Leader: Steve Palincsar

Members: Traci C, Rick Hagen, Lisa Petersen

Guests: none

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42241189 -- at least, that was the plan. The plan did not survive contact with MD-5 traffic, specifically the six car crash with overturned trucks that closed MD-5 southbound for hours. 

Weather: The Capital Weather Gang gave it 10 out of 10.  Sunny, 70s, 10 mph breeze, humidity between 40-60%.  If people weren't riding today, it definitely wasn't because of the weather.

AMS: 13.2

Mechanicals/Mishaps: None, aside from that 6-car crash.

Report: It was an excellent ride: lovely scenery, perfect weather, a nice albeit small group.

Although I'd left early enough for a planned arrival at 9:30,I hadn't planned on MD-5 being closed at Surratts Rd.  I didn't actually arrive until just after 10:30, and a doctors appointment in Arlington at 4pm meant cuts were called for. 

On learning of the delays due to road work on Cherry Tree Crossing, we agreed to skip the final leg on Cross Road Trail and Cherry Tree Crossing.  We ended up with 29 miles and 1470' elevation gain.

It's good to visit Mount Calvert every so often.   

Ride Leader: Janell Saunders

Members: none

Just me today probably because it was a late posting, but hoped somebody might come out.  

I did my own version again, but in reverse.  So went down to Moyaone to check out the cattle, then back down Barrys Hill and up Marshall Hall after the rest stop at the boat ramp.  

Enjoyed the nice fallish temps and water views.

St Ignatius Church

Leader: Steve Palincsar

Members: Ron Altemus

Guests: none

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43250731  39.8 mi, 1537' elevation.

Weather: Sunny, quite humid, high 70s at the start rising to mid-80s by early afternoon.

AMS: 12.7

Mechanicals/Mishaps: none

Report: Just Ron and me on a pleasant, scenic ride down Rose Hill and up Chapel Point, interrupted by road mending (they're patching large segments, not repaving the whole thing) on Chapel Point, good in that we had only one car pass us from the start of the road work until we reached St Ignatius Church.

Crossing 301 we took Bel Alton Newtown down the Beast and up the other side, then went left on Springhill Newtown and north on Glen Albin to a second stop at the Dash In.  After lunch we made our way on back streets to Hawthorne, then took Quailwood back to Rt 6, stopping briefly at the Satellite Government building before turning on Burch and Poorhouse.  We took Ripley (once again, the Garmin failed to recognize Ripley as a turn) to Hawthorne, then descended Mighty Mount Pisgah.  Ron wanted to make an even 40 miles, so we went past Livingston, turning on the IHRT instead. 

A nice day and a nice ride, although not quite the start of fall weather the forecasts implied.  I guess that's coming on Thursday.

Rest stop at Goose Bay

Leader: Steve Palincsar

Members: Catherine Ade, Dave VanAmayden, Walt Roscello, Ron Altemus

Guests: None

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32979737  39.9 mi, 1668' elevation gain, 6.9% max grade.  Total riding time was 2:57 while time stopped was 1:05. We took our time enjoying ourselves at the rest stops at Goose Bay and Smallwood Park, but maintained a fairly brisk moving average even though we were basically chilling almost the whole time.

Weather: Weather was definitely the big story today.  Today's ride was but 40 miles and our start was at 8:30 because when I posted this ride, the forecast had a roughly 20% chance of rain and thunderstorms before 1 pm, jumping up to at least the 30-something % range at one and thereafter. An early start and a 40 mile route would let us get back before 1 pm.

The forecast this morning was 68-76% cloud cover, temperatures ranging from 73-83 degrees, light winds 3-6% and a chance of precipitation of around 27%.

The temperature range was about right, possibly it was a bit warmer than predicted.  But the cloud cover was way off: instead of mostly cloudy skies we had brilliant blue skies with light, thin cloud cover -- in all, a simply beautiful morning.

We finished at 1 instead of the predicted 12:45, having ridden faster and taken a whole lot longer than expected at the rest stops, happy to have had such a nice ride.  As we were putting our bikes in our cars it clouded up with gray clouds. 

On Indian Head Highway after the ride it got up to 91.  As Dave, Catherine and I were heading north on Indian Head Highway, Walt, who had ridden from home, ran into a small downpour 3 miles from his house. 

Ron left a few minutes later, having been last to finish loading.  He drove through downpours at Bryan's Road and again on Mt Vernon Hwy after exiting the  Wilson Bridge.  Here in Alexandria City, it's been rumbling and grumbling for the past hour and a half with heavy overcast and gray skies, with the weather icon on my computer showing a thunderstorm, but we've not had any actual rain.

AMS: 13.4

Mechanicals/Mishaps: None

Report: Walt rode from home, planning to meet us at Goose Bay.  We were about 10 minutes late leaving Bryans Road, and arrived at Goose Bay about 10 minutes after him - not that it mattered.

We had a great ride and enjoyed ourselves.  We could hardly have planned it better, having perfectly nice weather the whole time we were riding, with clouds and rain, both threatened and actual.

