Ride Reports

SCU members don't just ride around Montgomery and Bucks Counties, they also visit surrounding states and towns. This page contains unsolicited reports from club members who have participated in rides outside the area. All opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the club.

1. Alaska
2. Boulder, Colorado
3. Flatlands Tour (2003), Chesapeake City, MD
4. Flatlands Tour (2001), Chesapeake City, MD
5. Flattest Century in the East (2005), UMass Dartmouth, MA
6. Flattest Century in the East (2003), Tiverton, RI
7. Gap Gallop, Bethlehem, PA
8. Great Peanut Tour, Emporia, VA
9. Jersey Double, Whitehouse Station, NJ
10. Kent County Spring Fling, Chestertown, MD
11. Shoo-Fly Classic, Trexlertown, PA
12. Shore Fire Century, Middletown, DE
13. Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway

The above index is in alphabetical order and the reports below are in chronological order, newest first.

Shoo-Fly Classic
Next Event: September 2006

Report by Ed Hein (Comments from Jack Elias at end)
September 24, 2005

Grace and I did the Berks County Bicycle Club's Shoo-Fly Classic ride on Sat the 24th en route to a wedding in the Pocono's.

The 60-mile ride was advertised as a rolling route into the scenic Oley Valley. There were actually 4 long climbs on the route which took quite an effort to ascend. We did not use the granny gear at all but we were in our lowest gear in the back cog on several occasions near the top of some hills. Fortunately the rewards over the top were great. Some beautiful long twisty descents along creek side roads with shade and reasonable road surfaces. These allowed us to carry momentum onto the flats and maintain the big ring for some good stretches.

We only recall one traffic light on the entire route! Road markings were good, hand painted yellow arrows with SFC next to some, and well placed. We did not get lost once though I did have the cue clipped to the stem for occasional reference.

We did run along the Quad route for a few miles near Huffs Church but pealed off eventually.

The two rest stops were perfectly placed at 20 & 40 miles and featured ample food and drink. Average at the 40-mile stop was 17.8 MPH and despite the long climb after that rest stop we managed to increase the average to 17.9 MPH by the finish at mile 59. We were surprised since the length and difficulty of the climbs had us thinking that our average speed would be much lower.

The weather was great except for the wind. Some of the flats and gradual hills seemed more difficult due to the headwinds.

The post-ride food spread at the Velodrome was awesome. Chili, make your own sandwiches, macaroni salad, sodas, Gatorade, and of course Shoo-Fly pie were all on the menu as we dined on the deck overlooking the track.

Contrary to advertised we were not allowed to ride in the concrete crater since the VA & MD track racing State championships were being held and they had rented the track for the day.

All in all it was a great ride on a beautiful day.

We did see [SCU members] Rob Young and Jack Elias there.

Ed

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For many years, the Shoo-Fly ride was scheduled on the same day as SCU's Nockamixon Volunteers' Ride. Now that Nock has moved to August, there is no conflict. In 2002, the Berks County Bicycle Club moved the start of the Shoo-Fly from Kutztown to the velodrome, not only providing a great location for the post-ride meal, but also offering plenty of parking and changing rooms with showers.

As Ed mentioned, there was almost no overlap between the 35- and 60-mile routes. The 35-mile route did not have the long climbs that the Oley Valley route is known for; however, the terrain that surrounds the velodrome is rolling to hilly. I have been to three different rides at the velodrome, and I don't think there are any routes from there that do not include a few hills, but you also get low-traffic roads and great scenery.

There were very few riders on the 35-mile route. I only saw 8 other riders all day; maybe more riders started later. So if you want to ride on back roads that are free of almost all car and bike traffic, then this is a great ride to put on your calendar for next year. However, if you prefer to ride with or follow other riders, then this would not a good event.

I agree with Ed, the post-ride buffet was outstanding. In addition to the chili, baked potatoes were also available.

Jack

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The Flattest Century in the East (TFCE) 2005
Next Event: September 10, 2006 (tentative)

Report by Jack Elias
September 11, 2005

On September 11, I rode "The Flattest Century in the East" (TFCE) starting from North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. This was a very scenic ride along the coast in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, on mostly back roads, but it certainly was not the flattest century. The sponsors (Narragansett Bay Wheelmen) say "Yes, we know it's no longer exactly the flattest, but 30 years ago it was, and we have the name and we're sticking to it." Maybe riders in New England do not consider Delaware or Maryland to be part of the "East". TFCE may be the flattest century in Massachusetts or possibly New England, but the Sea Gull Century or any other ride on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and rides in Delaware or southern New Jersey are much flatter.

