WEEKEND RIDES, MAY 2-3, 2009

Dear Friends,

Brevet season is in full swing now, and the DC Randonneurs Warrenton
300K Brevet is this Saturday. And Chuck and I will be leading a ride on
Sunday from the Warrenton Municipal Lot--really convenient for
randonneurs who stay over in Warrenton Saturday night after the brevet!

Here are the details:

SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2009
DC RANDONNEURS WARRENTON ACP 300K BREVET, starting from the Hampton Inn
in Warrenton, Virginia at 5:00 a.m. Here is all the pertinent info,
courtesy of RBA Bill Beck:

"The cue sheet and GPS files for the Warrenton ACP 300K brevet scheduled
for this Saturday, May 2, are now posted at
http://dcrand.org/blog/2009/04/27/cue-sheet-and-gps-files-for-may-2-warr
enton-acp-300k-brevet/. A map link to the start is included in the ride
description at
http://dcrand.org/blog/2009/04/21/acp-300km-brevet-may-2-warrenton-va/.
Park as far from the hotel building as possible. Registration will be in
a meeting room adjacent to the lobby and will be open from 6-8PM on
Friday and from 4-5AM on Saturday. Mandatory bike inspection will take
place outside. You should go to the bike inspection first. After passing
the inspection, you will be given a sticker to take to the registration,
where you will receive your control card. Since this is the first 2009
brevet with MANDATORY lighting, I have included the RUSA rule at the
bottom of this message. Be sure to have your front and rear lights,
reflective vest or Sam Browne sash, and reflective ankle bands.

I will have a limited supply of 300K medals
(http://www.rusa.org/medals/medalimage29.html) that will be available at
the finish for $10 to all qualified finishers. If you don't get a medal
at the finish, you can still order one yourself from the RUSA online
store (http://www.rusa.org/cgi-bin/store_GF.pl) after the ride results
have been posted." -- Bill Beck

Article 10

For night riding, vehicles must be equipped with front and rear lights
attached firmly to the vehicle. Lights must be turned on at all times
during hours of darkness or other low-light conditions (rain, fog,
etc.). At least one of the rear lights must be in a steady (rather than
flashing) mode. All riders' lights must meet the requirements of local
laws. A rider is not permitted to cycle at night or in other low-light
conditions without working front and rear lights attached to the
vehicle; therefore backup lighting systems and/or spare bulbs are
strongly recommended in case the primary system fails and cannot be
repaired on the roadside. Each rider, whether riding in a group or
alone, must fully comply with this requirement. Everyone must use their
lights!

During hours of darkness or other low-light conditions, all riders must
wear a reflective vest, sash, Sam Browne belt, or some other device that
clearly places reflective material on the front and back of the rider.
During these times all riders will also wear a reflective ankle band
around each ankle. (Due to their unusual seating position, recumbent
riders may modify their reflective torso devices to show better from
front and rear.) Other reflective devices on clothing, shoes, helmets,
and machines are encouraged for increased safety - but they are extra
and may not take the place of the minimum items listed above.

Any violation of these night riding rules will result in the immediate
disqualification of the rider.

******************************************************

SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2009
"THE PURCELLVILLE PRANCE," starting from Municipal Parking Lot A,
Warrenton, Virginia. **MEETING TIME 8:00 a.m.** A classic horse
country ride with hills-a'plenty but no major climbs. We'll hit most of
the major horsey set locales, including The Plains, Middleburg,
Mountville, Purcellville, Round Hill, Airmont, and Marshall, and we may
even encounter a fox hunt in progress! We'll have lunch in
Purcellville, and riders can vote on whether we should dine in style at
Magnolia's at the Mill or slum it at Al's Pizza. Elevation guesstimate
about 7000-7500 feet. 100 miles with short options of 55, 69, and 84
miles.

Directions to the ride start:

WARRENTON MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT A
From DC Beltway, take I-66 west 21 miles to Exit 43A
(Gainesville/Warrenton). South on US29 for 11.5 miles where road forks
near Warrenton. Bear right at split, taking Warrenton exit (Bus.
US29/15). Continue straight for 2 miles, following signs for US211
(*NOT* Bus.211). Turn LEFT onto Waterloo Street (TL) (Howard Johnson
Inn is on the right at this intersection). In 0.7 mi. turn right on
Ashby Street. Continue straight into Municipal Lot A.

Crista
Work 202-662-4557
Cell (weekends only) 202-365-3738
**NO EMAIL ACCESS ON WEEKENDS**

No Weekend Ride - doing the fleche

Dear Friends,

Chuck and I are participating in the DC Randonneurs Fleche event this
weekend, so we won't be leading rides on Saturday and Sunday. Get out
there and enjoy the incredible weather!

Crista

WEEKEND RIDES, 4/18-19, 2009 (including "Old Rag" 200K Brevet on Saturday!)

Dear Friends,

It looks like it's shaping up to a gorgeous weekend.