The goal was to squeeze a ride in and have a good time and we met that goal with flying colors.

Leader:   Ron Altemus

Members:   Gene Villiva, Susan Altemus, Leesha Saunders, Carlos Hazera, Donaro Gardner, Mark Garrison



Route:   Indian Head Rail Trail, starting at Livingston Rd parking lot and heading east to White Plains trailhead w/return

Weather:   temps rising from the low 80s to mid 80s under mostly sunny skies, very little wind out of the NE, not too bad on the humidity

AMS:   varied by rider between 10-13 mph

Mechanicals/Mishaps:   none

Report:   A smaller group than usual as some are traveling and others might have had enough of the worst September hot spell on record in the DMV.  Probably because of the heat (though it wasn't that bad), we didn't see a lot of other trail users and minimal wildlife limited to a green snake and possibly a wolf spider.

Other club members espied on the trail included Bob Moye, getting in his daily 40 mile ride, and Amy Werking.  Amy had hoped to ride with the club but was delayed so rode solo and we only encountered her upon our return to Livingston Road.

Not only has the heat been an issue of late, but most of the region has seen significantly less rainfall than usual.  Trees are stressed and the small ponds scattered along the pond are showing much lower water levels.  The pond closest to White Plains (which I noted today for the first time had signage stating it was "Port Tobacco Creek") is exceptionally low with tree trunks and waterlogged logs now visible, as pictured below.

Leader: Steve Palincsar

Members: Rick Hagen, Lisa Petersen, Harry Kidd, Tracie C

Guests: none

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/28519091  30 mi, 1235' elevation

Weather: Hopefully, it was the last day of the last heatwave of summer, a day the Capital Weather Gang gave a 1 out of 10 and called "a scorcher". Another Post article said today was "the final day of widespread record highs in the Washington-Baltimore region, and the late-season heat wave solidified its place in the record books. No heat wave this late into September has been this hot."

It was 80 when we started, around 92 with a heat index of 102 when we finished, with sunny skies, 5-7 mph winds and an ample sufficiency of humidity.  But that didn't make for a miserable, hot and sweaty day.  (OK, well maybe yes with the sweaty, but mostly not hot and definitely not miserable.)

AMS: 12.9

Mechanicals/Mishaps: none

Report: Shade rules! 

Today Harry and I were joined by Rick and Lisa from Owings Mills, down near where we used to have the picnics at Fresh Meadows Farm, and Tracie C, making one of her rare mid-week appearances. 

The route was relatively short compared to our usual Thursday Brandywine fare at this time of year and absolutely shady for almost all its length, with rest stops at the Merkle Sanctuary and at the Baden store (it is well known that there's nothing better on a steamy summer day with a 102 degree heat index than an ice cold Coca Cola).

Lisa had brought a 90s Trek with what looked like a 39/53 double and a 12-23 7 speed cassette, and she decided the 7.9% max grade on Nelson Perrie would be a bit much given her gearing, so she and Rick went right on Baden Naylor while we went left on Nelson Perrie. 

We met at the Baden store and relaxed in the shade before facing the three miles in the open on Brandywine Road and the final stretch, once more back in the shade on Gibbons Church.

THE PICNIC:  was excellent - Wally and Jane Huie did a fantastic job. Wally cooked a LOT of hot dogs. Jessica Hirschhorn and Ron Altemus did the shopping so we had abundant sodas, chips, pickles, cookies. Club member Dani Villiva made amazing cookies and sent them to the ride with Gene Viliva. Ron also made a major stop at the storage locker to retrieve various needed items. Also, major thanks to Diane Harris, who, along with Jessica,  volunteered to hang out all day helping to set up the picnic food and serving items. 

It was quite pleasant under the trees on the Green and riders ate and mingled and just seemed to enjoy relaxing and the company.

Leader: Joan Oppel

Members: The CC 44 group started off with about 16 or 17 people but the group quickly separated into slow, slower, faster sections. And some switched groups before the first rest stop and at the first rest stop. Here is a probably incomplete list of my group of riders: Linda Blackman, Robin Butler-LeFrancois, Cathy Miller, Steve Palincsar, Janet Shipko, Cynthia Cypress, Rhonda Hearns-Stewart, Mika, Justine Kavie, Rita Zeidner, Harold Datz, Paul Hamilton, Leslie Tierstein, Margaret McBride.

Route:   https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44076464

Weather:  At the 8:30 start, temp about 75 at the start, 92 in the shade at the end. Humidity not too bad for a hot day, we created a self-breeze when riding and since we only stopped in shade, we managed to keep comfortable.

Mechanicals/Mishaps:   None

Report:  I was "leading from the rear" all day, keeping track of all the slower riders. After climbing Mt Pisgah,  the two off the back said they would change to the CC 33 at Smallwood and were fine together. Janet Shipko kept company with me at the rear for the entire ride. Then at the Pisgah Store, a group of six was waiting and we joined up with them for the rest of the route. Riverside was delightful today, it's such a pleasure to have the Nanjemoy Store be so welcoming. We regrouped many times to keep together. It was a great group

Once we got to the Indian Head trail we came across a rider from the 33 group sick with the heat - and with two other 33 riders ministering to her. A HUGE thank you to Beth Merricks and Ed Reardon for staying with her, for calling Harry Kidd to come and get her. (For the record, she recovered.)