Ignoring the name, TFCE was a well-supported ride on rolling terrain. I have read three messages indicating that the total climb on the century was 2440, 2450, or 3700 feet. I tend to believe the lower numbers. There were no killer hills. There were pretty views of the bay, marshes, beaches, and marinas. It is mostly through rural countryside, and traffic was very light.

For many years, TFCE started in Tiverton, RI, and the route went through the suburban areas of New Bedford - Acushnet, MA. In 2004, the start location was moved to the UMass-Dartmouth campus near North Dartmouth, MA, and the less-scenic part of the route in the New Bedford area was eliminated. See photos from the ride and also a long slide show. 

TFCE is a very popular event. Registration is conducted entirely by mail. Registration is limited to 1,800 riders or August 7, whichever occurs first, but the ride always sells out before the deadline. This year, they reached the 1,800 rider limit in May. All registrations received after the limit are returned unopened. Unlike the Sea Gull, they don't increase the rider limit every year.

Registration is only open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Even riders doing the 25-mile route must start by 8:00 a.m. At registration, each rider receives a wrist band with their name and rider number on it. At each rest stop and at the end of the ride, the riders "check-in" and their numbers are recorded.

There were 3 rest stops on the Century. All stops had the same food: bananas, grapes, plums, oranges, and PB&J sandwiches. There was no Gatorade at any stops, just water - they tell you in advance to bring your own drink powder. The road markings were very good. There were two marks before each turn and one after. There were police officers controlling traffic and giving the cyclists the right-of-way at major intersections. I did not need SAG support, but I noticed several SAG vehicles on the route.

North Dartmouth, MA, is about 300 miles from Horsham, and accommodations are available nearby. 300 miles is a long way to drive for a one-day ride, but there are many tourist attractions in the area. So I combined the TFCE with a family vacation. Nearby attractions include the mansions and cliff walk in Newport, RI, Battleship Cove in Fall River, the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Horseneck Beach State Park, MA, and four wineries and a brewery. Kayak rentals and sailing are also available nearby. On the drive home, Interstate 95 passes close to Mystic Seaport and the Foxwoods Casino.

To obtain information on the 2006 TFCE ride, see www.nbwclub.org or send a S.A.S.E. to NBW - TFCE, P.O. Box 41177, Providence, RI 02940-1177 in March 2006. TFCE usually takes place on the Sunday after Labor Day, so the next event should take place on September 10, 2006. Confirm the date with the sponsors before making travel arrangements.

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The Flattest Century in the East (TFCE) 2003
Next Event: September 10, 2006 (tentative)

Report by Jack Elias
September 7, 2003

Note: Starting in 2004, the start location for this event was moved from Tiverton, RI, to UMass Dartmouth, MA.

On September 7, I rode "The Flattest Century in the East" (TFCE) in Tiverton, RI, organized by The Narragansett Bay Wheelmen (NBW). This was a scenic ride on mostly back roads, but it certainly was not the flattest. It may be the flattest ride in Rhode Island or possibly New England, but the Sea Gull Century or any other ride on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, and rides in Delaware or southern New Jersey are much flatter. The sponsors say "Yes, we know it's no longer exactly the flattest, but 30 years ago it was, and we have the name and we're sticking to it."

Ignoring the name, TFCE was a good ride on rolling terrain. There were some pretty views of the ocean and marinas. It is mostly through rural countryside, and traffic was very light except for riding through the New Bedford - Acushnet area. The ride went right past the Westport River Vineyards, but stopping for wine sampling in the middle of a century did not seem like a good idea.

TFCE is a very popular event. Registration is conducted entirely by mail. Registration is limited to 1,600 riders or August 7, whichever occurs first. This year, they reached the 1,600 rider limit on June 30. All registrations received after the limit are returned unopened. Unlike the Sea Gull, they don't increase the rider limit every year.

Registration is open 6:30 AM to 8:00 AM. Even riders doing the 25-mile route must start by 8:00 AM. At 6:15 AM there were already over 100 people in the registration lines, but the registration process did not start until exactly 6:30.

There were 3 rest stops on the Century. All stops had the same food: bananas, grapes, plums, oranges, and PB&J sandwiches. The last rest stop also had pretzels. There was no Gatorade at any stops, just water. The road markings were very good. There were two marks before each turn and one after. I did not need SAG support, but I noticed several SAG vehicles on the route.

