"Velo de Virden" (100 miles; Friday, July 23)
Day One of the Tri-State Trek honors David Virden, Sr. Dave Sr. rode the 2007 TST accompanied by his family and friends. Their unrelenting efforts to end ALS has been dubbed "Driven for a Cure". We kick off our ride in Newton, Mass and end at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. We cycle back roads out of Newton, following Route 16 to Webster, Mass where we break for lunch. Crossing into Connecticut in the "Quiet Corner" of Thomson, we ride wide-open farm country roads into the woods of Mansfield.Hills
Day One hills are nominal, and though there are no real large hills (until we reach UConn!) most of what we ride is uphill – even things
that appear flat have a small uphill grade We end the day with a 1.5 mile a climb into camp.
"Darryl´s Day Two" (100 miles; Saturday, July 24)
Day Two honors Darryl Goss, another of the few ALS patients to ever ride in the Tri-State Trek, Darryl actually rode the event twice! An extraordinary man, Darryl´s body will no longer allow him to ride a bike, but he still comes out and travels every mile. Leaving Storrs, CT and heading southwest toward New Haven, we cross the famous Frog Bridge in Willimantic. Catching a ferry over the CT River in Lyme, it's a left on Roast Meat Hill Road for a few of the greatest miles you'll ever ride. After lunch in Clinton, the course continues along gorgeous coastal roads, before a taking on a bit of city riding through New Haven.Hills
Day Two hills are fewer and smaller than Day One, but there are some good size rollers as we approach the ferry in Chester.
The route flattens out in the afternoon along the coast and into New Haven.
"L´Alpe De Blais" (82 miles; Sunday, July 25)
On our final day we remember the ALS Warrior Poet, Jon "Blazeman" Blais. Jon became a voice for those afflicted by this disease when he became the first ALS patient to compete in and complete and Ironman – finishing the 2005 World Championship at Kona in 16.5 hours. We leave New Haven, Conn in a staggered start, and it´s windy and wooded ride all the way home. The morning´s staggered start puts all riders in Greenwich around the same time, and with just 7 miles till our Victory Ride finish, we climb John Street as many times as we can to honor Greenwich Police Officer, Sgt, Roger Petrone, and remember Claire Gormley Collier and John 'blazeman' Blais. It's quality "cheering time" on this monster 8% grade.Hills
Day Three hills are the biggest and baddest! Day Three is 25 miles shorter than our previous day's rides, but it might be the most difficult. Hills are the toughest of the weekend. They're short, but they're steep and plentiful! It's not an easy day, but it is nothing in comparison to ALS.
