Cycling

Let's earn this afternoon's wine at The Barns at Hamilton Station with an easy paced bike ride along the W&OD Trail between Hamilton, Purcellville, and Clarks Gap. Since this will be Outdoor Vineyard Visits' first bike ride, we'll be keeping things casual and easy. Starting at the W&OD trail at Hamilton Station Rd, we'll begin with a 7.6 mile out-and-back to the end of the trail in Purcellville. For those that want more, we'll then head east to Clarks Gap for a total of twelve miles. If this pre-winery bike ride goes well, we'll look into doing more in the future including longer & more challenging rides. But today's ride is just for the fun of getting some easy miles in before joining the group up the road at The Barns. (Separate sign up here: https://www.meetup.com/outdoor-vineyard-visits/events/314870488/) **PLEASE READ ALL THE DETAILS!** Date: Saturday June 13 Pre-Ride Prep: 10:45 am Pedaling Time: **11:00 am!!** Start Location: Where the W&OD crosses Hamilton Station Rd Start GPS: https://maps.app.goo.gl/c2fPJ68SDTKuSPYTA Parking: There is street parking along Hamilton Station and Irene Rds. Do not park in local businesses' lots. Estimated ride time: 1:00 to 1:30 hours Estimated average speed: 12 mph (mostly flat, some small hills) Pace: Casual and easy - this is not a race or training ride Rider Level: We will keep an easy pace, but this is not a pure beginner's ride. You should know how your bike works and be comfortable riding on a trail or roads with other cyclists, walkers, runners, and maybe even horses. Surface: Paved Multi-Use Trail Max Grade: 2.8% Route Map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55226129 Cue Sheet: n/a since we will remain on the W&OD Post Ride Refreshments: The Barns at Hamilton Station Vineyards. The Barns is less than a mile up the road where we'll meet to the rest of the Outdoor Winery Visit's gang. **Cycling helmets are required!** You must have at least one large full water bottle. You must have a spare tube, tire levers, and either a pump or CO2 cartridges. I can help fix a flat but I can't bring a tube or air for every different type/size of tire. Check your bike BEFORE you leave your house. The trail head is not the place to adjust your brakes, derailleurs or air up your tires. eBikes are welcome but you must stick to the same pace as standard bikes. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Not So Fine Print:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** Helmets are required to participate on all Outdoor Winery Visit rides. All riders ride at their own risk and with the understanding that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. When coming to the meetup you do so voluntarily and are ready and able to participate in the ride as described under the conditions of the day. Be on time for the "pre-ride" preparation. We will begin the ride at 11:00 am, no exceptions. In consideration of being allowed to participate in any way in the Outdoor Winery Visit's programs, related events and activities, I acknowledge, appreciate, and agree that: 1. The risk of injury from many of the activities is significant, including the potential for permanent paralysis and death, and while particular skills, rules, equipment, and personal discipline may reduce this risk, the risk of serious injury does exist; and, 2. I KNOWINGLY AND FREELY ASSUME ALL SUCH RISKS, BOTH KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, EVEN IF ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES or others and assume full responsibility for my participation; and, 3. I willingly agree to comply with the stated and customary terms and conditions for participation. If, however, I observe any unusual significant hazard during my presence or participation, I will remove myself from participation and bring such to the attention of the nearest official immediately; and, 4. I, for myself and on behalf of my heirs, assigns, personal representatives and next of kin, HEREBY RELEASE AND HOLD HARMLESS Outdoor Winery Visits, it’s officers, officials, ride directors, ride coordinators, agents, and/or employees, other participants, sponsoring agencies, sponsors and advertisers ("RELEASEES”), WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL INJURY, DISABILITY, DEATH, OR LOSS OR DAMAGE TO PERSON OR PROPERTY, WHETHER ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF THE RELEASEES OR OTHERWISE, to the fullest extent permitted by law. I HAVE READ THIS RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND ASSUMPTION OF RISK AGREEMENT, FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS, UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE GIVEN UP SUBSTANTIAL RIGHTS BY SIGNING UP AND PARTICIPATING.

