Northeast - Where are the MD people's

Grab a bike trail map of Columbia, there are a ton (almost 100 miles) of paved trails through the area. I ride them to work fairly often and they are well maintained (my exorbitant Howard County tax dollars at work). Great way to get from one end of town to another.
...

Where does one get a trail map of Columbia, is it online?

Where does one get a trail map of Columbia, is it online?

They are hard to get. Never found it online. Columbia doesn't want outsider(my opinion). I've seen the maps but never found them available. I think municipal buildings have some. The trails are very twisty so great for rec riding but don't seem great for commuting. At least with the trails I've ridden. Someone should ride the trails with a mapping gps and produce a map.

You can pick them up in any of the Village Centers, but I HIGHLY recommend picking one up at Race Pace Bicycles on Snowden River Parkway. GREAT shop, I've known those guys for going on ten years now. Plus if you buy something they'll usually give you the $5 map for nothing.

Columbia doesn't care about the folks that live there let alone outsiders, it's a bad town to navigate period. The trails are great for my commute because it is so short, but certainly not the most efficient way to get through town.

Part of the problem with Columbia is that the roads are so convoluted.
That describes most places in MD IMHO. At times I feel sorry for MDOT and those traffic guys, we have got one messed up road network.


Unlike other places, you can't just make a hunch and go with it in Columbia-- that will just get you lost and probably dump you out on an inhospitable road.
I agree that making a "best guess" on what road to take in Columbia is more challenging then in other places.


I once mapped out a crazy route from Baltimore to Rockville (http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Rockville-Baltimore).
I think I have done the eastern part of that route after Patuxent River State Park it’s not a bad route.

I found the following about getting a hold of Columbia’s trail map:

Maps of Columbia’s pathways are available – for a small fee – at the Welcome Center at 10221 Wincopin Circle and at all village community centers. For more information, call (410) 715-3000.
From memory these locations have bankers’ hours so getting them at Race Pace sounds like a better option for now. My conversation with Ken Ulman sounds like he is going to try and get the map on-line. Since there was one speculation about the motives behind the lack of the map availability I will put forth my own speculation, which is that they just wanted to recoup printing costs and the Columbia Association already has the Village Community Centers infrastructure up so they just tacked the map distribution through that and for the retirees and stay home with the kids moms this works out ok and they did not think past this point. But for the “I would like to get exercise after work” dads/moms or the “I would like to bike to work” to/from Columbia the current distribution system does not work well at all.

Over the years, I think the Columbia pathways have fallen out of favor. I do recall there were a rash of assaults some time ago and maybe a murder. Some of the paths are well removed from the view of homes or businesses and thus lend themselves to urban ambushers. But, I have not read of any troubles lately. Like a lot of 'feelgood' planning, these paths to know where don't make a lot of sense for through commuting and only really serve the local recreation populace and barely do that.

Since there was one speculation about the motives behind the lack of the map availability I will put forth my own speculation, which is that they just wanted to recoup printing costs and the Columbia Association already has the Village Community Centers infrastructure up so they just tacked the map distribution through that and for the retirees and stay home with the kids moms this works out ok and they did not think past this point. But for the “I would like to get exercise after work” dads/moms or the “I would like to bike to work” to/from Columbia the current distribution system does not work well at all.

The problem is that Columbia does not have signs....anywhere. Trying to find a store, gas station etc... is hard. I have climbed there for 5 years and just found out about a nearby bar. They don't like ugly signs blocking up the scenery. I don't blame them. This is what makes Columbia quaint and uninviting to outsiders. My earlier post "they don't want outsiders" is a little harsh but they don't make it easy for us. I look at Columbia as a huge cul-de-sac. Charlie

derath, can you come out and play tomorrow?



Saturday - January 13
LONG - 10 am - 45 miles
START: NTH - New Town High School
45 rolling miles with some definite Hills through Liberty Water Shed to Hampstead for lunch at J&P Pizza. Shorter and longer routes will be available as decided by the weather.



