Activity: road cycling
Location: Frederick, MD > Thurmont > Middletown > Frederick
Distance: 73.4 miles (hilly – mostly in last two-thirds)
Duration: 3:58
Weather: sunny and mild, 57-74 degrees
Avg HR: 137 (max 170)
Type: aerobic

PPTC “Tour du Thurmont Extended” ride. This was my first major ride on the new Jamis, and it was a fun one. The ride had great turnout, and most of the regular gang was there: Wolfgang, Joyce, Chris, Jonathan, Al, Flyin’ Brian, Kevin, and many more.

The first third of the ride was mostly flat with a few rollers – good for building up pace. And I was pacing by feel, as I haven’t yet installed my computer on my bike (the ride time is from a fellow rider who finished with me). After the first rest stop in Thurmont (where we all froze – it was probably 10 degrees colder only 17 miles north of Frederick), the climbing started. I climbed well, if not as explosively as in recent weeks. In fact, all of the folks in our group – Wolfgang, Al, Brian, Joyce and me – were a bit “off” today (well, perhaps not Brian), but we rode well.

The route was most beautiful (view it here), with some great views of the Catoctin hills. And the Jamis rode like a champ, too.