Ride leader: Jean Wright and Barbara Haney

Members: Alfred Jemmott, Darrell Meyer, Diane Harris, Tom Short, Brian Dixon, Chris Fairmall, Laura Clauser, Bob Thompson

Weather: The Best!!! 70's/Low 80's, low humidity, clear sky, gentle breeze

Mishaps/Mechanicals: dropped water bottle

AMS: No available at this time...around 17-18 mph

Report: What a delightful group of riders.  Well mannered, lively pace, non-aggressive. We stayed together most of the way.  At the top of the hill on Hawthorne we stopped for Ron, a AA rider who had a flat tire.  Everyone seemed more than willing to stop at the top of the hill for a small rest before we continued to the first rest stop.  Thanks, Ron!  Ron stayed with us for the rest of the ride.  At the rest stop, we had a chance to chat with the AA group before they left and greet the B group before we left. We split into two groups for the rest of the ride, when a rider dropped his water bottle. As we met up with a slower group, Chris dropped back with them and we continued.  Overall, an enjoyable day that ended with some delicious watermelon and a chance to socialize with club members.  Well done!

 Leader:  Charles Williams        

Members:  M & Y Dong, C & C Conyers, A Butler, L & I Banks

Route:  Watermelon “D” Ride 19 Miles

Weather:  Wonderful Sunny 73 degrees

Mechanicals/Mishaps:  None

Report: Very nice ride on IHRT meeting more members, starting at Bumpy Oaks to White Plains and returned. Look forward to many more rides with this group and others.

We held our Sunday morning Mountain Bike Ride at Cedarville state park, we headed out at 0900 and followed the course clockwise. At the lake trail we picked up the trail and went counterclockwise. After the lake trail we followed the trail back to the parking lot.

Ride Leader Barry Howard

Ride Name:  Oak Ridge Water Views.  Class B.  51.1 miles.

Leader:  Bob Howell.

Members:  John Gorman, Darrell Myer, and Mike Bivens.

Guest:  Jack Moffet.

Route:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15536444.

Weather:  Fantastic!

AMS:  Yes.  We had an average moving speed.

Distance:  51.1 miles.

Mechanicals/Mishaps:  None.  Always a good thing.

Report:  Today was a good day.  The route did not disappoint any of us.  The views of the Chaptico River at both Wicomico Shores and Chaptico Wharf are beyond description.  They always bring a smile to my face.  I noticed the same effect on both the "B" group and the "CC" group.  Did I say "CC" group?  That is not a typo.  At all 3 stops "B" riders and "CC" riders did more than just catch a glimpse of each other.  We actually mingled.  We had conversations.  We drank our beverages and ate our snacks together.  We laughed.  We had a good time.  And we had it together.  Something was different today.  The main concern was not how high our AMS was going to be at the end of the day.  Instead of looking at the rear tire of the cyclist in front of you we decided to look at the scenery around all of us.  I guess what really was different about today is the fact that it was a ride and not a race.  And it felt so good!  Thanks to all who attended the ride today.  Take care.  Later.

Ride leader: Steve Palincsar

Members: Walt Roscello, Jule Thorne, Joan Oppel, Harry Kidd, Pat Walthers

Weather: a lovely July day -- which means: sunny, high 70s at the start to the low 90s at the finish, humid, breezy.  Not at all bad, once you've had a chance to get acclimated.

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/15536444   51 miles, 1532' of elevation gain.  It's a lovely, scenic route and we owe it to Bob for discovering Wicomico Shores park and the park at Old Chaptico Wharf, with their scenic views of the Wicomico River.  We passed by the entrance roads for years, perhaps wondering about the name (Aviation Yacht Club?  Flying boats?  I'd love to see a Catalina again...) but never even considering going down to take a look.   I'll happily take credit for discovering Manor Road, spotting it on a map after the great Bushwood City Road fiasco ("Road?  Ain't no road there. Nothin' there but a pig track.") and it still pleases every time I see it.  But scenic views are what this ride is all about.

Mishaps & mechanicals: none

AMS: 13.6

Bob described it well.  We met at the rest stops and socialized.  We were too early for ice cream at the Chaptico Store, but I bought a bag of ice and a gallon of water, and even though it got to 91 according to my car, the ice water made the final stretch and the drive home pleasant.  It was a lovely ride

Leader: Michael Dong

Members: Calvin Conyers, Herman Young, Azalia Butler, Diane Harris, et al on trail.

Guests: none

Route: IHRT from Village Green Park to White Plains parking, Round Trip 26.5mi

Weather: 80f, light breeze with gusts to 8mph always in our face. Refreshingly light rain shower which dried as fast as it fell. Sporadic clouds kept the ride very comfortable.

AMS: about 12mph, some stretches to 15-21mph ... but not over 21mph ;)

Mech/Miss: Michael's old cog set rattles like a can of pebbles rolling down a hill, but it still rolls.

Report: Thank you to Randy and Ron for entrusting me to lead this great ride. Everyone started together, and finished together at a reasonable pace for the heat/humidity today. Kudu's to Azalia for motoring up the grade to White Plains, nearly catching up to the lead group, and then keeping a steady pace up the grade to Mattingly Road. Well done Azalia! Snuck in a quick ride up Bumpy Oak with Diane, which is a great diversion for anyone riding ahead of the group. Deer and dragonflies were out and about, the nasty flies weren't. * Several cars stopped for cyclists to cross; however, please be mindful of both directions, as not ALL cars may stop. Looking forward to more riders next Friday at 0930!

Ride Leader:  Blake Altman

Date: July 4, 2017     

Ride Name:  Casey Jones to Cobb Island

Ride Distance: 51 Miles

Average Speed of the Ride:  20.1 MPH (at the back)

Ride Class:  AA/3 Sport

Mechanical Issues: None

Mishaps: None

Weather:  Mid to upper 80’s, partly cloudy to overcast, humid

Guest Riders:  None

Member Riders:  Sue Estes, Chris Zabriskie, Tom Roberts, Lou Dall’Orso, Rob Golding, Jill Patterson, Steve Koegle

Ride Report:

We had a good turn-out and a strong group of riders for our July 4^th ride.  Chris only rode with us down to 301 where he turned around for home and family activities.

Once Chris split the pace really took off and group started to split.  We occasionally regrouped as we made our way down to Cobb Island.

After our break on the island we started our return trip.  The pace eased up a bit and we were all together until the hill on Rock Point Road after Wayside.  The group then split in three but eventually coalesced into two groups.  We remained this way until the rear group passed a single rider on Fairgrounds.  We then had three groups until the end.  (We kept the single rider at the back in sight.)

It was a fun ride and a challenge for me riding with far faster riders.  That which does not kill us makes us stronger!

Happy July  4^th !

Leader: Holly Carr 

Members: Sherwood Byers, Larry Peed, Tom Short, Linda Bankerd, Janell Sauners, Alan Kurzweil, Diane Harris, Ann Mai, Chantal Brier, Bob Thompson, Chris Fairhall, Ken Meredith, Barb and Ron Haney, and Melissa Newberg

Guests: Ann Mai

Route: Riverside 44

Weather: Overcast, Humid and warm, but we finished before the sun came out 

AMS: Fast and Medium

Mechanicals/Mishaps: 1 flat tire which Ken fixed

Report: This ride started out with the group giving healing wishes to our dear friend Jane who is celebrating her well being in the hospital after a fall.   In spite of it all Jim and Jane enjoyed catered pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast and orange juice in the hospital.  Hopefully Jane will be sprung loose soon--and go back to the old oat meal routine.

With our thoughts and well wishes, the ride went on.  Riverside is the smoothest shadiest, rollingest road to ride in southern Maryland.  I can't think of a better place to head for a shady summers' bike ride.  With that said, our group went out FAST!  But by the time we reached the end of Chickenmunxen, some of us slowed for a flat.  I texted the Haneys who were ahead to alert Bob that Chantal was fine but held up with a flat.  Ken, of course, fixed it with flair and style.  He checked the inside of the tire, and he and Chantal both agree that it is time for a new tire for Chantal (hint hint Bob).  Anyhow, Bob was no where to be seen because he and Tom Short had ridden ahead.  (We all know Riverside is absolutely perfect for a pair of long legged hill climbers).  Oh well, Diane, Janell, Ken, Chantal and I rode on.  Chantal knew Bob would eventually be back, and sure enough he strode down the road found us at Pisgah.  (By the time we got there, I started to wonder if Bob had actually finished the ride and rode it a second time to meet us.  He says he didn't.)  Anyhow, our co leader, Nell, suggested we ride up Livingston to catch up with the others.  In effect, this cut off 4 of the 44 miles we had planned on July 4.  So, it all worked out in the end and we re-gathered in the parking lot where it all started.  We finished the ride in plenty of time for July 4 festivities. 