So, for me, does this look like a good way to get to New Town High School?
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=637497

If it's raining, I won't attempt it. The ride would likely get cancelled anyway.

derath, can you come out and play tomorrow?



So, for me, does this look like a good way to get to New Town High School?
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=637497

If it's raining, I won't attempt it. The ride would likely get cancelled anyway.


The only thing I would change is to turn left at Craddocks lane prior to hitting 140 on Greenspring valley. And then you can go straight across the light to McDononogh road. I just thing the Craddocks lane intersection is much nicer to deal with than Greenspring valley@140.

-D

The only thing I would change is to turn left at Craddocks lane prior to hitting 140 on Greenspring valley. And then you can go straight across the light to McDononogh road. I just thing the Craddocks lane intersection is much nicer to deal with than Greenspring valley@140.

-D

Thanks.

I'm not sure if I'm going to mix two stress--learning a new route and trying to make it to the ride on time. I might have to do something closer to home instead.

Todays long solo ride:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Long-Ride-Saturday-20070113

Thankfully, the rain held off for most of the ride.

Nice,

I was all set to take a long ride today. I was dressed. Brought my bike up from the basement. And my 3yo daughter saw it and said "I wanna go with you daddy. Can I?"

Well I can't say no to that.

So I hung up the OCR, and pulled down the old MTB. hooked up the trailer and off we went. We biked around some, and then stopped at this bridge that we usually stop at to throw rocks into the stream. She ate 3/4 of my granola bar (I had brought food for my long ride since it was at lunchtime), and then had to go potty. Hopped back in and rode to the nearest park for a bathroom. Then rode around some more. Stopped and she ate 2 of my clif bloks.

Then on the next leg she fell asleep, so I pulled her an hour more. I didn't get near the distance, but I found every hill I could and pulled her up. Pulling a 34 pound kid in a trailer up an 18% grade is a workout.

Wasn't the long spin I was planning, but I will never say no to my kids wanting to ride...

When we got home she asked "when are you going again?" Hopefully tomorrow.

-D

Sounds like a perfect day D......:)

Sounds like a perfect day D......:)


+1

Today, it looks like a complete rest day off for me. Usually, I'd go to BWI and ride to the B&A Trail to Annapolis, but intuition tells me that my gf wants me to stick around. I guess that I should let her have her way and stay off the bike today--seems like the most likely day to do so.

Sounds like a perfect day D......:)


Pretty near perfect.

True perfection will be when my son is old enough to come along and it is my wife and I on the tandem towing both kids around. :D

-D

Pretty near perfect.

True perfection will be when my son is old enough to come along and it is my wife and I on the tandem towing both kids around. :D

-D

Call me a wuss :) I have tried....really tried to ride our Tandem with the wife stoking and our daughter on the trail-a-bike attached to the rear. I looked like a drunk weaving down the road while I tried to ride in a straight line....LoL

Call me a wuss :) I have tried....really tried to ride our Tandem with the wife stoking and our daughter on the trail-a-bike attached to the rear. I looked like a drunk weaving down the road while I tried to ride in a straight line....LoL

Yea I haven't tried a trail-a-bike yet. But towing the trailer isn't bad.

Probably when our daughter gets old enough for a trail-a-bike I will get a child stoker kit. Or if funds allow I would get a triple and put her in the middle with little Bennett in the trailer.

-D

if funds allow I would get a triple and put her in the middle with little Bennett in the trailer.

-D

Best bet if you can swing it. The trail-a-bike unlike the trailer has a lot of side to side motion as our daughter tried to see around us and that motion just seems to amplify as it gets to me.

The problem is that Columbia does not have signs....anywhere. Trying to find a store, gas station etc... is hard. I have climbed there for 5 years and just found out about a nearby bar. They don't like ugly signs blocking up the scenery. I don't blame them. This is what makes Columbia quaint and uninviting to outsiders. My earlier post "they don't want outsiders" is a little harsh but they don't make it easy for us. I look at Columbia as a huge cul-de-sac. Charlie
Man, it bums me out that so many people find Columbia such a disagreeable place. I grew up there and used the bike paths to get pretty much everywhere when I was a kid. I rode my bike to school, the mall, my friends' houses, basically a sh*t ton of places I wouldn't have been able to get to otherwise. I don't know how much of the history of Columbia anyone knows, but it was a urban/social planning experiment of sorts by this progressive developer James Rouse. He had a lot of interesting ideas about the way people could and should live and interact with each other.

