SUNDAY RIDE, OCTOBER 12, 2009

Dear Friends,

I'm in the process of moving to Rockville, and until the move is completed on October 31, we'll only be able to ride one day each weekend.  We should be back to our usual Saturday-Sunday schedule on November 7.  In the meantime, we've decided to ride on Sunday this week, hoping for sunny skies!  And since we can only ride one day, we're going to do one of our all-time favorites. 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2009
"NORTH MOUNTAIN NIRVANA," starting from Apple Pie Ridge Elementary School, Winchester, Virginia.  **MEETING TIME 7:45 A.M.**  As Winchester is a bit more remote than our usual ride starts, we'll meet 15 minutes later than usual.  This ride ventures north into a part of West Virginia that we don't reach on many of our weekend rides.  While it's still a bit early for the best fall color, I'm confident that we'll see some at higher elevations, and this ride includes several "very scenic" major climbs over Sleepy Creek Mountain and North Mountain, as well as many shorter "unidentified" but every bit as scenic ascents.  There are even some relatively mellow stretches where we'll be riding through apple orchards, sure to be pendulous with fruit right about now.  Morning rest stop in Shanghai, lunch at Venice Pizza in Hedgesville, and afternoon rest stop in Gerrardstown.  Estimated elevation gain over 8,000 feet.  103 miles, with short options of 55 and 75 miles, as well as some additional optional shortcuts that omit a bit of climbing.   

Crista
202-365-3738