Latitude Thurmont Ride

Question: is it considered wheelsucking if there are no wheels to suck? More on that later...

We had a great turnout for today's Ace, rip the legs off hill ride, apologies for anyone I've missed: Ace, Tom A, Rick P, Stu, Bob W, Chris H, Steve, Eric, Mike W, Mike H, Ty, Amanda, Alex, and our two token riders in Red, Dave and Greg Smith.

The weather was cool with a moderate wind from the northeast which proved to make the second half of the course harder. Chris H and Mike H, both had a couple hours riding in by the time we rolled out of the Mountain Gate Restaurant a little after 10am. Pretty much out of the box we were going up Catoctin Mountain on MD 77. Alex led up the bottom of the climb at a very reasonable tempo (purely self centered preservation!), but after swinging off, the pace ramped up and promptly split the group in half, a theme that would repeat throughout the day.

The temperatures were fairly warm while there was some sunshine, making me wonder whether I had over dressed. After regrouping at the top, we continued on eventually stopping again to regroups at about the 20 mile mark, which was about at the bottom of the first climb.

Regrouping at Gathland State Park

We just kept trucking over the rollers and up to the top of the intermediate climb to Gathland State Park, then decending into Boonsboro, where we stopped for drinks. A few decided to take a "short cut" back. Chris H unfortunately had two broken spokes in addition to an additional 2 hrs on the bike so he was happy to take a route that he thought would avoid the long hill on 491 to Fort Ritchie. Turns out it really didn't save much and was perhaps just as hard if not harder according to Mike Wagner.

Things split up pretty quickly on the last climb up 491, with the me being in the B group. Back to my question:

Q: Is it still wheelsucking if you are so OTB that there are no wheels to suck?
A: No, it is NOT wheelsucking. It is just sucking... (thanks for the answer-you know who your are!)

Anyway, the group waited for me at the top at the corner of Ft Ritchie Road. The A group decided to deviate from the cue sheet and follow the "new" Civil War Century route up Wise Rd (I think that is it), which according to Steve O, was a couple very hard miles. Our group short circuited the route a hair by going down Ft Ritchie Rd, which dumps out on 550 in Sabillasville. From there, a clean shot back to Thurmont. By this time, it was cloudy wit 4+ hrs in the saddle and getting very cold. I am very happy I had the gear that I did.

Yeah Baby, all you can eat fried chicken!

The "short cut" group got back to the cars a little before the B group, followed shortly thereafter by the A group. After changing, 6 of us went into the Mountain Gate for the all you can eat buffet. Restraint was difficult, but Ace was the only one who gave into the pie table! We all joked about eating dinner again when we got home. I'm not sure who else did, but I polished off the Chinese food leftovers!

It was a great hilly ride. I don't know about anyone else, but I certainly suffered on the last climb. Thanks Ace and Chris for organizing the ride! Hopefully, this is reasonably coherent as I am really, really tired.