Unfortunately, after 35 years or so a lot of factors have substantially changed the place. It has begun to suffer from the same ills as pretty much every other urban environment, except on its own smaller scale. The explosion of development in the areas around what is technically Columbia has ironically contributed to suburban sprawl and its attending social and infrastructural ills. The Sun did a good series on Columbia at 30 years of age five years ago or so. There's a good overview about its history on Wikipedia too (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,_Maryland). Sorry about the monologue, it's just that Columbia was an amazing place to grow up in, and I didn't realize that until I moved away, and I fully realize the place I spent my formative years in no longer exists.

On a totally different note, have any HoCo folks seen a lady dressed in all black riding a road rig on 175? I used to see her occassionally, she was always doing crazy bike ballet type sh*t on the shoulder of the highway in this skin-tight getup, complete w/balaclava (in the summertime). She always gave me a good laugh, she was on some total bike ninja sh*t.

On a totally different note, have any HoCo folks seen a lady dressed in all black riding a rode rig on 175? I used to see her occassionally, she was always doing crazy bike ballet type sh*t on the shoulder of the highway in this skin-tight getup, complete w/balaclava (in the summertime). She always gave me a good laugh, she was on some total bike ninja sh*t.

Yep, she is still around.

-D

That's so rad...

And Columbia had a really really fun BMX track. Raced many a race there.

This was my weekend recovery ride:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Trail-of-two-cities-DC-Balto

I road out to see some friends in Glen Echo and took a nice low stress route. There were tons of people out enjoying the trails in DC, this weather is getting freaky. I hit a few drizzles but nothing to get the rain jacket out for.

Columbia is a real interesting and Charlie’s comment about it being a big cul-de-sac is pretty good description. Cul-de-sacs can be a very nice place to live, the problem with cul-de-sacs is not the cul-de-sacs themselves but the mentality that all biking and walking must be solely contained in the cul-de-sac and you have to use the car for any practical trips. Or stated a bit differently roads are designed to get people from point A to point B while the trials are designed to let people wander about and afford people their optional exercise if they have the extra time. Columbia has such potential to be less car-dependent but is currently missing the mark and it is real hard explaining to the planers and such that they need to do more for biking and walking when they have already done so much for these modes of travel.


Call me a wuss :) I have tried....really tried to ride our Tandem with the wife stoking and our daughter on the trail-a-bike attached to the rear. I looked like a drunk weaving down the road while I tried to ride in a straight line....LoL

It does take a lot of practice and skill to do a setup like this not to mention the way trail-a-bikes are designed they do not stay totally upright but clunk to one side or the other. But I’ll mention that I have seen people try to compensate for these things by going slower when you really need a bit more speed for stability, picture riding up a steep hill, in order to keep all your weight balanced on the bike more drastic shifts of the handlebars are needed then when cursing faster, the same thing here. Anyway you should try my set up with two kids playing in the back while I’m riding in traffic. :eek:

This was my weekend recovery ride:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Trail-of-two-cities-DC-Balto

I road out to see some friends in Glen Echo and took a nice low stress route. There were tons of people out enjoying the trails in DC, this weather is getting freaky. I hit a few drizzles but nothing to get the rain jacket out for.

I guess this is an out-and-back, but partitioned by time. I see that you used RPN to map the route. :p I always wondered what would be a good way to get between B'more and DC.

This was my weekend recovery ride:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Trail-of-two-cities-DC-Balto

I road out to see some friends in Glen Echo and took a nice low stress route. There were tons of people out enjoying the trails in DC, this weather is getting freaky. I hit a few drizzles but nothing to get the rain jacket out for.




