Question for all you MD-ers. I'm a native of NC in Columbia, MD for the summer. I'm looking for some good Saturday morning group rides. I'm not terribly fast, so no racers-only events for me. Any thoughts?

qnn, if you find any good rides let me know im in burtonsville, md just a little south of you. Im slow, so....

Check the Baltimore Bike Club's ride schedule here:

http://www.baltobikeclub.org

Speaking of easy, low intensity rides--Bud Lippert's BBC ride, today, including some pictures:

http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/34845

So, intense, my average heart rate for nearly 30 miles of riding in the heat was 87 beats per minute!

Qnn300 you might also want to check with Race Pace Bikes in Columbia, as well as Princton sports as both run rides in the warmer weather. Performance bikes is also supposed to open soon in Columbia and I am sure they will have riding as well. I live in Columbia also, but I commute all week on my bike, so other than running errands to the other side of Columbia I take it easy. Recreation rides are usually on the NCR, or C&O canal and on the canal either camping somewhere along the canal or spending an evening or weekend in Washington is preferred. Columbia boasts 93 miles of paths, but they don't go anywhere, other than one which leads to the south to Savage and beyond. The BBC website has lots of routes you can do on your own at your own pace.

Sunday's metric century:

http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/post/10783/34900

Funny thinking of you holding back that much. 87? you must have been sleeping.

So did a really great ride in the Adirondacks last weekend. Met some great people up in Saratoga Springs, couple of them rode with us, two on the first day and one for the last three. We rode out of Saratoga Springs up to Indian Lake hugging and crossing the Hudson at various points. The group quickly broke up with a few fast guys off the front, I had decided that I would be sweep as I am sort of the mid speed guy between fast and slow, so I hung back. Beautiful riding, long tapered climbs, just one really steep ascent on day 1, rest manageable. For night one we had access to a cabin on a lake which I just fell in love with, gotta have. Beach, dock, what you would expect. Guy named Carl took me out for a kayak ride just like that, never met the guy. Turns out he used to work for the News America, small world, moved up to Albany when Cuomo was going to run for pres. We jkayaked into this cove that just had me rapt, so beautiful, water like glass, good conversation, like I said, gotta get that.
Day 2 had us ride north west over a few climbs as we circumnavigated the high peaks up to Lake Placid. A very pleasant day, more long climbs and long descents, again I stayed back with the slower riders including Stef, who won't be in the back for long, great climber. Did I mention that we had a sag, my minivan has been re-purposed now as official support vehicle. My brother in law was the driver, very funny, held up mileage signs for us as well as signs with words like "virgins" and an arrow.
We camped outside of Lake Placid and woke to rain on day 3. With no choice we took down our tents in the rain and proceeded on the 50 mile downhill to Lake Champlain, yes, if you look at the elevation profile it is all down to the lake, very fun, very fast, and very wet, torrents in fact. We got to the ferry very wet and cold, longish ferry ride to Burlington where we got dumped on yet again. Short ride to our next hosts house but several of us decided on a hotel, best f-ing shower of my life-and longest!
Day 4 was south out of Burlington. Last two times in Burlington I was really put off by the amount of traffic for such a small town, crazy. Our mapping had been perfect up until today where we got off cue and onto Rt 7. They say this is a bike route, it is NOT, it is a truck route, the two cannot coexist. We literally came very close to being dead, seriously. We were stopped along highway, on the minimal and very chewed up shoulder when somebody yelled "get off!!". We all pitched into the grass as an over sized load carrying a monster land mover rocketed past. I watched it pass and the 3 foot treads of the tractor completely took out the shoulder. We quickly got back on cue.
Rode down to the ferry at Ticonderoga traversing some long gravel stretches along the rolling hills along the lake, stunning views but the Madone not great choice for that surface. Got back on the NY side and made our way down the west side of Lake George on a great road. NY for the most part has great cycling roads, wide shoulders.
Our hosts in S Springs were amazing, let us stay in their giant Victorian guest house, pizza and beer on their big wraparound porch. Such moments don't come along often.
Think I'll order a custom Serotta, they make em in S Springs, get fitted, pick it up and ride it home.

Pics on Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/5229947...7624553981818/

^^^^^^^
Great pics, Harry! Looks like a fantastic time!

Welcome home Harry....again! Travelling man. Looks like a nice trip. I'm thinking of touring up there this fall or the finger lakes area. Guess you missed the 100F days we have been having They really sucked. Seems Isaias is the only one cranking. I'm either working on my truck, canoe and bikes for an upcoming Maine Vacation or laying submerged in water

Today was a bizzare day for me. Typical commute but realized lots of fallen trees and tons of debris in the roads in PG county near work. Arrived to no electricity, we were on backup generators, lots of crashed computers, my microscope was down, no internet. Since most of our labs were under similar electrical problems so we were told to leave. No more trains until evening rush hour. So I road the 30 miles home from work. Delightful ride I might say. I actually took a few extra turns to increase the distance. A few new roads! Strange day but good times.

