ACP 200km brevet - March 28 - Urbana MD
Note: Park at the Urbana Park’n'Ride.
The brevet begins at the Urbana Waffle House (8906 Fingerboard Rd, Frederick, MD 21704). Checkin starts at 6am and the brevet starts at 7am. Get there early and have a hearty breakfast to carry you through the day! The ride heads north through rolling hills in eastern Frederick County arriving at the Union Bridge 7-11. Turning roughly west, the ride is a little flatter, but that’s just so you can catch your breath before the SCENIC climb from Thurmont (altitude 500′) winding up MD77 through Catoctin Mountain State Park, topping out at about 1700′. A 3-mile descent ends at Smithsburg followed by some big rollers and finally a very gradual uphill into State Line, PA where riders can re-fuel with a quick convenience store stop or a leisurely sit down lunch. From here the terrain is flat to moderately rolling as the route heads south to Williamsport, through farmland and then along the lovely Conococheague Creek. After a little side trip to the control at the KOA (watch for gravel, cars, and children), there is more mildly rolling farmland into the Antietam National Battlefield and Sharpsburg, where riders can take a brief break at the Battleview Market control, before returning to the hills. These come in rapid succession with the next 20 miles containing many rollers as well as a 600′ climb over South Mountain at Gapland, big rollers and a 500′climb up Catoctin Ridge via Mountville Road. After a gradual descent, and ultimately a short climb away from the Monacacy River on Fingerboard Road, you’ve only got about 5 miles to ride, and you’ve ridden five miles before, haven’t you? Estimated elevation gain: 8,200 feet.