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Originally Posted by Kalidurga
Kali - thanks for posting the link to the map - I see that the 335 bridge launch site is very close and convenient. Let's plan on that - now all we need to do is pick a time to meet. I hate long drives in the morning - hence my making a weekend of it and going over there Friday night.
I noticed that the bike registration starts at 7am, not 8 which I put in my previous post.
R - My pace usually depends on how I feel that day. That said, I'm usually not that fast but I'm not a slouch either. I'd love the company. You can feel free to drop me if I end up being too pokey for you. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by 7rider
My longest ride before the Goose won't be more than 50 miles, give or take. Since it's a flat course, I figure it'll be less challenging than my usual hilly 50 miles.
Hi all!
My friend Amy and I hope we can all meet at the ride. We'll be heading to the Eastern Shore Fri or Sat. We have a place to stay in Ocean City, so we'll be coming from there Sunday morning. Maybe we can all meet before the ride?
Any other ideas?
I thought I was checking in to the hotel on Friday, but I just checked my confirmation...we don't check in until Saturday (I guess there's no 2-night minimum). So, we'll be heading over on Saturday a.m., too. Our drive time will be similar to DivingBiker's....
Are we talking a noon-ish paddle? 10 a.m.? Earlier may meet with resistance from DH. :rolleyes:
VeloB...I"m looking forward to riding with you on the metric!
Janice suggested 10 or 11, above. How about we aim to meet at the visitor's center around 10am? That should give us time to meet, drive to the launch site, and be on the water by 11am.Quote:
Originally Posted by 7rider
Is that late enough for those of us driving, and early enough for those ladies already there?
I've not had much of a chance to check in on the thread til today. I will be there, along with my SO. I believe KayTee will be there as well. We will be going to IFJane's wedding on Saturday, and getting to Cambridge sometime on Saturday evening.
I'll be happy to be able to do the 25 miler, since I haven't been on my bike either! And I would love to meet up with some of you - if only to put faces to names!
Can someone PM me and let me know if there are specific plans to meet before the rides? I'll be happy to share my cell phone #.
I want to meet up w/everyone too. I will be driving out the morning of the ride. Well, my husband will be driving--I hope to be snoozing. Just tell me a time & place. I'll probably be wearing my Amici Veloci gear or a Velogirls jersey.
Regina, I'm really looking forward to riding w/you. I hope I can keep up.
I swung by Blackwater yesterday and did a little scouting. I was really short on time but did pick up the water trails map, most of which is laminated onto a big sign at the launch area. Here's a couple of photos showing the launch area, and the map. I personally think we should follow the "green" trail which sends us north up the Blackwater River around twists and turns through the marshlands. It goes north about 4 miles and then you turn around and paddle back. We can go at any pace we like, current should not be an issue and with all the twists and turns, I'd think wind should not be so bad either unless it's blowing a gale.
It's hard to take pix in the sun because it renders the display on the camera invisible and I'm afraid the green route does not show up very well. But in the lower part of the upper third of the map, you can just make out the words "You are here." The green route starts there and meanders north.
Something that may dictate our paddling route and distance - there are no porta potties at the launch area, and no stopping allowed anywhere along the banks of the river. Don't know how well that's enforced if at all, but damn inconsiderate. Oh, and the brochure recommends bringing 1 GALLON of water per person for paddling..... (and a covered container for use a a latrine). LOL
So we would definitely want to meet at the Visitor Center and make use of the facilities before launching. 10 am at Visitor Center?
Thanks for checking it out, Martha!
But why in the world would I take a gallon of water to drink if I can't go to the bathroom???? :eek::eek::eek: Peeing in a kayak...I don't think so.:eek:
This sounds a bit tricky!
well I'm told the kayak racers just "let her rip" and sponge out the boat after. Ewwwww. I don't understand parks that don't have potties.... It's like they are telling you to go in the woods, which is of course exactly what they don't want you to do. Does not compute.
Blackwater's not a park, it's a wildlife refuge. There's a big difference in how the two are set up, amenities-wise.
Public use at Blackwater
Good point, Tam. Thanks for the reminder.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalidurga
I think I've solved my dilemma of how to secure the kayak to my car overnight. I did find a very thin channel on the edge of the seat that I can string a cable through, or I can buy a "lasso lock" from REI. Whew, I feel better now.
Y'know, Janice, I was thinking about your kayak just the other day, wondering if there would be space to store it in your hotel room. But then you'd have to check out before heading over to the Terry ride, so you'd have to put it back on the car for that and I don't know where all of our cars are going to be during the ride.
I'm glad you figured out a solution, I was working myself into a tizzy, too! ;) That lasso lock is similar to what I have for my 'yak.
Another project to add to our Home Depot list....long cable to lock the boats.
Thanks for the reminder!
Ok, I'm ready for the Goose Chase now. I just rode 38 miles on my newly-fitted road bike, so at least I know I can finish the 40 mile ride. First road bike ride in about 4-5 months, yikes!:eek::eek:
Are you still riding the Sequoia?Quote:
Originally Posted by divingbiker
Yes, I haven't added another road bike yet! Hard to believe, I know, since I'm such a collector.Quote:
Originally Posted by MDHillSlug
I just had a fitting at Proteus. I had a fitting last year at the place Tam used, but it just wasn't right--bars were too narrow, felt off--so I got new bars (like zen's) and had Jill do another fitting. Much better now!
Hi Ladies -
Thought I'd say hi as the ride gets closer. Been a while since I've been on the boards. Spent this month freaking out because I wasn't getting any riding in, decided not to sweat it.
Supposed to be fun right? Trying to get out during the next two weeks to prepare. Originally registered for the metric but may end up with only 40. Ah well. :rolleyes:
First of many rides of the season.
Looking forward to seeing you there! Would love to meet and put some faces to the names.
Theresa
Hello Everyone!
My friend Amy and I will be staying in Ocean City on Saturday night. Send me a PM if anyone else will be in OC and we can meet for dinner.
Any thoughts about a meet-up on ride day?
:)
I'm not sure how we could work out the logistics of meeting before the ride, but I was thinking that I might make a sign that says TE or something on it and we could look for it and meet after the ride. I think there's a fashion show or something afterwards, isn't there? (At least that's when I'm planning on winning my new bike.:p)Quote:
Originally Posted by ClickIn
I got a box the other day that is tall and skinny and white, and I could tape it to a tomato stake and it might hold together long enough for us to find each other.
If anyone has a better idea, I'm happy to not bring my tacky sign.:D
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...041800943.html
Here is a link to the Washington Post story on kayaking and bird watching at Blackwater. How timely for us? I've included the 1st paragraph but if you click to the full article there are lots of links that may be useful for us.
Birding in Blackwater, From a Bike's-Eye View
By Christina Talcott
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 20, 2008; Page P08
"I've never been a fan of bird-watching. The idea of standing in a field and squinting into binoculars, trying to see a tiny, faraway bird . . . not enough action for me. But what I learned a few weeks back, over the course of one meteorologically inconsistent weekend, is that bird-watching is a whole different game when you do it on a bike. ..."
(go to the article for the rest).
OK, ladies, here's your sign...
Attachment 5804
If it seems like we might be able to find each other with a sign, I'll put it up. It's not terribly tall, but if you're looking for it you might find it.
Now....are you going to have that on the back of your bike??? ;)
Don't forget to bring your release! You should have gotten it in a mailling dated around Valentine's Day...
(Said out in the open, but directed more as a reminder to my forgetful self!)
All of my paperwork's sitting out on the kitchen counter, along with my to-do list for the next two evenings to prep for the weekend. See you ladies there...
Divingbiker, Love the sign! I'll be on the lookout for it before and after the ride!
I'll be looking for it too! Let's hope for decent weather!:cool:
I had a dream last night that I was in a field of cars with bunch of other people, getting ready for this ride (it was sunny, btw). And...I had forgotten my bike!!! :eek::eek: I called up my DH, who was home, and he said "yeah...it's right here. Do you need it?" And I sat at the rear bumper of my truck and sobbed. :(
Aaawww, Regina :(
Cambridge, MD 5-day weather report. Let's hope those thunderstorms don't materialize while we're on the water Saturday.
I'm so jealous of you all going. Have fun and take pics if you can!
So are the kayakers meeting on Saturday at the visitor center at 10 or 11?
The morning weather will probably be better than the afternoon so that might influence the plan.
Martha
I'm planning to be at the visitors center at 10am. See you there!Quote:
Originally Posted by withm
We'll all have to do a sun dance to ward of the rain
At this point, AccuWeather's forecasting thunderstorms around 4pm on Saturday. As long as we're off the water before any lightning begins, we'll be fine.
Shame it'll probably be cloudy on Sunday, but otherwise that day should be nice.
Cloudy, I can handle.
Rain on sunday...major bummer....:(
I hope to drag DH, no doubt kicking and screaming, out of the house at 7:45, which should get us to the visitor center at 10, with a few minutes to spare (so says MapQuest). Boats are going on the truck tonight to (hopefully) stack the deck in our favor. I'll give DB or KD a shout if we're looking to be late.
Well, as is to be expected, the forecast is different every time you look at it now. But the slight chance of rain on Sunday is, of course, forecast for before 1:00pm :rolleyes:
Grrr. It makes packing rather difficult.
Short sleeves? Long?
Shorts? Capris?
I suppose I'll throw a sweatshirt in there.
Have fun everyone. So far the weather looks good on this side of the bay!
good luck and have fun everyone!
I can't wear my bicycle shoes since breaking my foot in Feb, so I'll be on the 20" red folding bicycle with flame print tires looking for divingbiker's TE sign.
I hope that the yakkers had fun today!
Well, all in all, a good day.
I opted to do the metric....which actually ended up being a bit over 66 miles when we added in the wildlife loop (we thought it was required to get the mileage, but it wasn't). I was maintaining a nice pace for the first 2/3rd of it (18-19 mph), mainly because the first half was with the wind. One long stretch of road at the beginning had a very determined boxer chasing a woman for over 2 miles! She actually rode just ahead of it, hoping to tire it out as her friend behind her was slower than her and she worried how her friend would be able to handle the dog.
A stretch at about mile 35-38 had a brutal headwind that slowed me down to a crawl. By mile 45, I hooked up with a great group of 5 women from Salisbury, plus another hanger-on from Rehoboth Beach. They had been moving as a train for much of it, and I figured with the ride back being mostly into the wind, a good pace line would do me good.
They were very nice, but soon one rider had trouble with cramping, and another was just running out of gas...and they were determined to finish as a group (ha! You'd rarely see the guys I ride with do that), so the pace slackened quite a bit and we frequently dallied to let those who had fallen off the back catch back on. By then, I said "I want the company and screw the average speed for the ride." and stayed with them.
I saw a few men on the ride and really wished I had my DH with me. He would have had a fine time and I don't think anyone really would have batted an eye. He would have ridden self supported, so as to not "poach" the organized ride. Bummer on that.
But..Overall impressions.
Although it was cloudy and occasionally misty, it never really rained on my route. Some sections of the road were wet (I need to wash my bike still), but most were not. So that was good.
The route was poorly marked. Turn arrows were right AT the turn, with no warning arrows before it. Made for a few missed turns and a lot of late turns, no doubt.
The rest stops were fair. The food was not the best (althought a Milky Way Dark is always welcome), and the beverages were gross. Water is good, but no salt, electrolytes, or anything (which is why that woman was cramping). What was offered was just undrinkable (Keen or Hammer or something I didn't recognize. It went down the drain when we got home). And..NO PORTA-POTTIES on the entire route!!! :eek: How can you organize a metric century and not have a porta-pottie in sight????? And, good grief, this was in a national wildlife sanctuary!!! I saw more than a few people pulled off on the side, um, polluting our national treasures!
So, as a first attempt for Terry, I'd give it a B-. You almost can't go wrong with a ride on the Eastern shore (except for the fickle weather)....but the support could have been better.
Anyway...that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!
Was nice to meet Withm and ClickIn. Sorry I didn't get to see the rest. I hope you all had good rides. Sorry, DB, that you busted a spoke...but major props to you for lending me your bolero. It's going in the mail today (clean even! :D). Then, I'm going on line to order one for myself.
And lastly, a big congratulations to IFJane!!! Many happy years to you.