WEEKEND RIDES

Dear Friends,

Chuck and I will not be around to lead weekend rides for the next 3
weekends, as we begin our 15-day Rip Van Winkle tour early Saturday
morning. Eric Pilsk is leading a double century for PPTC this Saturday,
June 20, and Rudy Hewitt has volunteered to lead a century ride the
following Saturday, June 27. I hope you will support them and turn out
for their rides! If anyone wants to lead a ride on June 21, June 28,
July 4 or July 5 to fill in the gaps, I please post it directly to the
DC Rand List! I'm off duty now. The Weekend Rides will resume the
weekend of July 11 & 12.

Info for Eric and Rudy's rides follows, and looking forward to seeing
all of you in July,

Crista

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SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2009

BB * 200 * DC * 5:43 AM * Hains Point (HAI)

Summer Solstice: Sunrise-Sunset. It's the longest day of the year (well
technically the next to longest) and what better way to spend all those
hours of daylight than tackling a Double Century. With over 15 hours of
daylight and all day Sunday to recover, you know you can do it. We plan
a straightforward out-and-back route north from Hains Point on mostly
familiar and fairly flat roads through Potomac, Dickerson, Frederick and
Thurmont before making the un-flat ascent up to PenMar High Rock. Once
you summit, it is almost all downhill back to Hains Point, so it's a
piece of cake, right? And if you don't feel like doing the full 200,
just turn around at any point and head for the car. Although this is a
self supported ride, with plenty of rest stops along the way, we plan to
arrange for box lunches at PenMar. Accordingly, we are asking riders to
RSVP by Thursday, June 18 and to pay for their share of lunch. With a
start at dawn and the possibility of finishing after sunset, proper
lights and reflective gear are recommended. If you are interested
contact Eric Pilsk at Eric's email. No go in steady rain. Eric
Pilsk [Eric's Email] 240/893-3499.

Eric Pilsk
Eric's email

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SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 2009

Rudy Hewitt is leading "Lollygag to Libertytown," starting from Lucy
Barnsley Elementary School in Rockville, Maryland. MEETING TIME 7:30
a.m.
The school is very close to Chuck's house, so many of you are familiary
with the obligatory jaunt through quiet suburban neighborhoods at the
start and end of the ride. But before you know it you'll be traveling
over some of the nicest roads in Howard County on the way to the first
rest stop in Mount Airy. Then the terrain becomes seriously hilly and
oh-so-scenic as it wends its way toward Libertytown on some truly
beloved eastern Fred County roads. After lunch at Angel's, the route
tackles more hills in eastern Fred County and western Carroll County
before the final rest stop in Lisbon. Then it's familiar (and gentle)
roads back to the school. 100 miles, with a few optional shortcuts.
Estimated elevation gain 6700 feet.

Directions to the ride start:
LUCY BARNSLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 14516 Nadine Drive, Rockville MD 20853

From the South:
DC Beltway to Georgia Ave. Georgia Ave north to Bel Pre. Left on Bel
Pre. Left on Norbeck MD28.
1st left on Nadine. School is 0.2 mi. on right, 14516 Nadine Drive.
OR:

I-270 to MD28 East (toward Rockville City Centre).
Once you pass the mixing bowl and go over bridge, take a left to stay on
28 (Norbeck).
Right on Nadine. If you get to Bel Pre you have gone too far.

Rudy Hewitt
Rudy @ Home
or
Rudy @ Work
Cell 301-648-7279

NOTE: Rudy emailed me a map indicating the location of the school, but
I am unable to insert it into this email. If you need it, shoot me an
email and I'll be happy to forward it to you. -- Crista

THE BIG WEEKEND RIDE: DC RANDONNEURS 600K BREVET June 13-14, 2009

Dear Friends,

The big one has arrived!

Saturday and Sunday is the DC Randonneurs 600 Kilometer Brevet, starting
from the MOTEL 6!!!! in Frederick, Maryland. This is the same motel
that just last week was a Quality Inn and for many years was a Holiday
Inn. Come and reminisce about the old days while you can, because
starting next year we'll be moving our Frederick brevet starts
elsewhere!

Here's all the pertinent info, courtesy of our esteemed RBA, Bill Beck:

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The cue sheet and GPS files for the Frederick ACP 600K brevet scheduled
for this Saturday, June 13, are now posted at
http://dcrand.org/blog/2009/06/10/cue-sheet-and-gps-files-for-june-13-14
-frederick-acp-600k-brevet/.

A map link to the start is included in the ride description at
http://dcrand.org/blog/2009/05/25/acp-600km-brevet-june-13-14-frederick-
md/.
Park at the upper end of the parking lot (near W Patrick St), as far
from the hotel as possible. Registration will be in a covered walkway at
that upper end of the hotel and will be open from 6-8PM on Friday and
from 3-4AM on Saturday. Mandatory bike inspection will take place
nearby. You should go to the bike inspection first. After passing the
inspection, you will be given a sticker or other item to take to the
registration, where you will receive your control card. Be sure to have
your front and rear lights, reflective vest or Sam Browne sash, and
reflective ankle bands.

