Northeast - Where are the MD people's

Hopefully NoRacer survived his trip, we are all at the edge of our seats waiting for his ride report.

James, a friend of his and myself took off for the DC fireworks. With tornado warnings they were getting everyone off the streets into shelters and we got stuck in the Jefferson Memorial for over and hour but when we came out the sun was shining and it was a great day for fireworks. At the mall we met up with more John Hopkins students The DC display was awesome and leaving by bike was so cool. They closed off a lot of roads and some were only open to pedestrians and cyclists. So we became a part of this parade of blinky lights heading off for the Capital Crescent Trail amongst standing still traffic. Dianne was our host that evening and she even offered some beer which was very welcomed after the day’s long ride (~70 miles.)

The next day we got off to a late start and had breakfast and it decided to rain while we were inside eating. And when we went in for lunch it rained again. So we missed getting wet on this trip but our bikes didn’t.

I will also mention that James is really new to biking, with a bike purchase just this year and his longest ride before this was 28 miles. Totally awesome and everyone had a lot of fun (sans the sore bums.)

Our ride:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Balto-to-DC-Fireworks

Awesome adventure Barry,

Sadly I was looking at my stats, and the last time I was on my bike was 6-17. This year started off ok but has truly sucked the last few months.

I did get some riding in yesterday. But not on the road. We took the kids to a park and I brought the mountain bike. A couple wrong turns and I doubled my distance. It was fun but I forgot how jarring Mtn biking is on the joints. Every climb feels like a huge grade too.

-D

Thank you so much Barry and Dianna! We had a great trip both yesterday and today. You're an excellent ride leader, and as such a novice biker, I'm very happy that you lead the trip! This trip is only just a start for me - I'm going to train up and hopefully increase my stamina, so I don't feel DEAD like I do right now, haha. Again, thank you for this amazing trip, and I hope to be riding with you again soon!


Hopefully NoRacer survived his trip, we are all at the edge of our seats waiting for his ride report.

James, a friend of his and myself took off for DC the fireworks. With tornado warnings they were getting everyone off the streets into shelters and we got stuck in the Jefferson Memorial for over and hour but when we came out the sun was shining and it was a great day for fireworks. At the mall we met up with more John Hopkins students The DC display was awesome and leaving by bike was so cool. They closed off a lot of roads and some were only open to pedestrians and cyclists. So we became apart of this parade of blinky lights heading off for the Capital Crescent trail amongst stand still traffic. Dianne was our host that evening and she even offer some beer which was very welcomed after the day’s long ride (~70 miles.)

The next day we got off to a late start and had breakfast and it decided to rain while we were inside eating. And when we went in for lunch it rained again. So we missed getting wet on this trip but our bikes didn’t.

I will also mention that James is really new to biking, with a bike purchase just this year and his longest ride before this was 28 miles. Totally awesome and everyone had a lot of fun (sans the sore bums.)

Our ride:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Balto-to-DC-Fireworks

A few guys are getting together for a 50 miler through Howard and Carroll counties tomorrow. Leaving from Folly Quarter Middle School. Probably be a C+/B pace with no drops and relatively frequent regroups. Anyone looking to add some mileage should feel free to come and join us. Departing at 9am (but email me or check back here before you leave as there was some discussion about 10am...still waiting for them to clear that up for me).

Here is the proposed ride: http://www.routeslip.com/routes/49482

Mike

I bet there are some great TR from yesterdays wild weather. I did a 60 miler to a party in Chase/Essex yesterday. Rather uneventful....glad I had a ride home tho'. Here's the round-about route
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1108688
Charlie, I would like to encourage to post your routes on Bikely as we already have some great routes on there from other transportation cyclists and it would be cool if people searching for routes could find your stuff as well.

I found riding on the forth marvelous as few were out driving but I am curious how you found drivers attitudes on the east leg of your trip.

