balto charlie

@ Harry: We hiked, biked, and canoed. I tried to post a nice picture of my bike and the rocky shoreline but failed...again. I have some books on the Maine coast your welcome to borrow should you go. I really like the coast from Acadia up to Canada. Everything north of Acadia is really rural. Small towns, little cell phone action. I heard a teen moaning about the poor cell service. Good biking in this area. Areas south of Acadia can be a little trafficky. Portland is an excellent biking town. We biked all over Portland. Drivers were very respectful, almost too much. I often felt they should pass us. Finally 1 car did pass us and it was a tourist from Maryland:-) A few bike lanes but mostly just nice drivers. Rude awakening this AM on the commute into work.
I too felt twang of addiction w/out computer access. I almost went into a Portland library to get onto a computer. Withstood the urge. Glad I did. I had to buy a phone card just to touch base w/ my kids and mom.
@Max: Sorry Max, checked the calendar and I have a birthday party (80th) for my wifes cousin. Trap pond is a beautiful place to start. I've paddled some of the small creeks and ponds in that area. In fact I did a bike tour of the same area a few years back, Crisfield ,Janes etc. Very nice roads with almost no traffic.
@GB: roads I've ridden in that area which are fine for biking: Dorsey Run Rd, Wigley, Forest, Guilford, Snowden, Dobbin, McGaw, Columbia Gateway(max has ridden this 200 times;-), Robert Fulton, Broken land, Oakland Mills, Owen Brown, some of the small roads around Savage. Not a fan of: Rt 198(doable but not fun), Wash blvd(Rt1), Rt32 circle near 175/32 merge(often lots of NSA traffic), some of the little Columbia paths. Very Very confusing. You almost need to know where you are going, few signs, twisty , mossy, narrow paths. I try to avoid. I only know the bigger roads around NSA/Ft Meade so I'll defer to Max for her info here. Some of the bigger roads around Laurel suck, Van Dusen, Virginia Manor and Contee are some. Old Gunpowder should have a bike lane these days but have not tried. It is between Laurel and Beltsville. Big trafficky road though. Some of the roads west of Columbia are pretty but narrow and high traffic like Clarksville Pike, Cedar ln., Little Pax. Lots of folks ride here though.
So what are you planning? I'm looking at this map and thinking you want to make a 4 leaf clover for St. Patrick's ride! This is one of the leaves:-)
Happy anniversary GB and Harry. I too missed the MM ride. All of my kids descended onto our home tonight. Hadn't seen them in quite awhile. Bob, I may join you this wknd. I'll let you know. How do you plan on catching Carl?

maxine

Trying to catch up . . . !

@Charlie -- w/r/t the mini-tour, no worries, enjoy the party, I'll take lots of pictures! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed your bike tour in that area of the Eastern Shore. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm having a bit of a dilemma, though, about what to do on my "free" day. My initial thought was to rent a kayak and check out some of the water trails at Janes Island; on the other hand, I'd also like to take the ferry out to Smith Island for a visit. (Can't really do both, because the ferry leaves from Crisfield at 12:30.) I could always go back some other time, with my own kayak, to paddle the water trails.

@GB and Harry -- Happy Anniversaries!

@GB w/r/t your loop routes, Charlie summed up those roads pretty well. I was probably a bit too negative about 198; it's by no means unrideable, it's just not much fun. At all. It reminds me a lot of Ritchie Highway in Glen Burnie. Multiple lanes, zero shoulder area, commercial enterprises and strip malls cheek-to-cheek-to-cheek the whole way, so lots of cars exiting and entering, or trying to get all the way across the lanes so they can u-turn at the lights. Speed limit is nominally 40, but unless traffic is truly congested, it's closer to 55. And, of course, there's the Parkway interchanges to deal with.

The trouble is, Fort Meade presents a rather large obstacle to any ride in that area; there are almost no ways through it, and most of the roads that abut it are quite busy. Avoiding most of the Laurel-Fort Meade stretch of 198 would either take you miles out of your way (by, say, heading to 197 instead), or would cut miles off (by using Brock Bridge Road.) 175 isn't as bad as 198, in my opinion. I think it's less busy on weekends than 198, and the nasty bit is of shorter duration -- mostly right around the Parkway ramps, and I think there are ways to avoid those without doing too much damage to your route. I'll try to look at it after this weekend.

@NoRacer and GB -- I'm not sure yet about bolting from the Booty course this year. They've changed the schedule, so the ride now ends at 1:00 instead of 4:00. I'm not sure how I’ll be feeling by that point! (Maybe there’s some place closer to sneak off to than the one we went to last year.) I’ll try to keep an eye out for you guys.

NoRacer

This guy did it and recorded it with Garmin 305:

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/17803094

His ride was recorded in 2008. I wonder if it has changed much.

I just did a virtual ride of the course using Google Earth. I may go out for this too:

https://www.active.com/cycling/middle...y-2010#Summary

balto charlie

You carried the torch and passed it on. You've done good. Seems like it went well according to Nate's blog.

Really!! Pretty sketchy during rush hour.

greaterbrown

More like: set the torch down and walked away hoping no one noticed.
But, it does seem like it went very well.

