ecfinn

Anyone from this group doing the Lancaster Covered bridges ride this Sunday? I know there is a BF group getting together before the start, but wasn't sure if any other Clyde types like myself were going to be there. Just curious,

Eric

zoste

I'll be there.

Not sure if I'll be doing the Saturday ride, since my girlfriend is coming with me and I'll be spending time with her. Ditto Sunday morning. I'll probably just meander to the start and ride alone so that I can ride my own ride without holding anyone up If I happen to see any BFers, of course I'll join their ride for a little conversation.

If you've never done this ride, it is GREAT! Relatively flat/easy rollers, beautiful scenery, great support.

Neil_B

I did this ride in 2007, and I was less than impressed. It's not a bad ride, but it's definitely oversold and overhyped here on Bike Forums. The food wasn't that good and nothing about the ride was so special it warrants the endless threads it spawns each year. Keep in mind this is a serious covered bridge fan writing.

I'm meeting a Bike Forums member for a ride Saturday, but I'm passing on the LCB and the Bike Forums social ride since I tire of the 'token crip' role I'm always assigned when BF members get together.

zoste

Whoa...

Y'wake up on the wrong side o' the bed this morning, Neil?

I happened to enjoy this ride immensely, and I don't think that it spawns an inordinate number of threads: one here, one in the NE forum. Shoot, man the abandoned turnpike ride generated more threads in more areas.

zowie

IIRC, it rained pretty hard in 2007.

There's a big thread in the Northeast forum.

I thought the ride was nice, but the drive back and forth for me was a bummer so I'm probably not doing it again any time soon.

Neil_B

I won't argue that the Abandoned Turnpike ride led to several threads. But that was a special event on a special course. LCB is like dozens of club rides in the course of an average summer. Quite nice, but again I don't understand the hype. Nor the BF rivalry between LCB and Buck County Covered Bridges - I've done both, and had better food at the latter and flatter riding at the former.

bautieri

I'll be there, if anyone would like to meet up and ride for a bit I would be happy to do so.

I do agree with Neil, the scenery is beautiful but the ride itself is nothing all that special. It’s well supported and all in all a pleasure to ride but I don’t think I would travel from very far off to come. Oh, either use a dust cap or screw the cap off your water bottles before drinking. Neil brought up a good point to me while we were riding in New Holland this spring. The dust that covers the road is full of fecal matter courtesy of the rain and our many bovine friends along this route.

bautieri

BTW, I registered online back in June but have not recieved anything in the mail. Did anyone else get anything or do you just walk up to the registration booth (last year I registered the day of the event) with some form of identification?

ecfinn

I just registered online today and only got a receipt I could print from active.com. I'm guessing you don't get anything in the mail when doing it online. Although it wouldn't hurt to bring the reciept along with you in case there is an issue.

Bau, will you meet the other BF folks or are you just riding by yourself? I'm not sure when I'll be arriving yet, but we usually shoot to be there earlier rather than later.

Eric

bautieri

Eric,

Sure I'll meet up with the other BF folks, what time are you planning to meet?

zoste

This is the first that I've ever even heard of the Bucks County Ride, let alone any rivalry...either I'm not very observant (likely) or BCCB is under-hyped. I may make a last minute decision on BCCB since that would give me long rides on three successive weekends. I'm already signed up for the City to Shore and the Seagull Century, both of which, I'm sure are also over-hyped.

Neil_B

The City to Shore is a very well-supported ride, and in another class entirely from the LBC and other club rides. It's unfair to compare C2S and LCB; the Lancaster ride doesn't have major corporate sponsors and 7000 riders. This isn't a criticism of LCB, only a difference.

BCCB is a nice ride, but it can be cold. It was 40 degrees out when I rode it in 2007. Brr!

AeroTechDesigns

I will have a booth set up at the covered bridges ride. stop by and say hi if you are going.

~Steve

Little Darwin

I have been on each of the PA covered bridges rides once each, and I have to say that my recollection of the food and rest stops was more palatable at the Bucks County ride.

If I had enough miles this year to think I could make the ride, I would be at Lancaster. I may try to make it to Bucks, which is a little bit closer to me too.

I don't think that the Lancaster ride is necessarily the best ride in the region, but it has a tradition at Bike Forums. The tradition is nice, but there is probably better riding in general (from my recollection) on one of the Harrisburg area rides where I rode the Tour de Cure a few years ago. The route shared many roads with one of the area's non-charity organized rides (maybe the three creek century???)

leamcorp

I ride that area a lot and metric route is typically where more people go. The better ride is on opposite side of the highway - tons of rolling Amish farms, middle of nowhere cookie/woopie pie stand, etc.

As for the food, I don't know where people eat after the ride, but go check out the restaurant call Good N' Plenty (its in Bird in Hand village). Amazing comfort food.

mtclifford

I'll be there. I think after the ride I am going to go to State College on the way back to Pittsburgh and stop at the Berkey creamery to satisfy my ice cream fetish.

Snapperhead

I'll be there with two friends. I enjoyed this ride last year and certainly think it's worth the drive over from York.

TrekDen

Yep, just go to the registration table and they will have your name on the list. I usually carry my license for ID anyhoo, but I can't remember them asking for it.

C yinz there,

Denny

TrekDen

Not the best food, I agree. The ride is pretty darn good in my opinion, and worth the drive over from Pittsburgh. It's a weekend away for me (mini vacation), so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it.

Denny

guybierhaus

I will finally skip the LCB. Rode LCB and BCCB three times each. Had enough. Just not worth the one hour drive to Lancaster. Oley Valley in Berks County much better area to ride IMHO. Number of riders you run into on any given weekend, you'd think there was an organized ride going on. For Lancaster, I find the Pedal to Preserve in June, out of New Holland much better. Not that I need the organization, but for Oley there is the Shoo-Fly Classic on Sept 30th. Start/Stop Oley Fair Grounds.

https://www.berksbicycle.com/shoofly.htm

Just a shame this group doesn't serve a good PA Dutch lunch at end instead of thin crust pizza.

barndoor

I'll be there for Saturday and Sundays rides.

I don't know about it being "overhyped" ..... personally, I like the fact that I get to ride in a different area and with people I normally wouldn't ride with....and the wife gets to go shopping and we make a weekend of it ..... the ride itself is pretty much secondary to these other aspects.

eddiejclayton

I'll be there on Sunday, first time doing this one.

Ghostcode

Finally get to see where all the PA boys hide, Hershey represent!

bautieri

So um...where and when are we meeting up? A whole bunch of us are going, but where are we going to meet and greet?

Hey Ghostcode, did you do the Pennsylvania State Police bennefit ride this spring? Just curious, I'm only a few miles from Hershey and was thinking about doing this ride next year. Are you a member of the HBC by chance?

Snapperhead

Don't mean to butt in, but I did PSP ride this year. It was a ncie ride. I will most likely do it again next year.