Under overcast skies, Ron Leak, Mike Bivens, Jimmy Bartlett, Lea Pyne, Larry Perkins, and Peter and Jeanne Ulrich, joined me for a ride to Marshall Hall and back. This was Larry’s first ride with the club and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. We were all thrilled by the new Porta-John at Marshall Hall placed where we take our break. After our rest stop, we warmed up on Barry’s Hill, then on the Firehouse. A good time was had by all. Looking for a ride to start your season? Come and join us! Free ice cream at B&J’s for everyone who rides up Barry’s Hill! Not really, but join us after the ride at B&J’s. This is a no-drop ride open to all classes.

I was joined by David King and Ken Meredith on a casual ride down the IHRT.  We decided to stay on the trail and not really push it so we averaged around 15 mph.  There were no incidents and it was nice to ride at a conversation pace.

It was raining at 6 when I went out to get the paper.  If that was in the forecast on Monday, I must have missed it.  And on the radio they were going on about a 50% chance of rain all day.  Weather.com, on the other hand, thought the rain would end by 8 ("Rain before seven, clear by eleven" as the old weather saw has it).  There'd been a little confusion about who was leading: I had it in my calendar and was sure I'd posted the ride, but when Mike checked it on Saturday the posting had gone missing, so he put one in.   At least, we both agreed: the ride would go on!

The rain was gone by 8.  It was still chilly when I left Accokeek to ride down to the ride start, but by 10, it became sunny and quickly warmed up.  It was a small group at Bryans Road: Randy and Jackie Schoch, Larry Peed (on a new Cannondale road bike with all of 50 miles on the clock) Darryl Lowery, Mike Bivens and Diane Harris, with Richard Harrington joining us en route.

The route featured a few new wrinkles.  Heading south on 210 past Chapman's Landing to avoid the Big Dip, we turned right on Mount Aventine and quickly left on Chapman's.  The change in ambiance from 210 to Mt. Aventine was startling, so much difference in just a few yards.  We then went up Lower Wharf and down Strauss to Blair, and followed it as it turned to Jennifer Drive along to Mattingly Park, and then onto the Indian Head Rail Trail over to Hawthorne and Bicknell. 

One rest stop at Smallwood Park, where we rejoined Jackie and Randy, and then back to Bicknell and a 12 mile loop on Mason Springs (the easy way, or it would have been but for the wind, which was now both dead foul and fairly strong) to Smallwood Church back to Chicmuxen, where we met Richard leaving Smallwood Park.  He joined us for the final leg up the hill on Livingston back to the ride start.  It was sunny and 80 when we arrived.

Earlier in the week the weather men were calling for early morning rain and fortunately it ended in the very early morning allowing 8 of us to start the ride with overcast skies but no rain.  Liam Healy, Chantal Briere, Bob Thompson, Claire Chiamalera, Al Manley (long time, no see!), Danzie Seaward, and Drayton Reese were with me at the start and we were joined along the way by Blake Altman and Dave Kemp.  My mandate was to stay together for the warmup (6 1/2 miles which included the climb up Marshall Hall Rd) but it was really my way of trying not to get dropped by the faster riders before reaching Rt 210!!  It worked but after that the faster group was soon out of sight, not to be seen again until the short rest stop at Murphy's Store.  We regrouped once more at St. Ignatius Church, at the top of Chapel Point Rd.  Blake and Dave eventually peeled off to head home, having joined us along the way and not needing to go back to the start.  Chantal had a flat within a few miles of the end, otherwise no mishaps.  Kudos to all of those who decided to ride with me today after yesterday's Ride to End Hunger in Calvert County!

