Sunday 3/30 Road Ride: Middleburg Loop in Virginia. 9:45am

[Dirt]

Hey folks.

Rain Thursday, Friday and maybe Saturday makes for a good chance to do a road ride on Sunday.

The Middleburg loop starts at the Marshall Park and Ride and goes for 50 miles through Loudoun County. The roads are mostly rolling hills, though there are a few little rises that might be caled "climbs".

HERE (http://www.bikepptc.org/node/3651) is the link to the cue sheet.

Our pace is usually around 15mph and we will stop a time or two for a breather. If we need to stop and regroup, that is cool too.

The Marshall Park and Ride can be found at the intersections of Salem Ave and Frost St. in Marshall, VA. From Beltway Exit-49, take I-66 west 36 miles to Exit-28 (Bus US-17 Marshall/Warrenton). Go north 0.7 miles on Bus US-17 / Winchester Rd into Marshall. Cross VA-55 / Main St at traffic light ( Bus US-17 becomes VA-710) and turn left / west in 0.1 miles onto Salem Ave. Continue a few blocks to a right on Frost Ave toward the swimming pool next to VDOT Commuter Lot.

HERE (http://maps.google.com/?q=Salem+Avenue+%26+Frost+Street%2C +Marshall%2C+VA%2C+20115%2C+us) is a map to the starting point.

Grumpy mapped out the Cue Sheet HERE (http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/va/middleburg/806539786) if you want to see what it looks like on the map. Thanks a ton Jason for setting that up.

When: Sunday, March 30, 2008. We'll meet at 9:45 and have wheels rolling at 10am sharp. Plan to be on the road for around 3 hours.

Please remember to ride wisely. There are cars out there and the best defense is to ride safely and in line.

Please let me know if you think you can make it. Post any questions or comments in this thread.

See y'all Sunday.

Pete

[tuba_transport]

I am in...

[allencb]

You guys have fun, I'll be down in NC.

BTW, are any of you guys interested in doing laps of the "scenic drive" loop at Prince William Forest State Park? I have a radio club meeting there the afternoon of April 5th and was planning to spend a few hours prior to the meeting doing laps (3-5 depending on my legs). If you include the road leading to and through the campground, it's about 14 miles with some rather steep hills. There's little if any traffic and one way with a large bike lane for about half of it. One of the hills is steep and long enough that I've coasted up to 40mph. It has a corresponding climb after you complete the downhill portion. :)

Sorry for the threadjack, it was just something that came to mind all of a sudden...

Chris

[Dirt]

BTW, are any of you guys interested in doing laps of the "scenic drive" loop at Prince William Forest State Park? I have a radio club meeting there the afternoon of April 5th and was planning to spend a few hours prior to the meeting doing laps (3-5 depending on my legs). If you include the road leading to and through the campground, it's about 14 miles with some rather steep hills. There's little if any traffic and one way with a large bike lane for about half of it. One of the hills is steep and long enough that I've coasted up to 40mph. It has a corresponding climb after you complete the downhill portion. :)

Sorry for the threadjack, it was just something that came to mind all of a sudden...

Chris
Hey Chris. Get your own thread for posting this kind of crap!!!!

Just kidding. I don't care about thread jacking. I certainly do enough of it. :D

My first reaction was that I'd be psyched to join you... but I think I need a rest day. My commutes have been at a higher-than-normal intensity level this week for some reason. I've been stressed about a huge demo, so I've been basically doing commutes where I'm pretty much in zone 4 the whole time except for a brief warm-up and a few dips into zone 5 on the hills.

Have a good ride and a good trip.

Pete

[tuba_transport]

I've been stressed about a huge demo

Pete
Still waiting on that new frame to arrive, eh?

http://www.3e-lab.com/images/specialized/demo_2007/Specialized_Demo_frame.jpg

[redclayrambler]

Pete,
I'm planning on making the ride, but I'm a little nervous about saying so as every time I do something happens and I miss out.
Ha Ha Anyway, planning on being there.
Clay

[Dirt]

Pete,
I'm planning on making the ride, but I'm a little nervous about saying so as every time I do something happens and I miss out.
Ha Ha Anyway, planning on being there.
Clay
Arrrghhh. My back! my back!