Tiverton, RI, is about 300 miles from Horsham, and there are several motels within 10 miles of the start. 300 miles is a long way to drive for a one-day ride, but there are many tourist attractions in the area, so I combined the TFCE with a family vacation. Nearby attractions include the mansions and cliff walk in Newport, Battleship Cove in Fall River, the Whaling Museum in New Bedford, and Horseneck Beach State Park. On the drive home, Interstate 95 passes close to Mystic Seaport , Mystic Aquarium, and the Foxwoods Casino. To obtain information on the 2004 TFCE ride, see the NBW web site or send a S.A.S.E. to NBW - TFCE, P.O. Box 41177, Providence, RI 02940-1177 in April 2004.

Closer to home, another great ride in New England is Bike the Beach on September 21, starting in Fairfield, CT. Fairfield is 145 miles from Horsham. Cyclists can swim in the ocean or walk along the beach after the ride because the start/finish point is a pavilion on the beach. Bike the Beach benefits people with mental retardation through the activities of the Probus Club and its support of other community organizations such as The Kennedy Center, Inc, but pledges are optional for this charity event. Bike the Beach is organized by the Probus Club of Greater Bridgeport, P. O. Box 1403, Fairfield, CT 06432; phone 203-394-5000. 

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Bicycling in Alaska

Reported by Steven Greene 
July 21, 2003 

I just returned from a 2 week trip to Alaska which included some cycling in 3 locations around the state. In all, just being there is an experience.... the lack of any development at all, the spaciousness, etc. quite a beautiful area... and hilly!

1. Fairbanks.
I rented a hybrid on my own for half a day (for $4) through my hotel. The rental company not only delivered the bike to my hotel room, and picked it up later on, but the driver / tech also did a quick fit and set up. His name was Eric, but he said to call him "Gears". Gears even offered to ride with me, since "he was bored and it was a slow day". He also gave me a bike guide to the city with some maps that I never needed. Fairbanks has 23 000 year round residents. The city is mostly flat and follows along the C of the Chena river. There is a 16 mile trail that runs along the river and snakes from one end of the town (and the "suburbs") to the other. It is 80% paved, and the rest packed gravel. It reminds me of the new Electric Power Line trail in Horsham, or the tow path along the Delaware river. We did the whole trail from one end to another in about 3 hours from 7 pm to 10 pm (and finished in total daylight due to the midnight sun!). There were several nice views of the mountains in the distance, and occasional salmon jumping out of the river as they swam upstream. I saw at least 100 people fishing (and catching) salmon. One person had 10 fish, average size 25 pounds! He gave me a running narrative of the history of the city, and several points of interest (e.g. the site where the first settlers landed on the river sure and declared the area a Fair Bank!). After the ride, Gears packed the bikes in his van and headed over to the hotel bar on the outdoor deck for "an Alaskan brew" before returning to his shop. My wife and I joined him for about 30 minutes. There are different priorities up there.

2. Talkeetna
This is as rustic as settled Alaska gets. The town is about half-way between Fairbanks and Anchorage at the fringe of the Denali National Park. You can see the peak of Mt. McKinley from just about anywhere when it isn't covered in clouds. The whole town has 200 year round residents, most of whom live in shacks in the woods, or on rivers accessible only by boat. There are about 800 in the summer to support the tourist season (it's about 10 miles SE of Denali park and most of the seasonal people guide rafting, hiking or other sight seeing trips). This area is about what you'd picture when you think of Alaska. Awesome views of the Alaskan mountain range, light all night in the summer, dark all winter, etc. Again I arranged for a mountain bike through the hotel, and it was delivered to the room about 8 am for a half day for $6. The tech gave me a some advice on riding, but basically said that the best place to go was to follow the mountain trail that started at the hotel lot and would eventually go to the peak of McKinley if you could take it that far! I made it about 8 miles along the trail before turning around. It was basically a converted logging road, but only about 6 feet wide now due to growth of the trees. According to the topo map that I was given, I did about 2500 feet of elevation gain (from 2200 to over a mile high!!)! I was easily above the tree line. It started out as a long uphill and then turned into a very steep continual climb. While my legs were about to quit on me, I did get some spectacular views. Twice I saw bears in the woods, and many eagles flying around. I think I saw a pack of moose, but it may have been caribou. As the trail is also used by hikers and back packers, I had to stop occasionally to avoid hitting people hiking into the park. At the point where I turned around (at a lean-to) there was a group of 8 people who where intended to climb to the top of McKinley (over 3 weeks). The way down was 95% downhill and I rode the brakes the whole way. I passed one other biker who was riding up. I got back about 11:30 and left the bike outside my room where it was picked up. 

