This is a very impressionistic report, because I was far too blown away to be objective. 1) Brian Bayliss will be there next time; host Shawn Downing brought flats of Krispy Kremes. Thanks again, Shawn, for a fabulous day, and for arranging shorts/short sleeve jerseys weather for Nov. 1. 2) Fantastic group of bikes and riders. Vintage riders who had helped start BBC eons ago. Vintage Atala blue-and-white jersey. Vintage bikes too numerous to call out, but much more than the usual culprits. Overdoes. 3) Oregon Ridge, just a few miles N of the B'more B'way, is incredible riding for being so close to what thinks of itself as a major metro area (dig, dig). Except that every year the hills get longer and steeper, and the other riders get younger and stronger. Ever see Larry Black tacking up a hill on a 50th anniversary gruoppo-equipped Proteus with a Polish Olympic corncob FW?
There was almost no traffic, few roads were a full two lanes wide, and it just alternated between up and down ("rolling hills"), vs. woods and fields going brown, ready to yield their 'beans and corn. 25 miles. Hint to self: 52" gear was too high, but it wouldn't have made any difference, and it all works out in the end.
harvey sachs
mcLean va.