THE PICNIC:  was excellent - Wally and Jane Huie did a fantastic job. Wally cooked a LOT of hot dogs. Jessica Hirschhorn and Ron Altemus did the shopping so we had abundant sodas, chips, pickles, cookies. Club member Dani Villiva made amazing cookies and sent them to the ride with Gene Viliva. Ron also made a major stop at the storage locker to retrieve various needed items. Also, major thanks to Diane Harris, who, along with Jessica,  volunteered to hang out all day helping to set up the picnic food and serving items. 

It was quite pleasant under the trees on the Green and riders ate and mingled and just seemed to enjoy relaxing and the company.

Riders:  The CC 33 group started out with Peggy Alfonso, Beth Baynes, Myrtle Bowen, Sarah Clement, Melissa Coleman, Steve Forman, Mark Garrison, Susan Henn, Jane Hudnall, Jim Hudnall, Harry Kidd, Beth Merricks, Mary Ann Owsley, Sam Perry, Ed Reardon, Janell Saunders, Desiree Smith, Esther Steward, Leslie Tierstein, Len Wilkinson, Ray Luckenbach, Lisa Troshinski, Gil and Tina Dutchover, Melissa Coleman, Randy Sim (apologies to any one I missed--it was a big group!).  

Leader:  Ellen Goodwin with a special shout out to Harry Kidd who swept the group!

Ride:  Our big group assembled for a 9am start, even though it was getting warm already in the parking lot.  Thanks to everyone who agreed to wait to honor the 9:00am start-time to accommodate last minute comers, even though it would have made sense to trek out earlier in light of the heat.  AS is typical for the CC class, the group quickly separated into a slower group, a faster group, and the in-between group, with Harry Kidd generously sweeping the rear.  The first stretch of the ride into SMallwood park was lovely, mostly shady, gently rolling, with the sun kindly agreeing to stay behind some clouds.  But that would change after the first rest stop, when the heat quickly started to build.  After the first rest stop, our group acquired some new members, as many who had started out on the CC 44 decided to stay with the 33 group instead.

For the second rest stop in Pisgah Park, as the leader pulled in to the stop, a group was leaving, having decided to skip Pisgah Park in favor of a stop at the Pisgah store, just 3 quarters of a mile up the road.  And that turned out to be a good call, as there was no water available at Pisgah Park.  So, a few of us who had pulled into Pisgah Park ventured up the road to the Pisgah Store to find a whole bunch of people resting on the shady porch there.  The store made a wonderful break from the heat and folks enjoyed visiting there.  We also encountered several B riders and riders from the CC 44 group there.  

The picnic was lovely and Extra special thanks go to the picnic leaders who set up a generous spread for the riders to enjoy!!

Mechanicals:  The only mechanical of which the leader is aware was my own.  My front derailleur came loose from the frame on about mile 10, knocking me out of using the big chainring for the remainder of the ride.  Never had that issue before!!  Off to the bike shop, I go.  Thanks to Luis Dall'Orso and Steve Palincsar for helping me figure that one out!

Many thanks to every one for coming out for such a lovely day of riding.  I met many new riders, and was glad for the chance to catch up with long standing club members that I don't often see.  

Leader:  Ron Altemus

Members:   Robin Garnett, Gene Villiva, Gail Black, Susan Altemus, Bruce Black, Desiree Smith, Donaro Gardner, Myrtle Bowen.  Not pictured - Jay Lewis who was a bit late to the ride start.



Route:   the Indian Head Rail Trail in its entirety - Indian Head Village Green to White Plains trailhead and return.  27 miles, not much in the way of elevation change (374 feet!).

Weather:   temps starting in the mid 70s, rising to the mid 80s.  We had mostly overcast skies outbound which, along with the many shaded stretches of the IHRT, kept the heat at bay.  The overcast cleared as we started back but there was either a westerly breeze or we were just moving fast enough to stay comfortable on the return ride.  Humidity wasn't too bad either.

AMS:   varied by rider but most were probably in the low 11s.

Mechanicals/Mishaps:   none

Report:   a very leisurely ride with lots of conversation.  Newcomer Myrtle got to experience the IHRT from end to end.  Lots of other trail users including some riders that were really moving.  Very little in terms of wildlife sightings other than a turtle crossing, probably because of either the numbers using the trail or the increasing heat.

Since we had the shortest ride, we were the first group back to the Village Green for the picnic.  Plenty of hot dogs thanks to Wally & Jane Huie, along with various snacks and cookies, courtesy of Jessica Hirschhorn, including homemade cookies by Dani Villiva.  Thankfully plenty of ice cold beverages were available to aid in cooling down hot hard working club members.