Below I pasted a link to a route I drew in Bikely of a proposed route to commute from my house to Andrews AFB where I work. I have driven the route now a few times and have noted some questionable areas that I have some concern. I was wondering if some of you guys might have some time to take a look at the route and see if anything jumps right out at you. I'm wanting to commute once a week on Fridays, which usually has less traffic to deal with. The problem areas are on Church rd., where it gets very tight and curvy with no berm to ride on. Another area is where I get closer to Andrews, the dump truck and industrial traffic gets a little heavier. There could also be some inherent issue with the native population near Andrews as well in some nearby areas. I don't know if this is a valid assumption or not.
I plan to post this in the Commute forum also, but figured I try here in our MD section since it is relavant to the area.

Commute to work route (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Home-to-work53281)

Charlie, I would like to encourage to post your routes on Bikely as we already have some great routes on there from other transportation cyclists and it would be cool if people searching for routes could find your stuff as well.

I found riding on the forth marvelous as few were out driving but I am curious how you found drivers attitudes on the east leg of your trip.


I know I should but I'm old and forget. I got use Gmap-ped and am a little stuck. I do have a bikely account and have posted a few rides. I wish folks would make up better names for their rides on Bikely. A ride with the title 'commute' is worthless. My route on the 4th, while decent was not ideal. I discovered that riding on the smaller roads means less traffic but serious hills. I know that area has hills but it was preety bad. I eventually road on larger streets and the hills became a little less intense. I still seeks the "ideal" west-east route in N. balto. I'll probably end up in PA:eek:
Riding on the 4th was great, no cars. As I neared the end of my ride, tired of powerbars etc I could smell folks cooking on the grill. Really gave me a rush and spurred me on. The car traffic was a little rougher on the eastern side of town but still good, folks must have been eating. Ebeneezer, earles, Fork, Sunshine, Baldwin, Red Lion roads were excellent, Philadelphia was a little sketch but was only on it for about a 1/2 mile. I bet No Racer rides these roads as they seem biker friendly.

Don H: If you don't get a response about your commute(it's friggin long!!) try this group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BikeWashingtonDC/
I'm fairly certain they have folks that ride that region. If that fails drop me an email and I (kinda) know a bike advocate in that area that might be able to help.

James:: congrats on a very long ride for newish riders. 70 miles is a long ride

Derath: When my kids were young I always mnt biked. I found that mnt biking was the best bang for the buck. 2 hours and your spent. Then go home and enjoy the kids. Don't worry about the miles. I feel like they are 2 different sports. Kinda llike jogging vs. sprinting

QueenB: I rode on the c&O w/ 32's I wouldn't go much smaller. They were tough 32s to boot. 23s and you'll be fixing flats, and flats and flats. For other routes try Bikely. Might be some there....you will have hills, guaranteed
All right folks enough of my mouth, Charlie

Frederick county ( Hi Dingster!) I'll be riding the Battle of North Valley's Hills at the end of the month and the CWC ins September why don't you all come out?

NoRacer,
That's some ride. How long do you think it will take you to get to OC?

It took me 13 hours to get there fighting headwinds all the way. By the time I got there my ***** was sore and I was exhausted.

Coming home I had a tailwind in most cases--took under 12 hours.

Hopefully NoRacer survived his trip, we are all at the edge of our seats waiting for his ride report.



Report and pics tomorrow.

My report, including a link to pics, is here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=4816759&postcount=70

My report, including a link to pics, is here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=4816759&postcount=70
I was getting worried so I am glad you made it back. Sounds like you had a fun time, no GPS track?

I was getting worried so I am glad you made it back. Sounds like you had a fun time, no GPS track?

Sorry, no GPS here.

It probably would have been more fun if I could have gotten others to come along, but you already had a ride for the 4th planned and it was very impulsive on my part.

...no GPS track?


