Another beautiful sunny, breezy spring day, and a nice group of riders including Darryl Lowery, Randy Schoch, Tom Short, Sharon Miller, Mike Bivens, Richard Harrington, Jay Lewis, Joan Oppel, Dave VanAmayden (arriving late but joining us at the first rest stop), Loretta Troen and guest and fellow Burke Babes on Bikes member K.L. Morgan.

The route went on Bumpy Oak to Hawthorne to Valley, then through Port Tobacco to  St. Ignatius going up the hill at Chapel Point to a rest stop.  After the break it crossed 301 and went down Bel Alton Newtown (it really is easier in this direction even though there's more elevation gain) and Springhill Newtown to a second rest stop at Johnny Boy's BBQ, then down Locust Grove, up Rose Hill and finally Pomfret to Livingston and back to Bryans Road.

No mechanicals, no issues, a fair amount of wind (the radio said gusts up to 30 mph) and pollen but no problems because of it.  In all, a great day to be out riding and a wonderful group to be doing it with.

Ron Leak was joined by guests Ray Salvagini and Holden Hudson along with members Claire Chiamulera, Dave King, and Ken Meredith on a nice peaceful ride on the IHRT.  Claire, Dave, and Holden climbed Bumpy Oak on the way to Indian Head, and Dave, Holden and Ray took a detour through the neighborhood in Indian Head to climb Mattingley.  It was a casual ride and I really enjoyed it.

Easter Sunday, a cool start to the day although sunny.  Ride leader Diane Harris was joined by Nancy Avitabile, Richard Edelman, John Clark, Liam Healy, Ted Peters, Blake Altman, Bob Bernstein, Chantal Briere, Bob Thompson, Jack Gardner (who rode his bike to the start), Drayton Reese (on his newest acquisition...a Seven with all the bells and whistles!), and Gary Johnson (fresh from having worked all night).  The faster group took off not to be seen again until the rest stop, while Liam and I took the more leisurely A pace.  Jack, John, Gary, Reese, and Ted waited for us at the rest stop where we regrouped, then continued the ride at the more leisurely pace, easing up at the top of hills to let those behind catch up.  We exchanged tips on climbing, discussed the newest bike technology and whether we really needed it or just wanted it (both!!).  It stayed on the cool side with some wind but still a beautiful day for a ride.  Leader's ams 15.3.

Ride leader Ron Leader was joined on this ride with David King, Walt Roscello, and joined on the trail with Janell Saunders and Michie Sidwell.  We rode from Theodore Green to 225 on the IHRT and up Chicamuxen to Sweetman to get over to Pisgah for a rest stop.  From there we took Poorhouse to Ripley back to 225 and up to Marshall Corner.

What a beautiful sunny spring day!  Breezy (very breezy at times) with temperatures in the low 50s when I started riding down from Bryans Road to the ride start, rising to around 60 when the group left Lackey HS and up to 65 when we finished.  (See, John, there are advantages to starting at a reasonable hour besides not having to wake up before sunrise to make the ride.)

In the group were Linda and Paul Bankerd, Holly Carr, Jan Tucker, Richard Harrington, Bill Perry, Sharon Miller, Miche Sidwell, Mike Bivens, Sarah Clement, Loretta Troen and guests Laura Malnati, Rita Zeidner and Harold Datz.  Many thanks to the group for responding on such short notice.

The route was a last minute affair, put together on Thursday after Holly (wearing her B-ride coordinator hat) suggested we needed a ride for Saturday.  It was to be a longer Bryans Road ride that would include Gilroy (I've been trying to do Gilroy for months, but it's just a little too far away for a Tuesday ride) but then Sam mentioned Riverside.  I love Riverside but haven't been there since the Indian Head 100, and once mentioned, the route was definitely going to include Riverside.  And so the ride start had to move to Lackey High School to keep it to 50 (or 62 riding to Lackey from Bryans Road). 

But this wasn't going to be yet another iteration of "Around Maryland Point."  I didn't feel like doing that long stretch on Chicamuxen, and besides, if anyone's going to have a flat tire on a ride it's going to be on that long boring stretch on Chicamuxen and I didn't want any flats today.  (Ironically, I discovered this morning that the bike I planned to use today had a flat tire, necessitating a quick bike change before setting out!)  

Instead, the route would use Mason Spring and Baptist Church to get to Nanjemoy.   I realized last night that although that hill on Mason Spring just off Chicamuxen is fine if you've ridden from Bryans Road and have had a chance to warm up, it's probably not so fine if you just came from Lackey High School and have only ridden half a mile; so the revised version went up Bicknell and Pisgah Marbury to get to Mason Spring.