Arrival: 8:45 AM Start Pedaling: 9:00 AM We have two options for this scenic ride through Potomac and Poolesville (long ride), a 61.6 and 41.6 mile ride. The details are the following: Ride Details Ride A Distance: 61.6 miles Terrain: Rolling hills Total Climb: 3,569 ft Max Grade: 7% Surface: Paved roads and bike paths Avg. Pace: 15 to 16 mph Recommended Bicycle Type(s): Road Route Map: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40374762 There is a nice coffee shop (K2 Cafe) around mile 29.2 to stop and rest. Ride B Distance: 41.6 miles Terrain: Rolling hills Total Climb: 2568 ft Max Grade: 6.1% Surface: Paved roads Avg. Pace: 13 to 15 mph Recommended Bicycle Type(s): Road Route Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1453550 At the corner of Darnestown and Seneca at mile 19.2 is a good place to stop and rest. There is a convenience store and gas station across the street. Post Ride Lunch: We will meet for lunch at The Irish Inn at Glenn Echo (http://irishinnglenecho.com/). Given the varying distances, our meeting times for lunch will vary from 1:00 to 2:00. **Note:** All persons participating in the activity accept and/or assume any and all risks of injuries (physical or otherwise) arising from and/or associated with this activity. What to Bring • Helmet - Mandatory! • Liquids - And plenty of them! • Photo ID • Cell Phone • Money - Cash or credit card for food or emergency • Bicycle Emergency Kit - (cash, mini tool, inner tube, CO2 cartridge or hand pump, etc.) Bike lock Other Things to Keep in Mind. • If you change your RSVP to "not going" within 2 hours of the event start time, please call or text the event host. • No go if conditions are bad. This includes precipitation (rain, hail, sleet, snow, ice) or very high probability of precipitation. Questions & Contact Info As always, if you have any questions, you may email the organizer(s) for the event or post your question as a comment. The cell numbers for the event organizers will be emailed to you the day before the event.

Join us for a 7.5 mile casual ride from King Farm to Rockville Town Square and back. Learn some of the useful cut-throughs and bike lanes that can help you get to and from downtown Rockville! Our route will be on neighborhood streets, multi-use paths, and bike lanes. READ THE FINE PRINT, PLEASE: • Bicycling involves inherent risks and requires that participants be in proper physical condition. When you RSVP "yes" to a Bike Rockville event, that RSVP is your digital signature attesting that you have read, understood, and agreed to the group's Liability Waiver and Release, located here: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BocKiaMJwba62c7b583CoOxIYamFiaWN/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BocKiaMJwba62c7b583CoOxIYamFiaWN/view?usp=sharing) • HELMETS ARE REQUIRED for all riders on every ride. • We strongly recommend you bring a water bottle, spare tube, cell phone, ID card, and cash or credit card for emergencies. • Rain at start cancels the ride; Wet pavement does not.

