The Plan: //ridewithgps.com/routes/33853114 43 Rosy SL Hudson Bolton Harvard How to go from 12 riders to 6 The cast Ken Hablow, Barry Kaditz, Curt, Dom, Dr. Frank, Gene Ho, Julie Dodd, Larry Kernan, Mary Kernan, Rich T, Robin Frain, Steve Carlson We stayed pretty much together although Steve and Larry did pull off the front now and again prior to the stop at the Country Cupboard/DD on Route 117. We saw a huge black cloud ahead and Steve found it on his phone and it looked active, although no rain was falling at the time. Dr. Frank and Robin had been pummeled a few days earlier in NH with Bernie and they wanted no part of this cloud so they beat feet back to the start on Rt 117. I doubt they made it because in 15 minutes the rain outside was pouring while we huddled in the store over 30 minutes. (Frank reported the next day. "Torrential rain but we got back fast. Sprinting in the rain is a challenge but we are getting good at it!") The remaining 10 set off after the rain subsided to sporadic drizzle. Steve. Larry and Barry powered off the front soon and we were down to 7. We continued to ride with Ken leading the balance and stopped at a familiar "relief spot" at the corner of Eldridge and Old Harvard Rds. at mile 25.7. Ken and a few others lightened their loads, except Ken got 2 bee stings on his ankle. And he's allergic to bees. At mile 27.8, at Burroughs and Stow Rd, Ken decided he had to get home or to the hospital so he beat feet for home (more later) Julie took the lead as the 6 remaining Curt, Dom, Gene, Julie, Mary, Rich followed the route. Luckily Ken had made the ride in from here pretty gentle including an unusual descent from Strawberry Hill onto Annursnac Hill Rd that most of us had never done. Ken was taken into the Emergency room at Emerson and after a 15 minute wait was given a cocktail of anti-bee sting antihistamine meds and waited there 45 minutes for them to take effect. His wife Jan came to the hospital and he eventually rode home. Ken may post a ride on Sunday to make up for the lost mileage.