This is as far as I got so far.

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...to-Ski-Liberty

Keep in mind I did the route backwards (starting north and going south) so the elevation is backwards.

South of where I ended I wasn't sure the best route. There are many options, depending on how you feel about traffic.

-D

Does this help any?
http://bikewashington.org/routes/dc2thurmont/index.htm
http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/gi...s/bikeways.asp

FWIW That section of Washington Blvd I don’t care for. My variant is to take Foxhall Farm Rd to the fire service road (gravel, the skinny tire folks won’t like but it is short) to the Glen Artney section of the park or I use Gun Rd. Then connect to your route via River Rd/Levering Ave.

First one works well, except I would follow my directions from Rt 26 north. there is no point in going all the way to thurmont.

-D

yeah that part sucks. it's short and I haul a$$, has some shoulder. If I 'm biking w/ non-experienced riders I kick back into the park and go around to Levering. I'm trying to picture the fire service rd you speak of???? Where does it enter the park? Gun Rd I know.

I was just looking at those. They look COOL. Great comprimise between tubulars and clinchers. I may have to try out a pair when my current tires wear out.


-D

Hey Noracer,

Which Tufos do you ride on? I assume they hold up well given that you ride so darn much, and commute on them as well.

[edit] NM found a recent thread in the road forum where you mention it.

-D

I finally remembered. It comes into the park near the picnic grounds and the area that use to have a bunch of mnt bike log rides. Until "The MAN' hauled them away. That's a rocky road for a few hundred feet. 23s would not be happy. My touring (32's)bike might be ok. I'll try it one morning on the way to the train. Barry, you really know your way around.

Derath & Human Car,

Sorry to be late with my response, between riding and obligations, I couldn't get to BF until this morning.

Thanks for the input - that gives me a good sense of what to do. A combination of the two routes will work, I'll map it out & post.

Bob

This is a little off-topic, but since someone brought up Pennsylvania, I thought I should share my link to a bunch of PDF's of bike touring paths for PA...
Here it is: http://www.dot.state.pa.us/bike/web/tour_routes.htm

These are "long-haul" routes that criss-cross the state (typically 2-lane or 4 lane blacktop). I would like to do at least part of one someday. I have ridden in and around the Bedford PA area and found that to be marvelous.

Reminder about an upcoming ride.

Patuxent Rural Legacy ride, June 9. Hilly metric century. I did this ride last year and tanked. In my defense my son (or second child) was born 6 weeks before the ride and I hadn't been on the bike in over 8. So I am going again to redeem myself. And it was a nice ride.

If anyone is interested let me know. We can also carpool. I have room for 3 passengers and bikes.

Ride info

http://www.ohbike.org/events/rural_legacy_eflyer.html

My info from last year

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/896042

-D

After looking at that route, I think I'd make sure to have my will up-to-date before trying it. Most of the roads on that route are 50mph+ for cars with not much shoulder and a lot of blind curves and crests. Very non-bike-friendly stuff.

The alternates to this are almost countless. From Damascus (where I currently live) I'd probably try to stay on the east side of 27, where there's less traffic. Something like Howard Chapel Dr to Gue to Long Corner to 144, where there's around 6 feet of shoulder on each side. 144 west of Mt Airy isn't as good, but at least it's straight-ish and the sight distance is better than 80.

I actually think that using Old Annapolis Rd to cut of that one corner would be better, as it would save some time on 144 and also on 75. Anything marked as a MD state road (27, 75, 80) is going to be pretty busy, and the only reason 144 isn't bad is because 1) it has the shoulder for a good portion, and 2) most of the traffic going that way uses I-70.

Just my two cents as someone who rides that area year-round.

I don't know the roads that well below Rt 26. But north of 26 I have ridden those roads before. They aren't too bad. Not that much traffic. But you would know better living out that way.

-D

Hmmm, if I don't get called on to instruct that day for an autocross school and I decide not to do the MS150 in Salisbury and I can get a kitchen pass from the wife, I may just do this ride with you. I'll keep you updated.

Good deal then. If I can get ya to 26 alive, then you can get us the rest of the way. :)

Is the MS150 basically the Seagull route?

-D

Not sure, but its looking more and more unlikely that I'll want to do the whole weekend over there, so your ride is looking better.