**Rock Creek Trail: Starting at Lake Needwood** **\*\*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 Accuweather) \*\*** **NEAREST TRAIN OR BUS STOPS** unknown **PARKING ADDRESS** Lake Needwood 15700 Needwood Cir Dr. Derwood, MD 20855 **PARKING AND MEETUP SPOT** Park at Lake Needwood Lot A, closest to the trailhead. You can also park at Lot B or C then bike over to meet us at A, at the trailhead kiosk. After check-in, we’ll do an icebreaker question. **BIKE ROUTE SUMMARY** Join us for a scenic, relaxed, and beautifully shaded ride starting at Lake Needwood in Rock Creek Regional Park. We’ll roll out on a smooth, paved trail that winds through quiet forests, gentle curves, and peaceful creekside stretches — perfect for riders who enjoy nature, steady pacing, and great conversation along the way. The route follows the Rock Creek Trail south toward Beach Drive, offering a mix of open views, wooded canopy, and the calming sound of Rock Creek running beside us. This is one of Montgomery County’s most beloved trails for a reason: it’s serene, well‑maintained, and feels like a true escape from the city. Riders can expect: · A comfortable, mostly flat paved trail with a few gentle rises · Shaded riding for most of the route · Smooth pavement with only occasional rough patches · Light to moderate trail traffic, depending on the day · A mid‑ride break at Beach Drive, where we’ll regroup, hydrate, and enjoy the scenery · A relaxed return ride back to Lake Needwood on the same beautiful path This ride is ideal for social cyclists, newer riders building confidence, and anyone who wants a scenic, low‑stress outing. Expect friendly company, a steady pace, and plenty of nature along the way. Note: Visitors can only bike around a portion of the lake due to the trail not going all the way around. We’ll be taking the Rock Creek Trail from the parking lot down to DC. **TYPE OF 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. **SKILL LEVEL:** All levels can enjoy this trail. It is well marked and mostly flat. **PACE:** It’s up to you. Paved trails have a speed limit of 15 mph. We make stops at tricky points on the trail and /or to regroup every 2-4 miles. 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. **DISTANCE OPTIONS** Participants can choose to return at any point. These are just suggestions. **OPTION A:** Short and scenic 3 miles down to just south of the MD‑28 underpass **What it’s like:** Perfect warm‑up ride, Smooth pavement, shaded, quiet, Great for newer riders or anyone easing into the season, No major hills, and you stay entirely within the most forested part of the trail **OPTION B:** C**lassic Needwood Ride — \~7.5 miles down (15 miles round‑trip) . Turnaround:** Beach Drive (Montgomery County section) **What it’s like:** This is the “signature” Needwood ride, Beautiful creekside views, Long, uninterrupted paved sections, Mid‑ride break at Beach Drive (picnic areas + restrooms), and Ideal for social pace groups **OPTION C:** **Strong Intermediate — \~10 miles down (20 miles round‑trip). Turnaround:** Farther south on Beach Drive toward the DC line **What it’s like:** Adds more rolling terrain, Still mostly shaded, You’ll experience the most scenic part of upper Rock Creek, Great for riders who want a longer workout without going into DC, Weekend riders may enjoy car‑free Beach Drive sections. **OPTION D: Longer Adventure — 12–15 miles down (24–30 miles round‑trip). Turnaround**: Anywhere between the DC line and Peirce Mill What it’s like: A true endurance ride, Mix of quiet wooded trail + lively urban‑park energy, Optional stop at Peirce Mill for water, restrooms, and shade, And Best for riders comfortable with longer distances and more trail traffic **BATHROOMS** **Lake Needwood Boat House / Boat Center** *Permanent restrooms (seasonal hours)* **Picnic Areas 1, 2, and 3** *Typically have seasonal restrooms or porta‑potties* (Example: Picnic Area 3 is confirmed in search results.) **Meadowside Nature Center (near Needwood, short spur off trail)** **Rock Creek Regional Park Picnic Areas (between Needwood & Norbeck).** Some picnic groves have seasonal restrooms or porta‑potties **Beach Drive Picnic Areas (Montgomery County section).** Multiple picnic groves with **seasonal restrooms or porta‑potties.** These are typically open spring–fall. Located near the trail and easy to access **BIKE RENTALS** NA **BIKE REPAIR** Rockville Bike Hub **FOOD & DRINK INFO** TBA **OPTION TO SOCIALIZE AFTERWARDS** Picnic by the lake **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/](https://www.meetup.com/terms/)

This ride has three very short well packed gravel sections. You might not want to use 23 or 25 mm road bike tires. **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Summary** **(Must Read)** **++++++++++++++++++++** * RIDE NAME: The Koffee Klatch Ride GAVI Bakery & Café, Sully Station * START LOC: Ellanor C Lawrence Park/Woodlands Stewardship Center, 5301 Walney Rd, Chantilly, VA 20151 * START GPS: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/8DFBGfSaCN6GrKQk6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8DFBGfSaCN6GrKQk6) * START PARKING: At the Center's gravel parking lot -- Porta-Potty is back * ARRIVAL: 10:00 am * SPEECH: 10:10 am ***\*\*you must be present for the speech or no ride for you!