Did you ride home after your visit? If you did, what lights/battery did you use. Must have been a motorcycle battery. That's a long ride to go both ways this time of year. Charlie

I always wondered what would be a good way to get between B'more and DC.

Here's a link for for a written route but breaking off and going all the way downtown.
http://bikewashington.org/routes/dc2balt/index.htm

This is also shows how one can't bike through Columbia. Columbia has many miles of trails but bicyclist prefer to take the roads route east of rt 1.

cointelpro: I think growing up in Columbia would have been great. Probably still is. It's just a hard place to navigate for a roadie. Charlie

I road out for a birthday party so I spent Saturday night eating, drinking, making balloon animals (a talent which I just discovered I had) and talking with some of the DC Randonneur crowd. Another fellow road 30 miles from VA so he got his 60 mile trip in via the party as well. I think the Randonneurs are conspiring how to get me out for one of their rides even though I am car free, so I may have some new adventures to tell.

Anyway I slept over and left Sunday after breakfast (2:30 PM) which was about the time I arrived on Saturday so I did need a long lasting light as I got home around 9 PM (I had to stop for lunch and dinner.) The light I have (which I can no longer find on-line) is a 5 LED headlight (the brightest I have seen in that category) and uses two AA batteries that are supposed to last 20 hours. It’s sufficient for speeds up to15mph but Sunday night had a very bright pink overcast so I had some lovely 30mph descents on the rollers. Anyway I like my light because it was cheep, light weight, long lasting and can stay on my bike even when riding over pot holes in the city (which has done in my last two lights.)

If there is sufficient interest I post my complete round trip but the only difference is when I left I used a more direct route to downtown from Falls Rd and picked up the Gwynns Falls Trail then Annapolis Rd to Waterview Ave which then joins my route I used to get back home. The reason why I posted what I did after traveling 20 miles on DC trails I wanted to plug our trails a bit and personally I find routes that have the same details there and back a little hard to deal with, but NoRacer you are right I should have flipped it before posting. Oh well.

Hey Barry I just read the article in the Sun about your ride to the hoco meeting. Nice. Charlie

here's a link to the sun article.
http://tinyurl.com/2oplcs

Even Barry needs a gps in Columbia:D

Well some of you long distance riders have been quiet. I guess the weather has curtailed rec rides. I have a bum knee. Seems to be tendinitis though I don't really know. I was off the bike from last Thur to Sunday. Am only riding half of the commute. Mondays commute was quite exciting in the snow. Is anyone going to the Westminster bike swap. I think it's in Feb. Lots of great deals last year. let me know if you go and we can hook up to drive up there. Riding would be nice but you never know what you'll buy:D Charlie

Well some of you long distance riders have been quiet. I guess the weather has curtailed rec rides.

Saturday:

In anticipation of the weekend foul weather I purchased a set of rollers.

Riding the rollers
After a few false starts, I finally got an hour and 15 minutes session in at a slow average speed of 16 MPH. It wasn't without some restarts, though, as I was still on the upside of the learning curve. But, I found that I picked it up quickly and it's a matter of integrating the learning into my muscle memory and nervous system. Physically, I could have kept going much longer, but mentally, I had enough for the day. I did find it easier to relax with music in my ears, so I connected my MP3 player to my wireless headphones and that seemed to be a turning point for me.


Sunday:

Today, I did another session--1 hour 23 minutes at an average speed of 19 MPH. Again, these were done in intervals of ride and rest, mainly because I could feel myself slipping, mentally, when something started to bother me (i.e., getting too hot, needing a drink, cats running by the roller, sweat dripping). When my concentration isn't what it needs to be, I can't relax and this manifests itself as a slight oscillation while on the rollers. A couple of times, yesterday, these oscillations were big enough to put me off of the front roller.

I have a trainer, but it is brainless and boring compared to rollers. You have to be relaxed, but concentration has to be high and in a zone of sorts--at least for me. I think, that's why I do well with music in my ears during the sessions.

Monday and Tuesday:

More roller riding.

