I am glad to have posted this ride as an addition to Claire's A. We could not have asked for a better day.  The route was a really interesting combination of other rides I have done, but never realized could connect. Joan Oppel, Mike Bevins, Norm Lisy, and Karen McMillan joined Paul and me.

Leader Claire Chiamulera with members Darin King, Chuck Coe, Blake Altman, Holden Hudson, John Choate, Brad Francisco, Robert Nunziata and guests Jeff Lagana and Jexter Rivera.

A favorite of mine, this ride rolls through quiet, scenic back roads of Charles County and offers a sequence of climbs that add some challenge.  Water views in Chapel Point and Popes Creek are highlights, along with farms, woodlands, and pastures throughout.  We rode together for the first 11 miles then broke into two groups after the first hill on Newport Church. We regrouped at St. Ignatius Church in Chapel Point, enjoying a break in the shade and the plentiful ice that the church kindly provides.

In the second half, we again rode together for the first few miles, then broke up on Popes Creek Road. Jexter and I brought up the rear, eventually meeting John changing a flat on Allens Fresh. John wanted to take a “more direct” route back to the start and Jexter joined him. I continued sweeping the route solo, catching up to Holden in the final climb just before the park and riding in with him. John and Jexter had not yet returned, but rolled in a bit later, sharing that their route just shaved off a mile.  It was a beautiful ride with a nice group!

Photos

Another fantastic morning of riding! Ken Meredith, Steve Davis(g), Stephen O'Keefe and Lou Dalloiso rode along on a very nice  "rolling hills"  route.

With weather as forecasted, too nice for indoors, today's ride to the Merkle Wildlife Center was well attended by 14 delightful participants. Co-Leaders Larry Perkins, Herman Young , and Calvin were pleased to be joined by Michele Williams, Jack Hammonds, Jimmy Bartlett, Laquinia& and William Beale, Ani Hortini, Desiree Smith (returning after a long absence), Celeste Conyers, Tom Dillingest (sp?), and Emi and Fred Telleria.

The route was as billed, featuring plenty of rollers, flats, downhills, scenery and veiws and was enjoyed by all.  However, (and for good reason) the "reasonable" description for a couple of climbs--Croom Road just before Tanyard and Mollyberry--was not with unanimous agreement. Although challenged, all riders did surmount the climbs and reached the rest stop at Merkle.  The Merkle Center was very accomodating thanks to the staff and Kyle, the attendant on duty--cold water, clean rest rooms, and air conditioning. ( Note to self; Bring goodies for staff next time.) Tom D had already left the rest stop before arrival of the rest of the group. He had wanted to push his Cervello with loaded Zips just a bit, and he did. We were under the impression that Michele had gone ahead with him. However, just as the main group was about to leave, Michele entered the park having inadvertently deviated from the route at the Nelson Peire fork. Being a very strong rider with good knowledge of the area, she was able to reverse and catch up at the stop with extra miles, unperturbed. Cue sheet will note the fork in the future; its an easy spot to miss. Other forks and turns were marked by Larry Perkins to make sure others were not missed (Thank you very much). After the ride, many& riders met at the New York Italian Deli for lunch and conversation. Thank you all for coming and making this an enjoyable morning.

Leader Sharon Miller was joined by Chuck Miller, John Early, Sam Perry, Dave Melville, and guests Del and Bethany Jones who I had met on the Rural Legacy ride the week before.  It was a delightful ride in good company, with temps in the 70’s climbing to 85 by ride’s end. 

Chuck, John, Sam and I rode together the entire route averaging 15 mph on the low elv(800) ride.  Dave arrived just as we were heading out, so he said to go ahead and he’d catch up.  Just as he was he was leaving, Del and Bethany arrived (having left late thinking the ride start was at 8:30).  They pulled cue sheets off the back of my van.  All 3 arrived at the Moreland’s store while we enjoyed our first rest break at mile 19.  The “A” group from John’s B ride arrived at the store before we left and Bethany and Del decided to wait and leave with them to get a few extra miles in. 

So, the 5 of us left and stayed together till Dave had pedal trouble on Cedarville Rd and took the short way back to the start.  At our Wawa stop, we saw the “A” group fly by and we continued down McKendree and up Accokeek Rd.  As we sat at the Rt 5 light a ½ mile from our destination, Del and Bethany pulled up, having been dropped by the “A” group.  We all finished together and Dave had made it back and was gone. 

Not a ride for the ages, but a ride for the numbers:  Ten degrees cooler than the day before; six total riders; five fewer miles (77 v. 82); four members; three cows; three survivors; two guests; two flats; two DNFs; one mechanical; and one small crane or large bobcat (machine not animal) overturned and on its side adjacent to Riverside.