We all know you're just a whiney little twerp. ;)

But seriously folks....

It would be fun to ride with you.

Pete

[redclayrambler]

We all know you're just a whiney little twerp.
Whaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Mom, Pete's picking on me again!!
Wait till I get started about my knees and shoulders........oh yeah and my job.....:D

[Dirt]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaa!! Mom, Pete's picking on me again!!
Wait till I get started about my knees and shoulders........oh yeah and my job.....:D
Hahaha. I'll be careful not ot get onto those topics. :D Hopefully you can make it out.

Someone asked about the elevation profile for this ride. I've got it off of my GPS based upon the route that Grumpy set up. I've attached that below.

Pete

[tuba_transport]

Someone asked about the elevation profile for this ride. I've got it off of my GPS based upon the route that Grumpy set up. I've attached that below.

Pete

Looks like somewhere around mile 18 we are supposed to jump our bikes off a cliff or something. :eek:

[Dirt]

Looks like somewhere around mile 18 we are supposed to jump our bikes off a cliff or something. :eek:
The 300 foot drop-off is a little less steep when spread over the course of 3.5 miles. Such "radical" drops sort of lose their freefall status when you look at it in that light. Alp d'Huez this ride is NOT.

:D

[Dirt]

BTW, are any of you guys interested in doing laps of the "scenic drive" loop at Prince William Forest State Park? I have a radio club meeting there the afternoon of April 5th and was planning to spend a few hours prior to the meeting doing laps (3-5 depending on my legs). If you include the road leading to and through the campground, it's about 14 miles with some rather steep hills. There's little if any traffic and one way with a large bike lane for about half of it. One of the hills is steep and long enough that I've coasted up to 40mph. It has a corresponding climb after you complete the downhill portion. :)


Hey Chris.

I just re-read your post. For some reason I was thinking that you were talking about this Saturday. I might be up for it next week. Let me see how the weekend plays out. Most likely I'll end up doing the Annandale circuit 25 mile loop early in the morning before the cyclefest rides on Sunday.

Thanks for the suggestion. You should lead a group Saturday if people want to join you.

On another topic, I might have a few hours for a shakedown ride after changing a few things on the road bike tomorrow (Saturday, 3/29). Would anyone be interested in something like the Arlington Hillfest? I'm thinking of riding for 1.5-2 hours then maybe topping off the tank at Dog Fish Head after.

Reply here if you might be interested. I'll leave the humongous cable lock at Dog Fish Head before the ride. We'll likely meet at East Falls Church Metro to ride. My guess is that we'll do an 11am start.

Pete

[Dirt]

HERE (http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/va/arlington/178944948) is the map of the cue sheet if you're interested in a little ride tomorrow.

Let me know. I'm a little flexible on the start time. This ride hits a lot of the North Arlington hills. It is about 25 miles in length and the ride from East Falls Church to Lyon Village is about 3 miles or so.

Sound like fun?

Pete

[tuba_transport]

HERE (http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/va/arlington/178944948) is the map of the cue sheet if you're interested in a little ride tomorrow.

Let me know. I'm a little flexible on the start time. This ride hits a lot of the North Arlington hills. It is about 25 miles in length and the ride from East Falls Church to Lyon Village is about 3 miles or so.

Sound like fun?

Pete

I might be in for this. Wife is away right now and I own her some family time so I gotta check first. This would ony be about 2-3 hours including getting to the metro stop, ride, food, home, and shower I think?

[Dirt]

I might be in for this. Wife is away right now and I own her some family time so I gotta check first. This would ony be about 2-3 hours including getting to the metro stop, ride, food, home, and shower I think?

This info is for the Saturday ride. The sunday ride is as posted in the first post of this thread.

I'm planning around wifely activities too. I just found out that she's leaving a little before 10am. I'm gonna leave the house at about 10 (East Falls Church at 10:15am) and I should be back at the house by 1pm at the latest. I'll adjust the apres ride festivities accordingly. I might just cruise home for eating here if the ride goes long.

See you! sorry for the flakey plans for the Saturday ride.

[tuba_transport]

This info is for the Saturday ride.

I'm planning around wifely activities too. I just found out that she's leaving a little before 10am. I'm gonna leave the house at about 10 (East Falls Church at 10:15am) and I should be back at the house by 1pm at the latest.

