Rest stop at Elizabeth Dixon Park on the West River at Galesville
Leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Donaro Gardner, Harry Kidd, Chantal Briere, Dave Van Amayden and Steve Perakis
Guests: Ellen Silver and Jerrold Keilson
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41526134 34 miles, 1400' elevation. The route takes Sands to Bayard, goes up South Polling House (and it's been a really long time since we did that!) to Polling House, then MD-2 and Mill Swamp down to Muddy Creek heading for Galesville, with significant side trips on Lansdale (the old alignment of Muddy Creek, I think) and Cumberstone, a thoroughly delightful narrow winding shaded lane bordering on the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
After a rest stop at the Elizabeth Dixon park in Galesville, the route goes up Galesville Rd, which becomes Owensville Rd, turns on Ownesville Sudley and heads back to Polling House, Bayard and Sands.
It's not Nanjemoy, but it is very shady and scenic, and was an excellent choice for a day like today.
Weather: 80 when we started, rising to 88 or 89, with 65-52% humidity that made the Washington Post, and 10 mph breezes.
AMS: Around 13 mph
Mechanicals/Mishaps: None
Report: A lovely route, with scenic views and lots of shade made much tougher than it would have ordinarily been by the heat and the humidity. It was wonderful to have guests. I think they enjoyed themselves, as did we all. I always marvel at how thoroughly lovely Cumberstone is: basically just a long out-and-back, a pleasant twisty downhill in the shade, and a surprisingly gentle climb back up, with nothing to see but the views, and worth every one of its 3.4 miles.
Galesville too is a treat as always, and the climb up South Polling House and the descent down Polling House provide an unusual treat as well.
