Patuxent River Rural Legacy Ride - June 9

[7rider]

Yeah...
Nothin' like waiting til the last minute....
DH and I plan on doing this metric tomorrow.
I did it last year with a friend and we had a good time.
Anyone going?
Look for us with "Bicycle Place" Jerseys on.....

http://www.ohbike.org/events/rural_legacy_eflyer.html

[divingbiker]

You know, I just might do this. I was planning to ride about 50 miles tomorrow, so depending on how early I get up and on my way, I could either do the 46 or 62 mile route. Thanks for letting me know about it! I'll look for you...

[7rider]

Did you do it?
Didn't see you.
DH and I did the metric. We got started a bit before 9 and it was HOT by the time we finished. We hooked up with this guy, Sean, from Arlington, who rode at about our pace. Hmmmm, it seemed to be more hilly than I recall - there were 2 in particular that were toughies - but then, we did this a lot faster than I did last year with a GF of mine.
Here's a first - and MDHS, you can relate to this. I rounded the final corner into the Wildlife Sanctuary, and BING! My right hamstring sprung! Oh, MAN, did that hurt. So, I did a lap around the road area at a really low gear and high cadance, and that seemed to work it out. We'll see how it feels in the a.m., tho...

[divingbiker]

Nah, I decided not to set my alarm, and if I woke up early I would do the ride, and if I woke up late I'd do my yard work. Since I didn't get up till 6:45, which is very late for me, I opted for yard work. (My yard-obsessed sister and brother-in-law will be visiting next weekend, and I don't want to be embarrassed.) Four bags of weeds later, the yard looks great.

Sounds like a fun ride...except for the hamstring.

[7rider]

It was a whole lot of fun - and definitely a route that can be repeated (just follow the blue fish on the road) if we want to do a TE ride over in that neck o' the woods. The start point is actually only about 15 minutes away from Rosaryville.
Oh, and any time I've seen your yard, it always looks great!

[Kalidurga]

How was the traffic over that way, Regina? I've ridden the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area driving tour and the park roads of Patuxent State Park, but I've been hesitant to try the roads outside of the park (as always, I assume everyone drives the way I do). I can think of hills on some of those roads that would probably kill me, but it could be worth it because it's so darned pretty around that area.

[7rider]

Traffic wasn't too bad...at least by my Montgomery Co. standards!
There was one major road - Croom Rd - that the route was on several times. That had a fair amount of heavy truck use and limited shoulder width in spots. Otherwise, we stuck to side streets.
Actually, I thought of you and your 'cross bike as I was riding my Seven into the rest stops - down dirt roads and rocky paths.

[Kalidurga]

Actually, I thought of you and your 'cross bike as I was riding my Seven into the rest stops - down dirt roads and rocky paths.

Croom Rd is exactly the one that would concern me the most. I'm finding that roads with no dividing line are the ones I'm most comfortable on. Put a dividing line down the middle with no shoulder and my paranoia kicks in.

The dirt roads sound even better Got a cue sheet? I think bikes are allowed on the horse trails in Patuxent, I'm wondering if it would be possible to link those up with the CADT and the back roads, and avoid Croom Rd.

[7rider]

Well, you could always do what my friend Margot (a.k.a. "Crack o' Dawn Margot") does.... start at an obscenely early hour - before all the meatheads get out of bed. Margot does not care to ride on the road...hates cars and traffic -- and even sharing a MUT with others. Last year, we were on the road at the start of the ride at about 7 a.m. And that was late for her....but it was when registration opened for the ride!
I do have a cue sheet. I can upload a file at another time (I'm on this useless laptop again - not near my p.c. or the scanner), or you can check out Oxon Hill Bike Club's cue sheet list at:
http://www.ohbike.org/cuesheets/index.htm
About halfway down the page, you'll see "Mataponi Elementary School" rides with "Rural Legacy Routes". Those are the routes - but with a different start. If you start at Merkle, you will have the full route - or start at the School, per their list here. (edit: they actually have the 24 mile route, too, from Merkle -- with a map. Doesn't look like there are many alternatives that do NOT require at least some time on Croom).

[ny biker]

Reviving this thread for 2008 - usually I do this ride with my friend Celeste but she moved to Ireland last fall so I'll be on my own this year. Is anyone planning to ride it? I've done the 46-miler in the past. I'd like to do the metric this year but I have a feeling I won't be ready for it so I will probably wind up doing the 46-er again.

[7rider]

I'm planning to ride it (see the Terry ride update thread here for a list of similar rides from and discussion on that group - the Oxon Hill bike club). It's June 7th this year. Hopefully, I won't be too jet-lagged from my trip. I'd like to do the metric. It's a bit hilly, but not too bad.