The recent heat wave and a scheduled 82 mile ride at an A pace, may have kept participation low.  Ron Leak scheduled the ride and I had contacted him that I could ride sweep at a B pace for those wanting to take it easy.  At the start, Ron had already revised the cue sheet cutting total miles to 77.  Members Ron Leak, Mike Bivens, Lou Dall'orso and Blake Altman (who started from home and met us at the top of Barry's Hill) were joined by guests Darrel Watson and Ryan Bond.  Lou realized he forgot water and we scheduled an impromptu stop at the 7-Eleven after climbing Marshall Hall and before turning on 210 toward Chapman Landing. It was at this point, Lou recognized he had a mechanical issue. The bolt keeping his seat in an upright position was stripped and the seat was resting on the seat post.  However, he decided to continue spending the next 70 miles either standing or sitting, which to oncoming traffic probably looked like a taxi (yellow jersey) coming down the road with both doors open. Don't know how he did it, or why!  At the 20 mile point, near Smallwood State Park, Ron realized there was a problem with his quadricep and rather than risk any further injury, decided to return to the start to ride another day.  A mile after turning on to Riverside, we encountered the crane/bobcat resting on its side in a ditch. No explanation and no crew trying to extracate it (you never know what you'll see on one of our rides).  The first rest stop was at the Nanjemoy Store. We continued back on Riverside to Maryland Point making the loop back to the store for the second rest stop.  As we made the turn on Port Tobacco Road (MD 6), Lou had a rear flat (piece of glass). That elicited a comment "I should have stayed at home and served my wife breakfast in bed."  Blake had already informed us that he would go straight and continue on MD 6, rather than turn on Hancock Run. Probably a good choice since half-way down to the next turn at Adams Willett, we encountered three cows blocking the entire road. Don't know where they came from or who they belonged to, but one decided to go into the woods to the right and the other two to the left.  Darrel started to develop a slow leak and since we were close to the store, decided to pump it up and see if it would hold.  It didn't and rather than change the tube, Darrel decided he was "cooked" and called his girlfriend to come pick him up.  With one last rest stop at the Pisgah Store, the last three survivors made it back to the start. Again, not a ride for the ages, but one that would be memorable nonetheless.

Today's 8am start had a good turn out of members: (pardon the guessing on last names) Stephen O'Keefe, Cathy Wilson, John Hady, Lisa Oken, Jean Wright, Herb Pruitt, Ken Meredith, Karen Millan, John Agazzi, Jim McPherson, and ride leader John Gorman, w/ guests:Lauren Becker & Doug Drabkowska. (see Steve there are folks who enjoy an early start!)  Temps were mids 70s & bright sunshine at the start w/ near 90 at the finish. Today's ride was a personal creation of backwards/downhill & extension of the  "Gallant Green" route, in an effort to lower evlation, which it did (only 1500ft, enough for this ride leader's taste. No need to waste a beautiful day deep breathing & crunching gears all day..lol).

Started out on Dyson crossing over MD-301 going downward quickly on Brandywine & an abrupt turn L onto N. Keyrs/Martin & the onto Baden Naylor/Horsehed then L onto MD-381 south crossing over Croom into Covington, Wilkerson thru the Truman Manor deveolpment up Gallant Green, L thru Dr Mudd/Poplar Hill/St Peter's Church and the basic Cedarville MD-301 WAWA reststop returning back to the school lot. 

Early on @ mile 4.7 one rider needed a porta-potty break so they and John, where qucikly separated from the pack, then we took (those dang crooked signs!) a wrong turn L on N. Keys vs staying on Martin, so after 1.5 miles we headed back & resumed the cuesheet, though that tiny R onto Croom (eventually Covington) took a quick stop to ensure that was as listed the cuesheet, it was, but "hey can they make that sign bigger please!  

But we finished with no mechanical problems, other than making the ride a total of 46.50 miles. Upon arrival to the lot, only 3 of the original riders were left,they advised they avg 15 and the faster folks were 17+.   Ride leader's sweeping/escorting ams was 14.50, ride time of 3:12.   

 

 

Today's warm Caribbean breezes were enjoyed by the brave souls who braved the heat: Larry Peed,  Calvin Conyers and Ride Leader Jimmy Bartlett.

Reports of hundred degree temperatures today were overblown.  It never exceeded 99. [And so what if it did set a record for the date?]

The group today consisted of Larry Peed, Linda Bankerd, Sonya Newman, Mike Bivens, Joan Oppel, Mile and Regina Saizan, Richard Harrington, Jane and Jim Hudnall, Sam Perry, John Early, Thane Stielow and leader Steve Palincsar.

Today's route was a quest for shade, and we found a good deal of it on Tower, Old Indian, Cross Road Trail, Molly Berry, Croom, Fenno, Duley Station and North Keys.  Also some unshaded bits, most of which still felt relatively cool due to the wind.  There was one spot on Molly Berry on the rise just before the North Keys intersection that for a few feet felt positively Hellish, but for a 35 mile ride on a humid day with 99 degree temperatures, it wasn't all that bad.

For most riders, it was a trouble-free day.  Not Sonya, though.  She had problems shifting on the last ride, took the bike to the shop and they said there was nothing wrong.  There was enough wrong today she had to stop on Nelson Perrie while John Early and Mike Saizan worked on her bike, and then again later in the ride on St. Thomas Church.  Eventually she took a short cut back.  "Works just fine, ain't nothin' wrong" may be all well and good when the bike's on the work stand, but it just doesn't cut it when you're on a 9% grade and it won't go down into your lowest gear! 

When it was all over, Jim summed things up:  "Now we are ready for Bike Virginia."

Ten hearty folks embraced the heat for our Wednesday night ride through Accokeek and down to the Potomac River at Marshall Hall.  At the start of the ride, my thermometer at home  - just a short ride form the firehouse - was 94F in the shade.  At the end of the ride it had cooled to 89F.  Joining me on the ride were Darryl Lowery, new club member Gary Swartz, Larry Perkins, Jane Hudnall, Jim Hudnall, Richard Harrington, Calvin Conyers, Sam Perry and Kirsten Watts.   No mishaps or broken seat rails to report.