3. Ketchikan
Located on the Alaskan panhandle, this town is known as the rain capital of North America since it is located in a rain forest and gets over 200 inches of rain a year. This is the most southern town in Alaska (along the Yukon Territory bordering Canada). My wife and I signed up for a tour called "A Bike Ride Through the Rain Forest". We were met at the dock by the guides -- one male, Jack, and one female, Maggie, who definitely looked all the part of mountain bike nature guides -- in their van and driven about 10 minutes out of town to meet the rest of the group. Jack was the mechanic and bike expert, while Maggie was the naturalist and nature guide. Along the ride she occasionally pointed out trees and flowers, and whatever wildlife we saw. There were 9 of us in all, and the 2 guides. The ride was designed to be about 15 miles, about 2 miles on road getting to the trail head and the rest on trails through the forest. The leaders said we had two options... "hilly and very hilly". He offered to split the group in two, but no one except me seemed up for the very hilly so we all decided to stick together. Well, one person's hilly is not the same to all. We did at least 4 hills that were as steep, but 4x as long as Gypsy Hill Road. The trail skirted a stream and we saw several waterfalls. At one point the trail actually went behind a waterfall ... very nice. After about 1.75 hours, we reached a clearing about 1/2 way up the mountain which overlooked the whole town and the Pacific ocean. As expected, the views were just awesome. We saw 2 different bald eagles and some baby eaglets. At that very moment, it also choose to ran in buckets! The guide, who was wearing a T shirt and bike shorts seemed totally unfazed as he passed out rain coats. (His bike had a trailer for drinks, snacks and gear). When asked if he was going to wear a jacket by another rider, he simply said... "why?". We reached a point where he said the "very hilly" part would start as the trail forked, but we stayed to the other side of the split. The descent was more gradual and basically riding the brakes the whole way. The rain had made it pretty slick. Two people on the group dumped on the way down. One said she hurt her wrist, but seemed fine, the other was covered in mud - hilarious picture. The combination of the rain and the trail and riding single file got everyone muddy from the tire spit.  

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The Jersey Double
Next event: June 2006

Report by Steve Scheetz
June 21, 2003

The Jersey Double, was my first attempt at riding 200 miles on a bicycle in one day. I will start with the negatives of the experience, as I like to deliver the bad news first. To begin with, the people I started with and I shoved off about 25-30 minutes later than we had anticipated. Still the sky was foreboding, yet there was nothing dropping out of it. The rain started an hour or so later. I believe the first droplets of rain didn't officially strike my helmet until we (several large groups) got to Schoolies Mountain. The temperature then seemed to drop, despite the fact that I was roasting from the exertion of heading up the hill, and my knees/lower back started to ache. 

Having reached the first rest stop at around the 60 mile mark, I found myself guzzling Gatorade like it was just invented. It seems I was too stupid to stop off at one of the delis along the way to fill up my water bottles which had been dry since mile 40. However, I managed to re-hydrate myself, and while I was starting to shiver, I jumped back on my bike, and started hammering it so as to build up some body heat. From the first rest stop, I left with Richard (#10) and Phil (#6). For the next couple of hours, we went from riding through a light drizzle, to heavy downpours more times than I care to count! However, we held it together till we got to the lunch stop, where some of the people I started with were already there. The riders I saw looked like they had been through the battle of their lives, but there we were, eating everything that was not nailed down!

Away we went, I wish I could say that the rest of the ride was eventful, but the truth is, the only things I can remember about the last 100 miles, besides looking for the road markings, are seeing a stream bed that was 2 feet higher than the road I was riding on, wondering where they moved Frenchtown to, and why they moved it down the course a ways. I was expecting it around 120-125, but it came in around 130ish like some cruel joke! Oh the memories are flooding in now! Not like that stream bed, thankfully. Finally, the memories of the last 30 miles. I know that I had no stamina left, no strength left, all I had available to me was my willpower. I used it in a variety of ways, from swearing at myself to move my legs, swearing at myself for even registering, to swearing at the sadists who thought the course, to shouting encouragement to myself over how close I was to the end. By this point, I had sucked down 16 packets of GU, and Power Bar Gel, I drank all sorts of concoctions, and all I could do is will myself to the finish line. I couldn't drink another drop, I could suck down no more GU, all I could do, was keep changing O2 to CO2, and keep my legs moving right up until I saw Pickle Park. Once I saw Pickle Park, all was right in the world! I seem to recall someone shouting at me to come and check in. I said "I am #49! I'll be over when I change out of these shoes!" That seemed to take about half an hour or so. Doug Levy and myself went out to dinner afterward. The part that is worth noting, was that we were walking like two 80-year-old men, with nervous system damage because we could not walk straight lines to save our lives! 

