barrysherry - peaceonabike

April 24, 2011July 29, 2022

Easter Ride

RANSON, WEST VIRGINIA

Listening to the weather forecast this morning they determined that no prior Easter in Washington, D.C. had ever reached 80 degrees. Today it would. Of course, this was also the latest Easter in recent memory. It was a beautiful day for a ride and to try my new route to Charles Town.

The middle portion of my trip would remain unchanged — that from Aldie to Airmont via Snickersville Turnpike. But those 11 miles would be the only constant.

I had determined that from Airmont to Charles Town was about the same distance whether I cross on Va. 9 at Keyes Gap or took Va. 7 over Snickers Gap. But traffic, not distance, should be the determining factor in finding the best way.

I’m not sure how many times I have crossed on Rte. 9, less than 10, but it’s never a fun proposition. Entering just west of Hillsboro, Rte. 9 is two-lane, 55 mph, with no shoulder, sharp curves, and a two mile climb, although only the second mile is where the road kicks up.

My maps showed that if I stayed on Snickersville Turnpike and crossed the mountain at Va. Rte 7 it would be much safer. One doesn’t need to actually get on Rte. 7, which is a major four-lane road over the mountain, until about 1 kilometer, or 0.6 miles, from the top. Plus there is a decent size shoulder, although I wouldn’t necessarily call it real wide. But I knew I didn’t have to ride on Rte 7 except for that mile going over the top and then just over one mile (two kilometers), where I would cross the Shenandoah River.

At the southern end of the trip, I had taken the Prince William Parkway to Rte 234/Sudley Road past the Manassas Battlefield to Gum Springs Road. Following Gum Springs I took Braddock Road, which in these sections, is a very rough unpaved road for more than two miles. It connected with U.S. 15 for one mile and U.S. 50 for another 1.7 miles. My goal was to avoid these two major U.S. routes, both of which were two lanes and neither of which had much of a shoulder.

I headed down Bristow Rd which is a two-lane road with no shoulder but most drivers are pretty good about respecting cyclists on this road. It turns into Linton Hall Road which was the only part of the route I did not like. Four lanes, it is curb-to-curb with no shoulder, a 45 mph speed limit which meant most cars were doing 55 mph. The total distance on this portion was 10 kilometers (6 miles).

It was a short trip through Haymarket to Antioch Road at which time I stopped to call home and then was met by another cyclist, “Kenny.” We chatted as we rode off together. It was fun for a while but then I soon realized I was near the red zone. He was setting a pretty fast pace and I was struggling to stay on his wheel. I enjoyed his companionship but was relieved when he turned to ride up Ridge Road.

The Yellow House on Snickersville near Bluemont

With just one missed turn, I made my way to Aldie and Snickersville Turnpike. The day was gorgeous and the spring blossoms were on the trees. Snickersville is a roller coaster and for every screamin’ downhill section, you pay on the other side with a climb. It softened up the legs for sure.

I stopped at the general store in Bluemont and surveyed the dark clouds on the mountain. I knew I’d be getting wet sometime. Some things you can’t avoid.

With temperatures in the 80s, I really didn’t mind the rain at the top of the mountain and as quickly it came it seemed to leave – or I left it. At the bottom of the hill, I crossed the Shenandoah River and turned on Casselman Road. I followed the Shenandoah River briefly then turned and was surprised to find my route turned to dirt. A gravel road. Oh well. It was 2.5 miles (4 km) over the dirt before I was on Wickcliffe Rd.

I came to Kabletown Road and followed this to Old Cave Road to Charles Town. But I saw lightning in the distance. Dark clouds were looming ahead and I knew I was going into it. Again. I looked for shelter but found none and rode through about 10 minutes of the worst of it. Lightning followed by an almost immediate crack of thunder. It was scary.

I was drenched, but I was safe, I made it to Charles Town.

On the day it was an 80 mile ride which was a bit longer than the old route but almost all of it, more than 10 km (6 miles) is because of the Haymarket portion. I traded a couple of miles of dirt roads on Braddock Road for faster traffic on Linton Hall Road. I need to think if that’s a fair tradeoff.

The climb on Rte 7 is more formidable than the mountain crossing on Rte 9 and is safer too so this way is definitely in the books as the route to follow. I have to look for more paved roads and less dirt in Clarke Co., Va. but those 2.5 miles weren’t that bad.

Even with the thunderstorm, it was a great day on the bike.

