Mark's Cycling & Hiking Blog
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups
  • Home
  • Mark's Cycling Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Boulder Canyon Posts
  • Cycling Event Meet-Ups

Labor Day & Tuesday Canal Ride

9/4/2013

2 Comments

 
Picture
Good turnout for the Monday Labor Day ride out of Granville with John Martin's group, comprised of COTT members and others, including Marty, Dave C, Steve Fields, Team Sada, Sean Gilligan, Lori, Tym & Lisa Tyler, Peggy Cook, Meredith, Lon Herrman, Corvair...18-19 total.  We were headed to Bladensburg with roughly half the group starting via the bike path and half taking a hilly, non bike path route, all meeting at the Gulf station in Hanover, before heading north.
Picture
Soon after leaving the bike path behind, I was surprised that Peggy, Kim and a couple others had taken the bike path.  I also felt guilty that I had urged Corvair to join the hilly route bunch because the hilly route bunch was comprised of nothing but beasts.  I told her I'd hang with her to make sure she got to Hanover.  We motored out Welsh Hills Road, then Price and as we prepared to turn right where the old Health Department building is (or at the end of the 900 acre old Kraner farm), I looked back and saw Corvair a ways back and motioned with my arm that we were turning.  I left the group at the next turn and waited and waited and no Corvair.  I think she stayed straight on Price, ended up motoring around Newark before getting on a bike path and eventually finished with 50 miles and after 3 straight days of riding, probably what she needed anyway.  I eventually rolled through Hanover after both groups had merged and departed but caught the COTT group out on #79, left them on a mile gravel section where some of the COTTs had issues with the gravel and soloed in via Jug Run Road. 

We shoved off from Bladensburg, rode together until the climb across #586 where the group evolved into a very long line of cyclists.  Coasting down the other side on Rainrock Road, I passed on an inviting drafting opportunity created when Marty had hung back and was bringing through some stragglers. The road was freshly chip-n-sealed with loose gravel but more importantly, two straight days of hilly rides was beginning to take its toll.  Anyway, finished with 68 miles and 4000"+ of climbing.
Picture
Now on to my 3rd straight day of riding, I arrived for the Tuesday Canal ride and the cool temps brought out the long sleeve jerseys and arm warmers.
Picture
In total, we had fewer then 30 cyclists and the A group, geesh, what you see there is it, 3 guys with Rex on the left hanging back with the B's.  Ricky G greeted me in the parking lot with a serious look on his face and approaching me said (see story below for context), "I have one word for you."...."Mooo".  That's what I like, guys with a sense of humor.  Now I know I can pick on him a lot more often.  Turns out, Ricky has lost around 75 pounds in total and upon reaching his goal weight, will have lost almost 100.
Picture
The mystery of what is going into the lot next to our parking lot behind Shades Restaurant has been solved.  A good B group departed the parking lot on a 33 mile route heading east.  John Day experienced "happy legs" on the way out so we were deprived a warm-up but that culled the herd a little and then we settled in for a nice ride in to Baltimore.  I had ridden as hard as I wanted for as long as I wanted so I bugged out at in B-more at mile 13 and had an easy ride back to Canal, finishing with 25 miles.  Legs feel good today and am ready for the Civil War Century ride this Saturday.  Should be a very enjoyable ride that includes several miles through Gettysburg National Military Park, Antietam battlefield and others.  7000' of climbing (ugh) with a 7 mile climb out of the gate (ugh).  Sounds like Beth Hale, Flyin Tuna and Dirty Dan are making the drive too.
2 Comments
Corvair
9/4/2013 01:36:11 am

No worries Mark, yes I did not see you signal on Price so I went straight. But I did leave a nice memo on the windshield of your car :) I'm not sure I'll be back to that ride unless the women are worn out; first time I went I barely had time to eat a sandwich in Bladensburg before everyone took off. No one seems to wait at all (with the exception of you last Sunday).

Reply
meredith gabriel
10/28/2013 10:17:16 pm

I believe we took the path because I was just being safe not sorry on the IT band. Peggy knew she wasn't up for it since she worked hard the day before. I was curious as well how fast the Tri people go. But the path was not something I liked.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Mark is a long-time cyclist, hiker, golfer and plays some table tennis...ok, it's ping pong.

    Categories

    All
    April
    California Riding
    Grand Canyon Backpacking
    March
    The Characters

    Archives

    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.