Hi folks,
The date for our annual Vintage ride is Saturday, July 19, 2008. Bring your vintage, classic and/or BOBish bikes for a beautiful ride and get together in celebration of Summer, biking and getting together with friends. Start time will be around 10:00 am to beat the heat. Feel free to come early to talk bikes and unload. This will be our 7th year!!!
It'll be about the same as last year's ride, about as flat as I can make it, but still pretty rolling for several of it's 28 miles. This will be a socially paced ride with stops for regrouping, but for the hammerheads I've got a longer cue sheet, more hills too, that will allow the host (me) to get back so there's someone there when you get arrive at the finish besides Barb. Although I've ridden it fixed, this route will be a tough course for fixed gear. I'm still convinced it's one of the greatest biking areas around for pretty scenery and lightly traveled roads in case you've never been to this area. The last seveal miles may be fast, along a ridge and capped with a two mile twisting descent.
We'll have dogs, and brats on the grill plus all the usual sides (including vegetarian) and refreshments. Feel free to add to the menu if you wish. The 'Tour' will be going from Nîmes to Digne-les-Bains - 182 km. Its the approach to the Alps rather than pure mountain stages. It may be a day for the sprinters, and the race will be available to see for whomever wishes. Peter Kohler plans to bring an 18 minute video of the 1962 Tour de France, "Vive le Tour" by Malle.
We hope you can come. It's always a good time. Feel free to bring one, or as many bikes as you wish to show off since this is a steel is real fest. You'll have many admirers.
We'll try to make the trip worth your while. Please e-mail me to let us know you're coming and we can give you directions if necessary. Mapquest screws the route up when coming from the south.
Happy trails,
Dan Artley in Parkton, MD