WEEKEND RIDES, FRIDAY AND SUNDAY!!

Dear Friends,

We're going to go for it tomorrow!  Here are the nitty-gritty details for the weekend (no ride on Saturday).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2010
"SOLOMONS ISLAND CENTURY," starting from Southern High School, Harwood, Maryland.  As mentioned earlier, we'll be checking out MOST of a possible new Permanent route.  I've moved the start of the century ride several miles south of Crofton, where the permanent will start, so as to get the mileage down to 100 for tomorrow.  Well, it's actually 101.6.  **MEETING TIME 7:45 a.m.**  The ride will pass through Friendship as we head south, after which we'll be on and off of MD2-4 most of the way down to Solomons (detouring off of it when we can).  It is a well traveled highway, but it has a very wide shoulder, so it's not too objectionable.  My guess is that it will be fairly quiet in the morning.  We'll have lunch at Woodburn's Gourmet Market in Solomons after a nice little tour of Solomons Island.  The return route spends a lot less time on MD2-4, and we leave it for good when we get to Prince Frederick.  From there we'll follow our traditional and scenic Cypress Swamp Century route back, passing through Chesapeake Beach, North Beach, Rose Haven, and the oh-so-lovely Fair Haven.  If everything works as I expect it will, it should make for a mellower-than-average permanent route.  106 miles.  I didn't have time to cue any shortcuts, but it's very easy to turn around and pick up the return route as we're heading south on 2-4.  There are plenty of places to eat even if you don't go all the way down to Solomons.

If you're interested in attending, please email me and I'll send you an electronic copy of the cue sheet.  I plan to bring only a very few copies to the ride start.  Note:  I haven't even typed it up yet, so it may not be available until early evening :-)  I have a Garmin file, too, for anyone who wants it.  Won't have time to do printed maps.

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. 

Note:  there are restrooms at the Citgo just south of the school at the intersection of MD2 and Harwood Rd.

 

*********************************************************************
SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2009
Bob Wagner is leading "A CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF BALTIMORE," starting in Fell's Point in Baltimore.  Here's the scoop on this ride, courtesy of Bob (note:  it's HILLY!!):

Circumnavigation of Baltimore.  Sunday, Jan 3rd 2010 Meet up: 7:50 Push off: 8:10AM

Start is in Fell's Pt. and goes clockwise through eight compass points: Glen Bernie, Ellicott City, Marriottsville, Reisterstown, Belfast, Falston, White Marsh, Essex and back to Fell's Pt. (for a beer, naturally). This ride is somewhat rough in the beginning, but settles down after the 10 mile point. The circle takes us on an highly varied tour of the city's environs.

Full cue sheet: http://tinyurl.com/ydlhvxn
77 mile shortcut: http://tinyurl.com/y9v3tq7

Directions to parking and start: http://tinyurl.com/yct3ehu

Please print out the cue sheet if you're attending, as Bob didn't say how many copies he'd be bringing to the ride start.


******PLEASE HAVE LIGHTS FOR BOTH OF THESE RIDES!!****** 

Crista
202.365.3738

WEEKEND RIDES PREVIEW

Dear Friends,

Conditions aren't looking very friendly for our traditional New Year's Day Weenie One Hundred.  I'm concerned that the Mt. Vernon, W&OD and Custis Trails will have icy patches, so we're considering an alternate century ride starting from Southern High School in Harwood, MD.  If it looks like roads will be clear down there tomorrow, we'll probably go for it and it we'll be checking out parts of a possible new permanent route that would start a bit north of Harwood, in Crofton.  The route heads south to Solomons Island and uses a few fairly long stretches of MD2, which is a busy state highway but has wide shoulders.  I'll send out another notice this evening, once we've determined if the ride will be a GO. If any of you have info on road conditions south of Harwood, please let me know!

Saturday looks beastly windy, and we'll probably pass on riding that day.

Bob Wagner is leading a ride on Sunday  (the "Circumnavigation of Baltimore").  I'll send out the details on that ride as soon as Bob sends me his ride description, driving directions, etc.  I know the ride starts in Fell Point in Baltimore.

Stay tuned,

Crista
202.365.3738

SUNDAY RIDE, DECEMBER 27, 2009!

Ho ho ho to all!

Sorry for the tardiness in getting this out.  We were hoping we could ride both days this weekend, but Saturday still looks somewhat dubious, so if we do ride tomorrow it will be something impromptu, probably starting later than usual and a shorter distance than our customary century.  If interested, give me a call Saturday morning, any time after 5:30 a.m., but no promises.

Sunday's looking good, so we're going to join Nick Bull in checking out his "WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN," a ride he scheduled a few weeks ago that got rained out.  Starting from Caribou Coffee in Bristow, Virginia, this is a checkout ride for a proposed 208K permanent that Nick has designed.   MEETING TIME 6:45 a.m. with a planned departure time of 7:00 a.m.

