Barry: Way to go. That is a fast return to the saddle. I'm very impressed
Harry Happy Birthday.

Hi, guys, been kind of busy, haven't been posting but I have been lurking now and again. :)

Harry, happy birthday!

Barry, damn it, you're making it very difficult for me to be able to whine with a straight face. ;)

I'm getting settled into the bike-to-work routine, and I'm really enjoying it. I'm riding my Trek 520, which is about 3 pounds heavier than my Airborne, and I'm using one of those Performance garment bag panniers to haul my clothes, lunch, and shower materials. The bag and its contents weighs 13 pounds. :eek: The first time I rode in I thought "Okay, this is a heavier rig than I'm used to, I'm going to take it easy," but nooooo. Inspired/egged on by the high-speed traffic whizzing by me, and comforted by the knowledge that it's only 9.5 miles, I found myself going as fast as I could (admittedly, not very! :lol:) and have been doing that ever since.

A few tiny stories:
I found a $20.00 bill on the road Monday evening but alas there was a wallet laying next to it. I scoped up all of the stuff and located the owner(UMBC student). First big money find for me. I have enough 1/2" wrenches to last 2 lifetimes but never a $20.

This morning another train rider joined me in biking to the train. In all of my train commuting years this makes only the 4th cyclist to bike to the train.

What's a shower:eek:

What route are you riding? If you have the chance and find yourself near Old Dorsey rd, please check it out. It looks like they just repaved it, wasn't open when I went past a few weeks back. If memory serves it is on Rt 175 just east of Rt1. Might be a nice alternative to Brock Bridge/Race rd.

I live very near to where WB&A Road meets MD 174, so I meander through my neighborhood and turn right on 174, which eventually becomes Reece Road and at MD 175 is the main gate to enter Fort Meade. A little more meandering through the Fort, and there I am.

I think you must mean Dorsey Run Road. It's not on my bike route, and I can't get to it by bike from work without a pain-in-the-butt detour because the only direct route involves a very brief stretch of roadway on which bikes are prohibited. I'm driving tomorrow, though, and I have to head over that way to pick up my mail, so if I have time, I'll see how it is.

Being an office weenie who must have contact with other human beings (and who sweats buckets :D), I definitely require a shower between bike and desk.

Yesterday I decided that since there was only a couple of meeting places I would not bring my crutches, that was a mistake. The Reagan Bld is huge! Long story short I am at my friends house and enjoyed a day of sleeping in and taking the day off. My lower back is a bit sore from trying to cope with the "waddling" I do when I walk without crutches. Anyway I have homework to do for tomorrows lobbying efforts. Wish you all well and it feels great to be back on the bike (sans my sit-upon issues.)

Hell yeah! Barry, you rock.

Attention PG county peps: Prince George's County Bill Threatens Trail Easements

Random other stuff;
If I take Advil to help enjoy recreational riding, does that mean I do recreational drugs?

Happy birthday Harry :beer:

Way to go Barry and Maxine and everybody else who makes that effort to get on the bike. As I was riding home from the gym yesterday coming up Lake there must have been thirty cars at the light, I just kept shaking my head. Do you regular commuters get constantly pissed at drivers? I can't ride on the road without getting spitting mad every time I get buzzed. I gotta work on that, takes the joy out of being on the bike.
Thanks for the birthday wishes 'yall. I knew I couldn't take the day off but I had to ride, so I rode out to park Heights to Butler back on Cuba up Ivy Hill and Jerome Jay. All in all a good short ride, 37 miles and 2800 feet. Low speed but that's me on the hills.

Sounds like a fun B'day ride.

As a commuter, I occasionally get annoyed, but not often any more. I suppose I've developed a comfortable physical zone that I take up on the road that forces drivers to either pass me quickly if I've got ample shoulder or if there's no shoulder, slow way down because I am forcing them to drive into oncoming traffic lanes. I don't care whether they want to share the road or not- they have to share the risk. If I've got no clean shoulder to ride on and you wanna pass then you gotta get in the oncoming traffic lane. I don't give a choice.

I honestly don't mind risky attentive drivers. I wish there were more of them. Sadly, these days the roads are filled with inattentive weenie drivers who aren't the slightest bit aware of the risks of driving a car. I'd like to think that my commutes are forcing these fools to be a little scared of driving. As it should be. (rant off)

+1000 - I've grown a thicker skin, but like Bob said, it's the inattentive ones that will kill you--they cause me to get fighting mad.

Since my last episode on Rossville Blvd where a driver drove almost right up on to my rear wheel, I've added a second Dinotte taillight mounted on my helmet. This seems to be helping a little more, but if a MV operator is not looking at the road in front of them, then all the lights in the world aren't going to stop them from hurting someone.

Yeah, Dorsey Run that's the name. I love the feel of fresh pavement. Thanks

You either get use to it or drive your car. Unfortunately it happens too often. I hate the trucks and work vans that buzz me. Their mirrors stick out far. I try to find better routes that are low in traffic or offer me more space.

I rode home yesterday with the new bike commuter at MARC. It was nice having company.

What is her name? ;)

Down boy. Spring must be in the air. :love:

I just found his words rather curiously asexual.

Her names is Dave and she's bald:lol: Rides an nice old Specialized Expedition touring bike.

LOL! How progressive of her! :thumb:

Bob, the guy from NY who rode here for Bike Jam in 2006 is named David Torres. Here's the route that they took:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=188306

You'll have to zoom out to see the whole thing, but it's about 213 miles with assistance over the Hatem Bridge. If you don't intend to go over the bridge, then add another 20 miles to the trip to go over the Susquehanna River via the Conowingo Dam.

The most direct but certainly not the most scenic route. Lots of rough riding in north Jersey and then the section of Rt. 1 around New Brunswick, ouch. There may be a wide shoulder but that stretch is hell. Also takes you through Philly, Wilmington, and a long stretch of lovely Rt. 40 in MD.

The route goes right by my old house in NJ. I would have to make a detour.

Well, if the goal is to do the ride in 1 day, then "scenic" is low priority.

I beleive David Torres et al did his route in 3 days. David was riding a mountain bike and the other two ladies were on cross bikes.

I would not be interested in doing that ride in 1 day. If I finish my tour from Montreal to Bmore this summer I'll come down through there possibly taking the Path train out of NYC. I learned my lesson last August of doing 90 plus miles a day loaded touring, pointless, joyless. I do have some interest in doing the longest day ride in NJ but Bmore to NY in one day, not for me.

Looked back at the posts about this trip and it was Barry who asked if Bob meant to do it in one day. I didn't see a reply from Bob.

I was daydreaming the other day about not having to carry anything on the bike... no seatbag, no pump, just fuel... about having a SAG vehicle for a long trip and only stopping when I had to pee or get more fuel or change the kit or fix a mechanical or catch a couple winks. It would be nice to be able to draft behind the SAG vehicle at high speeds for miles on end. I would love to ride anywhere like that for a whole weekend just for the experience.

Okay, we need to recruit a sag crew.

My route from Pikesville to Glen Echo: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,0.154495&z=13

Did this ride today:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/York-Furnace-200k

Blogged here:

http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/21319