Hey Regina, swap meet info!

[Kalidurga]

You may have already found this yourself, but...

Stop, Swap and Save: February 10, 2008, from 9am to 2pm at the Carroll Cty Ag Center in Westminster, Md.

[Velobambina]

Thanks for posting the link (even though I'm not Regina, I greatly appreciate it). Might be worth crossing the Potomac and going outside the Beltway.

[HillSlugger]

Thanks for posting the link (even though I'm not Regina, I greatly appreciate it). Might be worth crossing the Potomac and going outside the Beltway.

I start to hyperventilate when I need to go inside the beltway. I guess for you it's more akin to the inmate who's uncomfortable in the real world after being released from jail.

[Velobambina]

LOL. I'm the opposite! I work in Herndon, so I have to venture outside the beltway almost every day.

I'm either city or country. I hate the 'burbs.

I rode my MTB on the C&O this am and thought of you MD ladies. This time of year, you get some great views of the Potomac.

[Zen]

I guess I should have posted that link before. That and the link to Ride across Maryland which this year is in Emmitsburg!

My chanting "come to me, come to me" finally worked for something.

[HillSlugger]

LOL. I'm the opposite! I work in Herndon, so I have to venture outside the beltway almost every day.

I'm either city or country. I hate the 'burbs.

I rode my MTB on the C&O this am and thought of you MD ladies. This time of year, you get some great views of the Potomac.

I was completely joking. I also like to joke about having to cross the Potomac into VA under cover of darkness.

From what I've seen on BikeJournal, there must be almost nothing that stops you from riding. 12,173 miles...wow!

[HillSlugger]

I guess I should have posted that link before. That and the link to Ride across Maryland which this year is in Emmitsburg!

My chanting "come to me, come to me" finally worked for something.

I always thought it was strange that the Ride Across Maryland didn't actually go across the state. I didn't understand that you'd need to do it for many years before you'd actually get across the state.

[Velobambina]

I knew you were joking.

We all know the traffic around here. Just going to Tysons from Arlington, even on a weekend, you get stuck in a jam on Rte 66.

We got Fiona, our golden puppy, from a breeder near Fredericksburg. Picked her up on the first Saturday in October. There was "rush hour" traffic--parking lot--both the way down and the way home.

I wonder when the WMA growth boom will stop? If it does, will some people leave?

[Kalidurga]

I wonder when the WMA growth boom will stop? If it does, will some people leave?

I sure as heck hope so. Economic growth is great, but the surge in development/population in this area over the last 10-15 years has been unreal. When I first moved to Gaithersburg from Va, I could be in the "country" in 15 minutes. Now I've gotta go at least a 1/2 hour to get to it, and it's creeping it's way out there too. It wasn't too many years ago that I saw signs in Frederick that read "Don't out-Loudoun Loudoun", but now it's too late.

Anyone wanna try to meet up at the swap meet?

[KathiCville]

Ahhh, Velobambina, I envy you your C&O cruise! One of the few, very few things that I *miss* by having moved from NoVA to the Blue Ridge is the Canal. Loved it any time of year in almost any weather----mostly walking, but sometimes riding. The Monocacy Aqueduct used to be a favorite summer picnic/Sunday newspaper destination.

As for the Westminster area, I have family nearby and spent time there as a kid. I still pass through once in a while. In spite of creeping development, parts of Carroll County are still beautiful. Some nice, quiet backroads, especially to the west of Westminster, in the Uniontown-Taneytown area. The one-street village of Uniontown is on the National Register and has a number of nicely-restored 19th c. houses. I think the little general store might still be there, too. I used to get penny candy there as a kid when visiting my grandparents in the summers. My brothers and I drove the clerk nuts! ("I want two of this, three of these....No, on second thought, THREE of this, four of these......")........I've been thinking about taking my cycling BF up there for a weekend of riding sometime this spring.

[7rider]

Hey!! What are you all doing talkin' in MY post??
Bah!
Jes funnin' ya.

Thanks for the link, Tam. Nope, I hadn't seen it. I'll have to put in on my calendar. I think I already have something to search for....regular old pedals with straps for the old Seven so ANYone can ride it if they want to, regardless of what kind of shoes they have/need. DH still thinks he's getting PowerCranks for it, but I'll believe it when I see it! So...yeah...let's hook up for it.

Velobambina...was thinking of you today. Did a "Ride Like a Girl" casually paced (sort of) mtb ride with the fine folks of MORE at Schaeffer Farms in Germantown. It's a bit more advanced terrain compared to, say Rosaryville, but not impossible (and work arounds when you might think it's impossible!). I hope you're enjoying your new bike.

p.s. I live outside the beltway, and work inside (technically, although downtown Silver Spring doesn't quite share the rep as D.C.). Frankly, my best beltway experience is riding my bike under it in the a.m. on my way to work, and seeing it totally gridlocked! (heh, heh, heh...evil laugh).

And, yuck...the spawl disease has spread to Howard County, MD. I was recently up at an area near a friend's house - an area that used to be all farmland. Now it's a great BIG development - a minitown, complete with some new cutsie tres' tack-ay name - a la the Kentlands in the Rockville area. <<<<shiver>>>> Add the ICC, and there will be no stopping it.

[Kalidurga]

Did a "Ride Like a Girl" casually paced (sort of) mtb ride with the fine folks of MORE at Schaeffer Farms in Germantown. It's a bit more advanced terrain compared to, say Rosaryville, but not impossible (and work arounds when you might think it's impossible!).

How many more rides until you feel you could lead us around there?

[divingbiker]

Dangit! I reallly wanted to go to the swap meet this year, but I'll be flying back home from Curacao on February 10. Maybe next year...

Zen, I had heard that Cycle Across Maryland was going to be back in Emmitsburg this year, but hadn't seen any confirmation. I'll have to look at One Less Car's web site and check it out. That's a much more convenient location for us DC-area folks than the Eastern Shore. But the century on the eastern shore is much easier than one in the hills of Emmitsburg, I'd guess.

Regina, glad you had a good time at the RLAG ride. I remember Shaeffer being doable, even for a half-a$$ed mtb-er like me.

[7rider]

How many more rides until you feel you could lead us around there?

I don't know. But MORE has been really active in trail marking, and there are now some of these maps up at key intersections. Give me a map, and I can figure out where to go!
I suppose the best way to learn an area is to be thrust into a lead-the-group role! When do we go???
And Janice...Curacao in February??? You poor thing!!

[Zen]

But the century on the eastern shore is much easier than one in the hills of Emmitsburg, I'd guess.

Wind V. Hills,take your pick. I know I won't be doing a century. Unless they have the four day century option