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Harpooned!



For New England cyclists, the only thing as predictable as the coming and going of daylight across the riding year was the knowledge that in June, we would be able to ride 148 miles for a Harpoon. I finished my first and only "B2B" in 2011, marking my longest ride at the time. It was a great experience, and an area rite of passage, but the route itself was only so-so, beauty-wise. The 2011 B2B coincided with my emerging philosophy of doing many big rides only once--there are simply too many great unridden rides out there to keep repeating the ones I'd done.

So-so route + new philosophy = one and done

In 2012, I photographed the ride coming across the inaptly named Harvard Bridge and helped pace the Peets 530 crew out toward the Carlisle area.

The rumbles started in 2013.

On December 18, 2012, past B2B riders received an email from Harpoon. It read, in part:
After twelve great years and literally tens of thousands of miles, we have decided to make some changes in the production of the Harpoon Brewery to Brewery Ride. In a nutshell, the ride has outgrown the Harpoon Brewery’s ability to produce it. We are currently in discussions with a select group of organizations to explore transferring the behind-the-scenes operations of the B2B. The changes we are considering will ideally be invisible to the participants. We respect and appreciate what all the riders, volunteers, sponsors, and particularly our partners at Team Psycho have created, and if the ride is to continue, we want to preserve everything that has made it special. [emphasis added]
By all accounts, the 2013 did in fact "preserve everything that has made it special." Namely, a brewery at the start. Two major climbs, the second one Leviathan. And a brewery at the end.

Phew, bullet dodged.

On October 22, 2013, past B2B riders received another email from Harpoon:
The new management group is currently hard at work securing the appropriate pieces of the puzzle to put together an even better ride in 2014. Anytime something changes, there is an opportunity to make it even better and the new group is hard at work to ensure that the 2014 B2B is even more challenging and exciting. It will continue to be a Massachusetts to Vermont route on many of the same roads that it has always been. So please reserve Saturday June 14th (Saturday of Father's Day weekend) same date as usual, for the 2014 edition of the B2B ride. The new management group will be in contact with you by the end of November with news re: the 2014 B2B. Registration will open in January 2014.
"... many of the same roads ..."

December 14, 2013:
As we write this email we are hard at work securing a finishing venue for the ride at a major ski resort in Vermont. By doing this we will ensure that we will use much of the same course as in the past, including the 10 mile hill climb at Willard Brook State Forest and the dreaded 7 miles of hell aptly named "The Leviathan". It also ensures that the ride will be even more epic with a long and steep ascent to the ski area finish line. This could get ugly folks!
Well, at least it will start at a brewery.

January 3, 2014:
We are thrilled to announce that we have selected Okemo Mountain Resort in Ludlow, Vermont as our finish line partner for the 2014 B2B Ride on June 14th. Okemo is a perfect fit to carry on our tradition of an epic ride and an epic party - including the added challenge of a 2.25-mile steep ascent to the finish at the Clock Tower Base Lodge at Okemo.

...

For the 14th Annual B2B in 2014, we changed some of the course logistics but much remains the same. Because the Harpoon Brewery in Boston is unavailable and because there are no other suitable locations in downtown Boston that will allow us to stage, start the ride and park cars for the day without driving the price of the ride through the roof, we have decided to start the ride in the historic battlefield region of Lexington, Concord, Bedford, MA. This also will help avoid much of the congestion, stop lights and potholes in the city that can be frustrating to riders. In essence, we are now starting the ride about 15 miles down course from the original starting point, but we added on some friendly little treats at the end to make up for it! The 2014 B2B will include much of the same course you have come to know including the six mile hill climb at Willard Brook State Forest and the dreaded five miles of hell aptly named "The Leviathan". The ride is slightly shorter but more challenging with a gnarly uphill finish that one of our founders has named "Big Daddy's Revenge". You will ride 131+ miles and climb over 5,700 feet when it is all said and done.
So:
  • No brewery at the end
  • No brewery at the start
  • No 148 miles (teasingly shy of 150!)
  • No ride through the city (one of my favorite parts)
Basically, the ride's now ?2WTF.

(Also, funny how between December 14 and January 3, the Willard Brook climb lost 4 miles and Leviathan lost 2!)

Never one to miss a marketing opportunity, Harpoon was quick to release a commemorative six-pack in concert with the new route.