The Human Car

You go girl! You know about South Rd that lets you avoid Gun Road right?

maxine

Ummmm . . . no? I just checked my Streets & Trips software, I don't see a South Road anywhere near Gun Road. Do you mean South Rolling Road, maybe? The software shows it ending abruptly in the middle of nowhere, but S&T doesn't show paved surfaces that aren't accessible to cars.

I might not want to avoid the Gun Road climb, anyway. It will be my arch-nemesis, my white whale . . .

balto charlie

Excellent Maxine perhaps you'll see me on day. I ride by the park and ride everyday around 645AM. Another option might be to park @ the Grist Mill Trail entrance to the park. It's located near the intersections of Illchester rd, River rd and Hilltop rd, HOCO side of the river but immediately crosses the river to the Balto side. Flat as a pancake. Think about that option on those tired days, beautiful ride. You can avoid Gun by riding south rolling(turns into Selford), right on francis, left on Rolling (it curves hard right then hard left). This will put you on Rt1. You can avoid Rt1 by turning into Patapsco park, turn left over the river then left again back to rt1. I always ride on 1 because it is much faster than riding back through the park.....unless time and weather say to go for it. Enjoy the commute, this AM was great....yesterday not so good Charlie

maxine

Thanks, Charlie, I'll check out the other options, too -- always good to have alternatives for those tired/sore/bad mood etc. days.

I'm going to shoot for still getting to work by my usual 7:00 to 7:30 arrival time, so I'll be out there pretty early.

So riding on that section of Route 1 isn't too bad? I'm not traffic-shy, and originally I was looking at staying on South Rolling to Francis to South Street to 1, but when I drove the reverse on the way home one day, I turned right on Main from Furnace and got on Route 1 from there, and it wasn't pretty . . . blind turn curving back to the left, heavy high-speed traffic, and I had to get over to the left quickly so I could turn left onto South Street. Even gunning my little sports car across, it scared the bejeebers out of me -- I couldn't imagine doing the same thing on a bike. The Levering Avenue crossing of US 1 has a traffic light, which makes me feel *much* better.

balto charlie

That section of rt1 is not very good. There is a shoulder (heading south on 1) for a lot of it but not all of it. Cars are moving very fast. I do it because I am lazy and it's a 150 yard sprint vs. a 1 mile "cut through the park" Heading north on 1 is also tough but has a shoulder to hide but it is full of crap. You also have to worry about the cars entering onto 895 from rt1.
So: parking at the Grist Mill trail head gives you access to Levering and the light, easier ride, more scenic and less traffic. I actually ride this route when time permits(adds 5-6 more miles to commute).
Here are 2 options, similar miles.
https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1893282
https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1893295
You also can do Gun but riding up that MF is not a lot of fun, will make you stronger though. I wouldn't do it everyday tho'.
If you are eventually heading towards rt175 try these roads:
Furnace east from rt1 area
Right on Race
right on Hanover(not left to Race)
Left on High Tech
Left on Coca Cola
X Rt100
right on Dorsey rd
left on Forest(turns into Wigley Ave)
You will find larger roads, some with shoulders, no blind curves(like Race) and traffic is just as lite as Race rd.
Good luck in whatever you do, Charlie

NoRacer

Who's going where for Bike-to-Work Day? I'll be at the Towson Courthouse riding this, hopefully sans fenders:

greaterbrown

hmm... I'm firmly on the fence
I've been thinking about going up to the Towson meet-up for a change.
Last couple of years I went downtown then back out to Owings Mills. It's probably just as easy to ride up to Towson and out from there.

And then there's the weather... more rain for friday. , so I'd be less wet using the metro from downtown.

But then again the Kogswell's got full fenders.
(not those little paperclippy things it looks like NoRacers got on the TCR )

greaterbrown

LOL I ask, I receive:
DCRand ride this sunday. Including me, I could take 2 bikes/riders(maybe 3?) leaving from the city if anyone is interested in going with. -GB

SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2008
"E-I-E-I-O," starting from Old MacDonald's Farm in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
MEETING TIME 8:00 a.m. (cuz Rocco's doesn't open til Noon on Sunday).
This ride was washed out on April 20, so we are rescheduling it for this
Sunday:

Old MacDonald went for a bike ride, and on that ride he set out from his
farm in EMMITSBURG, danced a jig in IRISHTOWN, dined like a king at
Rocco's in EAST BERLIN, picked a few apples in IDAVILLE, and crossed the
railroad tracks in ORRTANNA. We will attempt to find at least one of
each of Old MacDonald's farm animals. The first half of the ride is
fairly mellow. The second half is moderately hilly and very scenic.
100 miles, with a 79-mile short option that includes the lunch stop and
still eliminates all the afternoon hills! Estimated elevation 5,000
feet or so.