Wednesday (today):

Started my commute on the bike to work, but nearly half way there my RD cable snapped at the shifter. I couldn't get into the shifter to pull out the remnants, so I was stuck in a fixed gear of 34x11. Attempted to continue on to work, but some of the hills were too steep. I was afraid that: 1) I'd fall over trying to push up the hill on Putty Hill Rd crossing Belair Rd from Ridge Rd or 2) I would have overstressed the chain breaking it or 3) overstressed my knees breaking them. So, I turned back, dropped the bike off, changed clothing, and drove to work. :(

Needless to say, I have a little project on my hands once I get home and if I want to get more miles in, it'll be back on the rollers again.

Saturday:

In anticipation of the weekend foul weather I purchased a set of rollers.

Riding the rollers
After a few false starts, I finally got an hour and 15 minutes session in at a slow average speed of 16 MPH. It wasn't without some restarts, though, as I was still on the upside of the learning curve. But, I found that I picked it up quickly and it's a matter of integrating the learning into my muscle memory and nervous system. Physically, I could have kept going much longer, but mentally, I had enough for the day. I did find it easier to relax with music in my ears, so I connected my MP3 player to my wireless headphones and that seemed to be a turning point for me.


Sunday:

Today, I did another session--1 hour 23 minutes at an average speed of 19 MPH. Again, these were done in intervals of ride and rest, mainly because I could feel myself slipping, mentally, when something started to bother me (i.e., getting too hot, needing a drink, cats running by the roller, sweat dripping). When my concentration isn't what it needs to be, I can't relax and this manifests itself as a slight oscillation while on the rollers. A couple of times, yesterday, these oscillations were big enough to put me off of the front roller.

I have a trainer, but it is brainless and boring compared to rollers. You have to be relaxed, but concentration has to be high and in a zone of sorts--at least for me. I think, that's why I do well with music in my ears during the sessions.

Monday and Tuesday:

More roller riding.

Wednesday (today):

Started my commute on the bike to work, but nearly half way there my RD cable snapped at the shifter. I couldn't get into the shifter to pull out the remnants, so I was stuck in a fixed gear of 34x11. Attempted to continue on to work, but some of the hills were too steep. I was afraid that: 1) I'd fall over trying to push up the hill on Putty Hill Rd crossing Belair Rd from Ridge Rd or 2) I would have overstressed the chain breaking it or 3) overstressed my knees breaking them. So, I turned back, dropped the bike off, changed clothing, and drove to work. :(

Needless to say, I have a little project on my hands once I get home and if I want to get more miles in, it'll be back on the rollers again.


impressive. I must just be out of shape, cause 20 min on the rollers and I am toast.


-D

I like being outdoors and I could not do the indoor thing. That’s one reason why I like Maryland our bad weather is rarely longer then a week.

Anyway fellow Randonneurs the DC Randonneurs are doing this ride and the weather looks great for Saturday:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2007
"THE SWINGING BRIDGE CENTURY," starting from Elkridge Elementary
School/Elkridge Landing Middle School, Elkridge, Maryland. MEETING TIME
7:30 a.m. Promises to be challenging, but probably not quite so
challenging as was "From Here to Tibuktu" a couple of weeks ago. I'm
estimating about 7,000 feet elevation gain. The ride will begin on a
mellow and yet very scenic note, visiting Patapsco Valley State Park and
traversing a swinging bridge. See
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/patapscovalley.html.
After a few flat miles along the Patapsco River, we'll climb out of the
valley and begin our trek northward, passing through the Soldiers
Delight Environmental Area, see
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/soldiers.html and
http://www.bcpl.net/~sdci/sdci_history.html. We'll continue north past
Liberty Lake on scenic Baltimore County and Carroll County roads to our
lunch stop in Hampstead. The return route passes through the tiny
village of Patapsco and more of Patapsco Valley State Park, crossing
over Liberty Reservoir. We'll visit historic Ellicott City near the end
of the ride. 100 miles, with short options of 53, 75, or 88 miles.

Here are the directions to the ride start:
ELKRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL/ELKRIDGE LANDING MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELKRIDGE, MARYLAND
7075 Montgomery Road, Elkridge MD 21075 - 410.313.5056
From DC Beltway I-495, take Exit 27 onto I-95 north. In about 16 miles,
take Exit 43A onto MD100 East toward Glen Burnie. In about 1 mile take
Exit 6B onto US1 North toward Elkridge. In 2.3 miles, turn left onto
Montgomery Road. In 0.4 mi. turn right into the elementary
school/middle school complex and proceed to parking area.

I like being outdoors and I could not do the indoor thing. That’s one reason why I like Maryland our bad weather is rarely longer then a week.

Anyway fellow Randonneurs the DC Randonneurs are doing this ride and the weather looks great for Saturday:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2007
"THE SWINGING BRIDGE CENTURY," starting from Elkridge Elementary
School/Elkridge Landing Middle School, Elkridge, Maryland. MEETING TIME
7:30 a.m. Promises to be challenging, but probably not quite so
challenging as was "From Here to Tibuktu" a couple of weeks ago. I'm
estimating about 7,000 feet elevation gain. The ride will begin on a
mellow and yet very scenic note, visiting Patapsco Valley State Park and
traversing a swinging bridge. See
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/patapscovalley.html.
After a few flat miles along the Patapsco River, we'll climb out of the
valley and begin our trek northward, passing through the Soldiers
Delight Environmental Area, see
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/central/soldiers.html and
http://www.bcpl.net/~sdci/sdci_history.html. We'll continue north past
Liberty Lake on scenic Baltimore County and Carroll County roads to our
lunch stop in Hampstead. The return route passes through the tiny
village of Patapsco and more of Patapsco Valley State Park, crossing
over Liberty Reservoir. We'll visit historic Ellicott City near the end
of the ride. 100 miles, with short options of 53, 75, or 88 miles.

Here are the directions to the ride start:
ELKRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL/ELKRIDGE LANDING MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELKRIDGE, MARYLAND
7075 Montgomery Road, Elkridge MD 21075 - 410.313.5056
From DC Beltway I-495, take Exit 27 onto I-95 north. In about 16 miles,
take Exit 43A onto MD100 East toward Glen Burnie. In about 1 mile take
Exit 6B onto US1 North toward Elkridge. In 2.3 miles, turn left onto
Montgomery Road. In 0.4 mi. turn right into the elementary
school/middle school complex and proceed to parking area.


Hey Barry Sounds nice. Unfortunately I have a knee that is not cooperating with the down stroke. This wknd I will be heading to the mnts, cuz there's lots of snow in them thar' hills:D Hopefully a little backcountry skiing won't do any more damage. Please post a map of the ride as it sounds like a great ride. I do hope to join you and the dc randys when healed. Are you going to ride to the ride:eek: Or join it in progress. Charlie

MEETING TIME
7:30 a.m.

Brrrrrrr!

Barry, are you cycling to the ride start?

It looks like me and NoRacer are planning to ride to the ride. He has an extra 6 miles round trip over me on this endeavor.

It looks like me and NoRacer are planning to ride to the ride. He has an extra 6 miles round trip over me on this endeavor.

If anyone else in the Baltimore metro area is interested in meeting us, the plan is that I meet Barry at the Carrol Park Gwynn's Fall trail head in time to leave for Elkridge Elementary School by 6:45am. We should be able to get to the school in about 35 minutes from there.

If any interested rider is closer to Essex, PM me and we'll set up a meeting location and time, otherwise, I'll be leaving Essex, promptly, by 5:50am.

The ride is a 100 miles and the ride start is another 18 miles from Essex. It's a very good idea to have lights and reflectors for this trip, especially for getting to and from the ride start location at the beginning and end of the 100 mile portion of the ride. Also, you should have food and drink with you -before- we head into the city.

I believe that it'll be about 140 miles, total, for the day by the time I get home.

