I started out on MLK's birthday with a phone call from Larry Peed wondering if I was still alive and well enough to lead this morning's ride...since he could not figure out how I had just disappeared in the underworld from yesterday.  So, I explained how it all happened and met Larry along with Karl Craton, Debby Bownam, Joannie O, Karen Morgan and Deb Reynolds at Bryans Road Shopping Center.  The group was finding it chilly at a mere 40 degrees.  But Joannie and I were glad it was 10 degrees warmer since our Saturday ride to Goose Bay (which we saw no need to make , up and do again today...).  Hence we embarked on this pilgrimage which includes the three climbs of the IndianHead 100..up St Ignatius Church, Bel Alton and then Bumpy Rose.  Deb Reynolds and Carl Craton opted for the 25 miles, so we said our Good Byes at Mt Carmel.  We had a snack at St Ignatius and took off again.  We crossed 301 to head down towards Johnny Boys when Joannie lead the group down Fairgrounds Road.  I was glad of this because everybody got to see the fairgrounds where my puppy Wizard will make his show debut on March 1....but, by the time we neared the end of the road, the group (who was no longer chilly) realized they were going to miss 5 miles.  So we agreed to back track and head down towards Bel Alton and Springhill Road, and then hit Johnny Boys for a snack.  The ride up Bumpy Rose did not seem as challenging as they thought it was going to be and Joannie O speed onwards to bring us to the neatest sculptor who has the neatest camaraderie of friends in his front yard.  We were enjoying the company of the sculptor when the A team rode by wondering if there was anything wrong (since we did not have the pedal to the metal), but we were just enjoying the sculpture and the weather and discussion of how to load one of these into Larry's truck for a surprise gift....We finished the ride with 46 miles wondering when we would get to do it again, since snow is on the way

For a variation on a theme, we adopted Steve Palinscar's cue sheet to descend into the underworld  riding down Gardner road through bucolic landscape, then through suburban housing and then to the WaWa, and other road side accoutrements that now populate what was once our unpopulated countryside.   We had ridden 9.5 miles of a mere 33 and started out on Western Parkway.  Well, unbeknown to me, Mr Palinscar has been successfully recovering his knee pedaling capability.  He had also shed his red vest--so I did not recognize him.   So we took off up this mild hill and I was cooking along.  But when Lou (oh I forgot to say I was riding with Larry Peed, Linda Bankerd, George Valenzuela hen Steve could not find me, and thought I had a flat, and he headed back.  In effect, we went back to the underworld.  I stopped and called Steve at Kangaroo Circle...Steve stopped to answer at the other end of Kangaroo Circle.  Where was Steve.  For that matter, where was I?  So I started to head back to find Steve at the other end of Kangaroo....He did not recognize that we were both at Kangaroo....Onward we pedaled.  We never caught up with the group after that because we meandered into the maddening loops of the underworld, passing St Stevens Drive and St Anthony's drive twice before getting to Smallwood and then Middletown, and then, mercifully, the fool proof Rail Trail... How could you go wrong.  We had a great time trying and met Linda at the end of the ride...  

A beautiful day for a casual ride. Members: Alan Kurzwell, Scott Walker, Darin King, and Lou Dallaroso with visitor, Lee Schachter rode the IHRT today.  Yours truly led in Randy and Jackie's absence.  Lou joined us mid-way on the trail and Darin left us at White Plains to return home. Scott dropped his chain and experienced some strange noises, he still made good time returning to Indian Head.  Alan, Lee and Lou joined me at George's for the #4 special. After enjoying the meal, Lou didn't feel like another 15 miles, so I took him home.  A good time was enjoyed by all and Randy and Jackie missed a good meal with good company.  I forgot my camera, so no pics - even though my wife reminded me before leaving home.  

This ride was focused on answering this question: Why is the parking lot across from the Brandywine Firehouse so much colder than the surrounding area?  10 riders attended the seminar with me: Lou Dalloroso, Joni Forman, Richard Harrington, Jane and Jim Hudnall, Darin King, Karen Morgan, Steve Palincsar, Larry Peed and Loretta Troen.  As predicted we warmed up pretty quickly, did a shorter version of Gallant Green - minus Gallant Green - by taking Young Rd to the Moreland store.  The sun came out for some nice warmth at the store and for our return trip: 33 miles with some wind, so we could not only practice cold weather riding but also practice riding into the wind.  A good time was had by all!

Ride Leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Darryl Lowery, Patricia Sanders, Lisa Oken, Janell Saunders, Holly Carr, Joan Oppel, Linda Bankerd, Sarah Clement, Pano Gianniotis, Lou Dallorso, Loretta Troen
Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3876256  A very scenic, fairly easy (1150' elevation) 41 mi route along the back roads of Nanjemoy
Weather: In a word, glorious.  46 rising to the low 50s, breezy and sunny. 
Mishaps and mechanicals: Darryl had a flat in a front tire.
AMS: 13.0 at the back, a bit faster for the front group.

What a marvelous day!  Mild and sunny, and thanks to the heavy rains the day before everything looked sparkling clean, the evergreens standing out from the forest background and the roads shining with damp.  There were a few places with ponding, and an outright stream running across Hancock Run Road: a great day for fenders.  We immediately separated into a fast group (B rather than A, judging from various comments heard about how out of shape we all were) and a rear guard holding a steady midrange CC pace.  Although it was very far from "polar" conditions -- indeed, almost balmy by the end of the day -- only the hard core Polar Bears were out.  

