Hi folks,
Here's a reminder for our annual vintage ride. The date 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, and a longer cue sheet available for the hammerheads, more hills too, that will allow the host (me) to get back so there's someone there when you 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 we live in one of the greatest biking areas around for pretty scenery and lightly traveled roads in case you've never been here before. The last several miles may be fast, along a ridge and capped with a two mile descent.
We'll have hot dogs, and brats on the grill plus all the usual sides and refreshments. Feel free to add to the menu if you wish. The Tour de France will be going from Nîmes to Digne-les-Bains - 182 km. Its the approach to the Alps rather than pure mountain stages and will be available to see for whomever wishes.
I hope you can all 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. And bring a friend or two if you think they'd be interested.
We'll try to make the trip worth your while. Please e-mail me to let us know you're coming so we have a head count for food and for directions to our home, either home hydelake@verizon.net or my office dartley@baltimorecountymd.gov.
I also got a request from Paul Raley about bringing stuff to give away to clean out his garage. "Would you mind if I offered some free bikes/frames to anyone participating in your vintage ride. I am in the clean out mode and I don't want to fuss with shipping stuff but I could easily bring it with me to your ride in a few weeks. Nothing special, just a late 70's/ early 80's Peugeot touring bike, 57 cm or so, low end but with full fenders generator lights, cool rear rack (European offering only I think), which would clean up nice; and a 23" Raleigh sports frame and fork; batch of Raleigh (or other) 3 speed used fenders, chain guards, ladies frames, etc."
I'm fine with Paul's bringing that and would be happy to let others bring stuff to swap or sell if they wish. It's not Lars Andersen, but our ride will be prettier. Just don't leave anything here that doesn't belong to me when you go home!
Happy trails,
Dan Artley in Parkton, MD