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
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