I forgot... there is a GPX file included with the cue sheet on cue sheet central. You can consult BBC Talk for a link to the site, if you want it. It's not a track of where I went, but simply a file I used to export from GMAP-Pedometer.

Sorry, no GPS here.

It probably would have been more fun if I could have gotten others to come along, but you already had a ride for the 4th planned and it was very impulsive on my part.
That’s sweet of you to think of me for a ride but while my knee is on the mend I think I am going to avoid you, nothing personal mind you. But seriously we really need to get more people out on some of these explore MD rides as they are a whole lot of fun. Possibly up to Hancock and back as it would be mostly a rock’n fun downhill for the back home trip.

Beautiful Silver Spring. I ride MLK park, Beach Drive (and Ross Drive), Sligo Creek Parkway, BARC, and Haines Point.

Love my Felt F3C!

JH Bahn

Beautiful Silver Spring. I ride MLK park, Beach Drive (and Ross Drive), Sligo Creek Parkway, BARC, and Haines Point.

Love my Felt F3C!

JH Bahn

BARC!!! That's where I work, welcome to here:)

Sorry, no GPS here.

It probably would have been more fun if I could have gotten others to come along, but you already had a ride for the 4th planned and it was very impulsive on my part.

It would have been nice to have some of us ride w/ you but then you would have to waste time burying us, literally :D
I heard the fireworks were canceled in OC??? You found some tho' Were those from OC? Nice pixs, helluva ride. later Charlie

I heard the fireworks were canceled in OC??? You found some tho'

Nevermind just read your tr.

Nevermind just read your tr.

I edited to make it a little more apparent that the display was done the next evening.

It would have been nice to have some of us ride w/ you but then you would have to waste time burying us, literally :D
I heard the fireworks were canceled in OC??? You found some tho' Were those from OC? Nice pixs, helluva ride. later Charlie
We could catch him on a recover ride and he’s not sobad then. Too bad you guys missed all the fun with the tornado warnings, high winds and rain on the 4th.

NoRacer. That ride looks awesome. Maybe next year I can talk the wife into taking the kids over and meeting me there. Then I could do the ride :)

It could work. Really

-D

NoRacer. That ride looks awesome. Maybe next year I can talk the wife into taking the kids over and meeting me there. Then I could do the ride :)

It could work. Really

-D

Thanks, -D. You never know what you can do until you try.

woohoo! 1st frederick county!

This AMs commute. What a true pleasure it was. It felt like I was in the Rockies. Air cool, sun bright, no humidity:)

This AMs commute. What a true pleasure it was. It felt like I was in the Rockies. Air cool, sun bright, no humidity:)

+1 - First time in a while that I didn't get to work already drenched.

Just stopping in to say hello from Canton.

I've been on the site for a while, but never really posted (mostly just used the search), but now that I'm getting more into biking I thought I'd see what's around the B-more area in terms of group rides and such. Right now I mostly just ride the BWI trail (because I work practically next to the airport) and modify it a bit, but I'm looking for some other good rides.

Just stopping in to say hello from Canton.

I've been on the site for a while, but never really posted (mostly just used the search), but now that I'm getting more into biking I thought I'd see what's around the B-more area in terms of group rides and such. Right now I mostly just ride the BWI trail (because I work practically next to the airport) and modify it a bit, but I'm looking for some other good rides.

If you are looking for rides, check out the Baltimore Bike Club's website at:

www.baltobikeclub.org (http://www.baltobikeclub.org)

On the menu, you'll find links to the latest set of schedules.

Eastern shore guy here (near Denton and Easton) and new to the sport but loving it and can't wait to meet some of y'all on the roads.

Anyone going to the Galena, Middletown, DE or St. Michaels rides that are coming up?

Oh, add another vote for Mid-Atlantic forums or at least sub-forum. Upstate New York isn't local. 8)

Hey Barry are you going to the bike meeting on tuesday night. I hope to go...MARC dependent. Charlie

Hey RIZZ...Welcome to the sport! Easton guy here who rides to Denton all the time...along with Oxford, St. Michaels, Trappe, Tilghman, Harrington DE, etc. I get out on the bike about 3-4x a week if you want to meet for a ride sometime, let me know!

