What we’re about
The purpose of this group is to give our fellow Maryland bike riders opportunities to:
- explore familiar and new bike trails mostly in MD, and occasionally in DC, VA, DE, PA, NJ and NY.
- socialize and make new friends.
- have fun while exercising.
- travel with a familiar group to participate in day trips and weekend getaways for bikers
- travel with a familiar group to participate in larger bike events such as "Bike Philly"
- volunteer for bike events
- support bike advocate groups such as Bike Maryland and WABA.
Although most participants have been in the over 40+ age range, we welcome bikers of all ages, as well as all skill levels, gender identifications, ethnicities, races, etc.
Most of the events are for casual bicycle riding on scenic trails. We target rail and greenway trails, which are bicycle-friendly trails that tend to parallel old train tracks, canals, and rivers. Since trains did not do well on anything over a 3% grade, these trails are amazingly flat. They go through some beautiful areas and quaint towns, often where food and drink are plentiful.
We avoid streets as much as possible, although some of the trails may include a bike lane or shoulder for a small portion of the ride. Only a small number of routes use roads more than 25% of the time. Any route that is mostly on roads will be titled with "ROAD RIDE " so they can be easily identified.
Although we are mainly interested in "day trips," We also like to schedule at least one overnight each year.
Most rides will have distance options such as 10, 15, 20, etc., that you can choose from. And we'll range between 8 - 15 mph (some of us are slower, some are faster). This will make for a pretty laid-back ride and riders of just about any skill level should be fine. This is not about performance!
Group Fees
At this time there is no event fee or annual group fee. But please consider making a small donation to offset the $300 annual Meetup fee, the $80 annual Ride with GPS fee, and the huge number of hours the organizer's use to research destinations, check for trail construction, parking, writing, answering member questions, etc. in lieu of doing their personal errands.
Volunteer organizers are needed
If you’re in the mood to ride a particular trail and would like to let others join you, let me know and I’ll gladly add your event and put you as the organizer - even if there’s already a bike trip listed the same day. The more the merrier!
What do I need to bring?
Bike details: A proper-fitting bike that has had a maintenance check. Hybrids, mountain bikes, and road bikes (as long as they don't have the ultra-thin tires); the trails tend to be a mixture of asphalt, crushed limestone, and gravel.
Helmet: Required to be worn when seated/riding a bike.
Some other gear that is almost mandatory:
- Water (water bottles or a backpack style hydration system)
- Spare tube: Even if you don't know how to change a flat, someone in the group will be able to do it for you and it's MUCH easier to change a tube than to patch one
- Bike tools (a tire repair and patch kit and spare tube is always a good idea)
- Bike lock (we do stop for food and drink and the bike is not always in view)
- A payment method
- Good attitude (we're fun people!)
Other things to consider:
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Small first aid kit
- Bike bag to hold everything
- Biking shorts (padded shorts may look strange to the uninitiated, but they sure do the trick)
- In cooler seasons, wear an upper layer that can be removed when you get warmed up.
- Please read our group rules
Please Note
We place limits on the number of riders that can join any single ride. Be aware of this when you join a ride. If you find you won't be able to make the ride, please move yourself from ‘Going’ to ‘Not Going’ ASAP and no later than 24 hours before the event start time to give others the chance to join. If you wait till the day of the event then you’re not giving others the time to take your place. Please don’t RSVP to an event just to add it to your calendar; only RSVP if you truly feel you will make it.
Make sure you get to the Meetup location before start time. Give yourself enough time to get your bike off/out of the car and ready by the start time (at least 15 minutes). Especially in summer, it’s too hot to stand around waiting for late arrivals to get ready. If you’re running late, please message the group on Meetup so we know whether to leave or wait a bit.
Upcoming events
12
Broadneck Peninsula Trail to Sandy Point Beach (3 short road segments)
Park & Ride-Severna Park, Jones Station W Rd, Severna Park, MD, US**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed (possibly replaced with another ride) if the chance of rain is above 49%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 15 mph (per WeatherBug) **
The long-awaited trail, which was started in 2012, has been developed in phases, with all but one section open and operational. The entire trail is expected to be officially open by end of 2025.
TRAIN OR BUS STOPS
The parking lot is a main bus stop hub. No train stations are nearby.PARKING ADDRESS
Severna Park & Ride lot
2 Jones Station Rd
Arnold, MD 21012
Additional Parking:
Rite Aid across the street. 7-eleven diagonally across from the lot.MEETUP SPOT
Meet us in the parking lot in a shady spot. We’ll do an icebreaker question after check-in and then start the ride.SKILL LEVEL: Not recommended for beginners or those with unfit legs; the first four miles have rolling hills. Link to RideWithGPS map:
PACE: It’s up to you. HOWEVER, the event organizers have fit legs (avg. 10-18 mph). And some of us like to do a cardio workout at some point. We'll be making stops at a couple of road crossings/traffic lights on the trail which is how we'll regroup along the way. Since paved trails can sometimes be crowded, we don’t have expectations of being able to go very fast.