Anyway, I want to thank Bruce for creating a course that was exceptionally well marked! The only time I almost missed a turn, was at one turn where a tree fell on the mark. For all the support we found along the way, I have to say I couldn't have made it otherwise! I also appreciate the fact that there were places we could stop if we needed to stop between the rest stops. I will be back next year, because the masochist in me won't let it go!

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Flatlands Tour (2003)
Next Event: June, 2006

Report by Doug Mueller
June 15, 2003

After 18 of 23 rainy weekends this year, a stalwart group of SCU riders anxiously awaited the annual trek to Chesapeake City, MD for the long-awaited Flatlands Folly and associated entertainment. By itself, the Flatlands ride is a beautiful scenic tour sponsored by the Baltimore Bike Club (BBC) through picturesque Maryland and Delaware. The route (either the 31, 54, 63, 77 or 106 miles) starts at the Bohemia Manor High School outside of Chesapeake City, and snakes through flat to gently rolling terrain towards the Delaware Bay and along Route 9 up the coast to St. Augustine Beach. Wildlife in the form of a variety of birds (from vultures to egrets to red-winged blackbirds); snakes; snapping turtles; frogs, etc. abounded both alive and as colorful road kill! Such a deal for the grand total of $4/rider (inclusive of porta-potty, snacks, drinks, and cue sheets). This no-frills (no SAG or road markings) ride is a bargain, the cue sheet is accurate, and when the weather is good, it is a very pleasant ride.

A majority of the SCU contingent arrived Friday night at the Crystal Inn in Northeast, MD and went to the Nauti Goose for seafood overlooking the Elk River inlet. After copious amounts of food and drink (carbo loading), and a late night lightening storm fireworks display, the gang retired to the Crystal Inn for a good rest before the Flatlands ride on Saturday morning. The gang awoke to a ground fog and sunshine, was off to the start point, and hit the road after a series of Kodak moment flashes. The day proved to be a test of our early season riding skills, as we weren't totally prepared for what turned out to be a very hot and humid ride. Numerous water and food stops kept us fueled as our wheels popped asphalt bubbles on the hot roads and we dodged numerous dead snakes, frogs and turtles. Near the end of the century, many of us were hit with stiff winds from an approaching storm and struggled to make it back. Only thoughts of cold frosty drinks at the Chesapeake Inn kept us going (we even managed to get lost and ran the century up to 109 miles!)! 

On our return, we hit the showers at the Crystal Inn before heading back to a great patio dinner at the Chesapeake Inn (table for 17!) overlooking the marina and C&D Canal boat traffic. The drinks and food disappeared and soon many SCUers were dancing to the oldies and disco sounds of Right Foot Red. Raindrops started falling around 10:00 p.m. and chased us back to the indoor pool and hot tub at the Crystal Inn. A somewhat smaller group of SCUers attacked the hot tub (Jody was dancing in the pool), consumed Dark 'n Stormies and margaritas, and relaxed our tired muscles. After a good night's sleep, we awoke on Sunday and went to the Pier 1 restaurant in Northeast for a hearty stuff-yer-face breakfast before hopping in the cars for the trip home.

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Flatlands Tour (2001)
Next Event: June, 2006