April 23, 2011August 31, 2020

Going Back to France

WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA

It’s a cold and rainy day with temperatures in the high 40s (9 C). Not much better I can do than to plan my trip to France.

When I left France last year I always knew I would return someday – I just didn’t know it would be this year. Initially, I planned to return to Saint-Lary-Soulan in the Pyrenees and meet Adrian Register, who rode with us (our Trek Travel group) our first day last year.

As I am planning this trip it has become obvious that you cant’ get there from here. “There” being Saint-Lary and “here” being Toulouse. No public transportation so I will rent a car.

But the car will also free me to do more riding. Last year we rode the Col d’ Peyersourde and rode the brakes down the entire time, unable to see more than 50 meters in front of us, and not willing to go faster because of the cold and keeping in mind the roads were dangerously wet too.

Peyresourde on a nice day
(Credit: www.cycling-challenge.com)

I don’t have any of my own pictures from the Peyresourde from last year other than the obligatory photo taken at the top of the peak.

Peyresourde on a not-so-nice day

It was very cold descending and we could not determine whether the curves ahead were sweeping bends or hairpin killers. We rode slowly on the descent. I would love to ride the Peyresourde again, this time bombing the descent. But I’m not sure that I will.

Last year I was with a group which had an itinerary and always intersected with the Tour de France. This year I won’t be chasing the Tour and will have more time to focus on riding.

IMHO, there aren’t three more famous climbs in the Tour than the Tourmalet, Mont Ventoux, and Alpe d’Huez. Only once, in 1994, have all three been used in the same Tour.
And I will do all three.

Part of me wants to repeat each and every climb from last year but part of me says to keep those memories and create new ones on new climbs. And so I am planning Superbagnères instead of Pla d’Adet. A different approach over the Col d’Aspin. But the Tourmalet remains. And to the summit this year!

April 10, 2011August 12, 2021

Nokesville to Summerduck

NOKESVILLE, VIRGINIA

My annual mileage is actually behind where I was one year ago when we had 60″ of snow and I was slow in recovering from cancer surgery. This winter wasn’t severe but we’ve had many days colder than normal.

I was invited to join Joe Penano and some riders from The Bike Lane team on a 70-mile ride out of Middleburg, Va., but was afraid that I wasn’t up to their level of fitness and would slow them down or get dropped. Instead, I opted for a Potomac Pedalers ride where I would know no one.

It was listed as a BB/A ride and I hoped it would be more BB than A. Or that we would have enough for two groups and I could join the BB group. Even then I was worried that I did not have the fitness to keep up with the BB group.

Maybe, even more, was the first time I when I first did a PPTC ride from Nokesville I did a BB ride and got dropped. I learned that A riders sometimes jump in the BB rides and naturally ramp up the pace. I was hoping we’d have enough for two groups, an A and a BB.

There were 10 of us. One group.

Our ride would take us to U.S. 17 to Summerduck in Fauquier County and back to start.

We started fast and went faster. Ten of us were in a paceline although I wouldn’t say we were maximized for speed. Each person as they moved up front took monster pulls instead of my preferred 20-30 seconds at the front. When it was my turn I pulled for about a mile (monster pull) then moved over just as the group was ready to hammer a downhill. My bad. I lost contact although the group did sit up and wait for me to come back.

About five miles from our rest stop we hit a hill and I was in last at the bottom. At the top, I was only 10 meters or so behind but did not have the recovery to hammer the pace. Ten meters grew to 40 and then 100. Then I lost contact. I pulled out my cue sheet and knew I was in trouble. I had switched Garmin to kilometers while the cue sheet was in miles. But a quick math lesson and I found myself back to the group at our rest stop. There was another rider behind me and he came in 3-4 minutes later.

Averaged 18.5 mph, I didn’t think I could continue this pace for the second half of the ride and was content to ride home alone. But we took off and I stayed with them. My mind kept thinking just get to me Sowego Road or Brentstown Road or Fleetwood Drive. Then I would sit up and soft pedal home.

The ten of us stayed together and the pace increased. We eventually dropped a rider and around 80 km. I lost contact and dropped back 30-40 meters but was able to catch the group at Brentstown Road. One or two riders waited for the dropped rider and the rest of us took off. I was still hanging in there until we hit a rise and a felt a sharp twinge in my quad. Cramp! Crap!

I immediately sat up and pulled myself out of the group. I knew then to soft-pedal the rest of the way and be content with what I had accomplished.

