Ken Meredith, Pano G, and Janell Saunders met me in front of Starbucks, and we immediately debated what not to wear and how much to put on. Pano hung on to his yellow Gore jacket (to be sure we were visible). Janell led us out of the parking lot and we proceeded along at a nice quick pace...until Pano took the lead and We sailed into the rest stop at 20 mph. Janell led us through to the end where we enjoyed Starbucks outside. Then, low and behold, Sarah Clements appeared finishing Steve's ride. We all got home well ahead of time not to miss the demise of the Broncos...I think the biking and the company of friends are far more interesting.

Ride leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Alan Kurzweil, Karen McMillan, Joan Oppel, Sarah Clement and, joining us at the first rest stop after a furious AA-paced first 11 miles, having start at 11:30, Lou Dallorso.
Weather: in a word, fabulous.  What was supposed to have been a chilly 39 degrees at 11:00 (according to weather.com) turned out to be a sunny, breezy 50, warming up to 60 by early afternoon.  What a wonderful treat!  (Especially so in view of the forecast earlier in the week for cloudy skies and a strong chance of rain, and tomorrow's forecast for wintry mix and a high of 37...)
Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3876256  41 miles, 1560' elevation, the same route as last month.
Mishaps and mechanicals: none
AMS: 13.6 at the back, maybe 13.7 at the front (except for Lou's 20+ mph average for his first 11 miles)

A thoroughly enjoyable, very nearly perfect ride on a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Ride Name: Warm Welcome 43
Date: February 2, 2014
Ride Leader: Scott Walker
Class: A
Members: Darin King, Karen Fitzgerald, Diane Harris, Claire Chiamulera, John Giglio
Gain: 1850+
Distance: 43.1mi
Weather:  Beautiful!  45degrees at the start and ending at 64.  Winds almost completely calm.
AMS: 17.9+
Mishaps: None
Mechanicals: Karen dropped her chain before the start but with assistance from Steve (from the B/CC ride also starting at Pisgah) she was fixed and ready to go!

A fantastic, warm ride from Pisgah to Welcome and beyond on this gorgeous Super Bowl Sunday!  And a “warm welcome” back to Claire!  Holy cow, she’s back with a vengeance (you couldn’t tell she was ever off the bike; she tore the line apart while pulling uphill and not just once but every time).  Wonderful  also to have an equal estrogen/testosterone mix for this class-A outing (with the three ladies up in front at the end; nicely done)!

Everyone worked to stay together -- but despite Phil’s predictions -- judging from the class-A energy level, spring is coming and the average speeds are already beginning to climb.  My reported AMS for this ride is 17.9+ but we were definitely working the “+” side of this AMS and skirting the AA envelope throughout most of the course.  I have one more A ride scheduled for the 15th and then I’ll start posting AA paceliners beginning in March…

Ride Leader:  Blake Altman

Date: February 1, 2014

Ride Name:  Goose Bay Clockwise

Ride Distance:  36 miles

Average Speed of the Ride:  17.3

Ride Class:  A

Mechanical Issues: Dropped chain

Weather: 40’s to maybe 50 by the end and sunny

Guest Riders: None

Member Riders: Darin King, Matthew Lewandowski, Michael Blaine, Karen Fitzgerald

 

Ride Report:

 

It was a nice day for a ride especially considering the weather we have been having.  We were determined to make the most of the day.

 

We left the start point before the B riders and had an uneventful ride down to Goose Bay.  We had a longish break there (at least for an A ride).  The B riders were trickling in when we left.  After the turn from Mill Swamp road to Route 6 we had a bit of fun.  Some folks (including the ride leader) got up the hill ahead of the rest of the group.  We waited at the top of the hill where someone reported that Karen had dropped her chain.  Michael decided to go back on Route 6 and see what had happened.  Just as Michael left shouting range, Darin and Karen appeared from the parallel service road.  Darin gave chase and eventually we were reunited.

 

Other than the festivities on Route 6 we all stayed together throughout the ride.  It was an enjoyable ride.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate for more riding this month.

Ride leader: Steve Palincsar
Members: Holly Carr, Larry Peed, Robin Kyle, Rita Zeitner, Ken Meredith, Barbara Hoover, Karl Craton, Walter M[?] and riding but not signed, Joan Oppel and Pano Gianniotis
Weather: high 30s at ride start, rising to 50-51; sunny, with a cool breeze that made 51 seem like the mid-40s.
Route: 36 mi., elevation unknown but not much
AMS: 10.5 at the back, elsewhere unknown

Nice weather and a welcome break from the icy grip of the Polar Vortex, but a rather shabby, ragged and dusty version of Winter Wonderland: remnants of road salt everywhere, ragged reminders of snow banks on the road shoulders, snow on the IHRT, and streams and ponds covered with ice.

Temperatures in upper 30's and probably closer to 40 due to lots of sun for most of the ride (more about that later).  The first day in about a week with reasonable riding temperatures, and I posted this ride when I saw the prediction.  Only one other person accepted the invitation: Erica Kane.  Road conditions were very good, though woods and fields and yards are still snow covered because of the very low temperatures we've experienced during the past week.  The predicted wind made itself felt in the final 10 miles but we only had to ride about 6 of those directly into it.  We agreed that it felt wonderful to ride outside and enjoy being on our bikes.  Carpe Diem - because tomorrow and the next day are predicted to be very very cold and windy (repeating last week).

Ride Name: Goose Bay 36
Date: 20 January 2014
Ride Leader: Scott Walker
Class: A
Members: Darin King, Blake Altman, Anthony Terry, Matthew Lewandowski, Steven Perakis, Lou Dallaroso, Karen Fitzgerald
Gain: 1131’
Distance: 35.8mi
Weather: Mostly sunny. 45 degrees at the start, rising to 57.  Blustery winds from the WSW at 12
AMS: 17.5
Mishaps: None
Mechanicals: Bad chainring and a noisy cassette…

The third time was a charm…  Finally (after attempts on the 4th and again on the 18th) some warm weather for this ride (albeit windy).   Eight members came out for some gentle, class A miles out to Goose Bay.  We were also joined by Linda’s B version.  Everyone did a great job keeping the speed at a relaxed pace.  Steve and Tony decided to lay off the back a bit and we caught Allen (from Linda’s group) bridging the gap between the A’s and B’s. Good times...  Nice to see Jon Agazzi out riding again!

Still having some difficulty with my 50-T chainring and “Power-dome” cassette.  The chainring is wore out and was skipping and dropping the chain during this ride.  The cassette still is making abnormal noises reportedly due to it’s design (and despite my attempts to remedy after yesterday's Calvert Contingent).  I hope to replace both this week.

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.