Tour de Breakfast 2012

Now this was fun, we're just back from the 2012 version of the Tour de Breakfast. What is the TdB, you ask? Well it takes place on National Bike to Work day and the idea is to ride on a bike to as many commuter breakfasts being held for riders/walker in the great seacoast NH area between the scheduled hours of 7-10 AM. It's a rigorous agenda, but with a quick bite ("chew and screw" says the ride leader, Arlon) or sip of coffee at each stop, it can make for a super fun training ride. That's pretty much why we went, but also for the fun factor and the good peeps in the bunch. With about 12 riders, we had some great local representation too. There was of course, the star of the show, Arlon Chaffee from Loco Cycling who was hammering the front most of the ride, adding to the engine, there were a couple of NorEast racers, Scott from Riverside Cycles, a couple of DG Cycles riders, and also some local citizen riders along for the fun. 

The ride started at the new location for Independent Fabrications (IF Bikes) located in a lovely old reconditioned mill building in Newmarket, NH. Gary from IF pulled out all the stops with fresh coffee, hand rolled steaming hot crepes, fresh fruit & juice, as well as pro bars for the ride ahead. 

The Crepe lady, it's blurry because I was full of coffee and having the shakes!

So yes, technically the starting location, but also the first stop for us since we rode over from a somewhat nearby park and ride lot, we then headed to our second stop at the Exeter, NH Bandstand in the center of town. There we found more breakfast type goodies, coffee and well known local cycling advocates from SABR and the one and only Susanne Delaney who organizes the Portsmouth Criterium.

Arlon (in shorts) signs the group in at the Exeter Bandstand.

Riding away from Exeter, our next stop was at the USA HQ for Timberland in Stratham, NH. It's only about a six or seven mile ride and we hammered that out in quick order and arrived to a self serve spread of scrambled eggs, potatoes, all kinds of muffins, danishes, coffee, juice, fresh fruit...it was loaded with goodies! I had eggs and potatoes in a cup and a chocolate chip muffin. YUM!

 Smuttynose Beer rider, Bill, loads up on eggs and potatoes.

From Timberland, we headed to a local bike shop that's legendary in our area, Gus' Bike shop in North Hampton, NH. Jeff the owner greeted us as we pulled in the lot. Yet again, an awesome spread of food for the commuters. Mmmm more coffee? Okay, sure!

Gus' Bike!

We had a nice chat among the group through the little town of Rye and stayed single file as best as we could arriving to the Rye public library in a flash. I wasn't very hungry, but they too had a delicious mix of food for commuters, along with a mechanic from Gus' bike for any needed repairs. 

Noreast Rider, Peter Corriveau (in red) is pondering eating another muffin I think...Rye SINGLE FILE!

From Rye, we were off to our last official stop in Portsmouth, NH at Market Square, sponsored by Popovers. Along the way, I was calculating my exertion level and feeling really good, so I decided to go for a Strava segment and actually pulled off a PR on the climb! Good miles and food in me I guess? With the sprint bunch arriving just ahead of the main field, we were greeted by Seacoast Area Bike Routes (SABR) President and local shop Manager for Papa Wheelies, Josh Pierce. He took a few photos, we hung out chatting for a bit and then from here a few folks drifted off to work and the main group split. About seven of us hammered one of the local commute routes through Pease Tradeport and then from there I split off with one other rider on a cross bike named Ben, when he said "Do you want to hammer back"? I knew it would be a fast ride back to my car. Thanks to his long hard pull I got my second Strava PR for the day, so good work and thanks, Ben! We worked hard together the rest of the way to my car and went our separate ways from there.

Fourty Seven miles all said and done. It was a great way to celebrate the end of Bike to Work Week. With all the commuting back and forth to work and the TdB, personally I got in over 150 miles, and it was a super welcome addition to the seasons training. Thanks to Arlon Chaffee for organizing and having us along for the ride.

Steve from Exposure Lights USA / U.S.E. chatting about bikes and stuff with Susanne and Peter.

Finishing up with our ride link for the TdB from our Strava club.

Thanks for reading

-Steve