Leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Randy & Jackie Schoch, Patricia Walthers, Tom Short, Oswald Martin, Lisa Petersen, Rick Hagen, Ron Altemus, Donaro Gardner, Paul Hamilton, Lou Dall'Orso and Darrell Meyer
Guests: none
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44986801 36.9 mi, 1299' elevation gain.
Weather: As predicted, 53 at the start rising to 61, partly cloudy with 55% cloud cover at the start, gradually improving throughout the day with 2mph gentle breezes. What actually happened: bright warm sun, blue sky with some clouds and almost 60 by the time we got going, but with 8 mph winds. By noon it clouded over completely and without the warmth of the sun it felt more like 53 than the 60 the Garmins were claiming. By the time we got back to the ride start, the clouds parted, the sun came out and the temperature rose to 65.
AMS: 13.2 at the front, high 12s at the back.
Mechanicals/Mishaps: none
Report: The parking lot was almost full at 10, but we moved cars to make some room and by 10:30 some of the early users had left so we eventually all fit. We were a large group, and fairly well strung out so we regrouped often. The store was closed at Goose Bay: they're still on winter hours, closed Sundays, and to be fair, Spring is much more advanced in Alexandria than it is in Welcome. It has been raining a lot in the past few days, and low-lying areas are all thoroughly saturated, with frogs peeping.
Goose Bay was a lot of fun, as always. By the time we were ready to leave the clouds had blocked the sun and the wind picked up, so the return felt colder than the ride out to Goose Bay. A few riders left the group and went back on their own, and a few made an unscheduled stop for provisions at the Pisgah Store before we continued on to Pisgah Park for a second rest stop and returned on Pisgah Marbury and Chicamuxen.
Spring is almost here, and I think it's time to put the snow shovels back in the shed and get the bikes ready for the road.