Ride Leader:  Blake Altman

Date: January 12, 2014

Ride Name:  Hidden Amish

Ride Distance:  47 miles

Average Speed of the Ride:  ~17 for back group, ~18 for front group

Ride Class:  A

Mechanical Issues: Minor chain skipping (Scott & Blake)

Weather: Clear, upper 40’s to mid 50’s and breezy

Guest Riders: None

Member Riders: Robert Thompson, Matthew Lewandowski, Scott Walker, George Valenzuela, Diane Harris, Darin King

 

Ride Report:

 

The roads were wet from the rains the day before but otherwise it was a nice day for mid-January.

 

We stayed together until the big hill on Trinity Church Road when the ride split in two.  We regrouped at the first rest stop.  After a quick break we were on to Baptist Church Road where we stayed together until things started to get hilly and the ride broke into two groups again.  We again regrouped at the second rest stop but then split again on the hills.  We stayed as two groups until the end.

 

The wind started to pick-up just as we got started but was not too much of a factor until Golden Beech Road.

 

Everyone seemed to enjoy the ride.  I know I did, especially after Saturday’s rain.

 

(Due to the wet roads I brought my commuter bike with fenders; it doesn’t have a bike computer with average speed the averages are estimated.) 

The few, the tough and the chilled came out for today's ride.  According to smartphone apps, it was 32 at ride start, though an unadvertised breeze created some uncalculated colder 'sensations'. The sun came out strong part way through the ride and the temperatures warmed to the "high 30's" and it was a very enjoyable ride on some of our well-known roads: Molly Berry, Van Brady, Duley Station, St. Thomas, Mattaponi, Croom, Nottingham, Candy Hill, Badens Naylor and Westwood etc.  Rest stop at Nottingham store so we could have an indoor bathroom, warm drinks and a place to warm up, if desired. Darin King, Karen Fitzgerald, Richard Harrington, Lisa Oken and Steve Palincsar signed in at the parking lot.  Lou D'Allorso came storming up as we departed; John Early met us half way.  Darin, Karen, Richard (and Lou?) pulled away early and rode together.  Steve, Lisa and I (and John for about 8 miles) had a lovely ride and it was great to be out on the bike.

Though it was a little chilly at the start (we could tell because there was some ice on the road and path to National Harbor....), a great crowd showed up at the Oxon Hill Park & Ride - Janell has the sign up sheet so I don't have all the names but we had 14-15 riders.  At least 4 rode to the start from home.  Lots of different paces but we regrouped quite a bit and held together through Old Town Alexandria, along the Potomac River and to the Jefferson Memorial.  At that point, a couple of riders turned for home, a couple more went off to join the Hains Point masses.  About 6 or 7 of us then rode through DC, checking out the monuments, stopping for warm drinks, snacks - and just plain warmth at a coffee shop.  We took pictures at the White House, rode the cycletrack on Pennsylvania Ave, circled the Capitol plaza, passed the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Museums, Washington Monument.  And then rode a circuit of Hains Point.  It was sunny and pretty all day and a fun way to greet 2014.

Leader: Joan Oppel and Janell Saunders

Riders: Pat Walthers, Steve Palniscar, Leslie Tierstien, Holly Carr, Patricia ?, Mike ?, George Saxton, Judie Arlman, David King, Larry Peed, Bill Blankenship, Jule Thorne. We found Jocelyn Herrington on the over bridge at WW waiting for us. (Apologies to those if I didn't get your name right, couldn't make it out on the sign in sheet)

Weather: Upper 30s at the start, warmed to low 40's. I'm told this qualifies as a Polar Bear ride! 

Mishaps: One flat tire on the return.

Photos:I'll see if I can post a couple photos to the club facebook page.

As Joan said, a good group turned out for the ride.  Two folks are recent members and want to start out on the right "pedal" with a ride on the 1st of the year.  Once we got to the Jefferson Memorial, a few headed off to do laps at Hains Point.  The rest followed Joan for the tour and did the lap on the way back. Then the VA folks started taking their leave as we headed back. ...And then there were 4 (at the end).  We ended up with about 32.5 miles. Thank you all and Happy New Year!

Leader:  Darin King
Riders:  Blake Altman, Lou Dall'Orso, John Giglio, Diane Harris, Scott Walker
Route:  Ride the Temperature.  43.6 miles @ 17.3 AMS
Weather:  Low 40's with SSE winds @ 5-10mph
Mishaps:  None...just a couple tired souls
Photos:  Ride the Temperature Album

Mother nature cooperated and provided us a high temperature around 44.  Scott debuted his old 26-pound Schwinn with classic down-tube shifters...looked like quite a workout.  We took things at a moderate pace, going slow when the pedaling was hard and going fast when the living was easy.  Everyone took their turn at the front as we meandered from La Plata down to St. Ignatius for a short break.  After negotiating Pope's Creek, we agreed another break was in order.  Then it was off to the races with an enabling wind:  across Allen's Fresh, up Penns Hill/Cooksey, and back to Laurel Springs Park.  We milled around afterwards discussing upcoming rides.

Thanks for coming out, and Happy New Year!