If you want to see where you will be going, you can see a GPS track from
the first day's loop of the checkout ride at
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8412261 and for the second
day's loop at http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/8412059 . My
Polar elevation and temperature profile from the checkout are at the end
of the photo set at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wabeck/sets/72157619322433227/ .

As I mentioned in a previous message, the former Quality Inn has changed
into a Motel 6. They no longer supply shampoo or alarm clocks.
But they do provide wake-up calls. If you are staying at the Motel 6, I
strongly suggest that you bring your own alarm AND ask for a wake-up
call so that you do not oversleep like happened to me on the checkout
when my wristwatch alarm failed to wake me. I ended up making it to the
East Berlin control with less than 30 minutes until it closed. (We will
almost certainly be shifting to a different motel for next year's
Frederick brevets.)

We will now be requiring that all riders provide an emergency contact
name and phone number at registration. So please be sure to bring that
information and write it clearly on the sheet.

We will have a limited supply of 600K medals
(http://www.rusa.org/medals/medalimage31.html) that will be available at
the finish for $10 to all qualified finishers who are RUSA members.
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.

See you in Frederick!

Bill

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Hope to see you all there!

Crista

Weekend Rides, June 6 & 7, 2009

Dear Friends,

Are you suffering from the between-the-brevets blues? We have just the antidote for you this weekend. Saturday will provide a nice tune-up for the big cahuna on the 13th, and on Sunday we'll do a tame ride (and only 80 miles!) to the Cirque du Cyclisme.

SATURDAY, JUNE 6, 2009
"FEAST AT FLANNERY'S," starting from Middletown Primary School, Middletown, Maryland. MEETING TIME 7:30 a.m. Beginning with the relatively benign climb over South Mountain on Arnoldstown Road, we'll be heading northwest over rolling terrain through the Cumberland Valley to Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, where we'll enjoy a nice lunch at Flannery's Tavern. See their menu at http://www.flannerystavernonthesquare.com/. The return route features a really nice covered bridge that's closed to automobile traffic. After the last rest stop in Cavetown, we'll enjoy traveling south and mostly downhill for several miles on Crystal Falls Drive before the climb back over South Mountain and some noticeable ups and downs on the way back to Middletown. 100 miles with an 85-mile short option.

Directions to the ride start:
MIDDLETOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL, 403 Franklin Street, MIDDLETOWN, MARYLAND
From DC Beltway, take I-270 north approximately 32 miles to Frederick. Then take I-70 west 3.5 miles to Exit 49/Alt.40. Go left/west on Alt.40 for about 4 miles to Middletown. Turn left onto MD17 Church St. in Middletown. In 0.1 mile turn left onto Franklin Street. In 0.3 mile turn left into school.

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SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2009
"CYCLE TO THE CIRQUE," starting from Glen Echo Park, Glen Echo, Maryland. MEETING TIME 7:30 a.m. Nothing new under the sun on the route in itself, but the close-in ride start should appeal to many, and the highlight of the day will be attending the Circue du Cyclisme at the Loudoun County Fairgrounds in Leesburg! See http://www.cirqueducyclisme.com/schedule-of-events.html. The route passes through Potomac and Poolesville, then we'll take the
General Jubal Early Ferry across the Potomac River (see http://canal.mcmullans.org/whites_ferry.htm). From there it's a hop skip and a jump to the Cirque, where riders can hang out for as long as they like. In the afternoon, we'll head back to DC via the W&OD and Custis Trails. We'll cross Key Bridge and wend our way through Georgetown and Palisades, finally returning to Glen Echo. Haven't finished the cue sheet yet, but total mileage will be about 80 miles or so. Remember the toll troll at the ferry, plus an admission fee at the Circue (looks like it's only $5.00).

Directions to the ride start:
GLEN ECHO PARK, GLEN ECHO, MARYLAND
From Maryland, take DC Beltway south toward American Legion Bridge, Exit 39, MD190 (River Rd) east toward Washington. Continue 2.2 miles to a right onto MD614 (Goldsboro Rd). At MacArthur Boulevard, make a right then a quick left into parking lot for Glen Echo Park and Clara Barton House.
From Virginia, at Maryland end of American Legion Bridge, take exit 41 onto Clara Barton Parkway east toward DC. In 1.5 miles, bear right on ramp leading to Cabin John overpass. Turn left onto overpass to MacArthur Boulevard. Turn right and continue 0.7 mile to lot for Clara Barton House and Glen Echo Park on right.
From downtown DC, go west on Massachusetts Ave. At Westmoreland Circle, continue on Mass. Ave into Maryland. Turn left onto Goldsboro Rd at the T, then in ½ mi. turn right onto MacArthur Blvd, then quick left into parking lot for Clara Barton House and Glen Echo Park.

Crista
Work 202-662-4557
Cell (weekends only) 202-365-3738
**I DO NOT HAVE EMAIL ACCESS ON WEEKENDS**