Here's Nick's ride description:
The permanent is named after the Wilderness Campaign of the Civil War, which was a series of battles fought in 1864 that started with the Battle of the Wilderness, followed by the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse (and others).  The permanent visits both these battle sites, plus the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought in 1863.  (And the permanent starts near the Manassas/Bull Run Battlefield.) The route is an out-and-back with a large loop in the middle.

From the ride start, west of Manassas, the route heads roughly SSW over moderate terrain, crossing the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford, and eventually controlling at Locust Grove.  The route turns roughly SE, over somewhat more hilly terrain, riding through the Wilderness Battlefield and then Spotsylvania Courthouse, with an information control at the Bloody Angle followed by a regular control in Spotsylvania.  Turning NW, the route controls in the Chancellorsville Battlefield and then continues to cross the Rappahannock at Kelly's Ford, after which it follows familiar roads.  About 130 miles and 6500 feet of climbing.

Note:  If you plan to attend, please shoot Nick a note so that he'll have an idea of how many cue sheets to print out!  Nick's email address is nick.bike.bull@gmail.com.  He also has a Garmin file, which I'm sure he'll be happy to send to any who have GPS devices!

REMEMBER:
(1)  LIGHTS REQUIRED, AS WE WILL LIKELY FINISH AFTER DARK
(2) THIS IS A CHECKOUT RIDE, NOT YET AN OFFICIAL PERMANENT, SO NO FEE, NO CONTROL CARD, NO CREDIT, JUST A FUN DAY IN THE SADDLE!

Here are directions to the ride start:
Caribou Coffee, 12713 Braemar Village Plaza, Bristow, Virginia
From the Beltway (I-495):
0.0   0.0     take I-66 West
20.0  20.0  R VA 234 S/Pr William Parkway, Exit 44
23.3  3.3    R Sudley Manor Dr
25.8  2.4    X Linton Hall Rd CR 619
26.0  0.2    L into Shopping Center
Turn L again to go to north end of parking lot.  Park away from store, nearer gas station.

Crista
202-365-3738

Weekend Rides - not this weekend!

Dear Friends,

The Nature Gods continue to conspire against us.  Hope we can ride NEXT weekend!

Crista

Saturday Brevet!

Dear Friends,

Looks like the weather will cooperate for tomorrow and conditions for the Paul's Paradise 200K Brevet, while somewhat frigid for early December, will be dry and sunny!  Registration will open at McDonald's in Poolesville at 6:00 a.m., and the ride will begin promptly at 7:00 a.m.

Here's a brief description of the ride:

This is a new brevet based on Crista's permanent route of the same name. Starting relatively close to DC from the McDonalds in Poolesville, MD, we head north into Frederick County to the first major climb over Marlu Ridge. Our efforts are then rewarded by the panoramic view of the beautiful Middletown Valley as we descend into Jefferson. Continuing north through the hilly and very scenic valley, it's not long before we encounter the formidable climb up Harp Hill. Riders will enjoy a break at the first control in Wolfsville before the (easy!) climb on MD17 over South Mountain. Next, a delightful, swoopy descent takes us down into the Cumberland Valley and we head into Pennsylvania on bucolic country roads, eventually arriving at our turn-around control at Paul's Country Market just north of Waynesboro. Paul's has a good deli, a wide choice of foods to round out your lunch, and a hard-to-resist selection of bakery items. When we did the check-out two weeks ago several varieties of apples from local orchards were available, too!  The grounds are lovely, with three picnic tables in a shaded grassy area, and a small dining room ("Paul's Lunch Bucket") is available in case it's rainy and/or cold and riders prefer to eat inside. After lunch, we'll climb back over South Mountain on Old 16 and Buena Vista, "working" our way over to a wild ride down Spruce Run Road to the next control at Delauter's store on Wolfsville Road. The return route continues through Middletown and follows familiar roads back to Poolesville. While this ride features several very steep climbs and low gearing is highly recommended, the last 9 miles are some of the easiest riding there is in this general area and you're sure to finish with smiles on your faces! The final control is at Cugini's, where we'll feast on truly fantastic pizza.

For more details and information, please visit the DC Randonneurs website, www.dcrand.org.

A few notes: 

Please do NOT park in the McDonald's parking lot.  There is ample parking in the adjacent shopping center, where the end control, Cugini's, is located.  Park as far from the stores as you can.

Temps are forecasts to dip as low as 17 in Poolesville tomorrow morning, so please dress accordingly.  The good news is that it should warm up to around 40 degrees, skies will be clear, and winds will be calm!

This is a beautiful and very challenging ride.  Total elevation gain is about the same as for the Woodbine Wallop.  More good news -- it ends on a really mellow note :-)

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

Chuck and I haven't ridden in two weeks and we're biting at the bit, but Sunday's looking pretty dismal.  We're not scheduling a ride for Sunday but, if by some miracle the forecast improves substantially, we MAY decide to do some kind of ride on Sunday.  Feel free to call me early on Sunday (any time after 5:30) if conditions look good and you're interested in riding. 

