Three Notch Trail (+ option to visit Solomons Island)

**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed if the chance of rain is above 49%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 15 mph (per Accuweather) **

Train or Bus Options
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PARKING & MEET UP SPOT
(Southern Trailhead): John V. Baggett Park: MD Route 235 to John V. Baggett Park at Laurel Grove, 26929 Three Notch Road, Mechanicsville. Ample parking. Restrooms and water available April through October. https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/358247601.

Plan to arrive by 8:45 so you have time to find parking, ready your bike, place water bottles, helmet, etc. and test your tires. We will try to find a shady spot near the parking lot to do check-in and the icebreaker question.

BIKE TRAIL SUMMARY
The trail is 11 miles long each way and 10 feet wide with asphalt paving. It is almost flat (just total of 187 ' elevation), as it once was a railroad. There are a few tree root bumps, but nothing to worry about. Road tires and thicker will be good. E-bikes and wheelchair riders are welcome to join us. The trail goes through forest and by some farms and is used by Amish horse and buggy drivers as well as walkers and bikers.

SKILL LEVEL: Since this is mostly flat, all skill levels will enjoy this trail. Due to the hotter weather, we will ride an avg. speed of 10-12 mph and we'll take stops to regroup every mile or so. Faster riders are welcome to go straight ahead.

DISTANCE OPTIONS
Participants can choose to return at any point. These are just suggestions.

OPTION A: Bike five miles up to Mechanicsville Rd, take a break, then return.
OPTION B: Bike eight miles up to the Charlotte Hall library. Take a break, then return.

OPTION C: [Event leaders are doing this option] Bike the full 11 miles (+/- 440 ft elevation changes) then return. Plan to regroup at the Deborah Dr. intersection (mile 0) on the trail. We will take a break to fill up water bottles, stretch, socialize, etc. Then we'll return on the same trail back to our starting point. We’ll stop at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home and the Ye Coole Springs Marker, located across the street (need to walk through a bit of grass). Read more at https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=135329. There was a historical marker for the first hospital in MD there, too. And take an optional .25-mile spur to the Farmer’s Market. And there’s the option to take a very short spur over to The Barns at New Market/Amish Market, 29133 Thompson Corner Rd, Charlotte Hall, MD 20659. Bring money and a backpack in case you need to carry items back with you.

BATHROOMS
There are several port-o-potties along the way. Bathrooms are located at:

• Northern Senior Center: parking with 6 accessible spots and restrooms
• Charlotte Hall Library 37600 New Market Rd, Charlotte Hall, MD
• John V. Baggett Park (open April through October)

BIKE RENTALS
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BIKE REPAIR
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OPTIONAL TRIP AFTERWARDS
If anyone is interested in doing one these options, let the other participants know so you can plan on going together.

Walk the Three Bridge Loop trail (adjacent to the parking lot).

Visit Solomons Island. (16 miles drive). Park at Solomons Island boardwalk. Walk over to the Tiki Bar, The Pier, or Island Hideaway for lunch. Points of interest: Calvert Marine Museum and Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center.

Visit Leonardtown. (11 miles drive) Visit the nearby historic and quaint town on Breton Bay, Leonardtown, for food/drinks and touring. Stop at the Visitor Center, then walk around the town square for lunch at one of the dining options, then bike/drive over to the Leonardtown Wharf Park for a casual stroll on the paved waterfront or to just sit and relax some more before heading back.

Visit Historic Sotterly (open 10-4, $9-10 pp). This site overlooks the Patuxent River, has many features, six miles of trails, guided tours, and it has a UNESCO Slave Route Site of Remembrance. (one of 42 in the USA).
Historic Sotterly home page
RECOMMENDATIONS
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 grey, all dark brown, or all dark blue, which blends in with pavement, especially while riding through a shady segment. Consider wearing something lighter 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/