DC Randonneurs is hosting the Warrenton "Old Rag" 200K Brevet on
Saturday, April 18. This is one of our all-time favorite rides, and it
should be especially spectacular this weekend with sunny skies, balmy
temps, and the dogwood and redbud at peak. We were lucky enough to see
the peach blossoms on Ben Venue Road during the check-out ride last
weekend; I hope there are still some left for all of you! The brevet
will start from HoJo's in Warrenton. Registration opens at 6:00 a.m.
and the ride begins promptly at 7:00 a.m. Please visit the DC
Randonneurs website for all the pertinent information about the ride,
location, registration, etc. -- www.dcrand.org.

AND, since you're going to be in Warrenton anyway, why not stay over and
make a weekend of it. We have a nice ride scheduled for Sunday, too, as
follows:

SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2009
"SIVANOVA CENTURY," starting from the Municipal Parking lot in
Warrenton, Virginia. **MEETING TIME 8:30 am!!** Please note
later-than-usual meeting time. This is a "kinder, gentler" ride than
our usual century fare. Although the first 25 miles are moderately
hilly, the remainder of the ride is generally mellow. We will ride
south to Brandy Station (but definitely not as the crow flies) and on to
Batna. A major highlight will be lunch at Pelham's Pub at the Inn at
Kelly's Ford, and if the weather is nice we can outside on the patio.
For a sneak peak at the menu, see
http://www.innatkellysford.com/dining.asp and scroll down to the
Pelham's Lunch Pub Menu. For the Civil War historians among you, we'll
be visiting Kelly's Ford after lunch, and your homework assignment is to
read all about the battle at http://www.nps.gov/frsp/kelly.htm and all
about the "Gallant" John Pelham at
http://www.civilwarhome.com/pelhambio.htm. And, while you're at it,
read about the Battle of Brandy Station at
http://americancivilwar.com/brandy_station.html. After lunch we head
over to Bristersburg and return to Warrenton via Neavils Mill and
Casanova, finally returning to Warrenton by way of the Warrenton Branch
Greenway Rail Trail (no climb and no traffic!!). 101 miles, with plenty
of shorter options, including a possible 29-mile shortcut after lunch.
Total elevation gain somewhere between 4000 and 4500 feet.

Here are the directions to the ride start:
WARRENTON MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT A
From DC Beltway, take I-66 west 21 miles to Exit 43A
(Gainesville/Warrenton). South on US29 for 11.5 miles where road forks
near Warrenton. Bear right at split, taking Warrenton exit (Bus.
US29/15). Continue straight for 2 miles, following signs for US211
(*NOT* Bus.211). Turn LEFT onto Waterloo Street (TL) (HoJo's is on the
right at this intersection). In 0.7 mi. turn right on Ashby Street.
Continue straight into Municipal Lot A.

Crista
Work 202-662-4557
Cell (weekends only) 202-365-3738
**NO EMAIL ACCESS ON WEEKENDS**

Easter Sunday Ride, April 12, 2009

Dear Friends,

We are not scheduling a ride for Saturday, as we'll be doing a check-out
of the Warrenton Old Rag 200K route, BUT, if you don't expect to be
otherwise engaged stealing candy from your children's Easter basket,
please come join us for a fairly flat ride on a beautiful sunny Easter
morning! Note the late starting time, too.

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2009
"GET TO THE POINT," starting from T.C. Martin Elementary School,
Bryantown, Maryland. ****LATE MEETING TIME 8:15 a.m.**** A pretty ride
through Charles and St. Mary's Counties to Colton's Point and the
Potomac River Museum at St. Clement's Island. We'll have lunch at the
quaint but charming, off-the-beaten-path Morris Point Restaurant (see
http://www.morris-point.com/), where once upon a time the owner served
us lunch in her pajamas/mink coat! We'll pass several picturesque Amish
farms in the afternoon. Terrain is flat to gently rolling. Ok, there
are a couple of hills. 101 miles, with several short options.

Note: I have checked with the owner of the Morris Point Restaurant and
he is going to open, probably just for us! So I urge you to come out
and make it worth his time. There's a good chance that our afternoon
store stop will be closed on Easter. I expect the MORNING rest stop (at
an Exxon foodmart) will be open, so plan to buy some snacks there to
stow away for the afternoon.

Directions to the ride start:
T. C. MARTIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, BRYANTOWN, MARYLAND
6315 Olivers Shop Rd, Bryantown, Maryland
From DC Beltway, south on MD5 Branch Avenue, toward Waldorf (Exit 7A).
In 12.2 miles turn left onto MD5 (traffic light) (just after entering
Charles County, sign to Lexington Park/Leonardtown). In 3.2 miles turn
left onto Leonardtown Rd to remain on MD5 (traffic light, Bus. 5 goes
right). In 4.9 miles turn right onto Olivers Shop Rd MD232 (blinking
traffic light). In 1.1 miles turn right into school parking lot.

Crista
Work 202-662-4557
Cell (weekends only) 202-365-3738
**NO EMAIL ACCESS ON WEEKENDS**