Leader/Members:  RL Ron, Donaro Gardner, Denny Miller 

Route:  Indian Head  Rail Trail r/t - Livingston Rd parking lot/White Plains

Weather:   brrr - temp range 36-40, even though plenty of sun, w/12-15 WNW winds gusting to 30 mph.   "Feels like" temps were in the 20s

AMS:  13ish

Mechanicals/Mishaps:  none

Report:   well, the first winter ride of the season and only a few hardy souls participating.  Maybe we all have forgotten correct clothing combinations but it was cold.  The wind seemed to penetrate through windbreaker or wind resistant jackets and pants.  

Just a few other cyclists but a good number of walkers/joggers including several families with little ones on bikes or scooters.  Only squirrels observed, no other wildlife to report.

Denny rode from home so he had 40 miles by the time we returned to the start.  With 15 miles still to go, all with a headwind, he opted for a ride back home.  Since temp at his ride start was below freezing (31 degrees), he had definitely earned his polar bear badge.

Ride leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Ron Altemus, Sarah Clement
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/49862324
AMS: 11.9
Weather: What a surprise!  Gray, overcast, everything damp from the overnight rain on the way down to the ride start, but at around 10:25 the skies cleared, the sun came out and temperatures rose from the low 60s, where they'd been on the drive down, to the high 60s.  By 11:30, temps had risen to the low 70s.  Gusty winds kept the "felt" temperature a good bit lower than the actual, but in all it was a surprisingly nice day -- and, according to the long range forecast, the last one like it for the next ten days.
Mishaps and mechanicals: Our route took us up Chicamuyxen to Bicknell and Pisgah Marbury to Poorhouse and Ripley.  We made the turn onto Hawthorne, and within a half mile I got a flat.  Not really all that surprising: if you're going to pick up road debris and get a flat, odds are it's going to be on Chicamuxen or Hawthorne. 

What was unexpected was that after removing the punctured tube and replacing it and inflating the tire with my new and so far unused CYCPlus AS2 Pro electric pump (yeah, I keep warning about testing your equipment before you need it so you won't be reading the instructions for the first time by the side of the road, but that's exactly what I did) which went better than I deserved.  It turns out, the bag with all the "stuff" -- extension hose, USB cable, washer, needle valve, 'pillar' -- is all unnecessary if you're using the pump with a Presta valve.

Actual use is dead easy: turn the pump on with a long press on the top "button", make sure the pressure is set correctly, adjusting if necessary with the other two + & - "buttons"; push the unit onto the valve and it starts pumping.  It stops on its own when the correct pressure is achieved.  All you have to do is hold it in place.  (I figured most of that out at home, putting the new tire on.)

However, before we were able to get started again my tire went flat once more.

We decided to send Sarah back to the start (straight down Hawthorne) to load her bike in her car and drive mine back to where we were.  That left Ron and me by the side of the road waiting, having a nice chat -- it was by now a lovely, nearly perfect day so not really a hardship -- until Sarah arrived.   She and I went back to Livingston Rd while Ron continued on his own on an improvised route that would take him to White Plains.

I drove home and changed the tire and tube.  I'd no sooner finished than Sarah called from Handy Bikes.  After she got home she discovered her back tire was flat, too -- a large twisty wire, probably something she picked up either on Livingston or in the parking lot. 

Ride report: I made  11.8 miles.  Sarah had around 18.  Ron probably was in the 30s.

Leader: Lou Dall'Orso

Members:  Cathy W. and Liam H.

Guests:  none

Route:  ridewithgps.com/routes/12378617

Weather:  Mid to upper 50s with mostly sunny skies, and a tad more wind than predicted.

AMS:  14.5 mph

Mechanicals/Mishaps:  none

Report:  Another great November weather day too nice to pass up.  Happy to have Cathy and Liam joining me for this ride.  A steady 15 mph head wind greeted us at the start, and became a cross tail once we made the right onto Poorhouse for the leg to the Pisgah store rest stop, and continued to be a plus for most of the remainder of the ride on Chick, Livingston, and Route 210. 

Leader/Members:  RL Ron Altemus, Lisa Oken, Steve Palincsar



Route:   casual tour of Mason Neck, starting with an out and back on Belmont Blvd then retracing to Gunston Rd to the Mason Neck trail.  We did a short spur on Springfield before rejoining the trail, then onto High Point Rd to head down to the Mason Neck State Park Visitor Center.  Retracing on High Point, we used Gunston Rd to tour the Hallowing Point and Gunston Manor neighborhoods and then back to the trail.  Gunston Hall and Pohick Bay Park were visited including a spin through the latter's campground.  Another out and back into the golf course before the final short stretch on Gunston Rd to the ride start.

Weather:  first sunny day in a few with temps starting in the mid 50s, rising to the low 60s.  SW 7-10 mph air w/some brief stronger gusts.