Only once did I ride this year as much as 16 mph and that was the Reston Bike Lane ride which always moves. I had hoped for 16, or dare I think, 17 on this ride. I came home at 19.0 mph.

I spent a lot of time in Heart Rate Zones 2 and 3 (two hours 23 minutes), 24 minutes in Zone 4, and two minutes in the red. I worked hard.

Clearly, my fitness is lacking but it was a great ride with an A class group.

March 13, 2011September 6, 2020

Last Sunday of Winter

THE PLAINS, VIRGINIA

It’s the last Sunday of winter and time to celebrate with a ride. This one was a Potomac Pedaler’s CC ride which is too slow for me. While there was also an A/BB ride on the list, I’m not feeling like the BB rider I can be and if only A riders showed up I’d be dropped quickly.

My goals were simple and they evolved as I rode.

(1) Be a nice guy and ride slow with everyone else. That worked for the first mile or two but as the road turned up and I soft-pedaled soon I was passing everyone else as though they were going backward.

(2) Don’t let the heart rate go above 130. Soft pedaling works but eventually it just gets too tiring going slow uphill and it feels good to pedal harder.

(3) Don’t shift into the small front ring. Check — did that. Climbed every hill without shifting into the small ring.

(4) Don’t be the jerk who rides off and leaves everyone behind. Well, technically I didn’t because I found “Mike” from Arlington to come along with me.

(5) Find a new route to/from Charles Town. I think I did that, riding through Evergreen Golf Course.

We met and parked alongside the train tracks in The Plains, Va. For a large group ride parking is a problem but not today as the group was no more than 12-15 riders even though temperatures were in the mid 50s and it was sunny.

I soon made my way through the group and was looking at just two riders in front of me, Holly and Mike. Neither have last names. I caught both then led them through Evergreen Golf Club eventually dropping both on Mountain Road. Remember #1. Or #4. I slowed and the three of us rode to Aldie together.

At Aldie I decided not to take a lengthy break at the store so Mike and I headed out, never to see the group for the rest of the day. Since the route was listed as 47 miles and I wanted to do at least 50, I suggested we change the route and stay on Snickersville Turnpike. Mike agreed and we were treated with extreme rollers for the next 10 miles.

I really thought that with the additional miles we added that we dropped behind our group. We intersected at Foxwell and St. Louis Road. In St. Louis, Va., I stopped and asked a Loudoun Co. sheriff if a group had gone by and he said that none had. We continued on.

Back in the main group, they had a front derailleur issue at Mile 4, a flat at Mile 9, two rear derailleur issues on Snickersville Turnpike, and a bottom bracket issue as well. We might have waited until sunset and not have seen them. It was a good decision to go on by ourselves.

Mike and I stopped at the Atoka Store which is halfway between Middleburg and Upperville. No group. At this point we just decided to follow the cues and ride it home.

As we rode into The Plains I was still one mile short of 50. I simply rode out another half mile, turned around, and came back content with another 50-mile ride.

Maybe there will be evening riding this week. We just went to Daylight Savings Time. Or maybe not. But this winter was not severe like last winter. It was cold but the roads were passable most of the winter.

Refereeing and related activities as well as the Steelers run to the Super Bowl took up many riding days from me. But still, since January 1, I have ridden 303 miles. That’s not a bad winter but spring and summer will be 20 times better.

Mileage: 50.1
Average Speed: 13.9 mph

January 1, 2011September 14, 2020

A New Year’s Day Ride

HOOVERSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA

The temperature was 37° when I headed out for my New Year’s Day ride. The road in Camp Harmony was mud covered by ice. I tried to stay on the side in the mud rather than risk spilling on the ice.

Memories abound at Camp Harmony. Last year I was one month removed from cancer surgery. My exercise last year was to walk up Plank Road during a blizzard. And dealing with post-surgical issues.

This year I had to ride. Bundled up, I started up Plank Road to Slagle Hill Road. It started raining. I thought my ride would be cut real short riding in a cold rain but I lasted longer than the rain.

My descent down Slagel Hill could have been fun but the road was treated with a dirty black gravel mix, presumably with salt. But unlike treated Virginia roads which are noticeably white, these roads were black. In short, the descent was pretty treacherous.

At Mile 4 I stopped to photograph the steel grate bridge, presumably called the Green Bridge since this was Green Bridge Road. At Mile 8 I could have turned up Plank Road and made a nice 10-11 mile loop but I continued to Hollsopple. I had ridden this stretch three times last summer; once in a Somerset-Johnstown-Ligonier loop, and twice on my way to Punxsutawney. It’s much nicer in the summer.