Not quite, although it occasionally covers some of the same ground. I'd say it's closer to the ViewTrail 100 route, with stops at Shockley Road, Furnace Town (very cool!), and Public Landing.

http://www.visitworcester.org/birding/viewtrail100.htm

I much prefer the MS150 route to the Seagull; it's more scenic, has more interesting rest stops, and even has one or two tiny hills, as I recall.

Think we should start another thread about this ride and try to get some BF people together? Also, I plan on doing the Covered Bridges ride again...that was a blast last year. This year I ride with the group and the FIL is on his own.

We could. I don't mind keeping it low key as well. I have another person or 2 not on BF probably going. I do want to get an early start.

I am on the fence with Covered Bridges. It was awesome riding with such a big BF group. But honestly I thought the ride kinda sucked overall. Maybe because it was so hot and the fact that the best rest stop wasn't even part of the ride.

Getting lost and having to make up a 15 min deficit at the beginning to catch you guys too kinda wasn't fun.

-D

Ok here is another Baltimore route puzzler. I have a friend who started riding this past year. He just bought himself a new bike and wants to start riding to work. He lives just south of BWI, about a mile due south of the BWI trail loop on WB&A. He works at Constellation Energy. Which is basically the corner of Pratt and President St.

He really wants to try doing it, but has concerns about riding through some "bad" neighborhoods. He mentioned Cherry Hill. I don't know anything about the neighborhoods so I haven't been able to figure out a route that he would feel comfortable riding.

-D

He should be able to connect up with this route: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Balto-Annapolis (if he has any difficulties let me know.) Depending on the sensitivity to bad neighborhoods there are 0, 0.8 or 1.5 miles worth of not really that bad of bad neighborhoods on the route.

Hey Don; I did this ride too! 51.6ish miles in 3:18 with 3 very short breaks. I missed a turn which added on the extra mileage (they need to do a little bit better job on the cue sheet for next year IMO). The one turn that I think quite a few people missed was not marked clearly at all.

- Kelly :D

I would recommend that he test potential routes on an early Saturday morning to get a feel for them. Human car is right, there really is not too much to worry about. The worst thing in my opinion is the horrid condition of the road surface on all neighborhoods adjacent to patapsco ave.

My preference is to take the Gywns falls trail past the Greyhound station, then get on Annapolis rd at the power station along Russell. Take that to Waterview, go right, then immediate left to remain on Annapolis. Take it across patapsco ave and all the way to Nursery, right on Nursery then left on Hammonds Ferry which will take you to Andover and the BWI trail.

Angelo, I keep meaning to try your route but I always seem to forget it when I am out there. So what I ended up trying coming home was Camp Meade Rd (170) Baltimore Annapolis Blvd (648.) Which scores points on being direct but I am still undecided which route may offer the better comfort factor, that certainly wasn’t bad but most of the traffic was going the opposite way so the experience may be different if you’re riding with the majority of traffic.

Its been a while since I have posted anything on this site, but I have made the leap and am in the process of building a singlespeed road bike. I just needed something other than my full suspension mountain bike to cruise around town on, and not feel so paranoid when I have it locked up outside. Whats next....spandex? :)

Hope y'all can ride on "bike to work day" tomorrow. I hope to ride all the way (27 miles each way) and forgo the train. we'll see how I feel at 6:00am. Rode almost 35 today(commute & rec). I'm not going to any of the meeting spots as none meet between the 2 cities. Anybody else riding to the meeting spots? Riding to work? Be safe Charlie
PS I haven't been posting much as work has been really busy and we have a new group running our server at work.

I've been toying w/ the same idea. I live in Catonsville and figure I can't use it around my hood. Too many hills and my knees are too old. I was going to use it for rail trails. It would be good for Balto city tho'. Is that where you live?

I’m heading down to City Hall in Baltimore with my 12 year old daughter. I’m riding 10 miles in and my Daughter is aiming to do 7 miles (she did 5 miles last year.) Here is a pic from last year of us in route:
http://www.baltometro.org/images/sto...06/2006-09.htm

The guy in the suit is Al Fox Director of Transportation, next me and then my daughter.


And in case you are wondering how me and my daughter bike together and end up with different mileage on pg 5 of http://www.baltimorecity.gov/governm...ing_2_2006.pdf

Shows our other mode.

BTW Eva Khoury our new bike/ped coordinator will be there if have not had the chance to met her, stop and say hi.