I have considered that. Just gotta get up, get on the saddle and go, get it together as you peddle. I do like the route. See if I can get clearance, Day before is my oldest son's bday, 17!!, so I'll be eating cake and all then going to this partay. We'll see.

I'll be surprised that anyone other than you and I show up, Bob.

I always thought that WAS the prerequisite for riding in a Rando

could see either or both of the Daves, but I'd expect a pretty small group. a smaller group will be a bit safer on the road and more nimble in traffic.

That's seems like a challenge :notamused:


Is there an early ride coffee stop? I saw the DunkDonuts mark.

Not meant to be. I didn't see your post before posting mine.

Historically, once it gets cold, no one can get their butts out of bed to do these rides, it seems, especially when you need to be ready to roll at 7:30am from the ride start.

Yep. Donuts and coffee are early at the 19 mile mark. When it gets cold I kinda like the first stop sooner- it gives you time to get warmed up and in a groove, then you can make clothing adjustments and fuel up early for the rest of the day.

This is the first year I've started the 7:30 starts for winter. Gives an extra 1/2 hr of daylight riding that I think is worth it.

True. In the past the ride started at 8am--and still other didn't show up when it was cold out.

Looks like there's snow flurries out in western MD today.

I don't eat donuts. :(

If I show it will be 125-130 mile day for me.

Imagine I would need to leave at 6:30 to get to start at 7:15

Temps are in the 30-40 range but calling for strong winds. direction?

From the northwest. Steady 20 mph, gusts to 30 mph. :eek:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5245/...484167e2_b.jpg

Woo hoo! :cry:

Could be worse:
http://randoramble.posterous.com/patuxent-river-dreams

That was one of my last rides on the Giant TCR--so, no one had studded tires. That was one hairy ride--especially on the downhills!

Since the link on Posterous to my bimactive report is incorrect, here's the correct link to my report (2 parts--scroll down for part 1):

http://bimactive.com/ba/journal/archives/10783/20091206

Yesterday's Good Craic:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/58913957


This morning's ride:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/58944576

Not sure I'm sorry to have missed it. I still have a head full of phlem, makes me wonder if I can ever enjoy outdoor winter exertion. Arizona?

Hey folks: hope all went well with the rando ride. I decided that my home needed my attention more than my soul needed to ride. Wish I had made the ride. I saw a few flakes falling while working outside and thought about you guys. I did get a lot of work done so that was good but my soul feels empty:(

AM commute rather nippy, was that the same for the rando ride start?

If you were to miss any RR ride, this probably would have been a good one to miss. It was ok, but imho, it could have gotten dangerous for anyone not thoroughly prepared for the cold or who don't know how to manage clothing moisture during a cold ride.

I'm worried about Tom Fedewa. He and I rode ahead, because Tom was concerned about riding in the dark and in the cold, but he decided to take a different direction than me at one point, him thinking he was headed back in the direction of the airport (BWI). I asked Bob if he had heard from Tom--nothing this morning. Asked Bob again, but no response so far.


I had a tailwind this morning, so not so bad. It'll be worse heading home--headwind all of the way back.

The rando ride was chilly every time we had to stop for any length of time for people.

Just heard from Bob. Everyone made it home, ok.

Tom made it in just fine. I guess he was behind NR and at some point lost sight of the red Dinotte.
David and I plugged along and made it back to Hampden by 7:45. David definitely had a slow poke day, but was a steady and safe rider throughout. IMO that's the most important in this weather. Gotta have good lights, good clothing, and solid equipment. Then just keep the engine running at an easy pace to the finish.

There were a couple sketchy spots of the route, but for a ride between B'more and DC it seemed pretty good. Lots of DC paved bike trail which was great to take advantage of. Got a few (not many) good pics and I'll give a write up on the blog tonight.

I liked the trails alot! They offered a mental break from motor traffic and offered windbreak, as well.

Something happened to my Garmin... it looks like I forgot to un-pause it once we started home from the restaurant. What is strange is that it still let me navigate using the course. I didn't know that I could do that.

I deviated from the route near the end not using South St through Leeds Ave., but opt'ing to just ride up Rt 1, then Southwestern Blvd (Rt 1), Wilkins, left on Gilmore and right on Pratt, riding through the city to Eastern Avenue/Blvd, left on Kane, straight on Rolling Mill (to miss the I-95 interchange and the accompanying hill climb up to North Point Blvd--sketchy even during the daylight, left back on to Eastern Blvd, then home.

Do you remember if Virginia Manor road north of Muirkirk was difficult in terms of traffic? Not particularly fond of that area. 2lane, blind curves and significant traffic.

west Baltimore hood....I've ridden many of times.

Yeah Garmin shows you "flying" home. One of the main reasons I wanted to ride this (besides y'alls charming personalities and Guinness) were the trails. I have done very little trail riding lately and I too, tire of the cars.

June before last I took the standard route to DC and there are some surprisingly decent roads in there. I actually took my route from the Bikewashington site, same as the monument ride I think.
Then rode C&O far too long up to Harpers Ferry. Might be a good long loop there, on again off again type of thing.

Good Craic ride report:
http://randoramble.posterous.com/4-b...-and-109-miles

nice write-up. really loved the last pictured

friggin cold this am, you know it's cold when you take something out of the fridge and it feels warm

Wow! What a morning commute.

Got a punctured rear tire running over an electrical wiring staple on the trash can that is known as Pulaski Hwy. I stopped to change the flat, but my spare tube, apparently, was old and dry rotted. So, I tried to fix the original tube, but the valve acquired a sealing problem. After patching the puncture, each time I pump it up, the air escaped out of the valve faster than I could close it. Grrrrr!

At this point, things were looking bleak and I was getting cold, so I walked about an 1/8th of a mile to a Sheetz's gas station/convenience store (Joppa Rd and RT 40) to warm back up and to chase alternatives from inside and out of the cold.

I tried working with the original tube, again, but no go.

My last alternative was to put a "skinny" inner tube in a fat tire. That is what I did, filling it just enough to not get a pinch flat. I made it to work with no more incidents, but I started work an hour late.