Ride leader Jane Hudnall with Jim Hudnall, Steve Palincsar, Richard Harrington, Jay Lewis, Thomas Short, Ken Williams, Dana Middleton, Sonja Newman, Jim McDermott, Norm Lisy, Mike and Regina Saizan, Sam Perry and Diane Harris. The B riders gathered with the CC group led by Joan Oppel at the Brandywine Fire Station parking area for a great ride. Diane arrived late but caught up with the B group.  We headed down Van Brady by Mattaponi Creek and then back up North Keys to Ashbox and Cedarville. The B's met CC's for a rest stop at the Wawa on MD-301 and then headed down Danville and up Floral Park to finish the ride. The weather was perfect! Five days ago we started with balacavas and booties; today we wore shorts and sunscreen.
 

This version of the regular Thursday ride was somewhat impromptu.  Ride leader Joan Oppel posted a note to the e mail list on Wednesday (and added the ride to the schedule).  Lots of people wrote back with enthusiasm about a slower shorter version.  Joining up with Joan to make a great group were Jimmy Bartlett, Bernie Cohen, Calvin Conyers, John Early, Jack Hammond, Randy Schoch, Dana Trevas, and Pat Walthers.  We did a 27 mile loop, meeting the faster group at the WaWa on 301.  Our group stayed together and enjoyed a beautiful warm (hot?) day with low humidity (a treat!).  

Ride leader Joe Montminy. We had 16 riders for the first Wednesday evening  Casey's ride of the year. The 82 degrees at start time was a definite factor in the turnout despite having to start at 5:00 pm. Club members riding included: Jan Tucker, Ken Meridith, Rich Lear, Drayton Reese, Josh Hettel, Brad Renter, Jeff Lagana, Michael Blaine, Blake Altman, Brad Fransico and guests Andrew Harris, Mike Petrakis, Paula Martino and Rob Golding. We had a couple of flats on the return trip but overall an excellent first ride.

Ride Leader Jane Hudnall with Jackie Schoch, John Riconda, Peter and Jeanne Ulrich, Celeste and Calvin Conyers, Richard Harrington, Herman Young, Shane LaBrake, Kristin Watts and Mike Bivens enjoyed beautiful weather on the first Tour de Accokeek of the season. Mike rode from home to get a few more miles. Spring has arrived early in southern Maryland - a delight for everyone who rides a bike. Even the bass fishermen were out enjoying the great weather at the rest stop on the Potomac.

Leader Ron Leak was joined by Reginald Smith, Ken Meredith, and Brad Renter on a ride down the IHRT.  The weather was great.  So off we went.  Approaching Indian Head, it went from Sunny to Sunny with drizzle.  As we turned around, we saw a rainbow.  The rain stayed with us until we hit Bumpy Oak. The reason this ride is captioned with “and Surrounding Roads” is due to foot traffic on the trail.  It was a great day to ride.

March 13 - Southern Exposure: Mattawoman Creek Water Views   Leader: Steve Palincsar

Three days ago winter came calling; today it was early summer.  Clear blue skies, breezy, low 60s as Norm, Darryl and I rode down from Accokeek, but it was 77 by the end of the ride and most definitely was shorts and short sleeve jersey time. 

In the group today were Randy and Jackie Schoch, Jimmy Bartlett, Thomas Short, Larry Peed, Linda Bankerd, Richard Harrington, Norm Lisy, Mike and Regina Saizan, Darryl Lowery, Jim Hudnall, Mike Bivens, Jay Lewis, Miche Sidwell, Joan Oppel and David VanAmayden.

The route, found at http://ridewithgps.com/routes/973442 came down Chapman's Landing, jogged over to Potomac Heights on Glymont, then followed the IHRT to Mattingly.  We went left on Mattingly almost to the end (well, the cue sheet turned around at Mattingly Park, but only the leader actually followed the cue sheet, everyone else going all the way down to the end of the road and the very bottom of the hill) for a spectacular view of the Mattawoman Creek.  We then retraced on Mattingly and followed Strauss to Hawthorne, Bicknell and Sweetman to a rest stop in Smallwood Park, with another view of Mattawoman Creek.