That might be a LITTLE too early for me. We were planning on the Falls Church Farmer's Market with the 4 year old in the morning.

Would 11:00 at East Falls Church be too late to start?

[Dirt]

That might be a LITTLE too early for me. We were planning on the Falls Church Farmer's Market with the 4 year old in the morning.

Would 11:00 at East Falls Church be too late to start?
Okay. I can do 11am at EFC Metro. I'll see you there.

[tuba_transport]

Okay. I can do 11am at EFC Metro. I'll see you there.

Man, hate to do this, but I gotta bail till Sunday. Got some stuff which came up this morning. I am 98.6% good for tomorrow though.

Sorry bout this.

[Dirt]

Man, hate to do this, but I gotta bail till Sunday. Got some stuff which came up this morning. I am 98.6% good for tomorrow though.

Sorry bout this.
No problems. We had a good ride and got lost a bit. I didn't enter something right in the GPS and it wasn't doing the NAV stuff right. That'll teach me to leave the cue sheet at home. :D We had a killer ride though. That is a blast of a way to hit a TON of hills. Since I was screwing around with the GPS, I have no idea what the final plot looks like.

See y'all tomorrow. It will be an interesting ride. It is gonna hurt. :D

Later!

Pete

[redclayrambler]

I am still going to try to be there but there is a fly in the ointment, so if I'm not there at start time don't wait.
See ya (hopefully)

[Dirt]

I am still going to try to be there but there is a fly in the ointment, so if I'm not there at start time don't wait.
See ya (hopefully)
Cool! Hope you can make it. Take it easy. I went pretty hard today, so I'll be hurting a bit tomorrow. I stretched, ate well and got a massage tonight, so that will help a bit.

Later!

Pete

[redclayrambler]

Arrrrrgh!!! I'm out again I don't think I am going to post up about doing rides anymore it's bad ju ju for me.
Well have a grrrreat ride!!:)

[Dirt]

Arrrrrgh!!! I'm out again I don't think I am going to post up about doing rides anymore it's bad ju ju for me.
Well have a grrrreat ride!!:)
Don't give up. Keep posting if you think you can make it. It doesn't bother me if you cancel. I've done that so many times anyways.

Have a good day. Hopefully things will come together next weekend.

Later!

Pete

[tuba_transport]

Woohoo!!! Yeah!!! Rock on, Dude!!!!!

I kept pace with at least 1/2 of the riders today. Glory Days!!!!

Yeah, Pete outclimbed me nearly every time.

Todays ride had EVERYTHING. Rolling Virginian hills, dry stacked stone fences as far as the eye can see, horses left and right, climbs, descents, cliffs to drop off of at mile 18, 40mph pothole strewn DH courses, long stretches of fast flowing road, f*@&in gravel, single lane dirt roads, boulders literally sticking up through the road.

Yup, nearly 50 miles of Virginia's Finest. My legs are digesting Mac&Cheese, chicken, beer, and ice cream right now. And I am smiling as I type.

Thanks again for the great riding day, Pete.

[Dirt]

Awesome ride Sean. The dirt roads could have really sucked, but they didn't. Had one of us blown a sidewall, that would have sucked. As it was, we just eneded up having a bit of adventure. A smarter man than me could have just navigated around that part. I really didn't feel like turning back and adding another 7 or 8 miles to the ride. It built character.

Here are the profiles you were curious about. I'll post up the photos later tonight. I'm heading to Flaming Swords of Meat for dinner with some friends in a little while.

Thanks again for the ride. I went a lot faster with you there and you took the wind at points where I was really hurting.

See you in a few weeks.

Pete

[Dirt]

Photos!123

[Dirt]

Here's the last photo. I don't know what happened to the last attachments. It says they're in the process of uploading. I'll check and see if they come up later tonight.

Pete

[tuba_transport]

I look like the StayPuff Marshmallow Man in my windbreaker. I bought it for mountain biking, but it is a loose sail on the road.

I especially like the pick with the tree branches crisscrossing over the top of the road.

I might have to pick up a used Edge 305 for "cheap". The plots with heart rate are pretty cool.

[Dirt]

The last three photos.