My reply to the BBCTalk listserv:


--- marktabb <marktabb@yah.....> wrote:

> So, if you felt a little guilty for not riding, you
> made the right
> decision. IT WAS ONE SICK DAY .....but please come
> next time....it is
> easier to suffer with others....& drafting doesn't
> hurt either!
>
> I am now having hot coffee & hot soup...IT HURT SO
> GOOD!
>
> Remember- It's a gift!!
> Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!
> MT
>
>

Well, my ride to Annapolis seems that much better after reading your report, Mark.

First of all, I got to the Dixon Observation Parking Lot on Dorsey Rd a little later than I had planned (10:30am vs. 10am), so I'm glad that the two other gents from the race team decided to beg off or they would have been waiting on me.

The first set of obstacles to overcome were presented on the southwest portion of the BWI trail--namely ice. Getting past some of it required riding onto the snow covered grass. That section of the BWI trail was worse then the entire B&A trail. There was only one section of the B&A that had ice from edge to edge. That was a portion of the trail that ran parallel to the road for Marley Station Mall.

I had a tailwind to Annapolis and thought that I may have been overdressed, but riding back to BWI against the wind, I was glad about my clothing selection.

The hairiest part of the ride was crossing the Naval Academy Bridge going south. I was buffetted by the wind seemingly from the west and then the east (or was it northwest and southeast?), back and forth. In other words, it would push me towards the guard rail or the other way toward traffic. All I could do was get as low as I could in the drops to make myself more aero to the crosswinds. For some reason, the winds were not nearly as bad heading the opposite direction.

The ride was 37 miles. At different points in the ride, my computer registered 22 degF and the ride averaged 24 degF.

Here's a slide show of my adventure (it's not much, just a few shots here and there):
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v2...view=slideshow