I wanna go and can't, therefore you guys suck :p

Well, we at least know where -you're- priorities lie. ;)

Ellicott City, close to Snowden River Pkwy and Rt 100. My sister-in-law lives just down the street and her address reads Columbia, so I guess it's fairly close to the Columbia-Ellicott City border. I checked routeslip.com a little while ago, but that doesn't really give me a feel for 'which roads to avoid', which I guess would've been the better question (which apparently, you agree with).

I much prefer Baltimore County to Howard. Other than the proximity, it is much easier to get away from the sprawl development and onto some really really back roads. State roads in Ho. Co. like Rt. 108 and 32 are horrendous though 99 is nice. When I go that far west (not very often) I will take Old Court all the way to 99 which is not too unpleasant. I also think the inhabitants of norther Baltimore County are a little more 'genteel' than folks in Howard County and thus more accommodating of bikes and other slow moving traffic.

PS. Got out yesterday for and hour and a half around Loch Raven Reservoir. The run off was abominable. My feet where freezing and my arse was soaked but I burnt a few killajoules! Don't forget to lube those chains!!!!

Sounds fine to me. I'll leave my house at about 8am to allow for traffic lights.

Ummm... I may wind up with more than 80 miles, as it's 75 miles for the round trip from Essex to Annapolis after just crossing the naval academy bridge, but that's ok. I'll be in the "ball park" for "epic" once I get home.

I said 'I' was not that tough. I think being car-less has to be tough. I am always impressed by folks like you. It's easy to be car-less in NY, CD, SF but not as easy in B-more. I don't like to buy beer and carry it on a bike.

What map are y'all talking about. Is it map that looks like a regular road map. I guess it's good to tell you which roads to avoid at all cost. It's notthegreatest bike map but i guess it's all we got.
For those of you riding this wknd be careful on rail-trails routes. Any unplowed shaded areas are going to have ice.

I can't make this on Saturday because of my TNT training ride, but I'd love to do this one with you guys on another occasion --- or another route for that matter.

I go to Annapolis on the B&A Trail fairly often for a low-pressure-low stress recovery type of ride [weather permitting]. BTW, the last time I rode on it, there was a section that is closed. I believe they're doing renovations. It's not hard to by-pass and find your way back on to the trail.

Don, the current map can be found here:

http://www.sha.state.md.us/SHAServic.../OPPE/maps.asp

http://www.sha.state.md.us/images/map3.jpg

That's ok. You can handle epic I'm sure :D

-D

Yea well at least are riding this afternoon. I heard on the radio something about chances for up to 50mph wind gusts?

FUN

-D

Yeah, if it's coming from the correct direction, I could open up my jacket and use it as a sail. :eek:

NoRacer,

Actually I can't find your number. Wanna zap it to me again?

-D

Wow WIND. I took a quick spin this afternoon. Sorry you couldn't make it RacerMike. It was seriously windy. I had a headwind all the way back up Deer park.

It worked out kinda nice. My wife had taken the kids to a play date, that actually was also a birthday party. So she forgot the present. So my ride was double duty exercise/Bike Messenger.

But yea, there were times I was leaning over like I was taking a 90deg turn just to counteract the wind.

It also dropped like 10 deg while I was riding.

I gotta remember the raceblades saturday.

-D

^^^^

Yeah, the weather returning to winter by Sunday sux. At least on Saturday, the wind is suppose to subside. I've been riding home in shorts the past two days. I don't think I'll get away with it on Saturday.

-D, did you get my number?

Yea that's the only thing I am sorta nervous about (aside from keeping up with you). It is gonna be the longest sub 50deg ride I have been on so far. I hate trying to figure out what to wear.

Got your number and plugged it into my phone.

-D

-D,

Here's the route I'll be taking to BWI and how to proceed from there, including your route to Thomas Point Park:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...-outbound-only

I estimate that I'll have about 110 miles by the time I get back home.

Wow, is that cool? I hope you wanted to do a century+ on saturday. Otherwise we could modify the route and do something else. At least it will be a mostly flat 110 miles. And you can stay in the recovery zone easily so you don't drop me.

-D

No problem. I should be ok as long as we're not fighting wind all of the time.

This is a "no drop" ride. ;)

Just FYI . . .
 

I had to drive home from the BWI MARC station yesterday, so I took a few road detours to try to get some peeks at the trail. The unshaded spots that I could see appear to be completely free of snow, but with the occasional puddle, which will likely be frozen over Saturday morning. Since most of the BWI Trail is unshaded, it probably wouldn't be a bad ride. Dunno about the B&A Trail, though -- it has a lot more overhanging trees, so I wouldn't be surprised to find more snow/ice there.

The BWI is my favorite weekday, on-the-way-home-from work ride. I don't normally go there on weekends (I live kind of far away) but I had been thinking of heading there this Saturday, just so that if I do fall on some ice, at least I won't be pitched in front of a car.

If the lanterne rouge spot isn't already taken, it would be cool to meet some local bikeforumites, at least for a few minutes, until you all blast off over the horizon . . . :D

^^^^^

Maxine,

derath and I will be at the Dorsey Rd airport observation parking lot at about 9:30AM if you want to try and catch us there. We both ride Giant, so I don't think it'll be hard to find us.

You can also feel free to join us for any or all of our ride

-D

Thanks! I will look for you guys at Dixon. (Car = burgundy Mitsubishi Eclipse, bike = ti Airborne Carpe Diem.)

Yea I may detour off to the roads for some of that. I will see on my way up in the morning.

-D

That's on tonight's list of things to do after a short rollers ride.

Well I just got to my parents. I took the back way so I could go past the B&A trail. I saw it in several areas, which are all completely clear and dry. Should be good for a ride.

I wasn't able to find my lube :( but the chain should be good for at least another ride. I will pick some up on the way home.

-D