Hey everyone...anyone else go to CAM this year? How did you think it went? I had a total blast!

Hey Barry are you going to the bike meeting on tuesday night. I hope to go...MARC dependent. Charlie
I'm going, looking forward to seeing you again. In the future it might be better to post questions like this to the Bike Hon list.

Hey RIZZ...Welcome to the sport! Easton guy here who rides to Denton all the time...along with Oxford, St. Michaels, Trappe, Tilghman, Harrington DE, etc. I get out on the bike about 3-4x a week if you want to meet for a ride sometime, let me know!

I'll definitely take you up on that once I get some more distance built up. Right now I either do 10 miles at 20-23 MPH or 30 miles at 15-17 MPH. Need to work on that endurance and pacing. :)

As for the area, the only bike path I've noticed is between Easton and Denton. Happen to know of any more, or any spot with some decent hills that isn't all the way over near I-270? :) I like climbing, but there's not much around here that qualifies as a grade. :(

I'll definitely take you up on that once I get some more distance built up. Right now I either do 10 miles at 20-23 MPH or 30 miles at 15-17 MPH. Need to work on that endurance and pacing. :)

As for the area, the only bike path I've noticed is between Easton and Denton. Happen to know of any more, or any spot with some decent hills that isn't all the way over near I-270? :) I like climbing, but there's not much around here that qualifies as a grade. :(

RIZZ...30 miles at 16MPH is my pace and just about the fastest that I go...I'm more of a distance guy rather then speed. There are some decent hills just across the Bay in central / southern Anne Arundel County (Davidsonville area). Otherwise on the Shore all we seem to get is w~i~n~d (AKA: the "Eastern Shore Hills").

There is a virtual bike club that I participate in: www.atlanticcycling.com Check them out...they are super-well organized, inexpensive, very friendly and keep it simple. Awesome rides and fun times! They are in Thurmont (hills!) in July and then Easton for August and Chestertown for September.

Any suggestions for biking from Annapolis to the UMAB (dowtown) campus near Camden Yards?

I can drive from Easton to Annapolis park-n-ride, take the B&A trail to BWI loop, but where do I go from there without getting myself into trouble? My job has me going there +2 days a week now, and that is cutting into my mileage. Thanks!!

Any suggestions for biking from Annapolis to the UMAB (dowtown) campus near Camden Yards?

I can drive from Easton to Annapolis park-n-ride, take the B&A trail to BWI loop, but where do I go from there without getting myself into trouble? My job has me going there +2 days a week now, and that is cutting into my mileage. Thanks!!


Using my map here:

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/14643

BWI Trail/162 Aviation Blvd
Right on to Andover Rd
Right on to Camp Meade Rd
Left on to Baltimore and Annapolis Blvd becomes Annapolis Rd
Left on to Waterview Ave
Right on to Hollins Ferry Rd
Right on Washington Blvd
Left on to Martin Luther King Blvd
Right on to W. Pratt St.

Any suggestions for biking from Annapolis to the UMAB (dowtown) campus near Camden Yards?

I can drive from Easton to Annapolis park-n-ride, take the B&A trail to BWI loop, but where do I go from there without getting myself into trouble? My job has me going there +2 days a week now, and that is cutting into my mileage. Thanks!!
This is probably the most comfortable bike route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Balto-Annapolis though from the top of BWI taking a more direct route of 170 – 648 is not bad.

From that basic route this is my first guess at a bike friendly route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Around-Camden-yards-to-the-west which has some stunts that only a bike can do.

Otherwise on the Shore all we seem to get is w~i~n~d (AKA: the "Eastern Shore Hills").