 After the break we took a loop around the park up past Gen. Smallwood's house, then took Smallwood Rd. to Mason Springs and a second rest stop at the Pisgah store.  From there it was Pisgah Marbury, Chicamuxen, Hawthorne and over the hill on Livingston back to Bryans Road.  Total, 38 miles and 1224 feet of climbing, Lanterne Rouge finishing with a 14.0 average.

On a sunny, but breezy afternoon with the temperature in the mid 60's, five riders (Richard Harrington, Jimmy Bartlett, Mike Bivens, Dana Trevas, Theresa Jackson and trip leader Walter Carr) set out on the familiar Tour de Acokeek.  After a rest stop at Marshall Hall Landing watching the returning fishermen, we returned safely to the firehouse via the infamous Berry,s Hill Road.  No unusual events (flats or falls).

Leader John Early was joined by Janell Saunders, Jim & Jane Hudnall and Robert Golding. The five of us had a delightful ride on this sunny mild day full of blue skies. There were no flats or breakdowns. All went well, other than a large truck that buzzed us while riding on Duley Station Road.

Ride leader Blake Altman. Members Drayton Reese, Ken Meredith, Nancy Avitabile, Richard Edelman, Diane Harris, and guest Bill Homan joined me for the 48 mile Hidden Amish ride. It was a clear sunny day but somewhat windy. Temperatures at the start seemed a bit chilly but we warmed up quickly in the sun and it got fairly warm by the end of the ride. Ken had his new bike which he seems to really like!  Nancy and Richard pulled away from the rest of us after we crossed Route 6. We regrouped briefly at the first rest stop and then split up again afterwards.  The rest of us rode together and we took a brief second rest stop after crossing Route 235. The back group had an “A” ride average at the end.  I imagine Nancy and Richard’s average was more like an “AA” pace. It was a nice ride with no problems.

Sat March 10. Gallant Green (Truman Manor the Hard Way, Even Longer). B, 45 mi. Leader: Steve Palincsar Winter came calling today, and he brought his friend, the wind, along for company. It was a clear, sunny day but although the temperatures almost touched 50 the booties, balaclavas and wind layers never came off, thanks to the wind. There was a big crowd at the Brandywine Firehouse, with both my B ride and John Gorman's CC 35 mi version drawing good crowds. Polly's ride was canceled. Among the B's were Richard Harrington, Mike Bivens, Jan Tucker, Cathy Wilson, John Rady(?), Sam Brasel, Janell Saunders, Ken Meredith, Holly Carr, Jane and Jim Hudnall, Herb Pruitt, Michell Dyer and guest Danzie Seaward. The route was an extended version of one of the routes we do on Thursdays from the Firehouse to the Moreland Market by way of Dent and Dr. Mudd for the first rest stop, where we met with John's CC group. After the break, both groups headed south on Gallant Green to Truman Manor, dividing when we got to the grade on Celestial - John going left on Young to bypass the hill, while the B's went up it to Wilkerson, back to Aquasco and east on Dr. Bowen (backwards from the usual) to a second rest stop at The Little Store. [p] From the second break it was a tough slog into a 12-23 mph north wind on Brandywine to Croom (the Fast People motoring off in a pace line, leaving a trail of stragglers behind), where we turned left and went back to Malcolm, then north on Horsehead over to Baden Westwood and east on Westwood to Bald Eagle School. It's the first time I've been down the hill on Westwood in years; the new pavement is simply marvelous. From there, a quick jog over Nelson Perrie to Molly Berry and Martin to North Keys back to the Firehouse. Lanterne Rouge and the Cycling Snails finished with 14 mph averages; who knows what the Fast People did, they were gone when we arrived. [Photos]