Hey,

Does anyone have a que sheet for this ride? I can't do the whole thing due to time and well, I still can't get rid of this chest cold. But Hampstead is maybe 10 miles from me. It would be cool to hook up for at least a little bit of the ride just to meet you guys in person.

-D

Hey,

Does anyone have a que sheet for this ride? I can't do the whole thing due to time and well, I still can't get rid of this chest cold. But Hampstead is maybe 10 miles from me. It would be cool to hook up for at least a little bit of the ride just to meet you guys in person.

-D

-D,

Barry forwarded one to me, but it's in Microsoft Word. If you want it, I can forward it on to you, if I can see your email under your profile, or alternatively PM me with your email address and I'll forward it to you.

OR

Go here:

http://www.dcrand.org/cgi-bin/weekends/ride.cgi?RIDE=20070127

...and contact Crista for a copy.

GarySol, My husband rode Columbia BMX for Atlantic Cycles, Hutch and Princeton Sports. He is still friends with Matt and John Beverungen.

Looks like I am gonna try and catch you guys at Glen Falls Rd (mile 33.3) From the looks of it I should be able to stay on the ride to your lunch stop, at which point I will keep on going to get home in time for my family engagement.

It should at least give me a 25-30 mile ride, and a chance to meet you guys in person.
-D

Looks like I am gonna try and catch you guys at Glen Falls Rd (mile 33.3) From the looks of it I should be able to stay on the ride to your lunch stop, at which point I will keep on going to get home in time for my family engagement.

It should at least give me a 25-30 mile ride, and a chance to meet you guys in person.
-D

Cool!

I just sent you email.

Well I just mapped out my route. Looks like it may be another nice lunchtime loop as well.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/19972

Well ((*&%$#^%$#@%!

I dunno what happened there. Either you guys weren't were I thought you were when you called, or you seriously hauled a$$ during the hour between calls.

Oh well, chalk it up to a wasted day. Maybe I can get in a ride tomorrow.

-D

Well ((*&%$#^%$#@%!

I dunno what happened there. Either you guys weren't were I thought you were when you called, or you seriously hauled a$$ during the hour between calls.

Oh well, chalk it up to a wasted day. Maybe I can get in a ride tomorrow.

-D


-D,

Sorry about that. :( :o

What happened was that the first time I called you, we were taking a break at a convenience store. Because I didn't have a cue sheet, I stayed with the ride leaders--Chuck & Crista who rode a tandem. The rest of the group left ahead of me, Crista and Chuck. So, when us stragglers finally got going, we were hauling-ass and even caught some of the group that went ahead. When you called me, we were in a climb and I couldn't answer the call. Then I called you to let you know where we were--making a left turn on Black Rock Rd. I don't know those roads all that well, so when we crossed or rode along Rt140 eluded me.

If I were to rate this ride, it would be a 9-scenic (only thing making it better would be if it were late Spring-early Summer), 10-climbing (the "official" estimate from the average of 3 GPS devices was 8,700 feet and many were over 10% with at least two probably at 14%), and overall a 9 for the ride. It was hard and I'm pretty sore today, but I set another personal decent speed record of 58.5 MPH, as Crista and Chuck were not at all squeamish about decending (but for safety's sake I stayed back a little when they were, so I could hear when they were braking for a turn at the bottom of the decent which was usually the case), and my total ride for the day is 145 miles (10 hours, 26 minutes and 54 seconds in the saddle) including the ride to and from Elkridge and the 3 or so miles that Barry and I overshot the ride start initially.

Heading into Ellicott City, at the beginning of the ride, I lost Barry. Barry... what happened to you? (While we were riding to the start, he didn't seem to be feeling well.)

-D,

Sorry about that. :( :o

What happened was that the first time I called you, we were taking a break at a convenience store. Because I didn't have a cue sheet, I stayed with the ride leaders--Chuck & Crista who rode a tandem. The rest of the group left ahead of me, Crista and Chuck. So, when us stragglers finally got going, we were hauling-ass and even caught some of the group that went ahead. When you called me, we were in a climb and I couldn't answer the call. Then I called you to let you know where we were--making a left turn on Black Rock Rd. I don't know those roads all that well, so when we crossed or rode along Rt140 eluded me.

