Bicycle Touring

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37593880 (38 miles, 40% gravel) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37642919 (22 miles, 44% gravel) Two routes: 38 or 22 miles. Picnic is in Purcellville with restaurants. Toilets at the beginning, middle and end of the trail. **NOTE: ADVANCED TRAIL. BRING EXTRA BATTERIES! THIS IS A FULL DAY SELF-GUIDED ADVENTURE.** The GPS routes can be found here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37593880 (38 miles, 40% gravel) https://ridewithgps.com/routes/37642919 (22 miles, 44% gravel) Come join us for a ride through some unbelievably scenic roads between Middleburg and Purcellville, VA. Loudoun County has a lot of beautiful back roads, many of which are gravel. This route meanders through some of the best scenery that this area has to offer. Expect to see miles of stone fences, pastoral farmsteads, charming little towns, and sparkling streams that snake their way through the landscape. You are guaranteed to end this ride with a smile on your face, and tranquility in your soul. Road bikes with super skinny tires will not be appropriate for this ride; that being said, any other tire should be fine. The key to navigating gravel roads is to take your time, which you will want to do anyway, as you take in the scenery. We wait at intersections for slower riders to catch up, so there will be no pressure to go any faster than you are comfortable. There is a winery just across the road from the parking area, and a brewery just on the other side of Middleburg, should anyone feel inclined to grab a bite to eat and a drink, after the ride. Mile 0 to 7: Mickie Gordon Park to Hibbs Bridge Both routes are the same to this point. Hibbs Bridge is a double-arched stone bridge with a humped back built between 1810 and 1830 when the Snickers Gap Turnpike was being constructed on what is now the Snickersville Turnpike. Mile 7 to 9 (short route): Hibbs Bridge to Philomont General Store The shorter route's lunch stop is at the Philomont General Store, which is a neat old building that has a variety of food, ice cream, drink, and other general store items. It has a strong 1800's vibe to it. There is also a restroom nearby. Mile 9 to 22 (short route): Philomont General Store to Mickie Gordon Park This is exactly the same as Mile 25 to 38 on the longer route. Mile 7 to 18 (long route): Hibbs Bridge to Purcellville We'll break away from the short route and make our way to Purcellville, where there are many good options for food directly on the route, including a Subway and 7/11. If you like Thai food, Patama Thai Kitchen (next to Subway) is top notch. We'll break for lunch in Purcellville's Fireman's Park, which has picnic tables and restrooms. The park is just down the road from the eateries, so consider bringing your food with you to the park. Mile 18 to 25 (long route): Purcellville to Philomont General Store We'll gradually get back into it after our lunch stop, and enjoy more pleasant back roads as we make our way to our final break point. The Philomont General Store is a neat old building that has a variety of food, ice cream, drink, and other general store items. It has a strong 1800's vibe to it. There is also a restroom nearby. Mile 25 to 38 (long route): Philomont to Mickie Gordon Park We'll head back over Hibbs Bridge and make a quick right onto a gravel road, which will lead us to some of the most remote and serene parts of the ride. You just can't find roads like this in most places, and we are lucky that Loudoun County sees fit to leave them be. We'll arrive in Middleburg the back way, bike down East Washington Street, and make a right just after leaving town. We'll take some neighborhood roads to avoid route 50 as much as possible, then do a very short stint (0.2 mi) on 50 to get back to our parking area. **Free Ride With GPS for E-Bike Lovers** The Ride With GPS E-bike Lovers club membership is now free as www.ebikelovers.com generates sufficient income from ads to cover the costs. Here is the link to activate your free membership: [https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN](https://ridewithgps.com/auto_approve/Club/6746/Zwa5jhttF5mJrFbN) **More information about using GPS files:** [https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/](https://ebikelovers.com/2021/03/15/download-our-trails-and-never-get-lost/) **More information about e-bike ranges:** [https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/](https://ebikelovers.com/2020/12/31/e-bike-longer-and-happier-15-smart-strategies-to-reduce-your-e-bike-range-anxiety/) **REGISTRATION FOR THIS RIDE IS YOUR AFFIRMATION THAT YOU ACCEPT THE TERMS OF THE DISCLAIMER BELOW.** **DISCLAIMER** **LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE PURSUANT TO APPLICABLE LAW, NEITHER GREGORY MAASSEN, RICHARD CAMER, TRIP COORDINATORS, THEIR AFFILIATES, FAMILY AND FORMER AND CURRENT EMPLOYERS NOR ANY OTHER PARTY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING, OR DELIVERING E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS IS LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF A USER’S ACCESS TO, OR USE OF THE E-BIKE LOVERS GUIDES, OUR MEETUP EVENTS, AND THE GPS E-TRAILS.** **See for full disclaimer: https://ebikelovers.com/disclaimer**

Bring water, free parking spots are usually available. Come say hi to me (Hem) and we go from there.

