greaterbrown

Monument to Monument 2013:
https://randoramble.wordpress.com/

scorch

I just rode the ICC trail that goes from layhill to ... Actually i dont even know if its a trail. That is my question to any of have ridden this ICC trail that goes along the road near layhill, where does it go? It doesnt seem to be worth riding, its only about 3 miles of trail and then you have to get on sidewaks, and double back to trails that end with just a few feet. Am i missing something? is the trail not done?

balto charlie

Hey all: Been awhile since I've been here. I'm in for the M2M, anyone want to ride to the start from C-ville let me know.
@auquateen, welcome to C-ville, if you are moved in try Bobs M2M ride, long but not to hard.

Bike run beer: Mike??

See everybody on Sunday, finally!

balto charlie

All I can say that this trail was to run the entire length of the ICC. After MDOT was done with it, it no longer runs the entire length. Apparently the trail was not environmentally good for the surrounding area. The 100 yard wide ICC however was. Go figure. I haven't ridden it so do not know where it starts and stops. There are a few sections though.

CycleRail

Charlie! I was wondering where you were. I was riding around your neck of the woods on Sunday, only to find that Bonnie Branch Rd. was closed. I had fun riding the Surly up College Ave. to get back to Ellicott City. See you all on Sunday.

balto charlie

I thought I saw you riding on Frederick rd late Sunday morning. I was in a car with the entire family going the other way. BB closed means you rode College the "hard" way. That may be the hardest way out of the valley. See you Sunday

Bike Run Beer

A little hill training PJ?

CycleRail

Yeah, it kinda worked out that way. I just got on the bike and ended up over there. We could have a Hill Climb Club--Catonsville Edition... See you Sunday.

balto charlie

I'm working on it.

CycleRail

This was my third time riding Monument to Monument. I had a blast the last two times and this one was no exception. I guessing about 60 riders showed up.

I met up with Dave and GB at the CG, where Dave and I were given “ride leader” placards. Awesome! Ken joined at as we were leaving and the three of us headed off to the Baltimore Washington Monument. Ken commented on my running shoes and flat touring pedals. I guess I was just in that kind of mood.

During the first leg of the trip, Dave and I rode cleanup and caught up. It took a while to get out of the city because we were halted but not one, but two commercial trains. On a Sunday morning? C’mon.

GB changed the route a bit this year, taking us down Forest Ave. and Wigley Ave. instead of Race Road. Good stuff. Anyway, before we knew it we made it to the first rest stop. The forecast called for sunny and sixty, but it was cloudy, windy and barely fifty. I was getting cold and wanted to get back on the bike asap.

Dave, Charlie and I continued to ride sweep. Charlie, it was good to catch up with you. After a couple of miles, though, the pace at the back of the pack was just too slow. Dave and I decided to forge ahead, while Charlie turned back to check the other riders. Dave felt a little guilty leaving them behind, but I tried to convince him that it was ok. I don’t like leaving people behind either, but I also wanted to finish the ride in daylight.

By the time Dave and I hit Edmonston Rd. , the sun had finally came out. We were moving at a pretty good clip at this point and I was getting a bit warm. Not wanting to stop, I took off my wool gloves and stuffed them in my shorts pocket. (My new MUSA shorts felt great all day). This was a mistake, as I would lose them later. The gloves not the shorts.

The Branch Trails were free of crowds on our ride down which was really nice. It’s hard to take in the scenery while dodging pedestrians and other cyclists.

Soon, we were in Brookland. Each year, the route takes me past Colonel Brooks Tavern at 9th and Monroe NE. This year, I was shocked and saddened to see it torn down. That place was hallowed ground when I was in law school. Lots of memories there. Oh well. Time to move on.

Given the late hour, Dave and I debated skipping the Washington Washington Monument. I argued that we should go see it to complete the ride. Good thing. On the way, Dave was able to assist a fellow rambler with a broken spoke. When we reached the monument, I took the obligatory bike and monument picture. We then began to head back to Union Station. By chance, we spotted a couple of riders from the DC area Daily Randonneur and Chasing Mailboxes blogs. Good to meet you. Apparently, MG had just finished a marathon.

