It is that time of year again!

It is hard be believe that summer is coming to an end and that means there is another PPTC Historic Back Roads Century. Below is a message from PPTC. Hope to see you there!

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Greetings!

Sunday, September 16th is the date of this year's edition of the Potomac Pedalers Touring Club's Historic Back Roads Century. The ride starts in Berryville, Virginia and meanders through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Choose a distance of 100, 63, 50, or 25 miles. Enjoy great scenery, historic sites, and the club's famed tomato sandwiches at the rest stops.

Be sure to pre-register so you get a t-shirt and a pre-registration discount. Online registration will end Sunday, September 9th.

(If you have already registered for this year's event please disregard this message. Or pass it along to a friend!)

Hope to see you on the ride!

Kent Peters
Century Coordinator

Great Day, Great Ride

To wrap up last year, I wanted to write that PPTC put on a great event! I successfully completed a half-century ride and my legs thanked me for stopping there rather than attempting the metric century. (I know, it would just have been another 12 miles but 50 miles was good enough for me that day.) It was nice to return from the ride to hear music being played and plenty of food to to eat. Additionally, there were booths set up outside and the FDA Health Fair inside the school. There were even massages given outside that help my sore legs recover!

Overall, the weather was perfect, the rest stops were well stocked, and all of the volunteers were great. I cannot wait until the next Historic Back Roads bike ride. Enjoy the pictures below from the previous post!

The Day of the Ride

Here are some pictures from Sunday. I will add some comments later!

Rules of the road

To go for a bike ride, we usually drive someplace to start off at a good spot. It seems a little silly that in order to get a good workout, a 30+ minute drive to Virginia may be necessary. A fellow FDA5er bikes to work from Bethesda to Rockville everyday. Living about a mile from work, why couldn’t I bike to the trails? I could!

Rock Creek Trail is not too far from my home… rather Rock Creek is in my backyard but the bike trail does not start until you are little closer to downtown. There are a number of bike trail signs on the road that imply that the roads are biker friendly. I understand that there is a balance of sharing the road or trail with cars or other pedestrians. Cars are sometimes respectful and stay a little behind, and then when it is clear to pass, they drive around. Once going up a big hill, I was teetering from side to side. Fighting to get up and join the others – did a mention it was a BIG hill. I appreciated the driver who stayed behind most likely fearful of driving over me if I fell.

The rules of the road for bikers are not clearly presented to everyone. After looking up some information, I understand why some cars refuse to pass riders until they are coaxed with numerous arm gestures from fellow riders to pass.
So, back to my story… We left from the house and were riding a CLEARLY marked road for bikes (similar sign) when a car honked the horn followed by passing us very closely shouting, “Get the F*** off the road!” With my confidence shattered, I thought we were wrong; there was a sidewalk available. But the sidewalks are for PEDESTRIANS – not bikers.

After some research, I found that I do not need to be hugging the white line on the road all the time (which I thought was a courtesy to allow cars to pass). I am allowed to take up the entire lane (on roads with speed limits <50). link and for a more comprehensive Biking 101, read more from that website.

There are some drivers out there that are down right disrespectful. There have been accidents. I read these two articles on the web that makes me a little more safety conscience. http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/traffic/assertiv.htm
http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/traffic/motorist.htm
Be sure you are familiar with the rules. Perhaps the roads are okay for bikes, just the cars are not at biker friendly.

Lingo of the road

Taking my road bike out on the W & O the first time, I enjoyed moseying on my half of the trail…that was until someone from nowhere proclaimed, “On your left!” I learned very quickly to stay on the right-most side of the right of the trails. That is unless there are a number of roller bladders or joggers, where I try to politely warn people that I am going to pass them without startling them too much. On occasion you may hear “On your right” if someone is close and want to pass on your ??? You guessed it! Your right.

When I started riding with a group, I heard phrases which I was not familiar with shouted every so often. Now when I ride in groups on busier roads, I appreciate the communication between riders. Traveling on narrower streets, the riders in front call out “Car up” to let the others behind them know a car is coming. Usually being at the back of the pack, I holler “Car back!” to inform and in some cases warn of a car behind us. Soon enough the car would pass me and the other riders. When crossing an intersection, a shout of “CLEAR” will indicate that is free to cross (but I would double check anyway).

Some other common calls are you may hear:
Hole
Tracks
Gravel
Glass

When people are in front of you, they sometimes use hand signals to avoid the debris on the road. A simple point with the figure usually suffices and it is much appreciated rather than falling into a pothole or squashing road kill for a second time (not a nice bump – bump experience).

There are more formal hand signals that are known universally (other than that informal point of finger to show where you intend to go). I am not sure how many road bikers use this signaling with the left arm, but I will share it:
Right Turn: Upper arm straight out parallel to the road, forearm and hand straight up and perpendicular to the road (can also use the right arm).
Left Turn: Arm straight out and parallel to the road.
Braking: Upper arm straight out parallel to the road, forearm and hand straight down and perpendicular to the road.

For more on hand signals see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_hand_signals

And for those who are visual learners, enjoy the picture at the left (image from http://www.bikemiamivalley.org/safety1.htm).

After riding for several months, I felt confident on the bike. I could ride well with others, understand and communicate with them. I was happy to ride my bike almost anywhere… that was until one day I discovered my next hurdle – sharing the road (with drivers). More on that next time!

On the bike

Most of my previous postings discuss ride preparation. Some people have requested that I write about my training, so here goes...

This season, my first ride was in April going down Rock Creek and up the Capital Crescent trails. I rode my hybrid bike with two friends who were riding their mountain bikes. It was a beautiful way to start the season. We rode approximately 20 miles. Soon after this ride, I got up the nerve to buy my first real "road" bike.