I followed Whistler Road next to Stoney Creek. Stoney Creek flows from here to Johnstown. A cyclist on this road is a rare site – even more a cyclist in January.

At Hooversville I saw a suspension bridge and knew I had to follow it. It crossed the Stoney Creek over to Hooversville Road.

I then took Hooversville Road up to Plank Road then back to camp just as the rain started to come down harder. A 20-mile loop is a great way to begin 2011!

January 1, 2011March 7, 2023

Royal Order of the Iron Crotch

WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA

My local cycling club, Potomac Pedalers Touring Club, has an award, which may be tongue in cheek, but it is called the Iron Crotch Award. This recognition goes to anyone who rides 5,000 miles in a year. And I qualified.

To qualify, I had to submit a simple questionnaire.

TOTAL MILES: 5,102
LONGEST RIDE – Civil War Century, with some extra back tracking — 104.2
% MILES COMMUTING — 11.4% – It’s 40+ miles one way and I rode 14 segments plus bonus miles
% MILES PPTC RIDES — 9.2% on 9 rides including one which I led
Date on which 5,000 was achieved – November 27 on Oysterburg Road, Oley, Pa., the longest and steepest hill on the LIVESTRONG Philly route. Just me on that bitter November day coming back to make a statement that I won’t be stopped by cancer.
Most miles in a Month — 841 (June)
Most miles in a week — 300 – in France, during the Tour de France
Number of Zero mile weeks – Eight
Number of 100 mile days – Five
Most interesting story – Tie — On August 7 I was biking 80 miles from Somerset, Pa. to Punxsutawney, Pa. About 30 miles from my destination I came upon two angry Rottweilers who decided to attack me. I dismounted and was trying to hold them at bay when they were suddenly counter-attacked by a five pound Yorkshire Terrier. The Yorkie came out of nowhere and attacked them to protect me. She quickly fled, unharmed, and when other people arrived, they did too.
On August 20, I was riding in North Conway, NH, when I was approached by two guys wearing full Garmin kits. I had to do a double take to see that they weren’t club riders imitating Tyler Farrar. I instantly knew they were real Garmin riders from their U23 team. And they asked me if they could jump in. And let me pull for five miles.

Maybe the worst thing about riding far in one year is the desire to surpass that the next. It’s going to be tough. I tried to recreate 2009 with Garmin and log entries and it appears that I rode 2,100 miles the year before. So double mileage in one year. Not too shabby, I’d say.

December 29, 2010January 6, 2022

Reflections on the Year – 2010

WOODBRIDGE, VIRGINIA

One year later I look back on what I listed would be my goals for 2010.* I made some and I missed some.

Most notably, I missed riding with Lance Armstrong in Austin. I set out to be the best fundraiser ever for LIVESTRONG but along the way discovered the journey was more important than the destination. Raising money for the fight is important but my website became less about raising money and more about caring for others in their fights. Was that wrong?

In a year of great memories, here are my Top Ten Riding Moments of 2010

10. Mountains of Misery

My first century after cancer, there would be four more this year, this one was also the toughest. It featured “rollers” until Mile 60 then a 3-4 mile climb at 12%. Rollers again for 40 miles then a four mile 12% killer climb to Mountain Lake (think Dirty Dancing). It was my first real test to see if I could regain my fitness during this year of recovery after cancer surgery. It wasn’t great but I passed the test.

Finish Line at Mountains of Misery

9. Encountering a bear

I always wanted to see a bear in the wild. I thought as much as I drive through the mountains, someday I might. I never expected to come across a bear when I was on my bike. But on July 4, my niece, Emily Cramer, and I turned a bend while on the Great Allegheny Passage in Maryland, near the Pennsylvania border, when we saw a bear about 75 yards ahead. We stopped. It looked at us and decided it wasn’t interested.

View from inside Borden Tunnel

8. Altoona

Riding in the Allegheny Mountains around Altoona brought a special peace for me last year while starting my journey with cancer. My first real ride “back” during recovery had to be in Altoona and I took six friends with me on April 4. It was the best day I had so far since surgery last November.

