can register for The Dirt Populaire East Barnard VT Gravel 100km (June 25th), the White Mountain Getaway 600km (July 9 to 10) and the Newport 300km (Aug 20).  Look for the registration link on each of the event pages to register via BikeReg.   The Dirt event also has a brand-new pre-ride report to get you excited about the course!

It’s not too early to be fielding Arrow & Dart Teams for the Fall Team Event weekend (Sept 24). These are fun events where teams of 3-5 plan their own route to Brattleboro, VT and have 8-24 hours to ride their route of 120km – 360km+. 

Note that registration closes 24-48 hours before most events and on July 1 for the 600k, a week before the event.   There is no day-of-event registration for any events so don’t forget to register before the deadline. RUSA membership is also required for all events so make sure you’re current for 2022.

Riders can also become members of New England Randonneurs! NER yearly membership supports our events and in 2022 members will receive a free NER water bottle at the start of their first ride of the year.

Brevet Cards in 2022: For most events riders will receive a traditional paper brevet card. Please keep this card with you during the ride and return it to the organizer at the finish. For proof of passage at intermediate controls, riders can choose to: Get their card initialed, get a receipt at the control store (if applicable), record a GPS track, or take a time-stamped photo of their bike at the control.

2022 Event Results can be found at our dedicated results website. Results are generally posted 24-48 hours after the event has concluded.