Crista - 202-365-3738

Fwd: SAT ALTERNATIVE: TWO SUNDAY RIDES!

Dear Friends,

I'm forwarding this message from Rick Carpenter for those who are seeking a Saturday ride.  There's an Eastern PA 200K brevet on Saturday, starting in Ephrata, PA (near Lancaster)!

Crista

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Carpenter,Richard G. <CARPENRG@airproducts.com>
Date: Thu, Dec 3, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Subject: SAT ALTERNATIVE: TWO SUNDAY RIDES!
To: Crista Borras <crista.dccentury@gmail.com>

Hi Crista,

 

If anyone is absolutely dying to ride on Saturday, they can always do the Eastern PA R-12 Series Brevet, which starts/ends in Ephrata, Lancaster County, PA:

http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/R12ClubDec2.html

 

This start is not too far from the MD border (one of the few PA rides located relatively close to the Mason-Dixon Line). Several DCR members are currently signed-on; instructions on how to register are provided by clicking the site link.

 

Cheers,

Rick

 

PS:  I'm posting, so rest assured the weather will be cold & crappy (I may even wear long sleeves for this one!)

 

TWO SUNDAY RIDES!

Dear Friends,

As of now we have two rides scheduled for Sunday!  We probably will NOT schedule a ride for Saturday, but if Saturday's forecast improves by tomorrow, I may send out a supplemental ride notice regarding a Saturday ride.  Don't hold your breath.

There should be something for everyone on Sunday, as one ride begins in Bristow, Virginia (south of Manassas, north of Nokesville)., and the other in Baltimore, Maryland.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2009

VIRGINIA RIDE:

Nick Bull is leading the "WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN,"  starting from Caribou Coffee in Bristow, Virginia.  MEETING TIME 6:45 a.m. with a planned departure time of 7:00 a.m.  This is a checkout ride for a proposed 208K permanent that Nick has designed, entitled "Wilderness Campaign."

Here's Nick's ride description:
The permanent is named after the Wilderness Campaign of the Civil War, which was a series of battles fought in 1864 that started with the Battle of the Wilderness, followed by the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse (and others).  The permanent visits both these battle sites, plus the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought in 1863.  (And the permanent starts near the Manassas/Bull Run Battlefield.) The route is an out-and-back with a large loop in the middle.

From the ride start, west of Manassas, the route heads roughly SSW over moderate terrain, crossing the Rappahanock at Kelly's Ford, and eventually controlling at Locust Grove.  The route turns roughly SE, over somewhat more hilly terrain, riding through the Wilderness Battlefield and then Spotsylvania Courthouse, with an information control at the Bloody Angle followed by a regular control in Spotsylvania.  Turning NW, the route controls in the Chancellorsville Battlefield and then continues to cross the Rappahanock at Kelly's Ford, after which it follows familiar roads.  About 130 miles and 6500 feet of climbing.

Note:  If you plan to attend, please shoot Nick a note so that he'll have an idea of how many cue sheets to print out!  Nick's email address is nick.bike.bull@gmail.com.  He also has a Garmin file, which I'm sure he'll be happy to send to any who have GPS devices!

REMEMBER:
(1)  LIGHTS REQUIRED, AS WE WILL LIKELY FINISH AFTER DARK
(2) THIS IS A CHECKOUT RIDE, NOT YET AN OFFICIAL PERMANENT, SO NO FEE, NO CONTROL CARD, NO CREDIT, JUST A FUN DAY IN THE SADDLE!

Here are directions to the ride start:
Caribou Coffee, 12713 Braemar Village Plaza, Bristow, Virginia
From the Beltway (I-495):
0.0   0.0     take I-66 West
20.0  20.0  R VA 234 S/Pr William Parkway, Exit 44
23.3  3.3    R Sudley Manor Dr
25.8  2.4    X Linton Hall Rd CR 619
26.0  0.2    L into Shopping Center
Turn L again to go to north end of parking lot.  Park away from store, nearer gas station.

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

MARYLAND RIDE:

Bob Wagner is leading "PATUXENT RIVER DREAMS," starting from Carroll Park in Baltimore, Maryland.  Note this ride STARTS at 8:00 a.m., so you should plan to arrive at the ride start by 7:45 so as not to hold up the group. 

Here's Bob's ride description:
We roll safely out of south Baltimore and down to Laurel on scenic roads. Then we'll skirt the Patuxent making 8 river crossings as we head northwest. The last leg along Frederick ave takes us back to the city. Lunch in Glenelg. Rest stops at 25 and 79 miles.  102 miles.

Here's a link to Bob's Bikely route, which indicates the location of the ride start.  He mentioned that he's still making some tweaks to the cue sheet.  http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/367983 
For more information on the ride, please contact Bob directly at bobwag@gmail.com.


Still holding out a tiny speck of hope for Saturday,

Crista
202-365-3738
crista.dccentury@gmail.com