AMS:  mid to upper 11s

Mechanicals/Mishaps:   none

Report:    a most delightful day of bicycling along familiar roads w/o much vehicular traffic.   We enjoyed pairing up in various configurations for conversational cycling (CC).

At the Mason Neck Park visitor's center, we could see a black band in the river (pictured below and over the right shoulder of the RL in the picture above).  Even with binoculars, or by zooming in on the picture, the mass was unidentifiable, but from previous times encountering same, assume that it was a huge rafting of ducks.  Hundreds, maybe thousands, massing together as the migrate south.

There was an announcement at the visitor's center that the tundra swans were back in the great marsh.  We reversed our routing through Hallowing Point, going to the south end of River Road, where we could make out the swans (white dots, really) in the marsh.

This ride was posted on short notice so thanks to Lisa and Steve for joining me today!

Leaders:  Ron & Susan Altemus

Members:   Sue Gunter, Sherwood Byers, Sr., RL Susan, Connie Quickstad, Robin Garnett, Linda Bankerd, Fran Jezisek, Carl Hattery, Leesha Saunders, Donaro Gardner, Esther Steward, Paul Adams, Bob Rourke, Carolyn Graves.  Not pictured:  Pat Colvin



Route:   Indian Head Rail Trail, riding east from Livingston Rd parking lot to White Plains trailhead for a rest stop. then retracing west back to the ride start.

Weather: overcast (again!), temps 52-54, very light air out of the west

AMS:  varied by rider

Mechanicals/Mishaps:  none

Report: Very nice turnout with the weekly regulars supplemented by a few who hadn't ridden most of the week because of the wind plus a returning cyclist.  As always, everyone rode at there own pace.  Sherwood wanted some hill work, so he said he would be going up Bumpy Oak and back down - several other riders joined him outbound whilst the rest of us flatlanders stuck to the trail.  He repeated the up on the return, going all the way to Livingston Rd to commence the down solo.

Very little in the way of wildlife.  And we didn't see any wild turkeys as they are all hiding until Thanksgiving passes.  Lots of other trail users though, the majority of which were walkers.

After the ride, everyone scattered, some to get ready for departing to Thanksgiving locations with family or friends, others to start preparations of the big meal.  A reminder - we will have the regular IHRT ride on the Friday after Thanksgiving - the perfect opportunity to burn off some of the calories consumed the day prior.

Leader:  Ron Altemus

Members:  Connie Quickstad, Denny Miller, Sherwood Byers, Sr., Esther Steward, Gene Villiva, Robin Garnett.  Not pictured:  Leslie Tierstein



Route:   Starting at either Belle Haven Park or Jones Point Park (as pictured above) we rode the Mt Vernon Trail north to the Four Mile Run Trail to head west.  In Shirlington, we transferred to the W&OD Trail, riding it to Church Street in Vienna.  Approximately 2 blocks south on Church took us to an alley where Bikes@Vienna is located.  Return was basically a retrace of the outbound route.

Weather:   overcast the entire time (aka a hazy shade of winter), temps stayed in a narrow range of 47-49 degrees, negligible air movement out of the NE

AMS:   swept in the low 11s; Strava had some riders in the mid 12s

Mechanicals/Mishaps:  none  

Report:   With nothing listed on the ride schedule for a Thursday ride, your favorite neighborhood ride leader (and faithful correspondent) was contacted about posting one.  His original plan had been a solo ride out to Vienna but checking with a few others indicated some were interested in making that journey, too.  So we ended up with 7 riders doing the entire ride.  Leslie met us at the bike shop after doing some shopping in Vienna and the at the bike shop.

Outbound, a couple of riders got out ahead of the main group and missed a bio stop in Bluemont.  We met up with them at the bike shop.  Another rider waited at the Vienna caboose just west of Church Street.  We didn't see them there, they saw us, tried to catch up but by the time they started riding, we had already made the turn onto the alley and disappeared from view.  They rejoined the group that headed back sans lunch as only a couple of us had lunch in Vienna.

For two of our group, this was their first time on both the Four Mile Run trail and the W&OD.  They liked what they saw outbound - I'll assume their return trip was just as pleasant.

Leader & Members:   Steve Palincsar, RL Ron Altemus, GloJean Gladden (photog), Ray Luckenbach



Route:   https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41956882  35.8 miles, 1215' elevation change.  From Friendship Farm park, Ironsides and MD-6 took us to Tayloe's  Neck Road.  We did an out and back on Bluff Point before following Tayloe's Neck to its end point.  Retracing, we ventured down Walter's Landing to Friendship Acres and the a retrace on Tayloe's Neck and MD-6 back to King James Church for a rest stop. Retracing on MD-6 to Hancock Run, then Adams Willett and Liverpool Point for a second rest stop at the Nanjemoy Store.  Final routing used Jacksontown, Greenleek, MD-6, Poseytown, Bowie, Baptist Church, and Ironsides to return us to Friendship Farm park.

