Our Rides
Club rides are posted on Strava, with the start time, route, and any last-minute changes, and they're on our ride calendar too. RSVP on Strava, and it will remind you before you roll out.
See upcoming rides on the Calendar
Tuesday Night Ride
Intermediate 18–20 mph or Elite 20+ mph, depending on who turns out
Our fastest ride of the week, and traditionally race pace. TNR has historically been held on Naval Air Station Patuxent River, where 10 miles of road make it the safest place to ride in Southern Maryland. Some weeks it heads off base for something different, but it's always a hard effort.
- When
- Tuesdays, mid-March to the end of October. 5:30 PM, then 5:00 PM from mid-September as the days get shorter
- A group
- race pace, typically 22–28 mph for about 30 miles. If you come off the back, you're on your own
- B group
- still a fast ride, at a tamer 19–21 mph
- Groups
- it depends on turnout. When there are enough riders for two groups, elite riders go with the A group and intermediate riders with the B group
- Route
- laps on base, or off base. Check the Strava event for the week's plan
Wednesday Shop Ride
16–18 mph
Hosted by Old Line Cycles, and the best place to start if you're new to group riding. It's a short, social ride on the "Jellyfish" route: a set of out-and-backs with plenty of regroups, so everyone stays together. Faster riders can stretch their legs to the end of each road, then wait for the group.
- When
- Wednesdays at 6:00 PM
- Start
- Wildewood Shopping Center
- Distance
- about 20 miles
- Pace
- social, with regroups at the end of every out-and-back
Thursday Night Ride
Intermediate 18–20 mph or Elite 20+ mph, depending on who turns out
A tempo ride down toward Point Lookout and back, typically about 40 miles.
- When
- Thursdays at 6:00 PM, March to early October
- Start
- Park & Ride by NAS Pax Gate 2, southbound Rt. 235 near Great Mills
- Pace
- tempo, set by who turns out. If it's all fast riders, we hammer at a zone 3 effort down and back. If intermediate riders come along, we keep things tame, and the draft lets you sit in without getting gassed
- Big turnouts
- with room for two groups, we ride together toward the Point, then the faster riders pick it up and split off
- Drops
- it's not a drop ride. Nobody gets left behind
- Who
- members, and experienced riders who haven't joined yet
- Route
- usually to Point Lookout and back. Some weeks it shifts to take in other roads, and when daylight runs short we turn around before the Point
Weekend Morning Rides
16–18 mph
The Saturday and Sunday Morning Rides (SaMR and SuMR) are our social rides: a relaxed pace, and a good way to meet the club. They depend on who's around to host one, and Sundays are often a café ride. Any member can host a ride of their own, at whatever pace suits them. Check the ride calendar or Strava to see what's on this weekend.
New to Group Riding?
Our Tuesday and Thursday rides are fast: even the easier groups average about 20 mph. If that sounds like a lot, start with the Wednesday shop ride or a weekend morning ride, and join us when you're ready.
Questions
Will I get dropped?
On the Tuesday A group, quite possibly. Thursday waits for everyone, and the Tuesday B group is a step down. If you're newer, the Wednesday shop ride is the place to start.
Is my bike good enough?
If it's a road bike that shifts and brakes well, yes. Bring a helmet (required), water, and a spare tube. Lights help on evening rides late in the season.
Do I have to join first?
Nope. Ride with us a couple of times, then join for $35 a year.
Leading a Ride
Rides are posted on Strava, where you RSVP. The ride calendar on this site is where we line up ride leaders, so the club knows every ride has someone running it. See a ride that needs a leader? Open it and type your name. Don't see the ride you want? Start it: add it to the calendar and post it on Strava.
New to group riding? Read Bike Safety 101 before your first ride, and ask us anything on Discord.