Afterwards, Ken and I stopped by Janell's house to visit Majesta's fluffy white pup, as she was being pet sit.  Oh how cute.  Janell has pics, which she will hopefully share.

Enjoy the rest of your fourth of July!  Thanks for the great ride!

Ride leader: Steve Palincsar

Members: Harry Kidd, Ron Altemus, Pat Walthers, Ellen Goodwin and joining us at the top of Durham Church and leaving us somewhere on Riverside, Walt Roscello

Guests: Gary Abernathy from King George, VA

Weather: another typical summer day: sunny, breezy, hot and humid: high 70s or low 80s when we left and low 90s when we returned at 1:10 pm

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13837268  45.7 miles, 1573' of elevation gain as planned.  The route took Poorhouse to Annapolis Woods, MD-6 up Durham Church and Ironsides to a rest stop at Friendship Farm Park; leaving the park we took Baptist Church and Liverpool Point past the Nanjemoy store (where the sign in the window said they'd be opening at 10:30) to Riverside.  We followed Riverside to Holly Springs and took 6 to Hancock Run, Adams Willet and Liverpool Point to the store - which was closed.  With some riders entirely out of water, temps at 90 degrees and the hot and sunny part of the route yet to come.  Clearly it was time for Plan B.

Plan B, in this case, was to continue on to the portolet stop at Mallows Bay Park, then continue up Sandy Point, but instead of heading left on 6 we went right, to the Nanjemoy Community Center, which happened to be open.  Having drunk our fill and replenished water supplies, we then followed the shade on Poseytown and Bowie to 6, then continued the planned route on Mason Springs back to the park, adding 3 miles for a final tottal of 48 miles.

Mishaps and mechanicals: at Mallows Bay Ron discovered that some of the attachment hardware on his front rack had come loose - indeed, one notched washer was lost somewhere on the route.  This could have been a potentially very serious issue -- indeed, a neighbor of mine [who had acquired a bike in trade with a guy from Chicago that I'd sold to that same Chicagoan several years earlier, thereby returning the bike to within 3 blocks of its original home!] crashed and destroyed the fork when the rack attachment screws loosened and the fork locked up his front wheel, causing a header.  Fortunately, the failure happened at the best possible time and place, just as we stopped at the portolet.  Repairs were improvised and Ron slung his back over his shoulders for the rest of the ride.

Later in the ride, I had a mechanical as well.  I was riding my newest-and-oldest bike, a 1963 Jack Taylor.  This bike has a brazed-on under the bottom bracket cable guide for the rear shifter, but no guide for the front shifter cable.  Instead of a brazed-on guide, I'm using a clamp-on Campagnolo cable guide that I removed from my 1972 Paramount back in 1975 when I converted it to a Suntour front derailleur and put in my parts box "in case it might come in handy sometime."  Having climbed up the final rise on Mason Spring, I shifted from the middle to the big chainring when the cable slipped out from the cable guide and lost all tension, causing a shift to the 24T inner ring. 

We stopped in the shade while I replaced the cable in the guide and moments later finished the ride.  I'm still pondering how that cable got loose.

AMS: 13.3

Ride report: What a difference shade makes on a day like today!  By 9:30 it was already hot out in the sun, but we were only seeing small patches of it.  This route is in the shade for the first 38 miles, with wide open exposure to the sun confined to small patches traversed in less than a minute at a time, except for a few miles towards the end. Except for the final three miles on Mason Springs, where we encountered the heaviest traffic of the day,  the roads were almost completely empty.  This is one of the coolest, shadiest routes for summertime riding.

Ride leader: Steve Palincsar

Members: Lisa Oken, Jim McPherson

Guests: Blythe Herrold

Weather: a typical sunny, breezy, humid summer day.  High 70s/low 80s when we started, low 90s when we finished.

Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/16403357  52 miles, 1900' of elevation gain. 

Mishaps & mechanicals: none

AMS: 13.3

It was a hot, humid day but this is one of the shadiest, coolest routes around.  Holiday crowds were in evidence at North Beach, and there were many cyclists on the road today.