If I were to rate this ride, it would be a 9-scenic (only thing making it better would be if it were late Spring-early Summer), 10-climbing (the "official" estimate from the average of 3 GPS devices was 8,700 feet and many were over 10% with at least two probably at 14%), and overall a 9 for the ride. It was hard and I'm pretty sore today, but I set another personal decent speed record of 58.5 MPH, as Crista and Chuck were not at all squeamish about decending (but for safety's sake I stayed back a little when they were, so I could hear when they were braking for a turn at the bottom of the decent which was usually the case), and my total ride for the day is 145 miles (10 hours, 26 minutes and 54 seconds in the saddle) including the ride to and from Elkridge and the 3 or so miles that Barry and I overshot the ride start initially.

Heading into Ellicott City, at the beginning of the ride, I lost Barry. Barry... what happened to you? (While we were riding to the start, he didn't seem to be feeling well.)

Stuff happens. You must have been closer to 140 when you called initially is my only guess. Otherwise your first call at 9:50 would have been at mile marker 23, And when I called you a little over an hour later you were at mile 48.

But yea, it is hilly out this way. I have increased my climbing ability a ton. How did you like Tank and Brown roads? (they had really steep windy downhills, usually those are my uphills). They were after lunch.

Either way, If you ever want to hit the roads out this way feel free. I ride them all the time.

[edit] and in hindsight, so you know, Rt 140 was the only 4 lane with center turn lane road you were on during the ride. With the possible exception of the very beginning or end.



-D

Otherwise your first call at 9:50 would have been at mile marker 23, And when I called you a little over an hour later you were at mile 48.


-D

Yeah--I said me and the tandem were hauling-ass! ;) I got to suck tandem-wheel the whole time.

If anyone is interested, here's the route that was taken during the DC-Rand "Swinging Bridge Century" from last Saturday:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/15117

It only shows a cumulative climb of 6,500+ feet, including the ride to and from the ride start. Also, I lost a couple miles plotting the map, as it did not come out to 144.9 miles like my CatEye reported.

If anyone is interested, here's the route that was taken during the DC-Rand "Swinging Bridge Century" from last Saturday:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/15117

It only shows a cumulative climb of 6,500+ feet, including the ride to and from the ride start. Also, I lost a couple miles plotting the map, as it did not come out to 144.9 miles like my CatEye reported.

Thanks for posting. I was really interested since it leaves from my hood. I'll leave off the east side part. You guys are beast. Too ride that much is hard, to ride that much at this time of year is impressive. Did you ever hear from Barry? hope he's OK. My knee is feeling better after going back to my old pedals and raising the seat. My knee has to be better as my syncro vw van broke down on the way home from the mnts. I think i need CV joints.....expensive!!! It might be cold commuting the last few days but i've no other options. When one knows you have to ride it ain't so bad. Charlie

Thanks for posting. I was really interested since it leaves from my hood. I'll leave off the east side part. You guys are beast. Too ride that much is hard, to ride that much at this time of year is impressive. Did you ever hear from Barry? hope he's OK. My knee is feeling better after going back to my old pedals and raising the seat. My knee has to be better as my syncro vw van broke down on the way home from the mnts. I think i need CV joints.....expensive!!! It might be cold commuting the last few days but i've no other options. When one knows you have to ride it ain't so bad. Charlie

Yesterday's wind was "biting", literally, through openings in my balaclava to my face during my bike commute to work/Towson yesterday. A good portion of it was headwind.

I haven't heard from Barry, but I did receive my Baltimore Spokes delivery ( http://www.baltimorespokes.org. ) from his website yesterday. It would be nice to hear from him about his journey on Saturday and I hope he didn't have too many problems.

Sorry to hear about the vw, but it's great that your knee is better.

tonights commute home should be interesting....to say the least. I have a retirement party immediately after work until 8:00. party + snow = :eek: