C&O Canal ride in October

[7rider]

You need to get over being nervous. There are already too many balls in the world!

I think the trails around here are more crowded and dangerous than the rural roads of upper Montgomery county. We were in an accident the first time my friend took me on the Mt Vernon trail (she needed 7 stitches). I've never had a problem on the road.

Different strokes for different folks.

I heartily agree with this one. (which is not to say that roads aren't without their own hazards)

I try to avoid MUTs if I can help it - especially on the weekends. I've done the Capital Crescent at 6 a.m. and it was okay. But generally they can be crazy, insane places. I've never been on the Mt. Vernon trail.

I'm up for a jaunt out to the nether reaches of the C&O Canal, however, with this TE group. I recall that last December (maybe it was December of '04), I was out there and it wasn't too bad. We left from Riley's Lock and headed out of town from there. Once we get beyond the normal reaches of mom's with babies and into some of the more rugged stuff, it was okay (on a mtb).

I'd totally be up for a dedicated road ride, however. I know my routes around Montgomery County into Howard County, but jaunts out Poolesville way would be fun if some folks know some routes.

[divingbiker]

I've done a 40-mile loop from Riley's Lock to ****erson and Poolesville several times. It's hilly. (Just ask Tulip. Where is she, by the way?)

[divingbiker]

Uh, that's D i c k e r s o n. Too funny.

[Kalidurga]

I've done a 40-mile loop from Riley's Lock to D i c k-erson and Poolesville several times. It's hilly.

See now, I love driving those roads. Buuuut, when I consider pedaling them, I tend to assume that everyone else drives at the same speed I do. Granted, I watch for bicyles as I'm flying along, but not everyone else does that.

[HillSlugger]

It sounds like we are too diverse a group to find a ride that would appeal to us all. Instead, would anyone be interested in getting together for a lunch or dinner to meet? Perhaps we could find a nice outdoor venue for a pot luck. If this sounds like a good idea we can start a new thread to propose it.

Nicole

[7rider]

I've done a 40-mile loop from Riley's Lock to ****erson and Poolesville several times. It's hilly. (Just ask Tulip. Where is she, by the way?)

I think I've done that route once or twice about 5 years ago. I've also done rides leaving from the Poolesville High School I don't recall an outrageous amount of traffic, but McMansions and developments have been popping up like mad all over, so who knows what 5 years can do to an area. I just don't know the route(s) well enough to offer to lead a ride.

[Kalidurga]

Poolesville is one area that has thankfully escaped the McMansion invasion (for the most part, so far). I'm not up to the Brookeville/Damascus/Howard County roads yet, but I could probably do Poolesville. River Road out past Riley's Lock gets very little traffic.

Getting together for a non-biking thing is a fun idea, Nicole. An autumn picnic could be great. Carderock or Great Falls are the first places that pop into my head as far as a central, easy-access locations, but I'm sure there are other spots that are possibilities. Want to start a thread in Off-Topic Non-Cycling?

[divingbiker]

I was going to post the cue sheet for the D!ckerson-Poolesville ride, but I can't figure out how to put spaces between the columns. The forum software apparently takes out multiple spaces so everything runs together and it's not readable. I'd be happy to post it if anyone has any ideas about how to make it retain spaces or accept tabs.

Anyhow, I'd be up for C&O ride, road ride, picnic, whatever.

[HillSlugger]

I was going to post the cue sheet for the D!ckerson-Poolesville ride, but I can't figure out how to put spaces between the columns. The forum software apparently takes out multiple spaces so everything runs together and it's not readable. I'd be happy to post it if anyone has any ideas about how to make it retain spaces or accept tabs.

Anyhow, I'd be up for C&O ride, road ride, picnic, whatever.

You can create a ride in routeslip.com and then post the web address for it.

[divingbiker]

Sorry, but I really don't want to take the time to figure out how to use routeslip.com...

Maybe I can scan it in at work and post it as a picture, but come to think of it I haven't figured out how to do that either. I'm feeling a bit web-challenged right now.