Directions to the ride start:
OLD MacDONALD'S FARM (aka McDonald's), Emmitsburg, Maryland From DC
Beltway go North on I-270 about 31 miles to Frederick. Continue north
on US15 for about 25 miles, then exit onto MD140 West (AFTER the Seton
Ave/Bus.15 exit). In about a quarter mile turn right onto Silo Hill Rd
at the traffic light (McDonald's on R). Make your 1st right onto Silo
Hill Parkway (just after McDonald's) and park beyond the car wash.

NoRacer

Lol! At least they keep my butt a little drier.

If you come to Towson, I'll be at the courthouse early (~7am)--see ya there.

I'm on the fence for the weekend. The 180 miler on Saturday by DC Rand looks tempting, but the Silo Hill ride does, too. Maybe, I'll have to do both!

balto charlie

I am going to miss this years BTWD. My first miss in many years. I have to pick up my daughter. Her University is finished this Friday.
There's a rider looking for others to ride with on BTWD. He will be going from S. Balto to DC, helluva BTWD ride. Look for his post on bikewashingtondc yahoo group. Ride safe everyone. Charlie
PS Noracer A true commuter is NEVER sans fenders.

NoRacer

True. It was wishful thinking in regard to the weather. Yesterday, the fenders were off. Today, they are back on, probably for quite awhile.

Btw, how many "true commuter" set-ups include all carbon wheelsets and 54x42 time trial chainrings?

brandenjs

Only the ones that can't wait to get to work and have to get there fast...

NoRacer

+1...

...or the habitually late.

Superide

Hey guys, I live in Damascus MD and was wondering if any of you guys around here mnt. bike

balto charlie

You needed the fenders this AM. Carbon wheelset and East Balto Rds
Hope y'all have good BTWD rides. I gotta say you earned 'badass' status after this mornings deluge. I drove in very early today to avoid traffic and it was raining really hard.

brandenjs

I grew up in Kemptown. I used to do alot of biking in Gambrill watershed above Frederick. Some pretty nice trails up there. Have'nt been there for a long time since I moved to Charles Town Wv..

greaterbrown

So, when I started posting to this thread I just assumed that it was like Second Life- invented, virtual personalities. I get up to the Towson courthouse this morning and there's this guy there on a badass racing bike with little paperclippy fenders on it. He's says his name is NoRacer. WTH!?

I actually made plans with this person to ride in Emmittsburg on sunday. Was this a smart thing to do? What if NoRacer is not a 45 year old Cat 4 racer, but is actually a 20 year old cheerleader?
Is it safe?
-GB

NoRacer

Dude! Try 50 years old. But, thanks.

Look for a PM soon. And, btw, great meeting you. I look forward to our carpooling to the ride Sunday.

maxine

Very funny!! I've not met too many Maryland BF people "in real life," but so far they've all been as advertised.

NoRacer

You didn't tell him that we've met.

I've met The Human Car, Josh (joshandlaurie), FatguyRacer, and Derath, as well.

(and, then there's Dr.Pete, MDcatV, Lithuania, Orcanova, NomadVW,... I know there's more)

derath

No he is who he says he is. But you are still probably in trouble

Enjoy the ride

maxine

I didn't want to crush his hopes that you might, in fact, be a 20-year-old cheerleader.

NoRacer

We rode, got wet, dried out; good times

After doing 150 miles with the DC Randonnuers on Saturday, I wasn't sure that I'd be up for another 100 miles on Sunday. But, I hadn't met a certain person who subscribes to bikeforums.net, monitors BBCTalk, and has gone on rides with Barry (The Human Car)--Bob (greaterbrown).

So, 6:30am comes around and Bob picks me up at my house. We drive to Emmitsburg for the ride. Fingers are crossed, and so far, no rain.

We meet the group at Silo Hill Rd. Some group. The ride leaders, Chuck & Crista, on a tandem and Maile on her ti Seven. I guess everyone else got scared off by the weather prediction.

We head down the road. Within 2 miles it starts to rain. It started out easy and got harder the further north we rode. By the first rest/coffee stop (approximately 30 miles into the ride), we were wet, but not soaked.

But, Chuck (tandem "driver"?) was just getting over some kind of illness and then a couple weeks ago both Chuck and Crista had a spill on a wet metal bridge. Chuck wasn't feeling any love for the ride, so he decided that the tandem will go up the road another mile and then head back to the ride start.

As the rest of us, me, Maile, and Bob started up the road, the rain started gaining strength. In some places it became torrential. All three of us were soaked to the bone by the time we reached the lunch stop in East Berlin.

I'll let the following link to a slideshow finish the story:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mcn7/sets/72157605130876923/show/with/2503887840/

Btw, Bob seems to be a natural at this long distance stuff. I know the group is looking forward to riding with him again in the future.

greaterbrown

NoRacer, THANX. I had a blast yesterday- in spite of the squishy socks. -GB

greaterbrown

Sad and surprising (to me).

Bob Moore died this last friday.
I did not know Bob very well but he was tirelessly active in local biking networks like the BBC and the mayors advisory council on biking. He was also a very important component in bringing the baltimore hostel back to life this year.

Bob, RIP