Report by Doug Mueller
June 25, 2001

Wow!  What a day to schedule a ride! With the memories of Allison's rains of a week ago and the promise of more rain to come, a stalwart group of SCUer's left on Friday afternoon for, hopefully, a dry trip to the self-supported Flatlands Tour put on by the Baltimore Bike Club (BBC). With plastic bags covering our seats, umbrellas and rain gear in the cars, we headed south to Chesapeake City, MD. The stalwart group consisted of Joann R., Linda J., Sharon S. (Sizgorich - see, I spelled it right!), Adam S., and Doug & Linda Mueller. We arrived at our cottages on the canal, complete with kitchenette and air conditioning (and very cheap!), to the sounds of a steel drum band across the street! Things were picking up - and it was still dry! We all gathered across the canal in Chesapeake City on the Chesapeake Inn patio overlooking the water, with another steel drum band playing as boats pulled in and out for drinks and dinner. Smiles widened as the beers kept coming, and Joann, Linda J., Sharon, and Linda M. "drooled" over our waiter Jason. Shrimp, crab, Old Bay seasoning, pasta, and yup - more beer, mudslides, and strawberry daiquiris - followed. We were even joined by two organizers of the Flatlands Tour from the BBC (Dave and Margaret Coder) - great people! We all decided that if we were gonna ride in the a.m., we better leave, so we cashed in and went back to the cottages. No rain yet!

Saturday a.m. was gray and overcast, but still no rain. We went to Bohemia H.S. and signed in ($4 registration!) with about another 50 or so riders. The Century (106 miles) contingent included Adam S., Tom Lyons (a late arrival), John Thomas (da bald nubian monk), and Linda & Doug M.  Joann, Linda J., and Sharon did the metric (way to go Sharon - 63 on her mountain bike with nasty headwinds!). Needless to say, we escaped the rain, the sun came out followed by sunburn, stiff headwinds on the return route, and nary a flat tire. The route was great - mostly flat with a few small rollers, nice scenery, especially along the Delaware Bay wildlife preserves (pedal fast - the greenheads are coming!), and great company. Thanks to John and Adam for tireless pulls into the headwinds. The best was yet to come......

After we finished, tired and - yes - thirsty, several of us (Doug, Adam, both Lindas, Joann, and Sharon) went back to the Chesapeake Inn to another band, sunshine, more beers, and food. Needless to say, it was the return draw of Jason that attracted the women-folk, but he let us use the Inn's showers to clean up and change. Couldn't have been better!  With our stomachs full, our bodies squeaky clean, and a couple of cold beers to dull the pain and senses, we all headed north and didn't hit rain until we hit Montgomery County. Roger and Jack - you should've come!

Thanks to all for a great time!  A definite repeat for next year!

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Kent County Spring Fling
Next Event: May 2006

Report by Terry Strobaugh
May 25-28, 2001

SCU was well-represented at this Memorial Day weekend event. I went down with the Rocks in their new motor home. Also present from SCU were George, Janice, Ed S., Roger, Anne and her friend Michelle and Richard who rode with us to Salisbury last year. We rode in the rain on Saturday (pouring) with Linda McGrane and Jeff Kimmel from BCP. We stopped at a picnic pavilion for shelter but it never let up and we summoned our courage and rode on. 

On Sunday we hooked up with Ray, Linda and Stacey all EC from Berks Bicycle club and Anita and Frank from Suffolk Bicycle Riders Association, who along with George and Ed from SCU rode my tail for 65miles at 17.5 until George and I turned off for the Century. Once on our own George cursed as he broke a spoke and he had to continue the rest of the way without his rear brake. Also on Monday after the ride he found a spacer was missing between two of his rear cogs explaining his shifting problems. 

Monday was a nice and easy pace and the best weather day of all. Several of us went swimming to relax after the rides and of course the festivities in Chestertown took place on Saturday despite the drenching rain. Janice found some penguin bells she couldn't live without at one of the craft booths. Ed S. found plenty of liquid refreshment and was making lots of friends at the various ice cream socials and dances. Roger showed where all that money for dancing lessons went at one of the Contra dances. 

Food was great and rooms adequate. I highly recommend this trip for anyone interested next year. I have the cue sheets for the rides so we can get out early on Friday next year for a long ride before we have to check in. Photos are available at Photoworks.com.

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Great Peanut Tour
Next Event: September 2006

Report by Jack Elias
September 7-10, 2000

This is a ride report for the 22^nd annual Great Peanut Tour that took place on September 7-10, 2000. The Great Peanut Tour is a four-day bicycle rally that takes place in Skippers, Virginia, four miles from the North Carolina border. The nearest town is Emporia, VA. A bicycle rally is a multi-day event with a fixed headquarters location. Each day, there are different routes to choose from, but they always start and end at the home base. Bicycle rallies are frequently held at colleges, making use of the dormitories and dining hall, but the headquarters for the Great Peanut Tour is the Cattail Creek Campground.

Skippers is located in a very rural section of Virginia. You see plenty of cotton, peanut, and soybean farms, and forests.   There are a few dairy farms and an occasional melon and pumpkin patch. You ride for four days and never see a housing development, and there are just a few traffic lights when you ride through Emporia, Virginia and Roanoke Rapids, NC. The terrain is rolling, but there are no steep climbs.

A unique feature of this event is the rest stops. Thirty-six local families, businesses, and churches volunteer to use their property as rest stops. The end result is a very unusual assortment of things to eat. Here is a partial list of what is offered:

The Great Peanut Tour opens on Thursday afternoon with a 25-mile ride. On Friday, the featured event is a very rolling 81-mile ride around scenic Lake Gaston in North Carolina and Virginia. A 50-mile route is also available on Friday. On Saturday morning the choices are 25 miles, 62 miles in NC, or 62 miles in VA. Or do both 62-mile routes for a “double-metric”. On Saturday afternoon, there is a group photograph, followed by the Peanut Ride, a 13-mile route with stops at a peanut farm to learn about peanut farming and an excellent food stop. On Sunday the choices are 25- or 62-mile routes.

Registration for the Great Peanut Tour is only $50. This compares to $85-$140 for the LAB rallies. Meals and camping or motel accommodations are extra. Next year’s Great Peanut Tour will take place on September 6-9, 2001. The closest motel is already completely booked, but the campground and other motels are available. The schedule of events and a full list of accommodations are available on the Emporia Bicycle Club website at http://www.greatpeanuttour.com  or contact Robert C. Wren at 1-800-449-2453, no calls after 9:00 PM. To make a campsite reservation, call the Cattail Creek Campground at 804-634-9935.

No event is perfect, and the Great Peanut Tour has just a few minor problems. The back roads in Virginia are very coarsely paved, and you can feel the increased rolling resistance in your pedaling effort. On the routes that cross into the North Carolina, the road surface is much smoother there. The back roads in Virginia are very narrow, but this effects driving a car more than bicycling. There are no stripes painted on the road, in the center or at the edges. When a truck or RV is coming the other way, you have to slow down and put the right side wheels of your car in the dirt on the side of the road. But there is so little traffic that this isn’t too much of a problem. If you aren’t camping at the campground, the parking lot for bicyclists’ vehicles is about a half-mile down a dirt road. Unless you are riding a mountain bike, you have to walk your bike back to the paved road. The parking problem was caused by a new neighbor who refused to allow parking in a field that had been used in previous years. Of course, if you are staying at a motel, you also have the option of bicycling to the campground.

Skippers, Virginia is approximately 350 miles from Horsham. It is a straight route down I-95. Once you get on the PA Turnpike, the Blue Route, or directly on I-95, the next stop sign is 3 miles from the campground.

The Great Peanut Tour is an enjoyable event and a bargain compared to other rallies. It’s not too early to make your reservations now for the 2001 tour.

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Shore Fire Century
Next Event: August 2006 

Report by: Jack Elias
August 29, 1999

On Saturday, I went on the White Clay Bicycle Club's new ride, the Shore Fire Century. It was a great ride, very well organized, especially considering it was a new event. Three routes were available, 35, 62, and 100 miles, starting from Middletown, Delaware. Traffic was very light and the terrain was fairly flat. There were 3 rest stops on the 62-mile route and 5 rest stops on the century.

There seems to be a new trend for bike clubs to use deli food stores as their rest stops.  The Princeton Event used two food stores and this ride also used one.  The ride registration fee provided a $3 coupon good for anything in the store.  Some riders got sandwiches and others just got snacks, drinks, or ice-cream.  Free drinks, bananas, oranges, and other baked goods were also available at all of the rest stops.  But unlike a SCU event, there was no food at the end of the ride.

The routes were interconnected in an interested way.  All three routes went to first rest stop, and the 35-mile riders returned from there.  The 62- and 100-mile riders continued together to the second rest stop.  From there, the 62-mile riders looped back to the deli food store that was used for the first stop, and the 100-mile riders split off.  The 100-mile riders went on to the third rest stop, and then looped back to the second stop, and then went back to the first stop using the same roads as the 62-mile riders.  From the last stop, the 62- and 100-mile riders used the same return route as the 35-mile ride.

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Gap Gallop
Next Event: October 21, 2005

Report by: Brian J. Wynne
September 27, 1999

Just a quick note to anyone interested, I took advantage of the nice weather over the weekend to go up north about an hour on Sunday to ride the Gap Gallop. The Gallop is a nice addition to the standard century rides that we all know so well. The ride starts at Northampton Community College, north-east of Bethlehem, PA and is run by the Lehigh Wheelmen Association and Genesis Bicycles, of Easton.

