Sunday Ride

PS  It has been brought to my attention that I forgot to mention that Sunday's ride is not just dam good, it's dam hilly, too.  Estimated elevation gain 7000 feet.  Sorry for the omission,

Crista

Weekend Rides, November 26 & 27, 2011

Dear Friends,

We're going to lay low on Black Friday but have two nice rides scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. 

Please download and print out your own cue sheets and GPS files for the weekend rides directly from the DCCenturyRides blog, http://dccenturyrides.blogspot.com/

Just click on "Cue Sheets" (on the left side of the page), and you'll find them there!  If you're unable to print the cue sheet yourself, let me know and I'll bring a hard copy to the ride start for you.  I won't be bringing extra copies of cue sheets to the ride start unless you email me directly and advise me that you're unable to print out your own.

Here's the menu:

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2011

"SIVANOVA CENTURY," starting from Municipal Parking Lot A in Warrenton, Virginia.  **MEETING TIME 8:00 am**   Although the first 25 miles are moderately hilly, the remainder of the ride features somewhat "kinder and gentler" terrain.  We'll ride south to Brandy Station in the morning (but definitely not as the crow flies) and on to Batna.  A major highlight will be lunch at Pelham's Pub at the Inn at Kelly's Ford.   For a sneak peak at the menu, see http://www.innatkellysford.com/dining.asp and scroll down to the Pelham's Lunch Pub Menu.  For the Civil War historians among you, we'll be visiting Kelly's Ford after lunch, and your homework assignment is to read all about the battle at http://www.nps.gov/frsp/kelly.htm and all about the "Gallant" John Pelham at http://www.civilwarhome.com/pelhambio.htm.  And, while you're at it, you can read about the Battle of Brandy Station at http://americancivilwar.com/brandy_station.html.   After lunch we head over to Bristersburg and return to Warrenton via Neavils Mill and Casanova, finally returning to Warrenton by way of the Warrenton Branch Greenway Rail Trail (no climb and no traffic!!).  101 miles, with plenty of shorter options, including a possible 29-mile shortcut after lunch.  Estimated elevation gain 4400 feet.  Here's the link to the RWGPS interactive map and elevation profile:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/827912

Directions to the ride start:

WARRENTON MUNICIPAL PARKING LOT A

From DC Beltway, take I-66 west 21 miles to Exit 43A (Gainesville/Warrenton).  South on US29 for 11.5 miles where road forks near Warrenton.  Bear right at split, taking Warrenton exit (Bus. US29/15).   In about 0.8 miles turn left on Blackwell Rd (Sheetz on right at this intersection).  Continue straight on Alexandria Pike and at the top of the hill bear right onto Waterloo Street, then make a quick left onto Ashby Street.  Cross Lee St. and continue straight into Municipal Lot A.

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

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2011

"DAM GOOD RIDE TO GLEN ROCK,"  starting from New Midway Elementary School in Keymar, Maryland.  **MEETING TIME 7:30am.**  This ride heads in a northeasterly direction with a morning rest stop in Littlestown, PA., and continues past the Long Arm Reservoir and then along the very scenic Impounding Dam Road past the Sheppard Myers Dam.   We'll continue on to the historic railroad village of Glen Rock, where we'll have a relaxed and yummy lunch at Mignano's.  After lunch we'll tackle a few of York County's "interesting" hills as we head back into Carroll County MD.  Afternoon delights include Deep Run, a lovely cruise down Silver Run Valley, and maybe a CAMEL!   The route includes two unpaved hard-pack surface roads.  Paved options are indicated on the cue sheet and will yield a couple of bonus miles.  101 miles, with 58 and 77-mile short options.  Here's the link to the RWGPS interactive map and elevation profile:  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/828754

Here are the directions to the ride start:

NEW MIDWAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 12226 Woodsboro Pike, Keymar, Maryland  21757

From D.C. Beltway, take I-270 north 31 miles to Frederick.  Continue north on US15 about 2-1/2 miles then exit onto MD26 East/Liberty Rd. toward Libertytown/MD194/Walkersville.  In 2.2 miles bear left onto Woodsboro Pike MD194 North.  In 9.5 miles turn L into the school, JUST past intersection with Detour Rd.

No restroom facilities at ride start.  You'll pass Starbucks/Panera/Sheetz, etc. on the way out, so avail yourselves of those opportunities!

Gobble gobble,

Crista

 

 

Sunday Ride, November 20, 2011

Dear Friends,

Before I go into the juicy details about Sunday's ride, here, by popular demand, is YE OLDE WINTER SERMON!!

