One of 10 best days of summer weatherwise ...drank 2 and 1/2 qts of water during ride today!! Wachusett Mtn summit road has reopened as of 7/25/09 (had been closed since May 2009; work on burying power line to summit has been completed (decision made by Mass DET not to repair overhead powerlines destroyed by last December's ice storm).
Sterling airport glider operations were underway when I stopped by to get out of the sun and heat 3:00-4:30 pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Savings Time). Observed 8 aerotows (2 power tow planes were working) and 8 glider landings during this time. Some thermals under fair wx Cu' s (Cumulus) were working during first hour, but an area of blue sky sink brought most of the ships down during last half hour; still, a few ships/pilots were able to stay up; good day for practicing takeoffs and landings.
Riding by the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) today, noticed it was closed "due to wash-out". According to the Wachusett Greenways website , "Thomas Street in West Boylston westward to the I-190 bridge has been temporarily closed since early May, when a 25-foot section of the trail washed away due to the efforts of some “industrious” beavers. Reopen date expected by Sept 25".
Air temp 70 F at start, rising to upper 80s F mid aft'n, dew pts 60 F, winds light from NW shifting to W, then SW less than 10 mph. Forgot to turn GPS unit on after stopping it at Leicester Ctr on return leg at about mile 66 (lost about 4 miles, all downhill, avg speed ~ 25 mph!); 20 min morning coffee break at Rutland Dunkin Donuts; 10 min break at Princeton bakery Rt 62 just NW of town ctr; 45 min break at summit of Wachusett Mtn in shade of fire tower looking at W'ern horizon vista (too hazy to see Mt Greylock 65 miles away; also too hazy to see Boston skyline to ESE 45 miles); 90 minute break at Sterling Airport; 90 minute supper break at Meadowbrook Orchards (also to wait for air temp to cool down and sun to lower; option for great homemade ice cream (Rotabrook Farm) just a mile up the road from Meadowbrook Orchards.