@Harry: Post a cue for your ride if you have it
@NR 60 miles yesterday is unbelievable. good job

Good morning, all!

Charlie, I saw this link to SHA, yesterday--it showed a lot of closed roads due to that last line of t-storms that went through (Sunday):

http://www.chart.state.md.us/TravInfo/Default.aspx

In other news:

Lance Armstrong arrives for his latest press conference: on Twitpic

17th Heat-Related Death Reported In Md. - wjz.com

Autobahn Overtaken By One Million Cyclists | Wend Magazine - Greenery - StumbleUpon

Portland airport installs bike assembly station for travellers - Springwise \

Lots of heat related deaths. Here's a young cyclist that also succumbed to the heat.
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0710/758221.html

They closed the Autobahn for bikes, very nice. And Portland continues to lead our country in promoting bicycling. good links

Charlie, the weather was pretty good up there, typically pleasant night temps, pretty hot in the day but not as bad as here. I think I have one more trip in me for teh summer, my brother's place on Marco Island in FLA. It would be cheap and I could work while my teenager hangs by the pool or beach. Maine sounds good, love Maine.

I have our entire route on mapmyride. I think if you just search ADK you'll find them.

Roadie in PG County. I'm glad I clicked on this thread. Just getting back on bike after three years. Been bitten by the bug again. New bike, new gear, etc. I saw on the first page about Balt. Bike Club's rides, especially the Civil War Century. I'll definitely be checking that out! For the other PG County riders among us, what regular rides do you recommend? I have lived in PG for only four years and haven't found anything out this way yet. I usually go into DC for my riding.

Hi there! Have you checked out the Oxon Hill club? Depending on where in PG County you are, some of their rides might not be too far to get to. They do a really pretty annual century ride (Sep. 12 this year), the Southern Maryland/Indian Head 100.

http://www.ohbike.org/

Yes, I had heard of Oxon Hill Club when I first moved out here, but since I had stopped riding I had forgotten about them. Thanks for the info. I'll have to decide between the IH metric or the CW metric as a tune-up for the Seagull.

Please keep the suggestions coming!

Yo GB: Isaias posted something on BBC that your still wounded? Are U biking? AT still an issue? I can give "free" medical advise(from my wife,therapist). If it hurts when you ride, don't ride. I will also say that tendinitis can become chronic if you continue to pursue activities that aggravate the injury.

@ asindc: check GBs Rando rides(BBCwebsite), leave from downtown B-more heading somewhere for an all day excursion, often approaching double metric distances. Many riders bike to the start for an even longer ride.

Thanks, I will check out that site some more. I'm only 40 minutes from downtown B'more, straight up the Parkway (man, do I wish the Parkway had bike lanes in the median). Good to hear that Baltimore has an active cycling scene.

I hope to do the CWC and Indian Head Century back to back. Looks like I'll do Seagull this year as well.

Maybe we should do a MD Peeps BF ride for those three centuries?! I haven't done the supported CWC since the rider cap; never have done Indian Head, and did Seagull back in, I think, 2007(?)

At least one of them as a BF ride. The Indian Head is a bit of a drive. If I do the CWC and that back to back may just drive straight down there to hotel or camp.

I had this loose idea of doing the Seagull with this woman at Mbrook who's survived both a heart attack and breast cancer in past year or so. I gotta check in with ere and see how those plans are progressing, more the merrier.

Was just checking the OH Bike site and there are quite a few fall centuries to choose from.

Seagull has way too many riders. I believe the CWC has a lot as well. Never done a supported ride. Always like self supported. If you get something organized for IH I might bite.

Seagull is huge. I tend to get depressed and lonely on my solo rides, I spend most of my time alone when working so I think I prefer to have warm bodies about. The ADK worked well, though hard to do long days after drinking beer and bourbon all night : )

Whoops! I've been neglecting my MD Peeps.

So... where am I? The achilles is doing just great. Steve Z's BBC ride last week was the first ride that I gave it a full test and I had no lingering pains.
I will continue to monitor the situation though. I think dropping the saddle 1/4" and sliding the cleat all the way back on that side has made a positive effect. Hoping that's the end of it.

Been commuting hard again this week- gotta keep up those mileage goals.

I am very undecided about September centuries. I'm not sure where to put the Ramble. I've got a lot going on in Sept. The only real sunday I've got open is the 12th. Ed Hopkins already has a 15-17 long ride scheduled that day. And, I kinda wanted to get in a supported ride sometime this year. The Indian Head is a nice one and it is also the 12th.

If you all are up for riding the Indian Head, then I'd be way up for a MD Peeps carpool down there.
I'll squeeze the Ramble into the month somehow.

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