After lunch at Union Station, Mike, Jack, Dave, myself and a few others began our trek back to Baltimore. It was already two o’clock and we were all eager to get moving. The ride back was pretty uneventful. We caught with Ken and his group at Odell Rd.

At 4:30, Mike, Jack and I left the ¾ rest stop (which was the same as the ¼ rest stop). We rode at a good clip with great conversation. In fact, Jack is signed up for the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure; a week-long tour at 50 miles a day. They even have trucks to carry your gear. Cool!

Mike, Jack and I parted ways at Furnace Ave. I was by myself for the next 15 or so miles and started to think about the work week ahead. The traffic on Annapolis Road was heavy. Maybe it was the awfully rutted pavement that made me more aware of the automobiles. I don’t know. I was just happy to take refuge on the GFT.

I made it home around 6:20. Just in time for dinner. Another great ride in the books. Woo! Thank you all.

Pictures to follow.

balto charlie

You're not going to believe this but I saw 2 pairs of gloves after we separated. 1 pair was somewhere along Edmonston Ave(too much traffic) the 2nd pair was on the bike trail near Rhode Island ave. I almost stopped to grab them, thinking they might belong to one of us. But I didn't, sorry.
Glad you guys got Jack back to Catonsville. He is the oldest Rando Rambler to date, 75 years young. That was only his second century. I knew he could do it, really strong rider.

My return ride was ok, Bob was pushing the speed. 1 rider got lost at Lake Artemesia and I(plus her friend) had to wait and look for her. Dropped them off at the Greenbelt Metro to bus back. I had to crank hard to catch up to the last pack of riders. I even blew off the last rest stop. Finally caught Bob/Ken/Dave a few others @ rt175. I then realized we were missing a few other riders. I do believe they are all accounted for. I made it home @6. The catch up speed wiped me out. I was dehydrated and out of carbs. Missing the last rest stop was crucial. Won't do that again. I actually got the chills and some cramping. Never had the chills after a long outing. I might have been hypoglycemic. After eating I felt normal again...so I could end the day w/ few brews

Great seeing everybody again. I hope not to be such a stranger in the future.

CycleRail

Link to pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8917725...7633421661415/

CycleRail

"Glad you guys got Jack back to Catonsville. He is the oldest Rando Rambler to date, 75 years young. That was only his second century. I knew he could do it, really strong rider."

That's hard to believe that was only his second century. Jack rode strong all day.

"My return ride was ok, Bob was pushing the speed. 1 rider got lost at Lake Artemesia and I(plus her friend) had to wait and look for her. Dropped them off at the Greenbelt Metro to bus back. I had to crank hard to catch up to the last pack of riders. I even blew off the last rest stop. Finally caught Bob/Ken/Dave a few others @ rt175. I then realized we were missing a few other riders. I do believe they are all accounted for. I made it home @6. The catch up speed wiped me out. I was dehydrated and out of carbs. Missing the last rest stop was crucial. Won't do that again. I actually got the chills and some cramping. Never had the chills after a long outing. I might have been hypoglycemic. After eating I felt normal again...so I could end the day w/ few brews "

I didn't drink enough during the ride, and felt the effects when I got back to the city. After a beer, I felt fine though.

Bike Run Beer

Nice write-up PJ. I am glad everyone made it home safely. The climb from Elkridge to Catonsville (2000 ft?) was a good end to the day. I'll also compliment Jack on his day. We were pushing the pace a bit on the way out of DC and he hung tough. I'll be happy if I can walk when I am 75 years old, much less ride a bike 100 miles.

Great day gents and well done to Bob, as always.

See y'all in a month unless there is a C'ville hill climb club before then.

balto charlie

What a wet commuting week. overall I have lucked out and haven't gotten drenched. Wet yes, drenched no. Todays rainfall was huge, fell 15 minutes before I had to ride, let up enough just in time to ride.