For the next few months the days will be short. Accordingly, we will be making a concerted effort to finish our weekend rides before the dark monster catches us. For that reason, I'm asking everyone (that includes Chuck and me) to try to be on time to the ride starts so that we can get on the road 15 minutes after the scheduled meeting time. If you show up late and you're one of the "rabbits," please don't expect the group to wait for you while you pump up your tires, put on your cycling shoes, fix the flat tire that you acquired on the previous ride, etc. You can catch up! We will still attempt to regroup at the rest stops but will try to limit those stops to 15 minutes (20 max). And of course we'll continue to enjoy our leisurely lunches (usually an hour or so). If Chuck and I are late to the ride start we promise a full refund :-

Inevitably, there will be a time or two when the dark monster has his wicked way with us, so please come equipped with **LIGHTS** on your bike!

As always, please download and print out your own cue sheets and GPS files for the weekend rides directly from the DCCenturyRides blog, http://dccenturyrides.blogspot.com/

Just click on "Cue Sheets" (on the left side of the page), and you'll find them there!  When you open a PDF file, just click on "File" and then "Print (PDF)" to print the cue sheet.  If you're unable to print the cue sheet yourself, let me know and I'll bring a hard copy to the ride start for you.  I won't be bringing extra copies of cue sheets to the ride start unless you email me directly and advise me that you're unable to print out your own.

So here's what we're doing on Sunday.  Hope you can join us!

"ALL ABOUT ABBOTTSTOWN," starting from McDonald's, 13769 Catoctin Furnace Road, Thurmont, Maryland.  **MEETING TIME 8:00 a.m.**  A "relatively" mellow and yet scenic trek through pleasant central Maryland and south central Pennsylvania farmland.  The route passes through Detour, Middleburg, Littlestown and New Oxford on the way to lunch at Brothers Pizza in Abbottstown.  The return route visits Taneytown and Keysville.  102 miles, with a 70-mile short option.  Estimated elevation gain 4700 feet.  Here's a link to the interactive RWGPS map:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/821705

Crista

Weekend Rides November 5 and 6, 2011

Dear Friends,

It looks like the stars have aligned such that we can ride both Saturday and Sunday this weekend!  Here's what's on tap:

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2011
THREE BABES IN THE WOODS 150K RUSA POPULAIRE

Our plans turned south last Sunday after Emmitsburg received a foot of snow, so we're going to give this ride another try this Saturday.  Here's the recycled and warmed up scoop.  "Three Babes in the Woods" is a new 150K (94-mile) RUSA Populaire.  Starting from Emmitsburg MD, the route heads north through Adams County PA high orchard country, climbs over South Mountain on Whiskey Springs Road, and then breezes into Mount Holly Springs for a nice lunch at Sicilia Pizzeria and Subs. The return route climbs back over South Mountain on PA233 (ay-yay-yay) and then over Piney Mountain on Bendersville Road, swoops down into Arendtsville on PA234, and visits Cashtown and Orrtanna on the way back to Emmitsburg. Highlights (in addition to the 6700 feet of elevation gain) include the Mid-Atlantic Soaring Center, the Land of Little Horses, "three babes in the woods," and Pine Grove Furnace. The scenery is great and, in the words of Dr. DeMento, "there's lots of downhill."

If you'd like to join us on this Populaire, first you MUST be a RUSA member.  Additionally, you'll need to contact me asap (no later than THURSDAY afternoon--not Thursday night ) to request registration and waiver forms.  I'll email those forms to you, and then you'll need to print them out, complete the registration form, sign and date the waiver, and email the executed forms back to me by no later than Friday morning, not Friday night. (An unsigned waiver doesn't cut it, sorry.)  NEXT, I'll email to you your cue sheet and control card and you'll need to print those out for yourselves.

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

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2011

"GET TO THE POINT," starting from T.C. Martin Elementary School, Bryantown, Maryland.  Remember to turn your clocks back an hour when you retire Saturday night:  **MEETING TIME 8:00 a.m Eastern Standard Time.**  A pretty ride through Charles and St. Mary's Counties to Colton's Point and the Potomac River Museum at St. Clement's Island.  We'll have lunch at the quaint but charming, off-the-beaten-path Morris Point Restaurant (see http://www.morris-point.com/), where once upon a time the owner served us lunch in her pajamas and mink coat!  We'll pass several picturesque Amish farms in the afternoon.  Terrain is flat to gently rolling.  Well, OK, there are a few of hills; but total elevation gain is less than 3,000 feet.  101 miles, with several short options.  Here's the link to the interactive RWGPS map:  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/644633. 

Please download and print out your own cue sheet and GPS file for Sunday's ride directly from the DCCenturyRides blog, http://dccenturyrides.blogspot.com/

If you're unable to print the cue sheet yourself, let me know and I'll bring a hard copy to the ride start for you.  I won't be bringing extra copies of cue sheets to the ride start unless you email me directly and advise me that you're unable to print out your own.

Crista