They call them “Kindness Rocks.” Small (usually), smooth (for ease of painting), brightly colored (mostly) painted rocks people make and leave for others to find. Painters create an image or upbeat message hoping to cheer the person who finds the rock. Locally, a big fan of the project is Christine Tullgren, the owner and operator of Little Feet Children’s Center in Thetford.

The project started with Megan Murphy, a Cape Cod resident who wanted to increase kindness and inspiration in the world by putting encouraging messages on beach stones. Now there are Facebook groups where people post messages or photos of placing rocks somewhere. Christine has been hiding rocks – “probably several hundred” she estimates – since July. She started a Rivendell Rocks FB page. “I’ve been getting a lot of questions about the rocks,” she says. “It’s fun when someone finds one and takes the time to post.”

Christine’s daycare children painted rocks. One boy, Bryce, was somewhat reluctant to hide his rock – he really liked that rock! – but did leave it near a favorite tree in a Danville campground. Two little girls found it and sent a picture to the FB page; later one of them left the rock on a beach.

Some people feel that leaving more human traces in wild places is littering, even when the intent and the offered messages are kindly. “I realize that people who are participating in this have the best of intentions,” says Laura Friesen, writing on the Hike Like a Woman website. “They’re looking to form a community and brighten someone’s day. Which is great! But if you’re looking to make the world a more positive and kind place, there are many ways you can do this without infringing on [the principle of Leave No Trace]: Smile and hold the door for someone. Buy a coffee for the next person in line. Donate to your favorite charity. Help out with a trail cleanup project. Shop locally and get to know the business owners. Participate in a community garden project. Shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk. Volunteer. The possibilities are endless.”

“I’ve thought about this,” says Christine. “I haven’t had any negative feedback, but sometimes I wonder. I try to be mindful where I put them. I would not go to a mountain top and leave one.” She has seen a post of a message sprayed on top of a mountain, a nice word, she says, but an inappropriate place. National parks and even Disneyland have forbidden rock placements.

Still, Christine and others find it hard to abandon the pleasure of creating hopeful messages, thinking all the while of who might find them and how they might be cheered. And stories from rock-finders egg on the rock-hiders. Christine tells of a post that gave her goosebumps. A woman had lost a beloved nephew who would have been 13 years on a day she took an unusual zigzag route through the parking lot, and found a beautiful butterfly rock. Hmmm…

None of them is Lance Armstrong, but these road warriors are committed and motivated to ride

Riders prepare their bikes for the Wednesday night group ride from the Bike Hub on Route 5 in Norwich.

Behind the windows of The Bike Hub on Route 5 South next to the Farmer’s Market in Norwich are all the sexy toys that makes the two-wheel spandex crowd go weak in the knees: acres of carbon fiber; curvy, other-worldly frame designs, seemingly inspired by the space shuttle. But the shop offers more than eye candy for the road biker – true to its name, it has become the nexus for a vibrant scene of recreational (if sometimes quite competitive) group rides several times a week throughout the summer and early fall.

At 5:30 on a Wednesday night, a cacophony of beeps can be heard across the parking lot as dozens of GPS devices are reset. Guys – and a few women – of all ages, in loud spandex and varying degrees of fitness, astride bikes ranging from “good enough” to “only the best will do” prepare to embark on a 25 mile ride around the Upper Valley. It’s early in the season, so only about two dozen riders have shown up; later, the group swells to 40-50 riders. Usually, the pack will divide into at least two, sometimes more groups, each riding at its own pace, and riders self-selecting where they want to be. The “A” group consists of a ferocious bunch of riders eager for an opportunity to push themselves and each other to the limit. It’s all in good fun, but not without some blood, sweat and tears at times.

The Wednesday night rides from he Bike Hub are as much a social event giving local riders a chance to catch up with one another as it a chance to get out and ride together.

Still, David from Grantham is eager to put the ride and the riders into perspective and dispel some myths while he waits for the rest of the pack to form up. “Honestly, nobody is trying to be Lance Armstrong here,” he says with a laugh and nods of approval from the bikers around him.

Nik Fiore, a regular from Lebanon, describes the dynamic of the group ride this way: “It’s first and foremost a social event that gets each of us out to ride after work at least once a week. Then, once you start riding with a group, they’ll start expecting you to show up, and to be ready to ride at their pace, so suddenly you feel compelled to stay fit between the weekly rides.”

Bike Hub owner Bill McFadden (center) gives the assembled Wednesday night group riders a quick recap of do’s and don’ts before sending them on their way.

Of course, that level of self-imposed pressure may not be for everyone, and Bill McFadden, who owns the Bike Hub and launched the group rides about five years ago, acknowledges that some may find the format of the Wednesday night ride daunting and intimidating. “Even the slow groups ride fairly fast,” he says, and tools like the activity tracking app, Strava, has made it easier than ever to measure your efforts against your fellow riders and to feel compelled to push harder. McFadden does worry that this may keep some from showing up, but while the shop promotes the ride and offers some support, the group has taken on a life of its own and is not for him to change.

But if the Wednesday night Bike Hub ride is too challenging, other group rides continue to pop up in the area. Some are exclusively for women, others are geared towards those who are new to group riding; still others are established as preparation for the Prouty or some other charity ride.  And, regardless of your level of ambition, skill and equipment, a group ride is a great way to get out on the roads. The Upper Valley Velo group on Google is probably the best place to find one and connect with fellow cyclists.

And they’re off. Bike Hub owner Bill McFadden (grey t-shirt) watches as the assembled Wednesday night group riders set off on their ride.