Nice day today. Left work early and took the "less direct" way home.
https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/454188

NoRacer

+1, to Charlie's remark.

Nice ride. I need to do that more often, but sometimes I've just had it for the day.

Good news. On the way home, yesterday, I got a text from my mother stating that the pathology test for the tumor extracted from my sister's lung came back negative. I guess that means it's benign. I haven't heard anything else from mom, so I don't know if this puts my sister in the clear or if there's other things to be done before she's completely out of the woods--maybe a monitoring phase?

greaterbrown

Very nice to hear.

greaterbrown

Score!
https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/B...urn=top-262060

Jeramabih

I'm thinking biking from Crofton to Pasadena tomorrow evening. Can anyone give any feed back on this route? Traffic, hazards, etc? I'm not thrilled about having to take 3 and 97 for that small stretch but, it appears the be the only way.

https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...d+pasadena,+md

balto charlie

RT3 has a shoulder just south of your route so probably extends onto your proposed route. Cars are very fast and numerous. You won't be on Rt 97 as that's an interstate. You'll be on Ritchie/veterans. These also have shoulders. There are a few backroads you could take to avoid 3, St. Stephens, Millersville, Johns Hopkins. I've been on St. Stevens and its a decent road. Once on Benfield I think you are good to go.

maxine

Charlie's right -- even if the shoulder on Crain Highway (MD 3) continues, it's an unpleasant road to ride on. I used to live in Riviera Beach for many years, and often did a loop route down to your neck of the woods and back.

On your proposed route, from Reidel Road I would do this:
Right on Johns Hopkins
Left on St. Stephens Church
Right on Severn Chapel
Left on Cecil
Right on Millersville
Left on Millersville @ Waterbury
Left on Generals Highway
Right on Veterans Highway
Right on West Benfield

(Charlie is also correct that you can't ride on interstate highways in MD -- or on any road for which the posted speed limit is over 50, with few exceptions. It looks like your route is on 97, but if you zoom in enough, you'll see that's actually Veterans Highway.)

It's a much more peaceful route than shooting up Crain Highway, but of course it adds miles, and probably some hills, too. (There's a nice screaming downhill on Veterans Highway right before you make the right onto West Benfield -- LOOOOOOOVE IT! )

maxine

When I bike to work, I go a different way, but if I drive, I use MD 32. I occasionally see some intrepid commuters on that stretch between 198 and 175.

maxine

That's great news! I was just thinking about your sister as I was cleaning my bike up for the Booty ride, and thinking I would shoot you an e-mail when I was done, to see how she was doing.

Jeramabih

Thanks so much maxine, that looks perfect!! I don't mind a few extra miles or hills... will just make me stronger in the long run!

NoRacer

@GB and @Max - I'm not going to make it tomorrow--went too hard today. Started get twinges in my leg muscles.

Here my ride files:

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/46548699 Ride from Chesapeake City
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/46548681 The century
https://connect.garmin.com/activity/46548595 Ride back to Chesapeake City

greaterbrown

You do love your flat rides. Rest well.

balto charlie

GB and Max: Sorry to miss the ride. Look at the board late Friday and saw Max's reluctance and didn't see any other post. Kinda figured it wasn't going down. My bad as I didn't look at my email Saturday night. Hope the ride went well. Did you sneak out? GB, did you catch Carl?

EverydayElk

Hey everyone, long time no see.

Hoping to get a ride suggestion or two.

I'd like to tour down to VA this weekend and connect with an Amtrak route somewhere, which is probably riding to Culpeper. Fishing for tips on routes that avoid DC as much as possible and keep me on pavement and among scenery. Also: I have three days, is a VA ride even worth it?

Alternatively, I'm thinking about riding up somewhere in PA in three days that would connect to the train line up there. Maybe Harrisburg? I think my mileage limit is going to be around 65 a day for this.

I know this is pretty vague. Just hoping someone had a favorite.

Alternatively, maybe you just have a favorite three-day tour from and to Baltimore. (Again, that stays on pavement.)

Thanks!

EE

maxine

Hey, no problem. I did meet up with GB Sunday on the Booty route, but I didn't have enough poop left to leave the route for a beer run.

The ride started at 1:00; I rode until 11:00 p.m. and 101 miles, with a few short water refill/port-o-pot stops, and a longer stop for dinner at around 7:00 p.m., and to get the lights on the bike. I had had a headache since shortly before the dinner stop; Advil and coffee weren't knocking it back -- in fact, it was getting worse, and starting to feel like an oncoming migraine. I wasn't sure of that, though, and although I had brought my prescription medication with me, I didn't want to take it if I didn't have to, because of its two primary side effects: it dehydrates me, and about 3-4 hours after I take it, it makes me incredibly sleepy and stupid for a few hours.

So once I hit the century mark around 11:00 (I had originally intended to ride until at least the midnight pizza party, and then see how I was feeling), I decided to try and sleep for a bit to see if the headache would lose interest. It was about 11:45 until I finally got myself into my sleeping bag. I woke up, after sleeping fitfully (the noise from I-95 is pretty loud) at about 1:45 a.m. and my head was really pounding. I gave up and took the drugs. I got up at 3:45, and was back out on the course at 4:30 a.m.

