Ride leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Alan Kurzweil, Holly Carr, Sam Perry, Bob Howell, Lou Dallorso, Jim & Jane Hudnall
Weather: Sunny, windy (17-20 mph, and amazingly, nearly always a headwind no matter which way we turned), low 60s to over 72.
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/18350296 Surratts backwards past Cosca Park to a rest stop at Miller Farms, then Steed, Allentown etc. to Gallahan. Down Gallhan (topping 40 mph!) a jog on Piscataway and up the rough pavement of Floral Park to South Springfield, the first time in several years we've been there. Closed for several years when the bridge washed out, it was re-opened last fall but the one ride that was scheduled to use it was cancelled to accommodate a rider returning from an injury. Would it be as bad as we remembered?
Before we set out we learned that Cedarville was scheduled to close today, and would stay closed for a year while the bridge over the Mattawoman Creek was replaced. It was anyone's guess whether it would be open for us today; discussing it before plunging down into the gorge on South Springfield, we decided to take the chance. After careening down and laboriously grinding our way back up a slope that RWGPS says is 13% but that some GPS units on the scene were reporting as 40% (!) we took Accokeek to McKendree to a rest stop at the WaWa, then crossed US-301 and took our chance.
The road was open, but on the bridge was a guy who looked exactly like what you think of when you hear the phrase "Civil Engineer" with a map spread out on the hood of his truck. As we passed he told us "Today is the last time you'll be riding this bridge." The remaining miles back to North Keys Park passed uneventfully.
Mishaps & mechanicals: none
AMS: 12.3 at the back.
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