\*\**** * ROLLING: 10:15 am * LEVEL: Medium * PACE: 11-13 mph (a "social" pace) * DISTANCE: 17.3 miles * TERRAIN: Trail / Street / Cyclepath * Ride With GPS Route: CBG_KOFFEEK_GAVI_2026 [https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54108112](https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54108112) **Notes:** * This ride is organized very "lean" * Pump your tires on the morning of the ride, please. * It is strongly suggested that you become a NoVA CBG RidewithGPS club member and download the route posted for each "Klatch". * Loading the route onto your Garmin (or other Nav device) is also acceptable. * **NoVA CBG has a turn by turn RideWithGPS club account that's free. [https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/](https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/events/271742916/)** **++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride: Detail** **++++++++++++++++++++** Welcome to The Koffee Klatch! These rides are normally based off the Arlington Loop, but this week we will go out West towards Centerville and do a 19.7 mile medium level ridden at a social pace (11-13 mph). We will ride East starting from the Ellanor C Lawrence/Woodlands Stewardship parking lot. We will take the I-66 Parallel Trail to the Big Rocky Run Trail at Fair Lakes. We have two gravel sections on Rocky Run. After passing by Ellanor Lawrence we hit Gavi at mile 10.8 in Sully Station. From there we loop over to the Cub Run Valley Stream Trail System. There is a short gravel section in Cub Run. The gravel sections are packed (may be a little softer after early week rain), but you might not want 23 or 25 mm road bike tires. You are not required to drink or even like coffee. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Meeting Spot:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** We meet at the the **gravel parking lot** of the Ellanor C Lawrence Park/Woodlands Stewardship Center. [https://maps.app.goo.gl/8DFBGfSaCN6GrKQk6](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8DFBGfSaCN6GrKQk6) Do NOT park in front of the lake across the street. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Ride After The Ride:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** This week's [GAVI Bakery & Café](https://www.gavicafe.com/) is the Ride WITHIN The Ride! 5107 Westfields Blvd Centreville, VA 20120 Located in Sully Station Shopping Center (at about mile 10.8 of the ride). **+++++++++++++++++++++** **Ride Level Chart** **+++++++++++++++++++++** NoVA CBG tries to accommodate all levels of cyclists by offering different types/levels of rides. We just ask that you come to the ride that suits your current riding ability the best. * Introductory Level: If you haven't ridden a bike in a number of years (or are uncertain of your abilities on a bicycle). * Beginner Level: You can ride for 10+ miles at a pace of 10+ to 12+ mph with potentially minor hills involved. * Medium Level: You can ride for 20+ miles at a pace of 13+ to 15+ mph with potentially moderate hills involved. * Advanced Level: You can ride for 20++ miles at a pace of 15+ mph with potentially major hills involved. Both Medium and Advanced Levels might require handling various challenges such as reading cue sheets, using a Garmin or navigation app, night riding, out of town travel, or any other odd cycling situations. **+++++++++++++++++++++** **The Fine Print:** **+++++++++++++++++++++** An RSVP of 'YES' is your digital signature and means you have read and understood MEETUP.com's: * "Terms of Service : Section 6. Release" found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/ * NOVA-CBG's "Assumption of Risk Agreement" found @ https://www.meetup.com/novacbg/pages/1942951/NOVA-CBG_Waiver/ * NoVA CBG's "COVID Policy" found @ http://bit.ly/2021_NoVACBG_COVID19_POLICY Helmets are required to participate in all NOVA-CBG rides. All riders ride at their own risk and with the understanding that cycling is an inherently dangerous activity. When coming to the meetup you do so voluntarily and are ready and able to participate in the ride as described under the conditions of the day. Be on time for the "pre-ride" preparation. If you do not attend the pre-ride preparation you will not be allowed to participate on the ride. There are NO exceptions to the above. .