The headache was mostly gone, but the after-effects of the drugs were lingering much longer than they usually do. I was tired, and not as mentally alert as normal -- it's hard to describe, but everything just feels sloooooow and laborious. I was determined to at least beat last year's mileage (124) before I stopped for breakfast, which I did, barely -- 125! I rode until just before 8:30, but I was getting nervous; in the wee dark morning hours, there were very few riders on the course; but after breakfast, it started getting crowded again, and I still felt sluggish mentally. I decided at 8:30 a.m. to try to take just an hour nap; it ended up being only about 20 minutes, though; a shrieking toddler running around the campsite startled me awake. Back out on the loop!

I ran into GB not long after that, and I had 131 miles at that point. He gave me a cranberry muffin and we chatted for a bit, then he did a "bandit" lap around the loop with me, and took off. My brain slowly started to feel sharper, so I kept plugging away. It was getting hot, which I don't like even in the best of circumstances, and things were finally starting to hurt enough that I couldn't ignore them -- chiefly my lower back, and to a lesser extent my arms. (And, of course, there was some decent "shorts chafing" going on by that point! ) I was thinking I was about done, but then I saw how close I was to making 150 miles, and it became this psychological block for me. I could not stop with the mileage *that* close! So I kept talking myself into it . . . "Come on, you can do 4 more laps . . . see, that one wasn't so bad, just three more! Okay, two is a piece of cake!"

I was part of a team, with Terry Harrigan, Chris Bradshaw, Jeff Adler, and Nigel Samaroo, all Baltimore Bike Club members. Of course, they are all orders of magnitude faster than I am -- as I had planned, I nearly killed myself to hang onto their wheels for one lap and then said goodbye. My average speed at 25 miles was 14 mph; at 50 miles, it had dropped to 13.8; at 101 miles it was 12.7; at 125 miles it had dropped to 12.3 and then stayed there. I think the guys were averaging about 17-18.

I had forgotten about how much just the short, simple stops (water refills and bathroom breaks) eat into your time over the course of a long ride; at my pace, my idea of doing 200 miles would only have worked if I had barely slept at all. But I probably could have gotten a bit further than 150 miles but for the headache forcing me off the course -- at that point, my head was about the only thing that was really hurting; everything else still felt okay. But it certainly was a good ride, all things considered; I hadn't ridden a century since the Six Pillars on May 1, and hadn't been doing that much riding except for commuting since then. It's definitely the farthest I've ever ridden in that period of time!

The team raised $3185 -- I think Terry said we came in about 13 out of about 50 teams for fundraising. Nice! Thanks to everyone for all your support!

veloellen

Max, nice meeting you. I would have never done this ride if not for your posts on the BF last year. Didn't put in Max mileage but was really pleased and feeling fine. I spent quite a few laps with my bosses husband who is a cancer survivor (you met them at lunch on Sunday, Max) and was pleased staying with him. He never went out ecpecting to do the miles he did - nothing like a bit of peer pressure. Would guess Jimmy put on about 150 - 50 on the tandem with our son and 100 on the fixed gear.

balto charlie

Impressive Max. 150 miles!!!! well done girl.

HC203

Max-Way to go! Good deal!

NR-Great news about your sister!!

I didnt do the Shorefire century. Did do 70 miles on Sunday on top of 100 miles during the week. Nothing 4 you guys of course. NR- I share your leg cramp issues. I don't think mine are due to dehydration but something else. I think I'm going to start getting monthly massages, see if that helps. But towards end of Sunday ride I was fighting them off. Got home put my legs up and it looked like a scene from Scanners, flesh pulsing like a squirrel in a plastic bag. After that I couldnt get up off the deck without legs locking up. I get calfs, quads, hams, all of it.

Doing Bay Country on Saturday and CWC and Indian Head next week. Think I may also want t do that Backroads with you guys too-so lets get it together.

HC203

I'm going to have to try that Booty ride next year!

greaterbrown

I believe that tonight is the last date for getting the t-shirt free with registration for the backroads. FWIW

maxine

Ewwwwwwww!!! I have been blessedly largely free of cramp issues since my "mother of all cramps" episode during the Civil War Century many years back. (Everything that you could possibly do wrong on a very long, very hilly ride, I did -- and paid. I didn't think it was physically possible to get cramps in the calves, AND hamstrings, AND quads, of BOTH legs, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. It was incredible!)

When I was lying down after my post-Booty shower, I felt a few twinges in the inner thigh area of my left leg, and I was beginning to panic but they never turned into a real cramp.

Yes, you need to come out for the 24 Hours of Booty next year! It really is very cool, and of course it supports a great cause. I particularly like how it benefits both national and local cancer research/patient support programs.

I'm heading to the Outer Banks for a week this Saturday (fingers crossed that Earl doesn't do any serious damage!), and then I've got some pool team playoffs, so I'm out for Civil War Century and Indian Head. (Bummer, I've really been wanting to do Indian Head again.)