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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    2,841

    Two covered Bridges cruise

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    Okay, I know this is supposed to be the 3 covered bridges tour - but I've never actually found that third covered bridge. I've found the one on Utica and I've found the one up on Old Frederick Rd...

    Now, I could actually look up the location of the third, but that'll spoil my joy when I randomly happen upon it...

    Friday afternoon, I left work intending to go get lunch, saw how absolutely gorgeous the weather was, and just grabbed a cliff bar from my car and declared that lunch. I knew there was a Halloween party at 2, my boss had already left, and I figured I'd finish my work and just leave early so I could get out for a ride in the warm weather, because earlier last week was just miserable in the wind and cold, yet I was trying to ride as much as possible since I knew daylight savings time was coming and I wouldn't have so many opportunities.

    I was out the door at 3:30 on my "fast" bike in a t shirt & shorts, had a bunch of layers packed for later on. I have 2 road bikes and despite the 2nd having nicer components and wheels, my fast bike just feels faster and is more fun to ride.

    When I know I have several hours to ride, I like to cross over to the east size of 15 and ride around in that area. Last time I did it, I found Legore Bridge, which is just a really gorgeous stone arched bridge...

    I was just enjoying the weather and was stopping to take pictures every so often. I'll include some of the pics, but a lot of them are of leaves. Another forum I post on was having a photo contest last month for leaves.

    Once I crossed 15, I headed up old Frederick Road - passing the covered bridge on Utica, through Creagerstown, and up till I got to Loys Station covered bridge. I'd taken a few photos at Utica, but wandered about for quite a while at Loys Station taking pictures.

    Eventually I realized - okay, it's 6:30, I've got maybe an hour left of daylight left and I'm an hour from home, so I decided to turn left at Rocky Ridge road after the Loys Station bridge, figuring I was heading towards 15 and would find some way south... I did veer off on some road because there was a sign for a bridge with limited weight bearing on it - so I thought it might be the 3rd covered bridge, but just ended up having to turn back about a mile in when the road turned to dirt. I ended up going through Thurmont, and there was this nice old town where as I was peddling up a hill 3 kids started calling to me from the front porch they were on... "HI!" So I'm shouting hi back - one boy says "Nice Bike!" I shout "Thanks!" and then they start wishing me a good evening, at which point I decide that I'm going to stop shouting at kids when I'm trying to ride up a hill, because fast bike is a double and not even a compact double... I'm fine with most hills around Frederick (nope, haven't gone up gambrills on it), if I think about the hills and really keep up my momentum... But shouting and hill climbing wasn't working so well.

    I stopped at some point to put on all my layers, turn on all my lights, and had a fun ride back watching the trick or treaters start emerging. I got in at 7:30, turned on my porch light so I could pass out candy, and it seemed everytime I was trying to peel off a sweaty layer, there'd be a knock on the door... I went about 35 miles total. I made a bit of a mistake and didn't eat for about 5 hours after I got back, which seemed to really impact how much energy I had on Saturday when I went for a ride.

    Saturday was a much more sedate ride just around Bethel & Mountaindale Rd - maybe 20 miles. I saw a really fantastic father & son team - the son looked like he was about 12 years old, full aero position, maybe a bit big on his bike, but just spinning like crazy, his father was also full aero and drafting about an inch behind him. I saw them twice and both times they were just flying along. It made me feel quite slow and pokey paced.















  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Limbo
    Posts
    8,769
    Mountaindale/Putnam Road/Bethel Road/Sunday's Lane/Bloomfield/Masser/Fish Hatchery are some of the best roads in the county.

    I would only do that ride you did (also a favorite) if I had all day.
    I like to take photos too much


    I might have a cue sheet for the Three Covered Bridges Route.
    Last edited by Zen; 11-03-2008 at 07:29 PM.
    2008 Trek FX 7.2/Terry Cite X
    2009 Jamis Aurora/Brooks B-68
    2010 Trek FX 7.6 WSD/stock bontrager

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Posts
    2,841
    They gravel chipped Bloomfield a couple of months back, that and Pear Lane. It's kept me off of those, too much vibration for my wrists on skinny road tires. That does end up limiting my variety in loops for 1-2 hour rides around my house.

    Anytime I'm riding out from my house & have more than 3 hours of daylight, I head over to the other side of 15 for variety. I love taking pictures, but I do get to a point when riding where I really have to pass something fantastic or with great lighting before I'll stop and take a photo... It breaks up the cycling and the rhythm. That and I've been riding around all of this stuff every day or two for the last 5 months.

 

 

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