group rides seem intimidating (Washington DC/Silver Spring, MD)

[mariacycle]

ny_biker - the start locations for PPTC under the website are only accessible by members, but I'm interested to know where rides start to know whether or not a membership would be worth it. Do they only start in DC or do they start in NOVA as well. Do they use the W&OD?

[ny biker]

ny_biker - the start locations for PPTC under the website are only accessible by members, but I'm interested to know where rides start to know whether or not a membership would be worth it. Do they only start in DC or do they start in NOVA as well. Do they use the W&OD?

Actually I think mores rides start in NOVA or Md than in DC. After a quick skim of the April rides it looks like only a few start within DC -- all the rest start outside the city. Some rides are on the WOD. Some are all on road and some are a combination of trails and roads. The ride descriptions usually say if any trails are involved.

Here are the C and D rides that are scheduled for this Saturday. (There's a ride leader's contact information provided for each ride in case you have questions -- I didn't include that here.)

D/C * 18/24 * MD * 10:30 AM * College Park - UMD Metro Station
Maryland Woodlands and Streams Circuit Ride. Pedal along the Anacostia River and Paint Branch. See tornado devastation at College Park and a caboose at the Bladensburg Waterfront Park. Have lunch near the University of Maryland. This ride is almost entirely flat and on paved trails (and briefly on the road). Meet at the College Park - UMD Metro Station

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C * 30ish * VA * 10 AM * Belle Haven Picnic Area (BEL)
Something Different. Depending on the weather we will either bike down to Fort Belvoir with a stop at the Starbucks or if the weather is nice enough to have lunch at an outdoor cafe we will do some neighborhood riding and then finish up at the National Harbor for lunch. If the weather is doubtful, call leader the morning of the ride or check club website ride forum for last minute updates.



Here are the rides for April 10:

D/C/CC * 20-30 * VA * 10:30 AM * Vienna Comm unity Center (VCC)
Potomac Overlook Park-Arlington. A Mini Biking Festival 2 and a lunch with intelligent conversation in the Rock Bear Restaurant (Lee Hwy and W&OD intersection) or after ride in Vienna, Maple Ave and TBD. "D" leader Steven Jones W&OD/ Custis Trails and Military Rd, "C" leader Eugene Grunby Falls Church/McLean/Arlington (Military Rd) return with "D"s, and "CC" leader Woody Lipinski Falls Church/McLean/Arlington plus Heavenly Hills of Arlington (two big hills) no biking on the Custis trail.


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C * 27 (MH) * VA * 10 AM * Gunston ES (GES)
Lorton Springfield Loop. Here's a challenging ride that's half rural, half Northern Virginia suburban. Follow up and down hills with part of the route going past the old Lorton Penitentiary in the latter half. Lunch afterwards at a nearby eatery. In the event of questionable weather, a cancellation will be posted on the web site an hour before the ride start. If you need directions, do an internet map search on Gunston ES, Lorton, VA.

Here is one for April 11:

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C/CC(MF) * 31&50 * VA * 10:30 PM * Brentsville Historical Park, Brentsville * 45°/50%
Unpainted Country Lanes. Perfect for "C" riders who hate hills, "CC" riders who love a pace line, and tandems. I always get great compliments about this ride. It goes on paved but many unpainted roads and twists around country lanes like a colander full of spaghetti. And yet there are plenty of long, uninterrupted stretches. Traffic is minimal and the route hardly has hills. Ascent for both distances is a flat-ish 30 feet per mile. Toilet probably not available at ride start. Rest stop at 15 miles in Nokesville Park - no snacks, some water - and another for the longer route at the Bristerburg store. (Directions: Brentsville Park, 12291 Bristow Rd, Bristow 20136, behind the Presbyterian Church - use GPS, Mapquest, or similar for directions.) Tour the site after the ride. Questions? Call me at home NLT 2 hours prior to ride start or on cell thereafter.

[ny biker]

For anyone who's thinking they might want to join Potomac Pedalers, the annual picnic ride is on May 2 in Nokesville, VA. I wasn't able to attend this ride in past years, but I think it is a good opportunity for non-members to learn about the club. I am planning to go this year (although if it's cold and rainy like last year I reserve the right to turn off the alarm clock and go back to sleep. )

Here is the description:

Nokesville Picnic Ride in Virginia

Start: 05/02/2010 - 09:00
End: 05/02/2010 - 14:00
Timezone: Etc/GMT-5
Sunday, May 2, 2010

A Great Start to a New Cycling Season!

Last year’s multi-class Nokesville Picnic Ride will be repeated Sunday, May 2nd at the Nokesville Community Park in Nokesville, VA. We are stressing going “green” at this picnic by encouraging lots of recycling, etc. (Remember you can check the ride share forum on the PPTC website to see if people can share car trips out there.) As always, it’s open to everyone, new, old and non-members. It’s a great way to meet people who are not in your normal ride class.

After the ride we will gather at the pavilion for free hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, etc. We’ll provide drinks, plates, napkins, cups, utensils, and condiments but anyone should feel free to bring their own reusable plates or utensils (to keep the trash down.) As always, everyone is encouraged to bring a dish – salad, chips, other side dishes or desserts - to share. The potluck is usually excellent! Hope for a lovely day though this is a rain or shine event because the pavillion is large and quite nice.

This is a multi-class ride with something for everyone. There will be rides from 10-51 miles, covering classes from A to D. Check the May ride schedule for exact times for each of the rides.

An information table will be available before and after the rides to answer questions anyone might have from finding the right ride or how to join the club.