Scott Scudamore leads the pack up Valley Forge Road

7. 5,000 miles in 2010

I started to record my mileage for each ride in 2009 but quit when I was diagnosed with cancer. Prior to this year I rode around 2,500 miles annually. Five thousand miles was not a cycling goal but it was a byproduct of feeling good only when I am on the bike. After the LIVESTRONG Challenge in August when I passed 3,000 miles it dawned on me that I could reach 5,000 miles although I knew in late fall it wouldn’t be easy. But I also knew that if I pushed through the darkness in the fall and continued to ride far on weekends in October and November I would make it. On November 27, I went to Oysterburg Road in Oley, Pa., site of the toughest hill on the LIVESTRONG-Challenge Philly course, to symbolically finish my fight against cancer, although the journey continues.

The Devil was nowhere to be found on this day

6. 52 mph

My “Quest for 50” (mph) was something I always am seeking to do and I even went to U.S. Rte 30 near Stoystown, Pa., in August just for that purpose. And failed. I did hit 48.9 though. But then, at the Civil War Century, out of nowhere, I hit a downhill and hit 52 mph. Nothing else that day could ruin it, not even a mechanical (flat tire). Going 50 mph on a bike is both exciting and scary. If you let yourself think about what would happen if you crashed at that speed you will never go that fast. Or you will crash.

51.9 mph

5. Saved by Biscuit

Being attacked (and scared) by Rottweilers is nothing to record as a Top Ten Moment. However, I was able to bike from Somerset to Punxsutawney two weekends in a row in August. The distance, without a wrong turn, is 80 miles. But my encounter with these beastly dogs also led to me being saved by Biscuit, the Yorkie, and a news article about my adventure.

Dog Saves Former Punxsy Resident – Really?
Former Punxsy resident?

4. Civil War Century

I have done a number of centuries (100 mile rides) but never lined up at the start with a friend. Ernie Rodriguez joined me for this 103 mile ride over South Mountain, to Sharpsburg, Md. (Antietam), then to Gettysburg. The route was outstanding.

Ernie Rodriguez

I could have gone faster, and Ernie said near the end he wanted me to jump in with some faster riders and leave him behind. I have certainly felt that way when just hanging on with other riders – “please, go ahead without me.” But this was Ernie’s first 100-mile road bike ride and there was something about riding together with a friend that is more enjoyable than adding one mph to your average speed.

3. Team Garmin

The day before the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, I went for a warmup ride in North Conway, New Hampshire, just to keep the legs loose. Two guys came up behind and asked “mind if we jump in?”

How many times have I been in a big event and some old rider appears stuffed in an HTC-Columbia, Radio Shack, Discovery Channel, or Garmin kit? Many. The biggest offenders are the Basque who all wear Eskutel-Escadi kits. So to see two riders in Garmin wasn’t a complete surprise. But I knew in an instant that they were the real deal.

Garmin riders Walker Savidge and Peter Salon

Walker Savidge and Peter Salon were to ride the next day in the race and had been dropped off in town. “Sure,” I said. “After a picture.” I pulled and they stayed on my wheel for about seven miles. Great kids. I wish them the best in their pro careers.

2. LIVESTRONG-Challenge Philly

This is overwhelming. Simply by bugging my friends they donated more than $6,500 to LIVESTRONG this year and $10,000 since I was diagnosed with cancer. I am speechless.

The physical part should have been much tougher but I don’t recall it being that tough. My legs were powerless but the will was strong. I raced in the MWARBH the day before, drove nine hours until 1:00 a.m., slept for four, then went to registration at LIVESTRONG. And I biked 100 miles in a steady, and sometimes, heavy rain.

1a. Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

My first attempt was 07/07/07 and ended up with the race canceled due to dangerous weather on the mountain. Perhaps it was just as well. I don’t know that I would have made it and whether the failed attempt would have defeated me or encouraged me, I don’t know.

In 2008 I made it, albeit with a crash, and returned in 2009, battling cancer. But 2010 was the year that I would return cancer-free. A different attitude surrounds my attempts now. I have gone from wondering if I will make it to simply how long I will suffer.

1. Riding in France

I guess I ran out of numbers. Make this a “Baker’s Ten.”

Words cannot describe how much fun I had riding in France. Cyclists are respected by motorists. And dogs. Climbing the Tourmalet and Col d’Aspin the day of the Tour, we were cheered by spectators who were waiting for the real riders. I met 24 other cyclists and four great guides with Trek Travel. And one English-French-American. Having Ashley meet me in Paris at the end of the tour made it even more special.

I can’t wait to return.