We will be hiking the loop trail, (counter clockwise) around the BeaverDam Reservoir starting at the brand new Reservoir Park VisitorsCenter. Beautiful views of the water and varied woodland areas. This is an 7.5 MILE loop hike around one of Northern Virginia's largest bodies of water. The loop is mainly flat with a tiny hill or two. I've rated the loop moderate because the distance is 7.5 miles and we will be hiking about 22 minutes per mile - just under 3 miles per hour. After the hike we'll head over to Lark Brewing. 24205 James Monroe Hwy, Aldie, VA 20105 for food and beverages. I will make every effort for your safety. You are hiking at your own risk. Dogs are welcome on the hike as long as they are good with groups, friendly and you follow all leash laws. I like kids but this is an adult event so please no kids or any one under 21. We do start on time so please plan accordingly. Meet in front of the bathrooms by the parking lot. Reservoir Park Trail on AllTrails https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/virginia/reservoir-park-trail?sh=lkkoxr&utm_medium=trail_share&utm_source=alltrails_virality

Have a bike you no longer use? Help give it a second life! Join us for our RBH Bicycle Donation Drop-Off event, where community members can bring gently-used bikes to be refurbished and be passed along to people who really need them. Donations guidelines can be found here: [https://www.rockvillebikehub.org/bicycle-donations](https://www.rockvillebikehub.org/bicycle-donations) Let your old bike ride again—and make a difference in someone’s life and help us connect the community on two wheels!

**Our Meetup is off to another hiking adventure! Mt Kilimanjaro, as the tallest mountain in Africa, is included in the 7 Summits of the world.** **It is a bucket-list item for all hard-core hikers and mountain lovers.** We did this trek with Meetup in the summer of 2024 and it was a true experience of a lifetime (see photos below) Let's get to some numbers. It is 5,895m/19,340ft BUT . . . our starting elevation for the trek is 3795m/12541ft As such elevation gain is 2100m/6799ft To compare Everest Base Camp trek, is about 2754m/9035ft elevation change. And Mt Whitney is about 1828m/6000ft elevation change. The key to being able to succeed in this endeavor lays in the route and the support system. We are taking the Lemosho Route via the Northern Circuit. The Northern Circuit route is the longest and newest of the seven established Kilimanjaro routes. It's one of the best routes because it has the best acclimatization profile. This results in one of the highest summit success rates. Add to that stunning views, and comparatively relaxed pace. It is also much less crowded than the other Kilimanjaro routes. As far as our support system: We will be accompanied by experienced guides, porters and cooks. They are certified, ensuring our safety and comfort. Porters will carry our gear. We will have a high ratio of guides to hikers. Our guides will go our pace and support each and everyone of us, regardless of fitness level and pace. In other words...you go your own speed and we all get there safe. More about our trek/trip. As with all our international trips, we picked the best season/time of year to go for weather and wildlife. Lemosho and Northern Circuit is a scenically spectacular and varied route. At the lower elevations it has an abundance of wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, eland and lion which come over to forage during dry season. **Each of our trips is personally crafted to offer the best places and best use of time.** *But I don't have the needed gear?!* You don't need much more than the standard trekker's equipment. We will provide you with a list of what is already included and what can be rented there. *Does this include food?* All meals on the trek potion are included and a cook travels with us! *What is lodging like?* We are sleeping in new and comfortable tents (carried during the day by porters) *I am new at this.* That's OK. We do plenty of prep Zooms before we depart. And in California we have a number of local outdoor day or weekend outings you can test out with us. *How dangerous is this? What if I get sick or hurt?* We will be walking on an established, well used trail the entire time. **Our trip INCLUDES emergency insurance.** We are also Certified Wilderness First Responders and our guides are members of (AMREF) Flying Doctor. **Plain and simple, safety is our primary goal.** *How much does this cost?* **Kilimanjaro Mountain Trek $3950 per person, double occupancy. Land only (airfare not included). Solo supplement $600** Trip Cost includes: \- 9 nights accommodation \- 3 meals everyday on the trek \- All Fees & Entrances and Taxes \- Camping equipment such as tents\, tables\, chairs\. \- Lead Guide\, Assistant Guides\, Porters and Cook *RSVP to this event shows your interest, but does not hold your space.* ***The only way to secure your spot for this trip is a $300 deposit:*** ***[CLICK HERE FOR SECURE DEPOSIT LINK](https://www.paypal.com/instantcommerce/checkout/8P9NUAVQM8UEN)*** *Deposit is refundable up to 90 days before the departure (less PayPal fees).* *IF you need an airfare quote,* [Click here to message Anna](https://secure.meetup.com/messages/?new_convo=true&member_id=131297062) For more information about this or any of our other international events, fill out this form: **[INTERNATIONAL MEETUPS INFO REQUEST](https://forms.gle/cQdqYw74gAYqphXX8)** To see pictures from our Kilimanjaro adventure in 2024 [CLICK HERE](https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPkfkUp6sEZVQ-xse1di_K19d1QVmSb5KOLeIjynRoWGv_XFLXI8wBfT61XxAHavg?key=U2tKajBuOGRiZkxBOUtTUG1GbUVRVmlDaERCeG5n) We do a monthly Q & A Zoom: Meet others attending, be social, or come and get any questions answered. [Click Here to RSVP to our Zoom](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/296044209/) The MAIN location where this event is posted: [https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/302872805/](https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/302872805/) (RSVP there for any conversation and comments) This events is cross posted to several other groups and the number of RSVPs on each is not reflective. We have a set of sister groups where we post our local free, local/regional camping, and our overseas events too. [Click Here ](https://www.meetup.com/CulturalArts/Events)for our other events: Live the adventure instead of only dreaming it! SOT 200318-10