From the stop at the Nanjemoy store, now under new management and still as accommodating as ever, thank goodness, we took a glorious roller coaster ride down Riverside with hardly a house or car to be seen for miles -- we could have been in the George Washington National Forest -- and then up Holly Spring in the opposite direction from the Indian Head 100, back to Nanjemoy on 6, Hancock Run and Adams Willett, where the group gathered at the store once again.  The route to Pisgah was a bit unusual as well: Jacksontown to Greenleek Hill to 6, but instead of following 6 straight back to Ironside, we went right on Gilroy (at last!) and left on Bowie back to 6, then Mason Spring to the Pisgah store, and after the last rest stop, Bicknell etc. back to the school, the trailing group finishing with a 14.1 mph average.

As others have said, the ride started out chilly but with the sun, the day warmed up nicely.  Eleven riders started out from Bryans Rd, including Leader Polly Choate, Dan & Diana Donahue, Walter Carr, Herman Young, Calvin Conyers, Jay Lewis, and Belinda Acre.  The group welcomed new members Catherine Kitchell and Kevin Mundy, and guest Butch Counts. All went well on the first trip down Bumpy Oak and the rail trail up to White Plains, except several riders began to experience allergies from the abundant pollen, especially kicked up by the wind which seemed to be head on no matter which way we turned.  We regrouped at White Plains.  Just after leaving the Shell Station reststop on Marshall Corner Rd, Herman had a mechanical, a broken chain.  Not knowing, the majority of the group had continued on and waited at the turn onto Bumpy Oak.  There we learned from Dan & Diana that Herman was waiting at the Shell and Calvin had taken a shortcut on Promfret to get his car and retrieve Herman. At this point Catherine and Butch decided to ride on and finish the 33 mi route.  With the wind and allergies still plaguing us, we also shortcutted, taking 225 to 210 and back, finishing with 30 miles. All of us got back to Bryans Rd at the same time, and 3 had lunch at the Lunch Box.   

Ride Leader John Gorman. Today's 8am start was a little cool near 40 w/ a breeze of head wind of 10-15mph, but brillant sunshine. Riders: visting quest from (NJ)  Rob Greeley, BBC mbrs Chris Bradshaw & Nigel Samaroo, OHBC mbrs Linda Molesworth, Kenny Statom, and ride leader John Gorman. The route turns left from the Park-n-Ride Lot and goes south down Patuxent River Rd ending into the 1st reststop / mile-14 into RT 2/ Solomon's Isl Rd, continues further south onto Bayard Rd before traveling thru open rolling rural Polling House Rd, looping back @ mile 25 to Paxt Rd. After arriving back to MD 424/Davidsonville Rd, it crosses over, and then @ mile 33 there's the an option of doing a less hilly return or a hiller return of 42 or 39 miles.  The group @  mile 5 quickly slipt into an A pace (Rob, Chris, Nigel, & Linda), with Kenny & John doing the B pace.  Ending Stats for the B-pace: 14.93ams, total riding time 2:40, elv 1250ft. (John's all time high ams)

Leader was Jackie Schoch and the riders were Randy Schoch, John  Riconda, Larry Peed (who is still waiting for his new bike).  Jeanne Ulrich parked at Rt. 227 and George Martin finally came on a Friday ride but he started at the Villege Green.  This was a crazy ride, we had head wind all the way to White Plains but when we started heading back we had the head wind again.  Now how many times has that happen.  We were all waiting for an easy ride back but it didn't happen.  Nobody ate at the deli.  Randy and I had to rush home to get ready for the 1st night of Passover.

Ride Leader Sam Perry. The day was a little chilly with a breeze. Twelve riders accompanied the ride leader on this 36 mile ride to Hughesville MD. Our vice president took point and kept a good pace for all riders to keep up while I swept the rear.  Riders were Mike and Regina Saizan, Holly Carr, Sharon Miller, Steve Palincsar, Tom Short, Ken Williams, Jay Lewis, Jim McDermott, Michelle, Dave (sorry could'nt make out the last name) and VP Ken Meredith. 
[Group Photo]

Beautiful sunny weather for our afternoon ride to the river. In the group were Randy Schoch, Holly and Walter Carr, Rae Carlers, Jimmy Bartlett, Joy Allchin, Mike Bivins, Peter and Jeanie Ulrich, Dansel Thorpse, and Ruth-Ann Cumberland. We followed the usual route through Accokeek and down to Marshall Hall.

Several of us enjoyed barbeque and ice cream at B&J's after the ride. A good time was had by all!