Sat March 10. Gallant Green (Truman Manor the Hard Way, Even Longer). B, 45 mi. Leader: Steve Palincsar Winter came calling today, and he brought his friend, the wind, along for company. It was a clear, sunny day but although the temperatures almost touched 50 the booties, balaclavas and wind layers never came off, thanks to the wind. There was a big crowd at the Brandywine Firehouse, with both my B ride and John Gorman's CC 35 mi version drawing good crowds. Polly's ride was canceled. Among the B's were Richard Harrington, Mike Bivens, Jan Tucker, Cathy Wilson, John Rady(?), Sam Brasel, Janell Saunders, Ken Meredith, Holly Carr, Jane and Jim Hudnall, Herb Pruitt, Michell Dyer and guest Danzie Seaward. The route was an extended version of one of the routes we do on Thursdays from the Firehouse to the Moreland Market by way of Dent and Dr. Mudd for the first rest stop, where we met with John's CC group. After the break, both groups headed south on Gallant Green to Truman Manor, dividing when we got to the grade on Celestial - John going left on Young to bypass the hill, while the B's went up it to Wilkerson, back to Aquasco and east on Dr. Bowen (backwards from the usual) to a second rest stop at The Little Store. [p] From the second break it was a tough slog into a 12-23 mph north wind on Brandywine to Croom (the Fast People motoring off in a pace line, leaving a trail of stragglers behind), where we turned left and went back to Malcolm, then north on Horsehead over to Baden Westwood and east on Westwood to Bald Eagle School. It's the first time I've been down the hill on Westwood in years; the new pavement is simply marvelous. From there, a quick jog over Nelson Perrie to Molly Berry and Martin to North Keys back to the Firehouse. Lanterne Rouge and the Cycling Snails finished with 14 mph averages; who knows what the Fast People did, they were gone when we arrived.
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