Tour de Patapsco route

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[riderx]

Finally, a GPS track of the infamous Tour de Patapsco.

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Details

Thanks to Jay for recording the track of our ride Saturday.

[John G]

Excellent!     I hope you give a more in depth report and some photos (on the blog maybe?).  I explored McKeldin to Avalon with my friend Todd K. way back in about '95 and it was great.

[psyclemania]

That is freakin' awesome. I want to do that!

[slowtwitch]

Is this the route you mentioned a couple months ago that is best ridden if it has been dry for awhile?    It seemed that this is an old,  mostly forgotten route.   Was there any rarely ridden, over grown trail to deal with?  

Looks like a great way to spend a Sat,  I would love to try this sometime.

[kev]

That was a fun ride.  Only one flat and one problem with a chain, both happening to me.   There is some bushwacking and some 2nd guessing.   It Joe and Jay weren't there I'd be screwed.   Patapsco is amazing in the variety of terrain it contains.   Great Scenery too.   How long were we out there, I think 6 or 7 hours?

I think Mike took a picture at the "top" of the loop but that's it.  I never think to bring a camera.  Can you make it longer by going up closer to Sykesville?

[riderx]

Is this the route you mentioned a couple months ago that is best ridden if it has been dry for awhile?    It seemed that this is an old,  mostly forgotten route.   Was there any rarely ridden, over grown trail to deal with?   

Yes and yes.  There is a lot of established trail, but definitely some little used stuff and a few bush whacking sections.

It literally took me several years to piece all of this together.

Kev - the pictures I sent yesterday are of the first time we made it through all the way from end to end. Avalon to Sykesville. It's around 32 miles one way.  I've always intended to do the round trip version of this, but I haven't had any takers yet!

I noticed the piece between Rt. 40 and Rt. 70 is screwed up in one direction - it's a straight line but we retraced that exact route on the way back. I think that's where Jay accidently hit the pause button for a bit on the computer.

[kev]

I've always intended to do the round trip version of this, but I haven't had any takers yet!

Raises Hand

[riderx]

Ha Ha, I expected that!  I'm pretty sure I can talk Jay into it too.

Before that though, I have a few other big rides I'd like to knock out:
- Chambersburg to Frederick via Michaux, the Watershed and Gambrill.
- The Ring: that's a monkey on my back that needs to be dealt with
- Tour de Frederick on the fixed cyclocross, see attached. About 180 miles with lots of gravel, camp overnight on the C&O canal in the middle.

We were out for 8 hours, probably 7 of it moving. I sent Jay an email on how to correct the elevation, so hopefully we'll get to see the true numbers.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[crashmore]

Looks like a killer ride. I'd like to give that a go this year. Do you have a route description posted anywhere?

Yes and yes.  There is a lot of established trail, but definitely some little used stuff and a few bush whacking sections.

It literally took me several years to piece all of this together.

Kev - the pictures I sent yesterday are of the first time we made it through all the way from end to end. Avalon to Sykesville. It's around 32 miles one way.  I've always intended to do the round trip version of this, but I haven't had any takers yet!

I noticed the piece between Rt. 40 and Rt. 70 is screwed up in one direction - it's a straight line but we retraced that exact route on the way back. I think that's where Jay accidently hit the pause button for a bit on the computer.

[riderx]

Do you have a route description posted anywhere?

Only in my head. It's pretty complicated, a ton of trails aren't marked and some aren't even on the map. Some intersections on the map no longer exist, so using them as landmarks doesn't work.  I can trace 90% of it on the big Patapsco map DNR sells (a connection or two goes off of the map) and verbally fill in the rest.  I should try to document it sometime, but it will be a big task.

Give me a map and I'll trace it out for you if you want.  Following the map will can be part of the adventure!

[kev]

- Chambersburg to Frederick via Michaux, the Watershed and Gambrill

yes, yes

- The Ring

  what's this?

[John G]

what's this?

It is pain.

[riderx]

what's this?

Scroll to the July 5th entry for the details.

[kev]

Man, that's pretty epic.  Yeah I like the idea of caches.

[kegley]

Saturdays ride took a tool on my confidence level.  I'll have to work on boosting it before I can commit to any of these long rides.