Weather:   under cloudy and/or overcast skies, temps ranged from the mid 50s to the low 60s with 3-5 mph breezes.  The sun made a few futile attempts to break through but all efforts proved unsuccessful.

AMS:   swept in the low 12s

Mechanicals/Mishaps:   none

Report:   as with most rides in the Greater Nanjemoy Metropolitan Statistical Area, we traveled on roads with minimal vehicular traffic - some being completely car free.  Leaves continue to fall so not much in the way of vibrant color, but the muted yellow/oranges, browns, and grays, with the occasional verdant greens of a holly or pine providing attractive scenery.

GloJean and Ray had never ridden on Tayloe's Neck so it was nice to introduce them to another part of Nanjemoy.  We rode mostly as a group until slightly separating prior to Walter's Landing, but regrouped at King James Church.  Unexpectedly, the restrooms building was locked.  After our second rest stop at Nanjemoy Store, Ray and GloJean headed out early as she had an afternoon engagement.  Steve and your faithful correspondent/favorite neighborhood ride leader continued at a casual conversational cycling pace back to the start.

Of note - Walter's Landing and Tayloe's Neck is less than a mile from Friendship Farm park but on the other side of Nanjemoy Creek hence our riding ~16 miles just to be on the other side of the creek.  After the ride, Steve captured the creek with Friendship Acres over on the other side.

All in all, a most pleasant day of cycling!

Ride Leader: Diane Harris 

Members: Lou D, Sam, P, William C, Theresa R

Guests: None

Route: Allen Pond To Harwood, starting from Allen Pond park and traveling along backroads of Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties 

Weather: Overcast for most of the ride, with a starting temperature of 49°, warming to ~60°. There was a brief period where we felt a few raindrops. 

Mechanicals/Mishaps: None

AMS: Ride leader ended with 15.1

Report: The goal was to ride this route at an A/B pace with the ending ams between 14 to 16 mph. We met that goal by sharing the work of leading the ride between the 5 of us. It was a good ride even though some of the roads were riddled with uneven pavement and potholes (Mill Branch and Queen Anne Bridge roads). Much of the route was along 2 lane back roads with woods on both sides and occasionally, houses on large lots, and not much vehicle traffic. The sun came out briefly and at one point, we felt occasional raindrops but that quickly ended. Thanks to all who joined me for this ride. 

Leaders:  Ron & Susan Altemus 

Members:   RL Susan, Fran Jezisek, Gene Villiva, Leesha Saunders, Robin Garnett, Bob Rourke, Paul Adams, Jackie Schoch, Esther Steward, Carl Hattery, Donaro Gardner



Route:   Friday's FAV - Indian Head Rail Trail east from the Livingston Road parking lot to trailhead in White Plains.  After a conversation-filled rest stop, return westward ho! to the start.

Weather:   starting off mostly sunny but clouding over on the return from White Plains.  Winds of 7-10 mph, with higher gusts, out of the west.  Temps started in the low 50s, supposedly rising to the upper 50s, but the return into the wind felt much colder than the outbound ride.

AMS:   varied by rider but most probably in the mid11s to low 12s

Mechanicals/Mishaps:   none

 Report:  as detailed in Weather above,  though the temperature went up during the day, it seemed to get colder riding back from White Plains.  Not that is was bone chilling cold, just not that warm.

We had the usual group of riders, traveling in small conversational pairings to the rest stop and back.  On the return, a number of us stopped to observe an eagle sitting on a log in Pages Swamp.  Jackie was fortunate to see the eagle standing in the water catching small fish. She saw him/her catch 2.  While we were watching, it flew a short distance up the creek and then appeared to resume fishing, though it was now a bit too far away to determine it if was successful.

Fran used her telephoto lens to get the close up on the right.

Other sightings of interest included several hornet nests just before Bumpy Oak Road.  Though named Bald-Faced Hornets, they are actually wasps.  Each nest will contain 400-700 individuals over the course of the season.

Below, a Bald-Faced hornet nest barely visible due to its coloring and only seen once leaves have dropped

Two Bald-Faced hornet nests. They are only used for one year so the lower one, which was noted last year, just hasn't fallen yet.

Ride leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Ron Altemus, Connie Quickstad, Patricia Sanders
Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53277668 
Weather: Blustery and chilly-feeling: 52-57 degrees and sunny, with supposedly 15 mph winds and nearly continuous gusts up to 25 mph
MIshaps & mechanicals: none
AMS: 12.4

A windy ride.  Pleasant company, a nice route featuring roads we haven't ridden in a long time (Gallant Green, Truman Manor).  We had a nice rest stop at Moreland Market, where we learned that internet connectivity was so poor it wasn't possible to display maps to plot alternate routes to escape from the wind, so we rode the whole distance and were pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't really all that bad.  We added an extra stop at the site of the Baden Community Center, mainly just to get a break from riding into the wind on Aquasco Rd.