· If you prefer a faster pace than the lead riders, you can make stops to wait for them to catch up.
· If you’re not sure what your avg. speed is, be prepared to use a nav app to ride solo in case you don’t catch up to us at our stops.BIKE: Any kind of bike frame and tires. Ensure it is the correct frame size for your height so you can get maximum output. Participants are responsible for ensuring their bike tires, brakes, and chain are in good condition and they have a spare inner tube on hand. Organizers can try to help but aren't responsible for everyone's bike conditions.
TRAIL DETAILS
This paved trail spans almost 9 miles one way. It is a mix of mostly sidewalks and paved hiker/biker trail, but there are three short road segments (that I recall). The northern end (where we will start from) is designed to connect to the B&A Trail (we can see the junction with Jones Station Rd entry point off to the side). The majority of the trail is generally located on the right of way of College Parkway. When completed, it will have multiple spurs that connect key points of interest along the College Parkway corridor and the surrounding area.The first four miles south have rolling hills. After that, it is fairly flat. There is one .20 mile segment where we most likely need to ride on the road shoulder because the trail segment wasn’t completed yet when we last checked in August. There are several street crossings, and we need to change sides of College Pkwy once or twice to use the sidewalk/trail. Otherwise, you can use the road.
TRAIL SUMMARY
We will start off using the sidewalk then a neighborhood street to connect to College Pkwy. Then we take the trail all the way to Sandy Point State Park. We will bike over to the east side beach, which is the quieter side of the park, for a water/bathroom/social break. It has picnic tables and shade as well as beach access. Next, we’ll slowly ride about a mile around the river's edge towards the south side beach area (where the concession stand and rental building is) for another regroup stop.We rate this trail 7/10 because it’s a mostly straight trail, so it’s hard to get lost, it’s got some nice green landscaped areas, and it’s got a great destination point. But it had no bathrooms on the way to the beach, and it had some traffic noise due to closer than usual distance to a road most of the way.
(There is the option to take a gravel path into the park which goes through a shady forest. That was nice until we had to dismount and walk two segments due to too much loose gravel. We found six persimmon trees fruiting (Aug 31) in the Youth Camp field. Then we took another dirt & gravel trail to the east side beach.)
The Anne Arundel County map: Park-Trail-Greenway-Map_Broadneck-Trail.pdf
DISTANCE OPTIONS
These are just suggestions. Participants can choose to return at any time.OPTION A: Bike until you feel you’ve had enough.
OPTION B: Express ride! Bike the full length of 9 miles and then return without staying for a break (approximately 45 minutes each way).
OPTION C: Bike the full length of 9 miles in about 45-55 minutes. Stay for about two 10-minute breaks at the beaches before returning (approximately 2-hour total trip). *The organizers plan to do this option.
OPTION D: After finishing option C with the group, add more miles by biking on the B&A trail once you get back to the parking lot. Someone may also be interested in joining you.
BATHROOMS
Earleigh Heights Ranger Station (you’ll need to bike up north on the B&A trail).
Southern end: Sandy Point Beach.
No bathrooms on the trail yet.
SANDY POINT STATE PARK
Day-use Admission Fee: May 1- September 30 - Weekends and holidays: $5/person, Weekdays: $4/person AND October 1 - April 30 - $3 per vehicle. Bik
ers enter for free.
BIKE RENTALS
TrailWerks Cyclery, Millersville (on the trail)
BIKE REPAIR SHOP or TRAIL POSTS
There is a bike repair shop at mile.
There was a bike repair post on the trail at mile.OPTIONAL ACTIVITY
NARECOMMENDATIONS
Bring: Water bottles, snacks, biking gloves, bike bell, bike lock, helmet visor, sunglasses, bike tube, pump, patch, first aid kit, mobile phone with nav app installed (e.g. Google maps, we use RidewithGPS). If you get leg cramps during or after a ride, take electrolytes before and during your ride (or add salt and magnesium to your water). A change of clothes for your ride home or a car seat cover to absorb sweat.
Clothing: Wear biking gloves and durable clothing so that if you do fall, your skin is protected. Avoid wearing all black, all dark grey, all dark brown, or all dark blue, which blends in with pavement, especially while riding through a shady segment. Consider wearing something light to help others notice you.REQUIREMENTS
Participants must wear tightly secured helmets when on their bike.
Be proactive to avoid a fall/crash and minimize injury:
· Keep a distance between yourself and other bikers. If the biker ahead of you suddenly stops, you should be able to avoid hitting them.
· Don’t make stops on the trail. Pull over to the side and use hand gestures to let people know you’re slowing down to make a stop.
· Yelling out “Passing on your left” and/or ringing a bike bell as you approach people ahead of you, so they don’t inadvertently move in your line of travel.
· Slowing down to wait, rather than speeding up when trying to pass people at the same time walkers/bikers are approaching you from the opposite direction.
· Avoid potholes and debris and slow down when approaching bumps.