Barry with Ashley
Atop the Eifel Tower

As for 2011, I’m not declaring any goals other than being cancer-free. For the first time in four years I’m not sure about going back to Mount Washington although I imagine I probably will. I would love to go to France again. I am always willing to support LIVESTRONG but maybe in a venue other than Philly (Davis, Ca., or Austin). World’s Most Beautiful Century (Lake Tahoe)? Ride the Rockies? RAGBRAI? The list is endless…

*Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb, a week of riding in France, the LIVESTRONG Challenge ride with Lance in Austin.

November 28, 2010July 23, 2015

5,000 Miles

LANDIS STORE, PENNSYLVANIA

Total miles ridden in one year was never a goal; specifically, I never set out to ride 5,000 miles in one year (8,047 kilometers). Rather, it was a byproduct that in this year of my recovery riding was the one activity where I felt normal.

Although I made an effort to track every mile in 2009, I gave it up once I was diagnosed with cancer. In prior years I simply noted the odometer on my bike at the end of each year. My previous mileage counts were in the 2,500 mile range and in three years on this bike I had 6,600 miles at the end of last year.

This year was different. I recorded every mile in a spreadsheet. On August 22 I completed the LIVESTRONG-Challenge Philly and went over 3,000 miles for the year. On that day I noted that I could hit 5,000 miles by the end of year if I could keep riding deep into the fall. It becomes difficult because the light of summer evenings turns to the darkness of the fall. Weekends could be cold and rainy and the enthusiasm for being on the bike wanes.

I looked at where I had been and what I needed and knew I would reach 5,000 miles. It was a question of when. That was answered yesterday. I had left myself just 27 miles short and could break 5,000 on the Reston Bike Lane shop ride or go to Pennsylvania. I decided on Pennsylvania. I rode 21 miles in the late afternoon and left myself needing just 6 1/2 miles today.

My niece, Emily Cramer, was in the Pennsylvania Outstanding Young Woman competition in Reading. She was the winner of the Somerset competition and was representing Somerset in the state-wide competition. Emily and I also rode together on July 4 when we encountered a bear.

Rev. Harry C. Sherry, Emily Cramer, Naomi Sherry

Not far from Reading the LIVESTRONG-Challenge Philly course rolls by. The longest and steepest hill is on Oysterburg Road up to the village of Landis Store. This is also where the “devil” will taunt riders trying to make it up the hill.

Ha! It was too cold today for a sighting of the Devil

On a cold and very windy day, we drove through Reading out to Oley and found the intersection of Hoch and Bertolet Mill Roads. The temperature was just 40 degrees and the winds were howling. I misread the map and pushed off in the opposite direction. Oh well, bonus miles in the valley before beginning the climb. Once righted, I found Oysterburg Road and began reflecting on every mile that I rode this year. That’s 5,000 reflections.

Two years straight I rode this route and flew by the prettiest stone and wood barn, always going by too fast to stop and take pictures. Today I could.

Not far beyond the barn is another barn near the base of the two-mile climb. Although not a rest break in the LIVESTRONG Challenge, there is always bottled water there for the riders to refill before the climb. It is also where riders are taunted with signs that the hill is steep. And the hill is long.

Photo in summer (Aug. ’09) stating the obvious

I hit the climb and was all smiles. Although I had to work, there was an 18-19% wall, but it was all good. I reached the summit in two miles and came to the Landis Store Hotel at the Village of Landis Store, Pa.

During the Challenge this is a major rest stop. It is beaming with riders glad to have made it 57 miles. Live music, hot food, plus water and Gatorade are a feature at this stop. Today, nothing. But that’s OK. I came back to the place where I twice came to fight the global fight on cancer.

Once I arrived at Landis Store, which is now a restaurant but has been a store and hotel over the years, I was ready to pack up and leave and get back to Reading to see Emily. But so many times I enjoy or suffer the climbs and don’t reap the reward on the other side — the “wee” factor that comes with the descent. So I turned around and flew down the mountain I had just climbed.

I came back to tell cancer you have picked on the wrong person.

5,000 miles indeed!

EPILOGUE: My niece, Emily Cramer, was named the 1st runner-up in the statewide competition as Outstanding Young Woman. Congratulations Emily!

Map and Stats at Ride with GPS.com

November 1, 2010July 23, 2015

Blair Witch Project

BURKITTSVILLE, MARYLAND

This was one of the hardest 50 mile rides I have done. Stupid wind.

I had a rough idea where I was going when I left Ashley and Bryan’s place in Ranson (near Charles Town, WV) but wasn’t completely sure. I knew I wanted to go to Burkittsville which is the home of the Blair Witch Project. It was Halloween, after all.

