Friday August 11th
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 North Dorm C, 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
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.
If you’re taking the early run on Friday we’ll have sandwiches waiting for you when you get to Amherst. If you’re taking the late run Friday we’ll have food to take along on the drive for you.
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
We will have an optional free escorted ride of about 20 miles on Friday at 3:00 p.m. Come by our on-campus office in the lobby 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 in Amherst. Several restaurants to choose from, from cheap-o cheap-o to moderate. You choose, and you pay for your own meal. Come by our on-campus office in the lobby of North Dorm C (the Deluxe Dorms). We’ll have free valet bike parking at dinner if you want to pedal over. Hang out with your fellow riders and get some carbos in you.