We joined the C/CC group at the Firehouse at 10:30 on what started as a gray, overcast day. For some reason, folks were reluctant to leave, a pattern that repeated itself at every rest stop throughout the day. But eventually we did get going, followed shortly by the C/CC group. The group consisted of Holly Carr, Jan Tucker, Linda Bankerd, Jim and Jane Hudnall, Mike Bivens, Joan Oppel, Rita Zeidner and Rodeine West and leader Steve Palincsar. At least, that's who signed up.
We came down Barry's Hill Rd. "the back way" to Bryans Road, where we encountered some of Calvin's group coming down from Livingston. Things got a little confused when Holly and I stopped just across 210 to wait for Joan and Rita, who were riding together off the back: the B/CC group followed by some of the C/CC group went off down the road while we waited, and possibly one or more of them followed the 46 mile group left on Pomfret, because when Holly and I arrived at Mattingly Park in Indian Head we found at least one rider who wasn't on the sign-up sheet waiting with the group. By now, the sky had cleared, the sun had come out, and it had warmed up to the low 50s, turning into a spectacularly beautiful winter day: bright golden light, long slanting shadows, blue skies, just a perfect cycling day.
After a lengthy break, during which a couple of folks I didn't recognize realized they were running late decided to shortcut the route, we followed a straightforward route to Smallwood: Mattingly to 210, Strauss to Chicamuxen, Hawthorne to Smallwood -- probably the only truly straightforward, obvious route of the day -- where we found Reggie & Belinda's group posing for photos at the road leading to the Art Center. They'd come, had a break, followed my suggestion for a tour of Smallwood (discovering parts of the park they never knew were there, along with some terrain irregularities Calvin insisted were "hills") and then paused for a photo op. We joined them for a couple of photos, then went down to the marina for a break.
After another lengthy break we set about a very unobvious return: Sweetman to Bicknell to Pisgah Marbury, then left on Mason Spring back to Hawthorne and 210. Some of us -- at least, of those of us still left (Mike, Jan and Rodeine having gone on ahead somewhere along the way) -- stopped at the McDonalds at Bryans Road for the "fifty cent senior coffee special." It must have been very special, because they had to brew the coffee up special just for us. And so, another long break.
Fully fueled, layers off, we flew down Marshall Hall and up Barry's Hill and back to the Firehouse just before 3, last to arrive but happy we'd taken the tour. AMS somewhere in the high 13s, overall average including stops around 10. According to ridewithgps, 1887 feet of climbing. The route is
here. Photos from the ride are
here
[Edit: Calvin sent the email announcing the ride, so I assumed he was leading C/CC group, but Reggie and Belina actually led. Sorry about that; corrections have been made.]