Don't forget to signup for B2WD.
https://www.baltometro.org/bicycle/bike-to-work-day

I think Jack is going to ride to Towson from Catonsville for B2WD. Working out the details. This ride has been on then off then on then off, it's back on

CycleRail

Chilly AM commutes this week. No rec riding for me last weekend. Maybe I'll find time this week for a short ride. This Saturday, the Baltimore Family Bike Party is riding around Druid Hill Park. I plan to take my 8 year old and my one year old. Hopefully, the baby will like the seat I just installed on the X-Check.

CycleRail

Felt pretty good yesterday. I kept my hydration issues in check. 119 miles total. Pics below.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8917725...7633890615549/

Ride Link: https://cyclemeter.com/fb83ea5b4f4e55...30602-0632?r=e

CycleRail

I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately. I’m not sure whether it’s the old mattress, work, or just too much caffeine. Anyway, I ran into trouble again Saturday night, waking up before 4:00 a.m. unable to fall back asleep. This was despite the fact I felt prepared for the ride. I had spent a few days last week getting the Cross-Check ready. I replaced the chain (the old one somehow snapped), tightened the headset, swapped out the MKS touring pedals with the newly greased Speedplays and removed the rack and the fenders. I set the tire pressure to 65 lbs. and she was ready. The bottom of my Sackville bag had been sagging to the point where the rear tire wore a small hole through the bottom of it. I cut a piece of thin plywood to fit and replaced the worn out cardboard bottom. I was good to go. Almost. I couldn’t fit the bike in the back seat, so at the last minute I bought a trunk ride. Now I was ready.

Up early, I made breakfast and had a couple cups of coffee. It took me about 45 minutes to get to the starting point of the ride which was a strip mall near Manchester, MD. It was an odd place that had seen better days; the senior center looked out of place next to the auto parts store and the video game store.

I stopped in the nearby Burger King for a coffee and egg biscuit. There was a rather rowdy group of seniors there getting ready for their own adventures that day. Then, Dr. Mike showed up. Mike and his wife had been out in Catonsville where they watched the Life of Brian drank wine. I was not going to be the only one with bloodshot eyes today. A few minutes later, we saw Bob arrive in his Six-Four, followed by Carl.

We spent the next few minutes getting our bikes ready and headed out around 9:15 a.m. We hit the gravel almost immediately. I knew at once I made the right bike choice; the Cross-Check with 35mm Schwalbe Marathons handled the rough terrain easily. I was having a lot of fun climbing up the short hills trying and gliding down the descents. I got a bit carried away though, and while making a right turn in the gravel I nearly lost control and went down. I have no idea how I managed to stay upright. Thereafter, I was treaded more carefully while front breaks squealed in agony.

At some point, we passed an English styled red telephone boot stationed in somebody’s front yard. That sight coupled with images of Monty Python from the movie Mike watched the night before caused me to crack up.

The climbs were relatively short and somewhat steep, but that changed when we left boundaries of Codorus State Park and headed up Morningstar. It seemed to go on forever. We were truly reaching for the heavens on that road. When we got to the top, we turned right onto the aptly named Skyview, where the climbing continued. Then, it was time to collect our reward. Making a left on Trone Road, a steep, straight and long descent unfolded before us. I hit 44.4 mph which was the fastest I’d ever taken that bike.

I was getting hungry by this point, but Bob reassured us that out lunch stop in Glen Rock was near. Not wanting to take us into town the same route by which we would leave, Bob arranged for us to take a few more climbs, before yet another steep descent into town.

Now, along the dirt and gravel roads on our way to Glen Rock, we noticed fresh bicycle tire tracks before us. Bob had suggested that Dave was riding ahead of us, but we weren’t sure who the second pair of tracks belonged to. When we reached Mignano Bros., we found Dave and Ken already seated. It was great catching up with them.

I had a Stromboli and a Mug root beer, both of which hit the spot. After about 90 minutes of food and good cheer, we headed out to finish the ride. We left as a group, Bob leading the way along the Heritage Rail Trail at a digestion pace. After a few miles, we turned off the trail and the climbing resumed. Shortly thereafter, Bob hung back I guess to finish the ride with Dave and Ken. That’s the last I saw of them.