Yeah, I've become friends with the wind. One day I went to an area that was protected by trees on both sides and the went went over the top; I was cruising along at 25 MPH like I was going downhill, and it turns out it was a mild grade up. What a difference. Makes us better cyclists, right?


There is a virtual bike club that I participate in: www.atlanticcycling.com Check them out...they are super-well organized, inexpensive, very friendly and keep it simple. Awesome rides and fun times! They are in Thurmont (hills!) in July and then Easton for August and Chestertown for September.

I'll have to give that a peek. That's for the tip.

Oh, and I'm heading to Easton tonight to try some roads out. 30 mile route between work and home with Easton in the middle. Hopefully I can find someone with bike lights on sale and the parts to mount 'em. I really don't want to be caught out int he dark. :)

Just stopping in to say hello from Canton.

I've been on the site for a while, but never really posted (mostly just used the search), but now that I'm getting more into biking I thought I'd see what's around the B-more area in terms of group rides and such. Right now I mostly just ride the BWI trail (because I work practically next to the airport) and modify it a bit, but I'm looking for some other good rides.

Try spinning off the Trail @ the Telegraph Road overpass by the Northrup Grumman parking lot and wheel your way over to Patapsco State Park and back. Look for the green bike route signs. That will add about another 12 miles to your ride. Once in the park ride the access roads to the steel bridge and back down the otherside of the river.

Is this asphalt or dirt? Do you have a route map? Seems like a nice divertion from the boring circle.

I sometimes just split off from the trail entirely and run through Glen Burnie and hop on the B&A and then back across using the East West Parkway near West Pasadena Rd. to get back into the Severn / Odenton area again.


Try spinning off the Trail @ the Telegraph Road overpass by the Northrup Grumman parking lot and wheel your way over to Patapsco State Park and back. Look for the green bike route signs. That will add about another 12 miles to your ride. Once in the park ride the access roads to the steel bridge and back down the otherside of the river.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions...I'll try them out over the next few weeks, and some alternates on the way home just to mix things up a bit...appreciate the routes!

Is this asphalt or dirt? Do you have a route map? Seems like a nice divertion from the boring circle.

I sometimes just split off from the trail entirely and run through Glen Burnie and hop on the B&A and then back across using the East West Parkway near West Pasadena Rd. to get back into the Severn / Odenton area again.

Asphalt. Even in the Park.

Heres the rundown to the park

At the overpass, instead of turning right to stay on the BWI trail, go straight down Stoney Run Blvd. Go thru the light and turn left at the end to remain on Stoney Run. At the top of the hill turn right onto Ridge Rd. Follow Ridge Rd for a couple miles (mind the traffic circle). Ridge Rd ends at Furnace Rd at the bottom of a fun downhill. Turn left onto Furnace. Go past the Inn and keep on about 3/4 mile to a left onto Main Street in Elkridge. Go a couple hundred yards to a right on Levering Ave. Cross Rt-1 at the light and stay straight on Levering Ave. Levering turns into River Rd past the bottom of Lawyers Hill (a fun place for hill repeats). Stay straight and head right thru the barrier gate into the park. Theres a gap big enough for bikers and horses to get thru. Its still asphalt, but rough tar and chip and strewn with leaves and twigs. Be careful. Once thru you'll see a big parking lot straight ahead and an access road. Go to the right and cross over the river. Then bear left again onto the road just to the left of the barrier gate that goes across the the bottom of Gunn Rd. Follow this road into the woods onto the paved MUP at the end of the last parking lot. Follow this MUP along the river for about 1 1/2 miles to the steel foot bridge that spans the river. Cross the bridge to the access road on the other side. Theres a bathhouse on the other side if you need water or a natural break. Follow the access road back to where you came in and head out of the park the same way you came in. Once back on Furnace Rd, instead of heading back up Ridge, turn right on Race Rd. Follow Race Rd. for a couple miles to a left on Hanover Rd. Stay straight on Hanover to the end and turn right back onto Ridge. At the stop sight turn left on Stoney Run and head back to the overpass and get back on the BWI trail where you left off.

