Sunday March 4 ride?

[divingbiker]

It looks like the weather is going to be mid-40's and dry this weekend. Does anyone want to go for a ride? I'm up for anything--towpath, peachtree loop, or if you want to try something new, I like the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center area. We could meet at the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center (water and bathrooms) and do a loop from there, with very little traffic. Here's one option: http://www.routeslip.com/routes/14512 Of course, this would be a casual ride since that's all I do...

[aicabsolut]

I'll be time trialing it up at Navy on the 4th.

I'll be in Charlottesville again next week, possibly through the weekend, if anyone wants to visit there.

[7rider]

Put me down for a "definite maybe".
Sister in law is doing a show somewhere in VA - out Chantilly way again, I think - so we may be hitting the craft show circuit. Or not.
DH is due to get his bike on Friday. If it passes inspection, it'll get built and we'll HAVE to do a shake-down ride or two this weekend.
Hmmm...would SO's be welcome? He's well behaved!
I couldn't get the routeslip link to load (it could just be this computer I'm using now). Here's a nice ride from the Oxon Hill Bike club. I did their Patuxent River Rural Legacy metric last June that left from the Wildlife Sanctuary. Was great - got to follow painted fish on the road, which always appeals to me as I am challenged when it comes to dealing with a cue-sheet! Nicole??? Where are you?
Here's a nice 24-miler to consider...
http://www.ohbike.org/cuesheets/merkle24.pdf

[Kalidurga]

My bike is currently in pieces scattered across my living room. I got it back from the shop after it's tune-up and had every intention of giving it a thorough cleaning to get it totally ready for Spring. Then I fell into a black hole of slothfulness for a couple of weeks. This past Sunday, while watching the final stage of the Tour of Cali, I took off the wheels, took off the new chain, sat down and wiped every single link of the new chain wth a rag and q-tips, then looked at the frame sitting there upside down and decided I'd clean it another day. Needless to say, it's all still sitting there just as I left it

So, most likely I will not be riding it any time soon, but I could use a few verbal nudges from you guys to encourage me to finish cleaning it this week!

Oh, and Merkle's a great place to ride. I've only ridden the Chesapeake Critical Area Driving Tour, which is part paved/part sand and pebbles (I was fish-tailing even with wide tires), and it's a really beautiful area with lots of wildlife. Good hiking trails, too. Dunno if I'd be up for a road ride around there, though. Very narrow, curvy roads. I'd be nervous of crazy drivers. And, yes, I know you've heard that from me before. So, we'll have to plan on that Merkle 24-miler sometime later this Spring/Summer, maybe with a picnic lunch at the nature center afterwards.

[aicabsolut]

So Navy is not on the ball and their race is canceled. But I'll probably be out in Cville instead anyway. I'm itching to get away from the district traffic again.

[divingbiker]

Hmmm...would SO's be welcome? He's well behaved!

As far as I'm concerned, he'd be welcome even if he weren't well behaved! But I wouldn't want to slow him down too much.

So, most likely I will not be riding it any time soon, but I could use a few verbal nudges from you guys to encourage me to finish cleaning it this week!

Excuse me, Kali, but get off your butt and get that bike put back together! How do you expect to be ready to go for a ride at a moment's notice when the weather finally turns beautiful if it's scattered in pieces around the living room??? (Is that enough of a nudge or do I need to get some kind of weapon out?)

[HillSlugger]

Nicole??? Where are you?

Reporting for duty!

I've been aching to get outside for weeks now. I'd love to ride this Sunday. I bought new tires a few weeks ago and they haven't yet seen pavement. I just need to clear it with DP.

(I need swimming time, but I'd much rather be out riding! I need to figure out a different workout schedule that allows me my Sunday ride and gets in a second swimming session...)

[HillSlugger]

PS My trail bike is also ready for duty.

PPS Kali, your bike deserves the chance to romp in the early spring weather. Make her whole, let her ride!

[aicabsolut]

Nicole, which tires did you decide on?

I got some new G-blue Specialized all condition pro tiress. I looked at the Mondos in the store and felt sort of "eh" about them.

Slicks for later in the season will be some Michelin ProRace2 tires in baby blue.

[7rider]

Tam! Get your butt in gear!!! Get that bike together - it doesn't do you any good in pieces on the floor!

DB, I got the Routeslip route to load (yay!). Looks good - that's part of our "back road route" to Annapolis and I've always wanted to ride there. Looks interesting. I don't know your start/stop spot. There's parking (and, ahem, most importantly...porta potties!) there? I'd be up for either the 17 or the 24 mile route. I think that makes me "in". DH's frame was overnighted by Seven, so it arrived today and they'll start building it up, pronto. He may be in, too. And fear not...we both have not been riding, so we're not exactly prepared to burn up the roads.

RE: tires - Nicole - you're running those ProRace2's now, aren't you?

[HillSlugger]

Nicole, which tires did you decide on?

I got some new G-blue Specialized all condition pro tiress. I looked at the Mondos in the store and felt sort of "eh" about them.

Slicks for later in the season will be some Michelin ProRace2 tires in baby blue.

I went with the Pro2's, too. I wanted black but had to do dark grey.

[divingbiker]

I don't know your start/stop spot. There's parking (and, ahem, most importantly...porta potties!) there? I'd be up for either the 17 or the 24 mile route. I think that makes me "in".

The starting point is the Patuxent Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center. It's a nice building with exhibits etc, with real bathrooms (yay!) and a nice big parking lot. http://www.fws.gov/northeast/patuxent/vcdefault.html
They don't open till 10 am, but that's probably fine because we'll need to let the air temperature warm up some. What time shall we start?

For future reference, an alternative if you want a longer ride is to start at the Greenbelt Metro station and ride over to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center. I'm thinking this early in the season we should stick with the Visitor Center starting point and do extra loops if we want more distance.

[7rider]

Ooooh. I love those kind of places! I can totally get lost in them. Don't know why I haven't been there yet.

10 or 11 sounds fine to me. I'm all for letting the air warm up!
Come July, however, I'd be for EARLY rides.

[HillSlugger]

Can we tack on about 3 miles somewhere to bring the ride up to 20 miles?

I'd prefer to ride after the temp has reached 32F. Weather.com doesn't yet have hourly predictions for Sunday. 10 or 11 sounds good.

I assume this is a road ride?

DB, have you gotten your new commuter bike yet?

[7rider]

[QUOTE=MDHillSlug;175744]Can we tack on about 3 miles somewhere to bring the ride up to 20 miles?
QUOTE]

NO!!!! You are not allowed to ride more than me!!!!

Nicole - I have to admit - you are my "rabbit" I am chasing in the "2500 in 2007 Race" - and you are soundly pummelling me right now!

So, I'll do two laps, and you can do....oh, maybe a half!