And then there were three. Carl Mike and I soldiered on. For me, the second part of the ride was more difficult. It was over 70 degrees and sunny, which felt great after spending so much time in the chilly restaurant. But, it was dry, too. We haven’t had much rain and fine dust covered us as we moved across the unpaved roads. This wouldn’t have been so bad had the dust not also covered out water bottles. The jury is still out on whether Pennsylvania or Maryland dirt tastes better.

Bob had mentioned that going downhill would require just as much effort as pedaling uphill. Descending turned out to be quite difficult. At the crest of a hill I tried to discern which part of the road had the least amount of gravel on it, but the haze of dust made this troublesome. I made some bad choices and hit some pretty squirrely sections, constantly braking to keep my speed under control. Traveling on a washboard surface as 20 mph shook me up, and I was glad we did hit the few sections of paved road for some relief. On the other hand, Carl navigated the descents with ease on his mountain bike and wealth of experience.

A couple of roads are worth mentioning. Wagner Rd. was unpaved and steep, and I can only guess it was named after our fearless leader. The next one I remember clearly was Sunnyslope Rd. That one kept my legs burning while I wished for a lower gear. Shortly thereafter, Mike suggested that we take a pit stop at Steltz Road. Carl decided to ride ahead. Thanks again for the Cliff bar, Mike. I think all three of us were getting tired at this point as the uneven riding surfaces were starting to take their toll.

Later, we crisscrossed the fork at Kern Rd. a couple of times. The soft dirt was almost like quicksand, sucking the energy out of us as we trudged through it. Street signs were absent in a lot of places which made navigation difficult; I had the feeling of déjà vu in places. It didn’t matter, though. Even where the roads were clearly marked, I made a wrong turn and climbed an unnecessary hill. (Sorry).

And then came the gnat attack. Cruising down a hill I noticed lots of black specs on my short and on my arms. “What are these things?” I asked to myself. The appeared again on the next climb, and breathing deep to make it to the top, I inhaled a few. “Protein” Mike said. I spent the rest of the ride, brushing these little creatures off of me.

Mike and I reached the start at about 4:30. Carl showed up about 15 minutes later and we parted ways.

The ride was both thrilling and difficult. The scenery was majestic. Beautiful farms, with cows, horses and donkeys. I wish I could’ve taken more pictures, but I didn’t feel comfortable riding one handed such loose terrain. Constant concentration on the road was necessary. The Old Roads ride was a prelude to the Grand Fondue Part Deux. I had signed up for the 100 miler, but maybe I should switch to the metric. All in all a great day on the bike. By the way, I slept soundly afterward. Just what the doctor ordered.

Cyclemeter says: 72.81 miles, avg. 13.27 mph, 6604 feet of climbing.

greaterbrown

Wow, what a great day of riding.

Great ride report. (pic is of Wagner rd)

CycleRail

Thanks GB. Here is a link to the few pictures that I managed to take. https://www.flickr.com/photos/8917725...7636067155185/

greaterbrown

For any new eyes who may visit this thread: the Rando Ramble schedules century rides out of Baltimore every month. Usually on the 1st or 2nd Sunday, these rides go year round and, although they can be difficult because of climbing or weather, they are medium-paced (13-15mph), supportive and friendly. This Sunday we ride up to Union Bridge, MD for an all-you-can-eat breakfast at the firehouse- a very fun community event. The route should be a tour-de-force of Autumn leaf color. Lots of information about this weekend's ride and year's previous here: randoramble.wordpress.com

balto charlie

twas another great ride, gb. 2 days later, I'm still tired.

greaterbrown

wonderful day in the saddle. great having you with us charlie.
Next ride is Dec. 15th. Baltimore to DC in search of Guinness.
Best all.

balto charlie

Whoa, what a week of commuting: snow, ice, cold, train wreck, no work, late work, and friggin' cold.

I am questionable for the ramble this weekend. Lots to do and a little spent due to this weeks commuting.

CycleRail

I am snow glad I put studded tires on the Cross-Check. There was a lot of ice on the streets earlier this week. Penn Station is still icy. Depending on what happens Saturday, I may have to ride to DC on studded tires.