· When approaching road crossings and iffy situations, triple-check before crossing and don’t let yourself be distracted by talking, etc.
· Ensure your helmet is tightly secured so that it won’t move if you hit the ground.
MEETUP POLICIES
Participants should understand that biking is an inherently dangerous activity, and an accident could happen at any time. Participation is at your own risk.
An RSVP of “Yes” to an event is your digital signature acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree with Meetup’s and MD Rail Trail Biking’s policies, esp. section 6 “Release” and section 8.2 ” Limitation of Liability,” found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/
Question: What is that white brick building next to the trail? The following is an excerpt from a story about the area written by Sharon Tegler.
The 108-year-old Baltimore Annapolis Railroad Powerhouse building near the northern boundary of Arnold is now home to Ann Arundell Historical Society’s Shop at Jones Station.
The Baltimore Annapolis Railroad Powerhouse sits at the corner of Jones Station Road and B&A Boulevard next to the B&A Trail. Erected in 1907 as a midpoint electrical substation between Baltimore and Annapolis, it channeled 22,000 volts of current through three 300-kilowatt transformers to lower it to 6,600 volts and feed it directly to overhead lines. In 1933, the former powerhouse became an icehouse for Miss Etta’s Store & Rustic Inn and later for the Wagon Wheels restaurant. Briefly the building housed the historic society’s headquarters before moving to the Benson Hammond House.16 attendees
•OnlineNew PBS Documentary "From Rails to Trails"
Online“From Rails to Trails” is a new documentary by filmmaker Dan Protess that airs on PBS and local networks nationwide beginning Oct. 15, 2025.
This is not an in-person event. An RSVP to this event will only create a reminder for you to watch the show.
The link to the PBS webpage where you can watch it at a convenient time is: From Rails to Trails | PBS
Otherwise, look at your PBS schedule to see when it's live streaming.
- The documentary explores the origins of America’s trails movement, a political movement that emerged from the enthusiasm and passion of citizen activists who sought to protect unused rail corridors to create safe spaces for people to walk, bike and be active outside.
- Rails to Trails Conservancy’s co-founder and executive producer of the film, Peter Harnik, shares insights into the origins of America’s rail-trails, while RTC vice presidents, Liz Thorstensen and Kevin Mills, expand on the complex issues and current realities that the organization and the movement face, including protecting railbanking and addressing the interests of land owners and local residents, as communities nationwide work to create, connect and maintain the country’s trail system.
10 attendees
WABA Fundraiser: Annual Cider Ride (10, 30, or 60-mile route)
Metrobar, 640 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington , DC, USThis ride is a fundraiser for WABA (Washington Area Bicycle Association), a very active organization that works for the benefit of bikers.
Volunteers are needed - see the second event.
Registration fees support WABA’s work in the DC region and our mission empowering people to ride bikes, build connections and transform places.
- Please note, the routes are subject to change.Final route maps will be released in the week prior to the ride
All details, including maps, can be found on the WABA webpage: 2025 Cider Ride presented by Amazon « Washington Area Bicyclist Association
Ride Information
Saturday, November 1st.
CHOOSE YOUR ROUTE AND REGISTER EARLY…
Honeycrisp Ride (60 miles)
Youth $40, Adult $90
Ride on trails that take you up to the Patuxent Research Refuge and all the way back past Kenilworth Gardens on the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail before winding north through the neighborhood streets of South and Northeast DC.Check-in time: 8:30 AM
Group Start: 9:30 AMMcIntosh Ride (30 miles)
Yourh $40, Adult $75Cruise around Lake Artemesia to College Park and then back down to the Anacostia River Trail, ending with a ride through the neighborhood streets of DC.
Check-in time: 9:30 AM
Group Start: 10:30 AM**Candy Apple Ride (10 miles) **
Yourh $30, Adult $65Explore trails and neighborhood streets with a stop at Bladensburg Waterfront Park.
Check-in time: 10:30 AM
Group Start: 11:00 AM1 attendee
WABA Fundraiser: Annual Cider Ride VOLUNTEER GROUP
Metrobar, 640 Rhode Island Ave NE, Washington , DC, USThis is a WABA fundraiser event.
Ride marshalls and volunteers are needed. I’m hoping some of you will volunteer with us.
()We haven’t decided which type of volunteeringg we will do yet - we will update here soon
See the WABA webpage for more details: 2025 Cider Ride presented by Amazon « Washington Area Bicyclist Association
Ride marshalls are needed for each of the three routes.
Volunteer Roles
A. Pit-stop helper: Proteus Bikes
B. Pit-stop helper: Buddy Attick Lake
C. Pit-stop helper: BladensburgRide marshalls and volunteers are needed.
See the WABA webpage for more details: Volunteer info
Ride marshalls are needed for each of the three routes.
Volunteer Roles
A. Pit-stop helper: Proteus Bikes
B. Pit-stop helper: Buddy Attick Lake
C. Pit-stop helper: Bladensbug Waterfront Park
D. Bike Valet helper: Metrobar
2 attendees
Past events
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