Doggie Style

I thought that would get your attention.

I got back from the beach around 1 on Saturday and had to squeeze in a ride. Barb was leaving for NY early Sunday morning, so, that meant no "ride with the guys" that day. I give DKEG a call to see if he made it back from his trip and interested in joining me. He was and the next decision was where and what type of ride to do. Schaeffer and the Shed were closed for hunting, a road ride seemed too pedestrian and Gambrill meant getting back in the car. A quick check of park closures revealed that the HMC and Blackhills were open, so, we grab the cross bikes and decided a mixed surface ride to Sugarloaf would be nice on this beautiful post Turkey Day ride.

David's C'Dale has been set up SS ever since the IC debacle. My TriCross hasn't seen any love since that race and she gets pulled down for the days ride. I quickly install some pedals and lube the chain and we are ready to roll. The skies are clear, the sun is warm on this Autumn day and we shed a layer before heading out. On the HMC we come across the nearly completed bridge that has been in the works for some time. A couple quick snaps and we are moving again. Once we pop out on the road a decision needs to be made. The subject of Flying Dog Brewery came up at my house as did Blackhills. If we ride over to the single track of the park, we probably won't make last call at the brewery, however, if we make the trek up North we WILL run out of light and neither of us are packing supplemental lighting. We decide to pass on Blackhills, make our way to Sugarlaof and re-assess time at the mountain.

DKEG really knows the back roads through this area and we are having a spectacular ride. Rolling hills with pocket horse ranches and farms sprinkle the landscape. The sun is warm on our faces and the still air is filled with the smells of fall. We pick up the second of our gravel roads outside of Barnsville with views of Sugarloaf off in the distance. The washboard ripples make taking pictures a little challenging, but we get a couple good ones to document the route. Near the mountain we pick up Mt. Ephriam and take this around the base of the mountain. A quick left on Park Mills and then back to the gravel and Monocacy Bottom Rd. This "road" is very wet with numerous puddles and I fear the stream will be more swollen than usual. My fears confirmed I get a good run up to the stream and make it all the way across. Unfortunately, the water was deep and my feet got just as wet as if I would have walked across. David wearing his Lake winter boots didn't have the same concerns. Back on the road I'm thankful the temps are so mild, my feet are soaked and we have plenty of riding before we are done.

We pop out on 80 for a moment and then a quick right on Michaels Mill Rd. This is a great little road that skirts along the Monocacy river and a beautiful old stone house overlooking the river. It is a short, but, very sweet section of road that brings you into the quaint borough of Buckeystown and route 85. From here we know our final destination is just minutes away. This section of road is the busiest and least appealing one we've been on all day. It is a necessary evil I guess with no real viable options. Once out of Buckeystown, we pedal for a mile or so and quickly turn left into a massive industrial complex and English Muffin Way. Had we turned right we would encounter the Thomas's English Muffin plant for which the road is named. Our direction brings us to the Flying Dog Brewery and the Saturday afternoon "tasting".

From 1 until 4:30 or so, 5 bucks will get you a souvenir pint glass and and as many free "samples" of the brewery's offerings you care to try. Many a head turned as David and I entered the packed tasting room. I guess helmets and hydration packs are not common attire, but , we didn't care. Our first attempt to visit the brewery was met with locked doors. We were happy that fortune smiled upon us this day. I started with their Gonzo Imperial Porter which helped to bring feeling back into my slightly chilled feet. I don't recall what David sampled first, but, I know it put an instant smile on his face. I tried and liked the Barley Wine, but, was less than impressed with their double IPA. It seemed rushed to keg and had a bitter after-taste. Another unusual beer was the Smoked Lager, it was like bacon in a glass....and I like bacon.....just not in a glass. The brewery shares it's operation with Frederick Brewing and the Wild Goose line of beers. So, their offerings were also available to the curious patron. I tried a short glass of the Pumpkin Patch which was nice and subtle with hints of nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. The Snow Goose was another seasonal of note. I finished up the same way I started, with a Gonzo Porter. Shortly before 5 the staff informed us we had to vacate the premises. Good thing David called his wife Lisa when we reached Sugarloaf. Our ride home had been established and I was thankful for the lift. The short bike ride to Buckeystown was fun in our slightly buzzed state of mind, however, my feet were getting cold again and there was no warming sun to provide relief. With impeccable timing, Lisa and the boys arrived at our extraction point the exact moment we did. No waiting around in the cold for us....which was sweet! On the way home we regaled Lisa with tales from our ride and she just shook her head in wonder. Wondering how two grown men can have so much fun on a couple bikes.

Oh, did I mention it rained the whole next day?