I posted this ride this morning when the day looked too good to pass up. Joining me were Jim and Jane Hudnall, Holly Carr, Richard Harrington, Ruth Anne Cumberland and Walter Roscello.  I was feeling the Calvert End Hunger ride from the day before and I think a couple of others were, too. At the boat ramp rest stop, it was obvious that the fisherman were out in force and a lot of folks were enjoying the nice weather.  We headed back with no incidents and my legs had recovered, at least a little bit.  [Photo album]

Jackie Schoch was the leader and the riders were, Randy Schoch, Jimmy Bartlett, Richard Harrington, Steve Palincsar, Ruddy Elly, Brookey Givens and Jeannie Ulrich met us on the way to White Plains.  It was a nice ride the wind this time was at our back as we head to White Plains but at our face all the way back.  Randy and I ate at the deli.

Diane & I did our 1st ever visiting and cycling in Kent County, MD. Only 65miles northeast of the Bay Bridge. Stayed in Chestertown (home of Washington College).  We did a self created 51mile loop form Chestertownn, southeast to the Marina's of Rock Hall & Gratitude, heading northeast taking a side spur to the the abandon Tolchester Beach, before heading back to Chestertown, for a total of 51miles, on our Hybrid bikes. If folks are looking for "flatlands", (though we caught a stiff 12miles of west headwind coming back), these roads offer wide shoulders on all ofthe MD-route #s, with some nice side rural roads of "zero-traffic", thru farm lands, this is the place to cycle. Many B&Bs, to try for a few extended days. Lots of easy routes to download from the Kent County.com website or just use a GPS self-created route. All major roads simply run N/S or E/W, with the rural farm roads interconnecting.    Diane had not done more than 36miles before, and had no problems doing 51 today.

Ride Leader Richard Harrington: 

Good weather made for a pleasant ride down to the river and back. Riders included Jim and Jane Hudnall, Ruth Ann Cumberland, Jimmy Bartlett, Rae Carlers, Mike Bivens, Holly and Walter Carr, Dianne Bolden, CJ Banks and Jeanne Ulrich. We stopped for a break at Marshall Hall along the river, and returned via Barry’s Hill  and Accokeek Rd. Afterwards several of us enjoyed barbeque and ice cream at B&J’s. A good time was had by all.

This is a no-drop ride and new riders are welcomed and encouraged. Starting in May we’ll push back the starting time to 5:30pm. Come join us!

[Photo Album]

Ride Leader Ron Leak was joined by guest Dan Hoefert new member Tom Thayer and members Holden Hudson, David King, and Ken Meredith.  Now we have really been spoiled with warm weather this year, not on this ride.  It was a little nippy for this ride.  We warmed up from Theodore Green to Middletown Rd. and then once we crossed the street, Dan, Tom and Holden were no where to be seen until we go to the other side.  David, Ken and I just took a nice stroll down the trail at a conversation pace.  We met up with them about 1.5 miles from the Indian Head side of the trail as they were on the way back.  They turned around and did the hill again.  We pacelined it back to White Plains, with most taking turns at the front.

The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley...

It was a fine early March day, sunny and breezy, coming after a weekend on the weather-go-round (I'd been up at Confluence and Ohiopyle, 79 degrees at dinner time on Friday night, 40s and raining Sat. evening, rain on the way home Sunday, and some of the group rode through four inches of snow in Frostburg on Monday) -- interesting weather for late April. 

The route was meant to surprise as well: up Barry's Hill and down Farmington, but instead of heading off to White Plains, the route went up Livingston and Old Fort to Fort Washington -- an unusual destination for a ride from Bryans Road. And there was a good group to be surprised, too:  OHBike regulars Patricia Sanders, Darryl Lowery, Erica Kane, Mike Bivens, Linda Bankerd, Joan Oppel, Dana Middleton and Loretta Troen -- and Loretta had brought fellow Babes on Bikes members Margie, Terre and Cynthia. 

But, for me, there was a different surprise.  My shoes: not in the milk crate.  Not even in the car.  Flashing into my memory a picture of them back home, covered with the dust of the Great Allegheny Passage's crushed limestone, right where I'd put them planning to clean them off, forgotten.

So off they went, Mike leading, without me.  How'd the ride go, Mike?