With my new road bike, I started out riding around the neighborhood (anywhere from 3 - 12 miles). At first, my confidence on the road bike was not high as I would have liked it to be, but the short rides let me build my confidence and balancing abilities. I slowly started to increase the length of the rides throughout the season.

A group of friends and coworkers went out for a ride on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (a.k.a. W&O). The trail was lovely - there weren't any cars to deal with except when the trail occasionally intersected a road. However, as I soon found out, on the W&O there are more runners, walkers, and rollerbladers. When riding around others, it is useful to let people know when you are behind them and are ready to pass them by saying, “On your left.” More of language used when riding in another post...

The Reston Town Center is also a great way to access some rides whether you plan to ride on the W&O or not. With other PPTC riders, I went on a nice (albeit hilly) ride through Great Falls. For those on the other side of the Potomac there are some nice rides in Laytonsville, MD that I frequent. Throughout July, I have been riding at least one 20 – 25 mile ride each week.

At the start of the summer, I was planning to ride the metric century at Berryville. I need to build up to at least 50 miles by the beginning of September if I plan to ride 62+ miles. So, I will be working on my endurance on my bike and on elliptical machine. Perhaps, the 50-mile loop would better suit my current fitness level, but we will see how the last month of training goes!

For more rides, check out these routes, trails, and cue sheets.
Also, look for more events!

FAQ about the Berryville Ride

Many people have been asking me questions about Centennial Ride. Below is a list of questions that have been compiled and answered by a few CVM reviewers.

1. How does a bike ride fit in with FDA’s Centennial celebration?
Our motto at the FDA is “Protecting and Promoting Public Health.” Be it through our reviews, research, inspections, or administrative support, most of our time at work is spent on the “Protecting” part. As we celebrate our Centennial, this event gives us the opportunity to promote public health through exercise and health awareness. We hope that all employees will take the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful Sunday with us as we promote public health, not just through words, but by example!

2. What does my registration include?
Registration for the event includes a T-shirt, commemorative water bottle, maps, cue sheets (directions), food and drink at the start, finish, and all rest stops, and, of course, a beautiful day of family fun! (T-shirts are only guaranteed for pre-registrants, and water bottles are only available for the first 1,000 people who register, so sign up now!)

3. Do I have to ride all 100 miles, or can I ride a shorter distance?
If you think you will not be able to ride 100 miles, there will be four alternative routes that you can take. These shorter rides will be 13, 25, 50, and 62 miles long. It is entirely up to you which distance you ride – all rides include the scenic Shenandoah Valley!

4. What if I get a flat tire or my bike breaks during the ride?
There will be a group of individuals driving the ride courses available to help you out. These angels are called SAG support – Support And Gear. They will be able to provide general mechanical assistance, and, if needed, a lift back to the finish.

5. What if I realize part-way through that I can’t make it all the way?
Hopefully this will not happen because you will have been riding and training so that you know your own limits and will ride only as far as you are capable. However, things happen on the day of the ride that you can’t predict. In these cases there will be SAG support who can assist you with your needs.

6. I haven’t ridden a bike in a long time. Is this something that I could try?
Absolutely - read this blog! If you haven’t ridden in a while, the best thing to do is to start riding well before the big day so that you can get used to being back on your bike. Start with short rides and slowly work your way up. By the time you’re a few miles into your first 5 mile ride, I’m sure you’ll re-discover the simple fun of cycling.

7. Will there be food and drink at the ride? How about rest stops?
Yes! There will be four rest stops provided along the route where you can get food, drink, and even technical service for your bike should you need it. In addition to the rest stops, food and drink will be provided at the finish of the ride.

8. What happens if it rains?
The ride will be held rain or shine. The PPTC is a non-profit organization that runs on a tight budget, and much of the registration cost will be spent on fixed costs, such as t-shirts, water bottles, maps, facilities, etc. So, the PPTC will not be able to refund your registration if you choose not to ride.

9. Can I bring my children on the ride?
Families are more than welcome! We ask that anyone under the age of 18 be accompanied by a parent or guardian during the ride.

10. What kind of bike should I ride?
Although a small tire, road bike is best for these types of rides, the most important thing is to have a bike that fits you and is in good repair. If you are unsure of your bike’s fit and condition, any local bike shop will be able to help you get your bike tuned up and ready to go!

11. I’m thinking about buying a new bike. Do you have any suggestions?
When considering a new bike, first think about how you will use it. How frequently will you be riding it? How far? What types of roads/trails will you be riding? Combine answers to these questions with your budget and you’ll be well on your way to picking out a bike that is best for you. This information is the best way to start off a conversation with a professional at your local bike shop. He or she will be able to use your answers to guide you to a bike that will serve your needs and keep you riding for years to come.

12. Do I have to wear a helmet?
YES! A helmet is by far the most important thing that you need while riding. According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, there are over 176,000 hospitalizations due to bicycle accidents each year in the United States, and about 800 cyclists die, half of the deaths are children who are 14 and younger. Two-thirds of the total deaths are from traumatic brain injury. Some estimates claim that over 90% of serious bicycling injuries could be prevented with the use of a helmet. At the PPTC Back Roads Century a helmet is required for ALL riders.

13. Will spandex really make me ride faster?
If it were only that easy… Unfortunately spandex does not make you ride faster. However, it may make your rides more comfortable – especially if you get padded bicycling shorts. Everyone will go through a period in the beginning when the bike seat is uncomfortable, but padded shorts will make the whole experience more enjoyable.

14. This sounds great! How can I register?
You can register with a credit card at: http://bikepptc.org/web_final/

If you have any other questions or comments, do not hesitate to leave a comment!