BIG (AND NOT AS BIG) SATURDAY RIDES, May 30, 2009!

Dear Friends,

Saturday is the DC RANDONNEURS 400K BREVET starting from the Quality Inn
in Frederick, Maryland at 4:00 a.m. This is a truly gorgeous route, one
of Lynn Kristianson's MASTERPIECES, not to be missed! Please go to the
DC Randonneurs website, www.dcrand.org for all the information about the
brevet. I'm really time-challenged today. Hope to see everyone on
Saturday!

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And for those of you who can't afford to spend all day in the saddle,
Rudy Hewitt has volunteered to lead the Biglerville Century, starting
from Monocacy Middle School in Frederick. Meeting time will be 7:30
a.m. Here's the warmed-over ride description for that very nice ride:
This is a ride that appeals to just about everyone we know. Not too
hilly, not too flat, pretty scenery, and lunch at our favorite Adams
County pizza joint, MAMMA's in Biglerville PA, Apple Capital of the USA.
101 miles, with short options of 64 or 82 miles. Estimated elevation
gain 5000 feet or less.

Contact info for Biglerville Century:
Rudy Hewitt
Email rudie84@comcast.net
Cell: 301-648-7279

Directions to Monocacy Middle School (note, this is NOT the start for
the 400K)!!!:
MONOCACY MIDDLE SCHOOL, FREDERICK, MARYLAND, 8009 Opossumtown Pike,
Frederick MD 21702
From D.C. Beltway (I-495), take I-270 north 31 miles to Frederick.
Continue north on US15 3.7 miles. Take Exit 16, Motter Ave exit (sign
for Frederick Community College). Turn RIGHT at the traffic light onto
Opossumtown Pike. In about 1.5 mi. turn RIGHT into Monocacy Middle
School parking lot (just after Frederick Community College on the left).

Crista
Work 202-662-4557
Cell (weekends only) 202-365-3738
Note: I will not be in the office on Friday and won't have email
access. You can reach me on my cell on Friday.

WEEKEND RIDES, MAY 23-25, 2009

Dear Friends,

Looks like we might in for 3 good riding days this holiday weekend! The
"special" ride that we promised is scheduled for Saturday, with easy
rides on both Sunday and Monday so that we have at least a chance of
recovering in time for the 400K. PLEASE NOTE THE VARYING MEETING TIMES
THIS WEEKEND. On Saturday, we'll meet at 7:30; Sunday and Monday, we'll
meet at 8:00.

SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2009
"MAY YOUR PAIN BE EXQUISITE," starting from Monocacy Middle School in
Frederick, Maryland. MEETING TIME 7:30 a.m.
Are you an ultramasochist? After popping over Big Flat in your big
chain ring last Saturday did you mutter to yourself "Is that all there
is?" Then this ride is for you, and your presence is respectfully
requested. We promise a plethora of pulse-raising ascents to complement
the beautiful scenery. In addition to several major climbs including
Middlepoint, Park Central, and PenMar, we will be "exploring" a "new"
road that Neal Becker discovered during his winter wanderings. There
are several lesser climbs, too, but there's also some mellow terrain in
the Cumberland Valley before and after lunch. There is a brief unpaved
stretch on Eylers Valley Rd -- try it, you'll like it! 100 miles, with
several optional shortcuts.

Directions to the ride start:
MONOCACY MIDDLE SCHOOL, 8009 OPOSSUMTOWN PIKE, FREDERICK, MARYLAND
21702 From D.C. Beltway (I-495), take I-270 north 31 miles to Frederick.
Continue north on US15 3.7 miles. Take Exit 16, Motter Ave exit (sign
for Frederick Community College). Turn RIGHT at the traffic light onto
Opossumtown Pike. In about 1.5 mi. turn RIGHT into Monocacy Middle
School parking lot (just after Frederick Community College on the left).

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SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2009
"CYPRESS SWAMP CENTURY," starting from Southern High School, Harwood,
Maryland. MEETING TIME 8:00 a.m. This is one of our favorite southern
Maryland rides, featuring lunch at Stoney's on Broomes Island (where the
crab cakes are SUBLIME). Unless you're in a rush, there should be time
to visit the Battle Creek Cypress Swamp after lunch and stroll along the
boardwalk through the prehistoric bald cypress trees. (See
http://calvert-county.com/cypress.htm) The terrain is gently rolling,
with a few hills dotting the landscape here and there. Pretty horse
farms, tobacco barns, lovely bay views, and maybe even some peacocks!
100 miles, with short options of 64 or 84 miles. Note, however, that
the short options don't go to Stoney's. Estimated elevation gain 4,000
feet.

Directions to the ride start:
SOUTHERN HIGH SCHOOL, 4400 SOLOMONS ISLAND ROAD, HARWOOD, MARYLAND
From DC Beltway, go East on US50.
In about 11 miles, take exit 16 and go south on MD424 Davidsonville Rd.

In about 3.5 miles, cross MD214 in Davidsonville (MD424 becomes
Birdsville Rd.
In about 3 miles, go right on MD2 @T.
In about 2 miles, right into high school parking lot.
Please park in the large main parking lot, NOT in the small faculty lot.

