RMR 2016 // In Review
Scenic Overlook from the new 100k RMR Route in Francestown, NH
Well, it’s 2016 and the 2nd Annual Rose Mountain Rumble (RMR) is in the books! What a day. We were really excited to see so many familiar faces and so many new faces at this years RMR. It was great to catch up with friends and meet new ones. From the RMR Team to every rider who contributed to and rode the RMR to help local conservation efforts in Lyndeborough, NH and surrounding town land tracts that the Piscataquog Land Conservancy helps to preserve and maintain: THANK YOU. We could not have done it without you.
2015 saw a humble gathering of 30 cyclists. This year? We over tripled our registration which had the team here at RMR HQ blown away pushing participation over the 100 rider mark. (We ran out of t-shirts but will mail those out to riders who did not get their t’s once we get the reprint back from the printers.) Those “Lunch Ladies”, aka the Wilton Lyndeborough Women’s Club had lunch in hand though, so no one left unfed. They know how to put on a show. Thank you to their volunteers for preparing a spectacular lunch once again.
This years courses brought back the 20 and 40 miles classic routes as well as the optional 10 mile bonus lap which could bring either the 20 mile to 30 or the 40 to 50 miles. Through last years feedback, one element that was missing was a longer route. So with development of the 40 miler last year, we were able to gather enough miles to put together and plan a 100k (62 mile) route. This was composed of a handful of training routes that Kristofer Henry of 44 Bikes rides in the spring and summer. The key was to balance just the right amount of fun and challenge to make the 100k both enjoyable and challenging for riders of all ability levels looking for a longer route that would be worthy of the trip North of Boston (for example). Everyone was totally stoked with the 100k route and we’re really happy everyone had such a wonderful time. We’ll be planning the 2017 edition in the coming weeks so check back here at the website for the dates to mark your calendars.
Thanks again to one and all who registered and came to ride the local dirt roads of Lyndeborough and surrounding towns of Southern NH. The PLC was excited and impressed by everyone’s enthusiasm for the event which gives us lots of motivation and inspiration to host the 3rd Annual Rose Mountain Rumble in 2017. We’ll hope to see all our friends back next year at the same time and same place.