My route eventually took me on U.S. 340 across the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry then, about three miles later, across the Potomac River from Virginia into Maryland. The bridge is narrow with no shoulders and the pedestrian sidewalk was closed. I had no choice but to pedal across it.

I fought a brisk wind for most of the ride. It was so strong, and cold, that at times I was out of the saddle even on the flats, trying to generate enough power.

At Burkittsville I headed up Gapland Road. It was less than a one mile climb but one portion measured at 16%. It was a neat little climb. At the summit is a memorial to Civil War Correspondents. This was also the site of the battle for South Mountain.

Burkittsville, Md.

Also, it was here that was Rest Stop Number One for the Civil War Century ride I did last month. To go from 1,600 riders in one place to just one seemed quite strange.

One of many plaques at South Mountain

Last month Townsend Road had been newly “chipped,” that is, there was lots of fresh gravel on a tar base. It was the scariest portion of the century ride just trying to stay upright. Today the road looks like any other asphalt road.

Chip and tar but in great shape

In September I was leading a group of 6-7 riders down Burnside Bridge Road around 25-30 mph. We came to Antietam Creek and I wanted to capture a picture of the creek next to the road and a bunch of swimmers and tubers enjoying the last swim of the summer. But I couldn’t apply the brakes and pull over so that memory is engraved only in my mind.

Today I was able to stop and take a picture. No kids swimming. Just a beautiful scene.

Burnside Bridge Road, near Sharpsburg, Md., at Antietam Creek

At Sharpsburg I headed towards Shepherdstown. Bethany, Ashley, and my money attended here. But it had been a while since I had been to this quaint town. There is a historical marker on Rte 9 at the Va.-WV border that states that it had been urged to make Shepherdstown the nation’s capital. Interesting.

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

I had wanted to follow the bike path that parallels Rte 9 but discovered it ends with no access to Rte 9 (bicycles prohibited). I followed Rte 115 to Ranson not knowing where I was going. My sense of direction told me to turn on 17th Street looking for a way to Flowing Springs Rd then back to Ashley’s. However, it was a pleasant surprise when I followed this street and discovered that there was a back entrance to Ashley’s development. Who knew?

“City” of Ranson

Fifty miles and I was more drained than on any of the century rides I have done this year. Stupid wind.

September 25, 2010February 19, 2024

St. Mary's Century

LEONARDTOWN, MARYLAND

“The Lone Wolf”
“What the hell am I doing?”
“Just Hanging On”

Titles for this blog entry go racing through my mind.

Wheels down at 8:15 a.m. which was later than I wanted as the course opened at 7:00 a.m. I completely underestimated the time it would take to drive here. I headed out of town with little knowledge of where I was going. Although I was handed a cue sheet, I don’t like to use those. Besides, if I got lost I could always program Garmin “back to start.”

**Well marked if you’re looking for it**

I started out on an empty road and saw no one ahead and no one behind. I figured starting so late I missed any chance to jump into a group. I was resigned that I would ride by myself so I turned around to get a cue sheet then did a 180 and decided to forgo it. I would simply take it slow and enjoy the scenery.

The markings on the road were very small and it was easy to blow past a turn and go for miles waiting for the next mark, which would never come. But I found my first turn and stopped to take a picture of the road and the sign marking – an Amish horse and buggy.

While I was stopped fumbling with the camera, I was passed by two guys. I thought that if I hurried I might be able to join them but they went by pretty fast. I counted and they were 17 seconds ahead and wondered if I should hammer it to join them. And what they would think. I let them go.

Settling in enjoying the scenery, I came upon an Amish horse and buggy. Or horse and wagon. I respected the driver’s desire not to be photographed and be recognizable by snapping a picture from the distance. From the rear. (At least this is my belief. I could be wrong.)

Over the next couple of miles, I passed eight buggies including one charming family of eight. On the back, and they could see me approaching, were two older girls facing backward on the top bench and three smaller boys sitting one bench down. Up front were dad and mom driving with a baby in between. It was actually pretty cool in an Amish sort of way.

The horse took off on the downhill section, approaching the steep uphill. And I did the same. I was side by side by passing with a wide berth. I didn’t want to scare the horse. Then we hit the 12% grade wall. And I flew by that horse. Ha! (Of course, I wasn’t pulling a family of eight.)