Addendum. If you fancy a hard climb, turn right onto Lawyers Hill Rd as you leave the park. Take Lawyers Hill all the way to its end on Montgomery Road. Turn left on Montgomery Road and cross Rt-1 at the light. Turn left on Main Street and follow to a right on Hanover Rd. Follow Hanover Road all the way back to Ridge Rd.

If you want, meet me at the Aircraft View Area parking lot 6pm on Friday and I'll personally show you the route. I'm doing an active reco ride and will be their anyway.

Do you ride the BWI trial a lot? I've been doing about 80 miles/week on it. Seeing how I work at Northrop and all its the easiest place to start from.

(cool fact: at the top of Stoney Run, going right at the entrance to the BWI employee lot is the "highest point in Anne Arundle county" you can't actually get to the top because Northrop owns it, and its behind a 7 ft fence..but I work up there a few days a week)

I dont ride it as much as i used too. Maybe once a week or less and when i am on it its part of a greater route to somewhere else. Same with the B&A. In fact, i've got my Round the Severn River route mapped out such that i never have to get on the B&A Trail. The fitter i get, the more i stick to roads so i can keep my speeds up.

That spot is even higher than the part of the trail that overlooks the air freight terminal and general aviation hangars? I didnt know that. That part never seemed that high relative to the section i just mentioned. Does the road to the right go all the way to the Ridge Rd. traffic circle now? It did when they first built it then they closed off access for thru traffic shortly after. They must be doing "TOP SECRET" stuff at MDOT. :p

Did you catch that 747 cargo plane there a couple Sundays ago? You dont often see 747s at BWI.

I'm told by people that I work with that's the highest spot. It's probably pretty close to height of the overlook spot though...who knows.

Yeah, that road goes the whole way back to Furnace road and then to West Nursery into Linthicum again by all the hotels if you take it far enough.

I missed the 747 out there. I don't usually pay attention to what's taking off/landing. Most of the time I'm just focused on riding.

I'm told by people that I work with that's the highest spot. It's probably pretty close to height of the overlook spot though...who knows.



I bet your right. When riding down Ridge Rd you can see a bunch of high tech gear up a hill on the right side of the road. And Ridge Rd at the top of Stoney Run if pretty high (the part by the long closed convience store).

My Polar HRM goes batty everytime I ride thru that area. Oddly enough on the occasion when i commute to work and go right past Ft Meade, nothing happens.

I bet your right. When riding down Ridge Rd you can see a bunch of high tech gear up a hill on the right side of the road. And Ridge Rd at the top of Stoney Run if pretty high (the part by the long closed convience store).

My Polar HRM goes batty everytime I ride thru that area. Oddly enough on the occasion when i commute to work and go right past Ft Meade, nothing happens.

Hey - do I recall that last year you were involved with the Bay Country Century? That was a wet and wild ride - right after Hurricane Ernesto. Anyhow I can't find any info on it for this year, do you know if it will be held?

Hey Bobby, same time as last year. Were no longer ABRT\Team Snow Valley. Were ABRT\Team Latitude. The websites got updated. Here is the link. My pictures from last year are posted now too in the 2006 Gallery. Maybe i got one of you? I do notice that only half of what i submitted to the webmaster got up loaded. He left off all the stuff i shot on the route ahead of North Beach.

http://abrtcycling.com/events/BCC/default.php

Spread the word!

Thanks for the update. Maybe I'm blind, but on the info pages of the century, I can't find any info on the date (although I do see times). Take a look - I think (assuming I'm correct) that you need to get someone to update the pages with more info. Even the event schedule doesn't have a mention of the event.

By the way, I didn't make it into the pictures, but my wife did (DSC_1235.jpg) - it was good to see those again. Reminds me of one dirty, wet and fun ride.