Expanding the Route

 

I managed a late morning bike ride yesterday, seeking to increase my distance by about 5 miles from the previous ride. I added a loop through Odenton which was almost exactly 5 miles and totaled 14.01 miles for the ride. 

14 Mile Ride
Odenton, MD
May 20, 2023

What really amazed me, however, when I checked the stats for the ride was the elevation change. That is something I do not get a lot of in Florida. On this 14 mile ride I enjoyed 570 feet of descent and 560 feet of ascent while achieving a max elevation above sea level of 224 feet. I was pretty much climbing or coasting for the entire route. By comparison on a recent 22 mile ride in Florida, I experienced 71 feet of descent and 73 feet of ascent achieving a max elevation of 30 feet above sea level. So biking in Maryland is a very different type of riding from Florida.

Crossing the Patuxent River
Odenton, MD
May 20, 2021

I enjoyed the long gradual descent of the WB&A railroad bed. It is also not too severe to return. The mapping program recorded it fairly well. It looks to be over a 100 foot elevation change.

As I crossed over the Patuxent River, I noted some people down one the banks with a fire and playing in the water. I was able to get the smoke in the image, but the people had moved out of sight by the time I stopped my bike and managed to get my phone off its handlebar mount to take the image. This area is one of the most scenic along the path.

It was a great day and a great ride. OK, it was a bit cool.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD