When: Saturday, June 26 (rain date: Sunday, June 27)

Get excited, the long rainy days are behind us and the last weekend in June marks the 10th annual No Sleep Til P'Town ride led by Wheelworks multisport member Jon C. 

>> View pictures from the 2010 ride

Course: This 135-mile route to Provincetown generally follows the Claire Saltonstall bike route. There are a couple of detours (including York Street in Canton, and Route 6A and Satucket Road on the Cape) that are nicer alternatives to the Saltonstall route. We start at the Starbucks at the corner of Beacon and Charles streets in Beacon Hill. The Provincetown ferry takes us back to the World Trade Center on the South Boston waterfront. Cue sheets will be distributed before we depart.

The route features modest uphills as we leave the city, and then it is essentially flat or  downhill to Plymouth. Most of the Cape route is flat (including a nice stretch on the bike path from Brewster to Wellfleet) except for a four mile stretch of rollers in Truro near the end.

Pace: We typically average about 16 mph or so (not including the time off the bike), and usually pull into P’town around 6:30 or 6:45. We try to stay together for the first half as it does get confusing in parts. That said, there are a few stretches where the hammerheads among us can open up (such as between Plymouth and Sagamore on Long Pond Road and the final stretches of the bike path into Wellfleet).
 
Start time: Let’s meet at 5:30 a.m., to leave at 5:45 a.m. from the Common (this is 15 minutes earlier than last year; we’ll have a big group, so we’ll need a little extra time). That might just give us enough time to get to Friendly’s for the breakfast menu.
 
Stops along the way: We will try to get as much riding as possible done in the cool morning hours,  and much of the first half of the ride is through rural areas with few businesses, so we may not take a break until our usual stop at a market and Dunkin’ on South Street in Plymouth (about 55 miles in)… so please bring enough snacks and drinks for that part of the ride (there's also a Dunkin' in an out-of-the way place in Avon that we sometimes hit for a bathroom break, about an hour or so in). We’ll also stop at Friendly’s at the halfway mark for breakfast or lunch (depending on when we arrive - they are quite strict about that 11 a.m. cutoff!), as well as a convenience shop near the bike path in Orleans and (of course) the Wellfleet Beachcomber (at mile 120). We may need to make more frequent stops on the Cape if it is really hot.
 
We’ll take the Bay State Cruise Co. fast ferry from P’town back to Boston, leaving at 7:30 p.m. and returning at 9 p.m.

The grand total for a ferry ticket is now $55 (including the $6 bike pass, which you need to request). You can buy tickets  by calling the ferry company at 617-748-1428. It also looks like you can register online instead.

I will be checking in over the course of the weeks leading up to the ride to see if the ferry is close to filling up. This route rarely sells out, but you may want to register in advance just to be sure. You can also call while we are on the route (most people do it in Plymouth or at the Sagamore Friendly’s, that way they still have room to turn back if there are no tickets left).  The downside to registering in advance is that you will need to pay an extra $5 to move the ticket to a different day if the ride is postponed due to rain. You’ll need to pick up the ticket at the P’town chamber of commerce office before we board the ferry.
 
Parking:  The Boston Common garage rates (the garage closest to our start point) have nearly doubled since 2000, and are now up to $11 a day on the weekend. That wouldn’t be too bad, except the garage starts the clock for a new day at 6 a.m., you will probably end up paying $22 if you park at 5:30 a.m.

Unfortunately, city officials got wind of our free parking spaces on Summer Street near the ferry dock in South Boston, and installed two-hour meters where all-day parking used to be. However, there are several lots near the World Trade Center dock where parking is $11 for the day (and the clock starts at 5 a.m., not 6). Two 24-hour LAZ lots can be found at 390 Congress St. and 25 Northern Ave. (aka Seaport Blvd), but there are others in the vicinity.

The bonus is that your car will be within sight of the ferry when you finish and you won’t need to ride in the dark back to Beacon Hill. Let me know if you want directions to this parking area, or need directions to Beacon Hill from that stretch of Summer Street.

For those of you who are like me, and want to save the money for food and drinks on the ride, you're welcome to park in the residential area of Southie. I'd recommend First Street. This will be roughly one mile from the finish (depending where on First you end up) and roughly three miles from the start. Let me know if you're considering this option, and I can give you some suggestions. 
Of course, if the ride is moved to Sunday, you’ll be able to park all day at a meter, and there are plenty of those on Charles and Beacon streets, and of course on Summer Street.
 
Weather: If it looks like we’re going to have serious rain on Saturday, I’m going to move the ride to Sunday. I will make the call at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 25, based on the radar and weather forecasts, and will email everyone who has said they might be riding by 8:30 p.m. that night. Speaking from personal experience, you won’t have much fun if you try this ride in the rain. If you’re unsure if there will be a rain postponement, don’t hesitate to contact me at 617-821-5697 or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
 
Clothing: I usually buy a cheapo t-shirt or sweatshirt once I get to P’town (expect to pay $10 to $15) but some people bring a whole change of clothes with them on the ride (including sandals) for the ferry trip back.
 
What to bring: Please bring enough to drink to stay hydrated for four hours of riding as well as some snacks, and some cash for snackage and beer along the way. You’ll also need to bring a spare tube and a way to change your tire if you get a flat. We have been known to have a flat or two between Boston and Provincetown.