It was Amish market day as I assume every Saturday is. I passed one young Amish man on his bike and just wanted to stop and show him my bike. But I didn’t. I wondered what he would say about a carbon fiber bike with a Garmin GPS unit on it.

Just as I was catching a group of riders, riding a bit too slow for me though, I was passed by the same two riders: John Phillips and his boss, Enrico. I didn’t know who these two guys were and I caught their wheels. I can only imagine that they were wondering why I was hanging on and I wondered if they were trying their best to drop me. They didn’t. Eventually, I said I was willing to work and took a couple of pulls. We were now in a group of three.

As is typical of group riding, we didn’t say much or introduce ourselves at first. Why should we? We may ride together for one mile and then split. But eventually, we did. At the first rest stop.

The first stop was at Coltons Point on the Potomac River. Here the Potomac is five miles wide, not real far from the birthplace of George Washington across on the Virginia side.

After a brief stop to fill the water bottles, and it would get hot today, we headed back out to complete the first 50-mile loop. The more I rode the more I felt I wasn’t going to be able to hang on with these two guys. Although I had jumped in with them, they were much younger than I first thought and I thought that would wear me down.

We neared the end of the first 50 miles and came to a bit of a climb — more a roller than a climb but one where I have some problems keeping a fast pace with younger riders. I started to lose contact with John and Enrico and actually felt good about it. But then I saw Enrico sit up and wait for me. Nice gesture but damn — that meant I was going to have to ride hard the entire day.

**John at the Rest Stop at St. Mary’s College**

Back at the start at the College of Southern Maryland in Leonardtown, John told me the farthest he had ever ridden was 70 miles and that was just a few weeks earlier. I was impressed that he would try to increase his max mileage by 50% on one ride. Enrico had just flown back from Italy and wasn’t feeling well and decided to call it a day.

We had ridden the first section at 19+ mph without the benefit of a large group. I was hoping to ride more sensible in the second half. That was way too fast for me today.

Now without Enrico, John and I left the rest break with six other riders and it appeared that we would stay together. But at the first rise in the road about three miles in, John and I pulled away. We weren’t hammering it, just keeping it comfortable.

And that would be it – John and me, for the next 50 miles. There was one stretch where a group of four was catching us and I told him we would sit up and they could latch on, which we did. But there was no real formation in that group and the leader was hammering it. After a couple of miles, I told John I was going to drop back and ride at a more reasonable pace. He did too. And about 50 meters later, the group broke apart.

The remnants of that group all pulled into the rest stop at St. Mary’s City together. I don’t know what happened to them after that. Perhaps they departed before us or passed us when John flatted about five miles later.

The day was hot (upper 80s) and four rest stops hardly seemed like enough places to fill our bottles. On our way out to Piney Point, we passed a small beer store and stopped in for a Coke. It’s not quite the same as the Cokes I had in France in July but it was good enough. It was the pause that refreshes.

John is a younger, stronger, and faster rider than me. But around Mile 85 he had pulled for the last time this day. It was just the two of us working together and we had not been passed by anyone the entire day, save for the group of four that soon splintered after we dropped off.

I was in front for a mile or so and pulled to the side to let John pull. But he was no longer on my wheel. I looked and saw him about 200 meters behind so I soft-pedaled. And this would continue all the way back to the college.

I (we) caught another rider and I went to the front thinking I was pulling both but realized I had dropped both. I could have gone on home solo, and I think most roadies would have — in some ways, it is survival of the fittest — but sitting up and waiting seemed like the right thing to do. It was the right thing to do.

We made it back, John accomplished his first century ride and said the last 15 miles were the hardest miles he had ever ridden. Funny thing, our bodies. After a summer of long-distance riding, it knows how to dole out the energy stores for a 100-mile ride. John’s body simply had never been pushed to that limit and quit around Mile 85.

The organizers of the St. Mary’s Century are very proud of their work, and they should be. It was just $40 and they provided a nice T-shirt, four fully stocked rest areas, and showers at the college. Except for our (the 100 milers) first rest stop at Coltons Point which had a port-a-john, every other rest stop at fully functioning restrooms, including some nice facilities at Piney Point.

The welcome package was full of information on St. Mary’s County including discount coupons. At the finish, they had a band plus a grill with hamburgers and hot dogs and Brusters Ice Cream.

With many century options available to me and wanting to sample each one, I don’t know if I will be back to this one but highly recommend it to anyone if they have never ridden it. Well down, Paxvelo!

DISTANCE: 103.3 miles

TIME: 5:53

SPEED: 17.5 mph