Leader: Diane Harris
Members: Theresa R, Sherwood B, Linda B, Alan K
Guests: None
Route: Starbucks Express-Manokeek Village Shopping Center to the Indian Head Rail Trail by way of roads in Waldorf, then back to the start via Chapman's Landing and other roads including short sections of Indian Head Hwy and roads that parallel Indian Head Hwy.
Weather: Sunny, cool, comfortable for a January Day. By ride start, the roads had dried from the previous day's and night's rain.
AMS: 13.6 (ride leader)
Mechanicals/Mishaps: None
Report: This is the same route as last week's Sunday ride and I enjoyed it, and the company, just as much as I did last week. From the shopping center we take Berry Rd to the turn onto Bunker Hill. This section can have a lot of vehicle traffic but there is a wide shoulder that takes us to our first turn. We use more roads with wide shoulders until we get to Middletown Rd, a 2 lane stretch where (for me) taking the lane is the safest way to get us to the turn onto the Indian Head Rail Trail. It's Winter and the trees are bare which allows you to see clearly what's behind the tree line. After recent heavy rains, I saw how much water there was. A lot!! I'd never seen that much water along the trail. Once off the trail, we had a short climb up Hawthorne to Indian Head Hwy, crossing to take the rollers of Chapman's Landing a prettier option to Indian Head Hwy. The rest of the ride had us alternating stretches of the Hwy with parallel roads until we returned to the shopping center. One of the best parts of this ride was the post ride fellowship with drinks and snacks at the nearby coffee shop.
