These routes represent the cumulative wisdom of nearly two decades of the Tuesday Night Ride originating in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
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Craig Robertson and Joe Cruz started the TNR to give local racers a demanding early-week workout. It has since evolved away from its shaved-leg roadie paceline drill origin. The theme is now hard and adventurous riding on interesting roads. The central values remain what they have always been, namely aesthetically discerning riding with friendly competitiveness. We usually regroup at the top of hard climbs and the bunch stops for punctures. There’s plenty of joking and storytelling, no one yells at anyone else for missing a pull, it doesn’t matter what you wear. On the other hand, it’s not a “no-drop” ride. Riders consistently off the back are given the benefit of the doubt for the first third of the outing, but after that folks are expected to make their own way home.
Core riders present from the start include Lew Fisher and Bruce Armentrout. There has frequently been a spirited representation of Williams College cycling team members. Nowadays the ride boasts a 75 person mailing list.
Robertson and Cruz are the primary authors of most of the routes, but all reflect the fine tuning and natural selection of many years of testing. Cycling in the tri-border area of the North Berkshires, southwest Vermont, and Washington and Rensselaer Counties in NY always involves some dirt road sections (at least if you want to pedal the most scenic loops). We started on 23mm tires and some TNR regulars still insist on them, but gravel bikes have made everything even more fun. The routes are mapped here in the preferred direction but most can be happily ridden in reverse. When this isn’t a good idea, it is indicated explicitly in the route description.
The TNR has from time to time been known as the Café Ride, the Tunnel City Ride (all rides begin and end at Tunnel City Café in Williamstown), and the Tuesday Night World Championships. It meets at 4:30pm and the season goes through the Daylight Saving time months.
