Activity: road cycling
Location: Bowie, MD > Deale, MD
Distance: 52.6 miles (mostly flat with a few rolling hills)
Duration: 2:46
Weather: overcast and muggy, 60 degrees
Avg HR: 160 (max 180)
Type: aerobic

PPTC “New Deale” ride. An excellent ride, one of my all-time favorites. It had everything: a few hills, gorgeous farmland, forests, hedgerows, and some passes along Chesapeake Bay that reminded me of cycling along the Connecticut coast. I felt great in the saddle today, with a lot of energy and a light feeling on the bike. I could’ve gone at least another 20 or 30 miles, in all likelihood. We rode at a fast BB pace – 18.9 mph average, bordering on A-level – and the small group that showed up under threatening skies was really fun to ride with. Our rest stop, 30 miles into the ride, was at a kick-butt coffee house and antique store with really supportive owners who didn’t mind 10 sweaty riders clip-clapping into her store – she actually welcomed us with open arms and treated us like stars. After the ride, five of us got together for a post-ride lunch of Italian food (yummy, freshly-made calzone).

There are plans to do this route again (and possibly a longer route that has more shoreline riding) in August. I’m definitely going to be there!