I believe the ride has been on hiatus for a few years but for those who remember doing it back in 95 or so, they have changed the route a bit back to the "Classic" route, eliminating the traverse of Blue Mt. at the Wind Gap (It's still on the 80 mile route.) and including all of the Water Gap instead of just dropping down into the Gap for a distance glimpse.

The ride goes west along the south side of Blue Mt. for the first 25 miles, then crosses Blue Mt at Little Gap like the old route. While the climb isn't all that bad the descent is a screamer. Didn't check my max speed, but it has to be one of the most wide open, long descents I've ever done. I could easily imagine 50-60MPH if you wanted to let it hang out. (I didn't) The ride then goes east along the north side of Blue Mt over to the Water Gap, crosses the ridge back to the south then returns to the start.

While it sounds like, and felt like, a bit of climbing, the organizers claim it's only 2400 feet. The markers are unique. They are all done freehand and are drawn to simulate the layout of the intersection. You would have to see them to understand them. Sag support was great, I easily saw more sag vehicles on this ride than on Nockamixon, SSC, Mexican Metric, Poker, etc. combined. Of course there was probably less than 300 riders total. One endearing quality that the route still maintains from the 95 version is that the last 20 or so miles is almost entirely downhill. There are a few upgrades and bumps, but it's great to cruise the last 20 miles or so.

Not many SCU/BCP types on the ride. Myself and Lisa W. and that was about it from what I saw.

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Boulder, Colorado
Greg Anderson
August 29, 1999

I know this is a bit far afield, but I thought I would share my excitement with anyone who has been considering a trip to Bike Mecca USA. Imagine a place where:

That's Boulder. If you get a chance to visit, do not hesitate. My whole family spent a marvelous day touring the town and surrounding area on bikes. It's an experience not to be missed.

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Cycling on the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway
Rick Liebert
August 2000

Early on a Friday morning last month, six of us packed ourselves into our rented 14 passenger van and motored off towards Front Royal, VA. Our bikes were lined up like soldiers inside the rear of the van, ready for action, and so were we. For those of you who have never heard of or been to the Skyline Drive or the Blue Ridge Parkway, pay attention. Connected head to tail, the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway consists of over 400 miles of completely uninterrupted and pristine limited access roadway cresting along through the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is possibly this area's most perfect cycling route. That is if you like hills!

The first day consisted of a 4 hour drive to Front Royal. From there we embarked on the cycling adventure, a 52 mile ride up to Big Meadows Lodge where rented cabins and a hot meal awaited. The first 5 miles was pure climbing followed by 47 more miles of mostly climbing. Although never too steep (39 X 23 is plenty for most riders) the relentless hill work can takes it's toll. During this segment of the ride you travel from the lowest point on the Skyline Drive to the highest point at well over 3,000 feet. With one hour left to ride, the heavens opened up on us with lightening all around accompanied by 1" hail stones. We had gone from 85 degrees and sunny to a cyclists greatest misery. Always carry raincoat in the mountains.

Saturday consisted of a long rolling to hilly ride of about 85 miles to a spectacular bed and breakfast isolated on the side of the mountain. The Sugar Tree Inn, located near Steeles Tavern, VA, offered wonderful accommodations and excellent gourmet dining. No cheap motels for this crowd. The weather and the cycling was perfect.

The final day consisted of an early morning dash of about 59 miles for Peaks of Otter on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The final climb of the morning started at 650 feet above sea level and concluded 14 miles later at 3,950 feet, which is the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway and a true mountain climb. By 2 pm we were all back in the van headed beginning our ride up the interstate towards home. By 9 pm we were home. Abruptly, by 8 am Monday morning we were each back to work and the weekend seemed like an eternity ago.

Interestingly, the Peaks of Otter area has hosted the Tour Du Pont and is near the training grounds where Lance Armstrong and Bob Roll began working out together just after Lance started cycling again after his cancer treatments. I understand that Lance renewed his enthusiasm for cycling during that period of his life.

I have done this trip many times and I love it. Miles upon miles of perfect roadway, no stop signs, no intersections, no trucks and few cars. Any reader who would like details of how to do this trip is welcome to contact me for more information. You can reach me at richardliebert@att.net or 215-542-7181.

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This page was updated on September 27, 2005, by Jack Elias, Webmaster.