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MONDAY, MAY 25, 2009
"CLIPPETY-CLOP TO CROSS KEYS," starting from Roy Rogers on Thomas
Johnson Drive in Frederick. MEETING TIME 8:00 a.m. An easy ride due
north into Adams County PA with a "substantial" lunch stop at the Cross
Keys Diner. 1/2 mile of dirt surface on Baumgardner Rd. 100 miles with
61-mile and 88-mile short options. Note: If you were on the inaugural
version of this ride back in February, the cue sheet has been corrected
:-)

Directions to the ride start:
ROY ROGERS, 191 THOMAS JOHNSON DRIVE, FREDERICK, MARYLAND From D.C.
Beltway (I-495), take I-270 north 31 miles to Frederick. Continue north
on US15 3.7 miles. Take Exit 16, Motter Ave exit (sign for Frederick
Community College). Turn RIGHT at the traffic light onto Opossumtown
Pike. In a quarter mile turn right onto Thomas Johnson Drive, then left
into the shopping center. Park at the very back of the lot behind Weis
Market.

Crista
Work 202-662-4557
Cell (weekends only) 202-375-3738
**NO EMAIL ACCESS ON WEEKENDS**

BIG SATURDAY RIDE -- DC RANDONNEURS 300K BREVET!

Dear Friends,

The DC Randonneurs 300K Brevet is this Saturday, starting from the
Quality Inn on Baughmans Lane in Frederick, Maryland at 5:00 a.m. (same
location as in years past, only it used to be a Holiday Inn). All the
juicy details are on the DC Randonneurs website, www.dcrand.org.
Looking forward to seeing you there!

Since we will probably be trashed after the 300K, we are not scheduling
a Sunday ride. But we'll make up for that NEXT weekend with a "special"
ride -- stay tuned.

Crista
Work 202-662-4557
Cell (weekends only) 202-365-3738

PS I will not be in the office tomorrow (Friday) and will not have
access to my email.

WEEKEND RIDES, MAY 9 & 10, 2009

Dear Friends,

It appears that our "unsettled" weather pattern will continue through
Saturday, so Saturday's ride will have plenty of bail-out options in the
event afternoon thunderstorms do materialize. Sunday is looking great
in comparison, so we'll go out on a limb and schedule something a little
more ambitious for that day. If we're lucky both days will be
rain-free. Please note the correct meeting times for both rides.

SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2009
"BERRYVILLE CENTURY," starting from Clarke County High School,
Berryville, VA. **MEETING TIME 8:00 am.** This is a Tom Burns ride
from the early '90's, although you may have ridden it more recently as
the Potomac Pedalers club century. It's one of Tom's least hilly rides,
and it certainly is one of the prettiest "flattish" rides that we do.
The route is sort of a figure 8--the first (and flattest) half mostly in
Jefferson County, West Virginia. The second half of the ride stays in
Virginia and features a few hills. Points of interest include the
historic village of Middleway, the pretty waterfall on Tilthammer Mill
Road, the Burwell-Morgan Mill in Millwood, all manner of yummy treats at
Locke's store (also in Millwood), and White Post Restorations in White
Post. I've changed the sequence of the last half of the ride for
logistical purposes (so as to have the final rest stop at mile 81
instead of mile 89), and some stretches will be ridden in the opposite
direction of Tom's original route, but we'll still travel on all the
same roads. Lunch stop in Berryville. 100 miles, with a half century
option and several other optional shortcuts (plenty of them in the
afternoon in case weather deteriorates).

Directions to the ride start:
CLARKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL, BERRYVILLE, VA.
From DC beltway (I-495), take Exit 12, VA267 Dulles Toll Rd to the end
and continue onto the Greenway toll road to its end in Leesburg (26
miles total). Then Take VA7 Bypass west to VA7 West to Berryville.
Bear left onto Bus. 7 in Berryville (~45-50 miles from DC beltway??).
In 2.5 mi. turn left onto 636 Westwood Road (after passing through
town). In 0.3 mi. turn right into school parking lot.

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SUNDAY, MAY 10, 2009
"MIRACLE AT MOUNT HOPE," starting from Catoctin High School, Thurmont,
Maryland. **MEETING TIME 7:45 a.m.** The first quarter of the ride is
very hilly, beginning with the long climb up MD77 and becoming more
interesting with each passing mile, as we climb about 2500 feet in the
first 25 miles to Mount Hope, Pa. The scenery is fabulous and the
descents are thrilling. After the first rest stop in Fairfield, the
terrain moderates quite a bit on the way to lunch at Mamma's in
Biglerville. We'll visit the reputedly haunted Sachs Covered Bridge
(circa 1815) during this stretch. See
http://www.nycivilwar.us/sachs.html. After lunch we'll head for the
hills again and ride through some of the beautiful orchard country of
northwestern Adams County (yes, we really do love this part of the
world, even though we're probably a week too late for the apple
blossoms). Other points of interest include the Eisenhower Bridge
(circa 1886), the Land of Little Horses, and the Eylers Valley Chapel.
100 miles, with many shorter options. You can even omit the steepest
climb of the day (Iron Springs Rd) and substitute it with the kinder and
gentler Jacks Mountain Rd...but then you'll miss Mount Hope! Total
elevation gain for the century 7000-7500 feet.

Directions to the ride start:
CATOCTIN HIGH SCHOOL, 14745 Sabillasville Road, Thurmont MD 21788
From DC Beltway go North on I-270 about 31 miles to Frederick. Continue
north on US15. In about 19 miles, take 3rd Thurmont exit
(MD550/Sabillasville). Turn left on MD550 (restrooms at Sheetz). In
about 0.2 mi., turn right into high school parking lot.

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